Good Things Festival: Five Bands We Can't Wait To See

Here are our top acts to not miss at Good Things Festival!

Babymetal:

Look, I don't need a reason to like Babymetal; they're just fuckin' fun! From the pounding speed and power metal moments, top-tier production, over-the-top synths, hectic guitar riffs, and massive harmonies and J-pop choruses, Babymetal are a pure musical spectacle. Armed with utter bangers like newest single 'Distortion', the djenty 'MEGITSUNE', the ridiculous 'Karate' and of course 'Gimme chocolate!!', Babymetal's Australian live debut come December 2018 will no doubt go off. Hell, if even a third of their live stage production makes its way Down Under for their Good Things Festival set, then we're all in for a visual treat.

Emmure:

Despite being placed low on the Good Things bill, make sure you don't miss Emmure's bound-to-be-fiery set. As it turned out, frontman Frankie Palmeri being ditched by the other four members back in 2015 was a real blessing in disguise. For it opened the doors for gnarly guitarist Josh Travis (Tony Danza Tap Dance Extravaganza), air-tight drummer Josh Miller (Glass Cloud) and bassist Phil Lockett (also of Glass Cloud) to join Emmure's ranks and help create one of the best records of their career: 'Look At Yourself' (2017). It was a mature, deeper record for the band's frontman emotionally, whilst still being choked full of anger and self-loathing, and also contained some of the best tracks of Emmure's entire catalog as well. Utterly relentless songs like 'Natural Born Killer', 'Flag Of The Beast', 'Torch', and 'Russian Hotel Aftermath' are just sheer musical and lyrical rage embodied within scathing, riffy, mosh-heavy music. Emmure is pretty much on top of their game right now! Yet with infrequent visits out our way over the years, don't sleep on this forthcoming performance. (Just putting it out there, an Australian headline tour out here one day would be absolutely welcomed).

La Dispute:

In the touring and live event world, four years can be a pretty long time. Such is the lengthy gap between drinks for us here in Australia and La Dispute. With a brand new album slated for a 2019 release (which I cannot wait for), the U.S. band's position on Good Things couldn't come at a better time. With no Australian side-shows currently set for the band's appearance, this could also be the last time fans see songs like the powerful, other-worldly eeriness of 'Hudsonville, MI, 1956' - or any other songs that aren't 'Such Small Hands' and 'King Park' - live before a new record cycle kicks in. Also, with the exception of The Smith Street Band and The Wonder Years' inclusions at the fest, La Dispute also provides some real sonic diversity to the line-up as well. Expect emotions to run high when these guys play!

Dashboard Confessional:

2001's 'The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most' is basically the go-to record for singer-songwriter Chris Carrabba, AKA Dashboard Confessional. I'm definitely not the biggest fan of this band, but even I know this fact to be true. For Good Things Festival's first year, Chris and his bandmates will be honing on their second record's much-lauded material, as well as performing various other fan faves for their returning Australian set. (They were actually out here last September for a quick run of shows through the folks over at Select Touring). Despite the below live performance being from ancient history in internet time, I think it's fully indicative of the kind of engaging, communal experience Dashboard Confessional's live shows so often become. Emo's to the front.

The Offspring:

In the realms of punk rock, there are massively revered and commercially successful records such as The Clash's 'London Calling', The Ramones' self-titled LP, Green Day's 'Dookie', Blink-182's 'Enema Of The State', and, of course, 'Smash'. The latter 1994 release was the record that made The Offspring the international act they've existed as ever since; even helping Epitaph Records at the time really take off too. 2019 will actually mark the 25-year celebrations one of the 90s biggest punk albums, with Good Things Festival in some way being the kick-off for the band's no doubt upcoming celebratory touring cycle. From hits like 'Gotta Get Away', 'Self Esteem', and 'Come Out and Play', to those "deep cuts" like 'Bad Habit' or 'Genocide', this will be more or less a once-in-a-lifetime moment for the die-hard Offspring fans out there. Get keen, fuckers.

Tickets for Good Things Festival go on sale this Thursday, August 30th at 9am through www.oztix.com.au. Check out the festival's full line-up below!