Do The Pop is the new two-day rock n roll music festival taking over the Port Campbell Hotel this October.
The colourful and lively seaside village of Port Campbell is about to become an electrifying hub for music lovers this October with a brand-new music festival, Do The Pop.
Curated entirely by the members of Melbourne band Grindhouse, Do The Pop (an ode to the 1978 single from Radio Birdman) will send the humble Great Ocean Road town into a high-octane frenzy with a celebration that’s designed to strike at the heart of Australian independent rock’n’roll, while also boasting an international flavour as well.
The key takeaways
- Melbourne band Grindhouse have announced the inaugural Do The Pop festival
- More than 40 stunning Rock’n’Roll bands will take to the stage at Port Campbell Hotel in Port Campbell
- The festival takes place over two days – October 29 and October 30 – and tickets are on sale now.
Check out Melbourne’s most comprehensive gig guide here.
Originally announced for October 2021 and then April 2022 as ‘Grindhouse in Snake Valley’ the multi-day festival features more than 40 killer bands, with 12 hours per day of non-stop rock’n’roll on Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30 2022.
Leading the lineup is STÖNER, the newest project from former members of Kyuss (the most influential Desert Rock band of all time), Queens of the Stone Age and other prime desert rock forerunners.
Comprising Brant Bjork (guitar/vocals), Nick Oliveri (bass/vocals) and Ryan Gut (drums), these guys have become a formidable force of stoner rock. With two albums under their belt, featuring a collection of flowing jams to all-out punk blasts, Stöner are the masters of their trade.
Joining Stöner, young Melbourne punk trio CLAMM also leads the lineup following their UK and European tour in support of their forthcoming second album Care. Set to arrive in August, Care follows on from the group’s 2020 debut Beseech Me, and explores ‘the confusion of what is it to be a young person trying to live an honourable life in this fucked-up world’.
Five-piece Melbourne garage mainstays Civic also take on headliner duties for Do The Pop this October. Forming in 2017, after forging the idea for a blistering throwback to Australia’s immense punk legacy in a Japanese bowling alley, Civic has been one of the most impressive, and successful, garage acts to come out of Melbourne over the past few years. They thrust themselves into the spotlight with their debut EP New Vietnam, hailed for its old-school rock n roll punk aesthetic, then dropped their debut album Future Forecast, calling on the Proto Punk Rock sounds of the Saints and Radio Birdman.
Speaking of Radio Birdman, The New Christs also join the lineup for the inaugural Do The Pop festival. This band surely needs no introduction, featuring three members from the renowned Sydney punk band including the Godfather of Australian proto-punk Rob Younger. They haven’t played in over three years so this will be a baptism of fire.
Hoss, the brutal rock’n’roll juggernaut fronted by Joel Silbersher(GOD), Scott Bailey on bass and Dean Muller on drums (COSMIC PSYCHOS), and WA heavy rockers Seawitch, fronted by Def FX legend Fiona Horne also join the raucous festivities.
Rounding out the monumental beast that is the Do The Pop lineup includes festival organisers themselves Grindhouse, Bitter Sweet Kicks, Penny Ikinger and band, Full Tone Generator, Rockafella, Chimers, Blowers, Mario Lalli and the Rubber Snake Charmers, Juliette Seizure and the Tremor Dolls, The Wardens, The Monaros, Electric Purrs, Watty Thompson, The Fck Ups, The Stripp, and Sacremento Sweaters, with more to be announced.
This selection of bands has been carefully curated by Grindhouse, a garage rock’n’roll band who have forged themselves a reputation with influences from Australian production cars and a high octane proto punk sound.
“[The festival features] a selection of bands that have influenced us; bands we love as friends, have played with and admire,” the band said.
“Bands that have added to the rich tapestry we still constantly draw on as musicians, punters and Australian music lovers!!!
Alongside the blistering music, the festival (18+ only) will also feature craft beer and festival food to keep punters fuelled for this epic new festival dedicated to celebrating Australian (and international) independent rock’n’roll from the last few decades, plus a few other surprises still to be announced.
With the new festival site, there will be no camping onsite unfortunately but there’s a tonne of great options for accomodation around the town, including a BIG4 caravan park 100m stumbling distance from the pub.
Do The Pop takes over the Port Campbell Hotel in Port Campbell on Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30 2022. Tickets are on sale now via the website here.
