The event will feature performances from homegrown acts The Murlocs, Parsnip, The Living Eyes, and Green Blanket.
OK Motels, who alongside being one of our favourite ever Instagram accounts documenting rural motels from around Australia, returns to rural Victoria for the fourth instalment of its one-night music event, and this time they’re bringing the party to not one, but two unassuming motels in the state.
The key takeaways
- OK Motels returns for its fourth instalment
- The event returns to Charlton and for the first time ever, Geelong
- The Geelong edition will put a spotlight on all local acts, food and art from the region
Keep up with the latest festival news via our website.
With three things at its core – roadtrips, music and small towns – OK Motels has earned itself a solid reputation over the last few years for injecting life into the Charlton Motel in Victoria’s north-west, showcasing some of Melbourne’s best musicians.
It all started when Kate Berry – the photographer behind the OK Motels Instagram – turned her wholesome obsession with retro regional motels into a musical excursion. Embracing a nostalgic fixation with ’70s-style accommodation and sheer love of supporting live Australian music, Kate pulled together some of her favourite Melbourne bands and put on the inaugural OK Motels event at the Charlton Motel, where people were encouraged to party like it’s 1970.
So far, the esteemed event has already seen the likes of Melbourne quartet Tropical Fuck Storm, Blake Scott, Amyl And The Sniffers, Cable Ties, Bitch Diesel, Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, Moaning Lisa, Pinch Points, and Moody Beaches, truly shining a light on some of Melbourne’s best musicians.
Now OK Motels is back, encouraging music lovers to venture to this unlikely party destination at the Charlton Motel and for the first time ever, the Corio Bay Motel in Geelong.
Set in an industrial area, the Corio Bay Motel is about an unpretentious as they come. Basic, affordable and a little quirky, the relatively quiet motel will come alive this April with the blistering energy from the incredible lineup of musicians hailing from the Greater Geelong region.
Performing in the venue carpark, The Murlocs return home to headline the event with an endearing signature blend of old-world rhythm, blues and psychedelia, bolstered by the unmistakable vocals and harmonica breakdowns of Ambrose Kenny-Smith. The much-loved staple of the Australian psych and garage scene will be joined by the all-female pop-rockers Parsnip, Geelong’s garage legends The Living Eyes, and Green Blanket, a band known for their effervescent blend of pop, rock, indie, shoegaze, and space grunge.
Alongside the slew of quality homegrown acts, the love for local continues with the event showcasing some of the best Geelong food and Geelong art. There’s even going to be a ‘Pie Night Friend Speed Dating’, combining the town’s love of Routley’s with punter’s willingness to make new pals, and the team have made an interactive road trip so you can have a good time getting there!
Tickets are on sale now and you can choose from general tickets, or opt to stay at the motel for a bit of extra coin. For those that choose to stay, you’ll be greeted with a sink full of ice and tinnies for all and a refreshing little mint on your pillow. Once the gig is done, just stumble a few steps straight to bed, and in the morning, you can meet your buds in the dining room for a Continental brekky to help you get going.
Alongside the Corio Bay event, the Charlton Motel will return in May for two events, complete with a secret headliner and performances from Blake Scott, Floodlights, Mighty Duke And The Lords, Imperial Leather and Sweat Dreams DJs. While there’s a charm to staying the night at the Charlton, this year they’re introducing an OK Camp, right in the centre of town and within walking distance to the motel. You can BYO tent, or get Undersky to take care of it for you. You can read up more about the event here.
Leave your everyday life down the highway, and come together to experience something familiar somewhere unfamiliar. It all goes down at the Corio Bay Motel on Saturday, April 17 and at the Charlton Motel on Friday, May 14 and Saturday, May 15.
Tickets on sale now and going fast! Find out more via the website.
