Peking Duk is returning to Bendigo this April, marking eight years since the Canberra-raised duo last performed at Groovin the Moo.
The Groovin the Moo festival, which was cancelled for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is paving the way in April 2022 with an impressive list of local Aussie and international talent. The Australian electronic music group Peking Duk, which features members Adam Hyde and Reuben Styles, is among the remarkable line-up.
Among the festival’s limited three stops is Victoria’s town of Bendigo. Playing at the Prince of Wales Showgrounds on April 30th, Adam Hyde tells Forte that he can’t wait to be performing in front of locals again. “Bendigo’s sick. We’ve always loved Bendigo. We’ve always had a great time there. It’s been a while since we’ve been there, so we’re looking forward to coming back for sure.”
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Reflecting on their last GTM festival show in 2014, Hyde is excited for the opportunity to be once again a part of the festival dedicated to great music and fun times.
“I think Groovin the Moo is just, they’re great people. It’s a magical festival with a great reputation so we were stoked to get the call up to do it and I mean it’s the resurgence of live music, so I think it’ll be really special this time around.”
The impacts that COVID-19 has had on the creative industry have been incredibly damaging as borders closed and in-person concerts were not always possible. Hyde understands just how hard the effects of this global pandemic have had on the music industry and its creators, who are just at the beginning of their careers.
“It’s been difficult for us, but, I mean, it’s more so for artists that are trying to establish themselves in some way. I really feel for them. They can’t even get off the ground in a world where there’s literally no place for them to play, no spaces for them to play. Everything’s closed. No opportunities. In a world full of that, it leaves us in a world without full creativity being expressed in a live format and that’s just the world that I don’t want to live in. So it’s been bad, but it looks like things are coming back,” says Hyde.
As the world attempts to recover during post-pandemic circumstances, Hyde feels honoured that Peking Duk was selected as one of the festival’s acts and hopes that the festival can pave the way for further recovery in the live music sector.
“It feels awesome. It was one of the most fun tours we’ve ever done hands down. The sense of community amongst the artists, the crowds themselves, it was just a really special magical time so I feel like this could be more magical due to it being kind of the reawakening of live music in a sense, so we’re stoked to be a part of it.”
The festival comes after the release of their new song ‘Honest’ earlier this year, featuring the vocal talents of American pop singer and songwriter Slayyyter. The song has an interesting origin that follows the boys’ laid-back styles. “It’s a song that came together after me and Ruben had gone for a 10K run.”
Hyde further explains how they created the song in-between other commitments, and within a day, they had a workable track where they could workshop with vocal ideas. “We reached out to Slayyyter and before you know it, the tune was done and we started playing it in live sets and realised, you know, it’s definitely time to get it out there. So we did and we’re stoked.”
First gaining attention in 2012 for their talents, the band has only continued to grow and gain attention for their music. Amongst one of their biggest successes was an ARIA music award for ‘Best Dance Release’ for their song ‘High,’ a song that Hyde feels he owes a lot to for the band’s success.
“I don’t really remember even how it all came together, but it’s the one that kind of kick-started our careers. So I guess I owe a lot to that song and I’m not sure where it came from, and I think that makes it kind of special you know,” remarks Hyde.
The bands’ music falls under the electronic genre and is something that drew the attention of the Peking Duk boys as “it felt really primal” and “it felt new… so we thought we’d give it ago”.
“We owe a lot to electronic music and we’re forever grateful for the culture,” says Hyde.
However, one of the main goals for these boys is to have fun with their music, so no genre is off the table. “We try not to stick to any formulas. We’ll just kind of see where the road takes us and have fun doing it.”
When asked if we may see any surprise faces during the Groovin the Moo tour, Hyde remains open to the possibility. “We might bring some special guests. We’ll see what happens, but we’re down for whatever.”
Fans can expect to see an impressive set by Peking Duk with the potential to get a first look at some new music that may premiere at the festival.
“We might debut some new music for sure. It’s definitely going to be an exciting set. It’s a new set that we’ve curated for it. So it’s going to be super exciting.”
As a part of Groovin the Moo, Hyde looks forward to embracing the amazingly insane energy that Australian fans have when the band performs for them again during Groovin the Moo. “Aussies, they just go crazy. They’re maniacs in the best way possible. So playing for them is always a real pleasure.”
Hyde cannot wait to be at the festival and perform in front of a crowd. It has not been an option for years, but Hyde feels it is essential for the progress of music and its artists. “Just hanging out at the festival and playing, getting back to it, you know, it’s been too long.”
Don’t forget to check out Peking Duk at one of the Groovin the Moo locations this April. Tickets are available only through Moshtix and tickets previously purchased for the cancelled 2020 shows remain valid for the new shows. You can find out more about the festival here and learn more about Peking Duk here.
