Weaving an intricate and vibrant connection through the local live music scene, Sofar Sounds Geelong has been pushing the boundaries of traditional venues and spaces to create meaningful collaboration and celebrate our local artists.
As we head into the final swing of 2024, Sofar Sound Geelong are looking back on an overwhelmingly successful year; the first full 12 months of fresh tunes, hip-shaking gigs and sweet daytime festivals for the Geelong branch of the global movement aiming to bring magic back to live music.
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Passionately leading the way, alongside a team of MC’s, sound engineers and Sofar crew striving to keep the scene alive and jumping, Sofar Sounds Geelong’s own Rach Brennan is rightly feeling a delicious sense of pride in their efforts.
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“I am really proud of the community we’ve built in our first full year of Sofar Geelong,” she says.
“We’ve pushed past our traditional format of secret artists in secret spaces and connected through headline gigs, fundraising events, all ages day fests and even yoga with accompanying live music.
“The highlights for me are always in connecting and collaborating with passionate people and finding ways we can create meaningful moments together.”
The first gig of summer ’24 invited French finery to Geelong North with Sofar’s France en Focus show, a low-lit, cushioned-seat delight bringing international colour to the industrial area on a sultry January night.
The warmth continues with Barwon Heads and Anglesea locations hosting a variety of local artists as well as Samoan-Australian musician Bobby Alu, before one of February’s gigs welcoming Dan Sultan playing alongside Piper and Ngara for a fundraising show at Murran First Nations Hub in Geelong.
March celebrated another staple of the local creative scene with a spoken word performance from Lowercase Poetry poets at Bluebird House before Sofar linked up with FReeZA for an all-ages show at the Queenscliff Dive Centre and again in August in Point Lonsdale.
Geelong took April under its wing with two shows at Anabela’s in the centre of town, and a dreamy Newtown gig at Rebecchi’s with the cafe’s own Daisy Kilbourne on the line-up next to Didirri and Rowena Wise.
A number of hospitable Geelong friends opened their homes to artists and guests for some house gigs in May, September and October, bringing a unique intimacy to an already magical experience.
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Sofar shows celebrated a variety of themes throughout the year, inviting audiences to ‘taste the music’, and be ‘so calm’, and local agency MCM Bookings brought a line-up of local punk rockers to Jan Juc with Grimwoods, Tommy Dynamite and the Explosions and blyss.
In September the crew hosted a songwriting workshop with talented musicians and wordsmiths; Hassall, Billy Barker, Wild Gloriosa and Connor Callahan at creative studio The Ko in Newtown, working together and doing what Sofar does best; connecting with audiences to share laughter, tears, magic and music.
Savage Honey headlined the first November show, taking audiences to Torquay to join visitors from Melbourne; Solar Wax and Angus Montaigne and the upcoming Friends of the Anglesea River fundraising show on Wednesday 27 November brings together Leah Senior, Otta and Seal Prince at GROW with all profits raised donated to the protection of the Anglesea river.
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The final show for 2024 has announced its stellar line-up to close out the year, showcasing self-proclaimed mutts De Porsal, the endlessly warm and earnest Ella Sweeney and Finnigan Parker with a debut full band set.
Tickets are on sale now, with the location to be revealed to ticket-holders the day before the Saturday 14 December event. Sofar are bringing the Christmas spirit with a sweet, sweet deal to bring a friend for free using the code WRAPPEDBESTIE.
It’s clear that Sofar Sounds Geelong aren’t slowing down their mission to showcase what your own backyard of artists has to offer, so join in on the wonder next year and grab yourself a ticket.
“Sofar is run by musicians for music lovers, it’s super special and I can’t wait to show you what’s planned for 2025,” says Brennan, Sofar Sounds Geelong.
For tickets to the December Sofar show, head here.
