A new wave of Australian indie music hits Berry this May

Distributed by Lanham Media on behalf of the Berry Chamber of Commerce

As the live music scene shifts beyond large-scale festivals, could smaller, multi-venue events like this be the future?

Berry NSW will come alive with indie sounds across multiple venues on Thursday May 21 and Sunday May 24, as the next instalment of the A Day Well Spent live music series brings a new wave of touring acts and local talent into the village.

A Day Well Spent forms part of Extend the Weekend, a destination campaign supported by the NSW Government’s UPTOWN Grant Program, designed to encourage visitors and locals to stay longer, spread visitation across more days and support local businesses beyond peak periods.

Following strong turnout and growing buzz across the first two themed weekends, the indie program leans into a new generation of Australian indie - from guitar-driven rock through to alt-pop and electronic-leaning sounds - with a deliberate mix of touring artists and South Coast musicians.

Curated by South Coast live music collective Holy Pavlova, who have delivered a range of events and festivals across the region, including recent large-scale shows in Milton and Port Kembla, the indie weekend brings together a carefully selected mix of touring acts and standout regional talent, including:

• Cheeky Leash - guitar-driven indie rock with a classic 2010s feel, arriving in Berry as the final stop on a regional tour
• Joe Mungovan - a groove-led indie artist with strong Triple J airplay and a growing national profile
• GRXCE - a rising Sydney trio named among the next generation of Australian indie, with Unearthed success and SXSW Sydney selection
• Club Camèl - a South Coast electropop outfit entering a new phase with a refreshed sound and rebrand, known for their live-first energy
• Electric Ginger - a Berry local bringing disco-infused indie energy, shaped by strong community support and performances at events like Fairgrounds
• Jimmy Vann - frontman of The Vanns, a band known for selling out major venues across Australia, performing a stripped-back solo set
• Freya Staer - a Milton-based singer-songwriter with an intimate, atmospheric sound grounded in connection to place
• Sam Allen – an emerging indie artist with a powerful vocal style and growing Triple J Unearthed support
• Ziggy McNeill - a First Nations guitarist known for his lightning-fast fingerstyle playing, with touring experience across Australia and Europe
• Jack Willis - a South Coast artist bringing a laid-back indie acoustic sound, blending folk, coastal pop and stripped-back storytelling

A highlight of the weekend is Electric Ginger’s daytime disco set, expected to get things pumping early. Electric Ginger (Greg Townley), who now calls Berry home and was part of the local committee behind the successful UPTOWN grant, said the series is helping reshape expectations of what regional towns can offer.

“There’s a real appetite for live music beyond the big cities, and Berry is starting to tap into that,” he said. “My first album as Electric Ginger was made here, and the support from the community has always been there. Having played things like Fairgrounds, it’s pretty special to now be part of something that’s bringing that energy back into the town.”

Precinct Coordinator Kate Dezarnaulds said the indie weekend reflects how the series is evolving.

“We’re incredibly proud to have already paid more than 40 musicians through the series, with 67 performances programmed and a bumper Funk and Soul weekend to come in June,” Ms Dezarnaulds said. “In addition to supporting local businesses, it’s about strengthening the social fabric of the town, creating opportunities for artists to perform and giving people a reason to come together and enjoy live music across the whole weekend.”

The indie weekend builds into a multi-venue Sunday session running from midday through to the evening, with audiences encouraged to move between venues including The Berry Hotel, Great Southern Hotel, Il Locale, Albert St Caffé, Le Bar, The Rutledge, The Garden and The Berry General Store, creating a connected, village-wide live music experience.

Stay a little longer: accommodation offer encourages extended visits

To coincide with the weekend, participating accommodation providers are offering a “stay three nights for the price of two” deal, encouraging visitors to extend their stay.

Local accommodation operator David Stubbs said the shift towards a full weekend program is already having an impact.

“When you give people a reason to come on a Thursday and stay through to Sunday, it changes how they experience the town,” he said. “It’s not just a quick visit anymore - people settle in, spend more time across venues and that flow-on is really important for local businesses.”

The upcoming dates of A Day Well Spent are:

-May 21 & 24 – Indie

-June 18 & 21 – Funk and Soul

Full program details are available at extendtheweekend.berry.org.au

ENDS

Media contacts:

Fleur Townley | Lanham Media | [email protected] | 0405 278 758

Greg Townley | Lanham Media | [email protected] | 0414 195 908

Available for interview:

• Kate Dezarnaulds, Precinct Coordinator
• Greg Townley (Electric Ginger)
• David Stubbs, Berry accommodation provider
• Harrison Hall, Holy Pavlova
• Participating artists available on request

Extend the Weekend in Berry is supported by the NSW Government through the UPTOWN Grant Program and administered by Create NSW and the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner. The project aligns with the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2035 and local tourism objectives to support longer stays, off-peak visitation and locally-led experiences.

More information at extendtheweekend.berry.org.au

Extend the Weekend in Berry is supported by the NSW Government through the Uptown Grant Program and administered by Create NSW and the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner. The project aligns with the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2035, Destination Sydney Surrounds South’s Destination Management Plan and Shoalhaven Council’s tourism objectives to support longer stays, off-peak visitation and locally-led experiences.

Distributed by Lanham Media on behalf of the Berry Chamber of Commerce

Media contacts:

Greg Townley | [email protected] | 0414 195 908

Fleur Townley | [email protected] | 0405 278 758

Available for interview:

• Kate Dezarnaulds, Uptown Precinct Coordinator and Former Head of the Berry Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, can speak to the intent of the grant.
• Electric Ginger (Greg Townley), Berry local and musician performing on the weekend
• David Stubbs, The Berry View Motel, Berry Getaways and The Berry Hotel, Berry Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Committee Member, can speak to opportunities and challenges for the hospitality and accommodation sector
• Harrison Hall, Holy Pavlova, can speak to the music program and pressures on live music industry
• Musicians available on request.

Media Assets / Artist Bios: here