Homegrown 2024

Home is where the heart is, and this March in Melbourne home is where an insatiable lineup of Victorian acts will descend on PICA for HOMEGROWN, a brand new event featuring an all-star, all-Melbourne lineup including SLOWLY SLOWLY, KISSCHASY, TEEN JESUS AND THE JEAN TEASERS, WAAX, VOID OF VISION, TOOSLOW, ENOLA and HASSALL.

Constantly acclaimed for their hearfelt lyricism and sonic hooks for days, SLOWLY SLOWLY have spent the past 18 months dazzling the world with countless live shows and brand new music, with their 2022 album Daisy Chain marking a stunning feather in their sonic cap. Debuting at #5 in the Australian ARIA Album Chart, Daisy Chain balances vulnerability with expertly-crafted earworms, self-produced by frontman Ben Stewart. Recently touring Daisy Chain nationally as well as a co-headline regional run with Stand Atlantic and unforgettable appearances at Good Things Festival in 2023, the band also performed a heartfelt version of blink-182's I Miss You for triple j's Like A Version last year.

Opinions may not keep you warm at night, but iconic Aussie rockers KISSCHASY have kept their scorching legacy burning bright since forming in the early 2000s. Renowned for their infectious blend of pop, rock and emo-tinged sincerity, KISSCHASY returned with gusto in 2022, reuniting that same year to appear at Good Things Festival before announcing a national headline tour in 2023, delighting fans and critics alike. With multiple ARIA Award nominations under their belts, millions of streams and a string of smash singles, including Opinions Won't Keep You Warm At Night, Do-Do's And Woahh's and Spray On Pants, KISSCHASY also remain a formidable and must-see live act.

Straight outta Canberra, punk purveyors TEEN JESUS AND THE JEAN TEASERS have been channelling Riot grrrl-era energy with a modern twist since busting onto the scene in 2019 with their debut single I Like That You Like That. Going on to become festival faves, including appearances at Groovin' The Moo, Laneway, Falls Festival, Lost Paradise and Spilt Milk, the band have also performed with the likes of Polish Club, Alex Lahey, Press Club, WAAX and Dear Seattle. Recently covering Billie Eilish's Happier Than Ever for triple j's Like A Version, the group also released their debut album I Love You in 2023.

A heady mix of alt rock and sharp post punk, the brand new era of Brisbane's WAAX takes full flight in 2024 as a solo project, helmed by the charismatic Marie DeVita. Following a run of live shows in late 2023, the WAAX experience is guaranteed to be one of high octane bliss and potent relatability; a fact seen with gusto on the 2022 full length WAAX album At Least I'm Free.

The entity known as VOID OF VISION has solidified their standing as one of the most innovative and sonically explosive acts in the modern heavy scene. In 2023 alone the band performed at Australia's first-ever Knotfest. unveiled the CHRONICLES series as a complete album and released Angel Of Darkness, a new single showcasing the Melbourne group's remarkable metamorphosis.

The pop punk side project of SLOWLY SLOWLY, TOOSLOW is an upbeat barrel of full blown nostalgia, melodic earworms and driving guitars like a time machine straight back to your teen years when everything was a tad simpler. Emerging in 2023 as a fun outlet for the band and minus any red tape, TOOSLOW unveiled two EPs in 2023, THIS BODY IS A RENTAL and COOL STORY.

For those who like a bit of grunge and gaze in their post punk sonic coffee, Naarm artist ENOLA has you covered and then some. Wielding rawness alongside electronic, shoegaze and grunge flavours, ENOLA explores the realms between isolation and catharsis, with previous performances in their wake alongside RVG, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Divide and Dissolve and more.

Melbourne singer-songwriter and self-confessed rambler HASSALL has spent the past few years evolving her style, self-described as Australian Sharehouse Pop. Balancing taboo topics and relatable lyrics with lush sensibilities. HASSALL's most recent single Hot Girls, Rock Bands, Star Wars gifted a swooning addition to her repertoire, with multiple festival appearances also in her wake.

And spinning tunes throughout the day, EMO NEVER SLEEPS DJS will keep the vibes pumping, alongside their motto: "you can't spell Melbourne without emo".

Ready to celebrate some of the best that Melbourne music has to offer in 2024? Definitely do not miss HOMEGROWN this March! HOMEGROWN has been made possible with the support of the Victorian Government's Live Music Restart Program.