The Drop Bears set to perform at Aireys Inlet Open Mic Festival

The Drop Bears are a majority Geelong based band formed in 2014, by members that would look quite familiar to Geelong punters.
Having played literally thousands of gigs over the last 15 years at Geelong venues in bands such as The Voodoo Surfgods, The Pop Tarts, The Nirvana Show, The Breed and Metric, and with possibly the most booked soloist on the surf coast as their rhythm guitarist (Craig Sayer) this well oiled outfit has been making waves in the last couple of years in the punk scene with two coveted tour slots with USA punk legends Unwritten Law and Grunge Gods Everclear, not to mention their own Headline packed out east coast tour last year and a string of now legendary festival appearances.
After the recent tragic and sudden death of founding member, friend and bass player John Healy, only a few months ago due to an aggressive brain cancer, the boys this year have been asked to come back and headline the Aireys Inlet Open Mic Festival where they blew away the audience in 2017 to rave reviews, even out-reviewing festival headliner and now superstar Tash Sultana.
Very unlike any band going around at the moment, The Drop Bears wear sixties style thin legged pants and thin chequered ties, while delivering some very witty stage banter, as well as high energy, fast paced yet groovy punk guitar riffs. They’re best described as a cross between the Easybeats, Nirvana, Eagles of Death Metal and the Kinks, with a sprinkling of Grinspoon thrown in.
In a current music market best described as a folk rock clone war, The Drop Bears deliver a solid kick in the right area, which brings with it a deep breath of fresh air.
Frontman Pete Vanda, a veteran of many punk/grunge gigs as singer for the Australian Nirvana Show and the Pop Tarts, is one of the best in the business and says the boys are itching to get back to the Surfcoast after some massive shows at Torquay in 2016 and Aireys last year.
The Drop Bears are the Headline act on Friday 16 March at 9:30pm at the Marquis Stage at Aireys Inlet Open Mic Festival. And will be filming the show for Guitar Gods and masterpieces on 7Mate.
Get there early to see heaps of other amazing artists from 5:30pm and throughout the remaining weekend.