The "all day, all night gig-crawl" that is Port Kembla Festival returns tomorrow for its fourth year, with more than 40 artists performing across 10 iconic local venues from 2pm.
Melbourne-based punk-rock band Pres s Club is headlining the festival, alongside Annie Hamilton, Harvey M of Client Liaison and DJ Milo Eastwood.
“We’re massive fans of Wollongong, we’re really looking forward to playing Port Kembla Festival,” Press Club drummer Frank Lees says.
Press Club have frequently performed in Wollongong since they started the band in 2016, playing at the Yours & Owls Festival and local venues, such as UOW UniBar, La La La’s and Waves. This will be the band's first time in Port Kembla.
“We’re very much a live band,” Frank says.
“Check out our new album To All The Ones That I Love, and come see us play live. Press Club is a band that you need to see live to really appreciate the music, and we want to see you!”
Press Club will host a show at Music Farmers in Wollongong from 3pm to celebrate the release of their fourth album (available from May 2), then they will perform at The Iron Yampi from 7.30pm as part of the Port Kembla Festival.
“Compared to our earlier stuff, I'd say this album's probably more polished," Frank says. "It’s a bit different in style. So, hopefully it still resonates with people. We're super proud of it. It's probably our biggest achievement yet – until the next album. So, we're super excited."
Organised by South Coast-based event production and booking agency Holy Pavlova, 2025's Port Kembla Festival is set to host a huge variety of acts from all around Australia.
Local DJ collective Sultans of Spin are excited to represent homegrown talent at the festival.
“Port locals are really supportive. There’s always a really cool local feel from Port – it’s got such a cool South Coast local town sort of feel, that real sense of community,” says Sultans of Spin co-coordinator, Jimmy Murada, who performs under the pseudonym ‘Jimmy BYO’.
Festival goers will also have a chance to sample food, art exhibitions, twilight markets, guided yoga, and gigs across 10 local venues.
Iconic pubs and bars like The Servo and The Wentworth offer the same quirky, cultured atmosphere as less typical gig venues like The Shave Cave (a barber shop with a pool table) or Black Metal Motor Co. 2025's festival will feature 14 diverse stages including a closed laneway dance stage and a low sensory stage for neurodivergent punters to relax.
“If you play at venues like The Servo, there’s this real sense that everyone knows each other. It's that really great sense of belonging,” Jimmy says.
Sultans of Spin are a collective of local vinyl enthusiasts who regularly DJ in the area using their curated vinyl collections. The group plays every Saturday night at Howling Wolf (from 8pm) and The Heritage Hotel Bulli (from 7pm) and La La La’s every Friday afternoon at 4-8pm.
“We spin party tunes for party people,” Jimmy says.
“We pride ourselves on being diverse and we try to be as inclusive as we can.”
The collective regularly runs workshops to encourage women and gender diverse people to get behind the decks in what Jimmy calls “a pretty bloke-heavy industry”. Currently, Sultans of Spin are working to organise more ‘Women on Wax’ programs with all-female line-ups.
“We’re also diverse in our music tastes. I personally love indie music, we have a bunch of disco heads, and we have some very dedicated hip-hop fans who love to get up and do full scratching sets,” Jimmy says.
“We try to read the room, see who’s there and play exactly what the people want. It’s less about what we want to do and more about what the crowd in front of us wants to hear. That’s really the aim – audience first.”
In the past, Sultans of Spin have hosted events such as Block Party, which gives the whole crew the opportunity to play the music they specialise in. Last year’s Block Party treated punters to market stalls, food trucks and a vinyl record fair.
At Port Kembla Festival, Jimmy BYO will kick off the Sultans of Spin program section with his own set at 4pm at The Future Artifact. Another group member, Anna B, will play at 5pm, followed by Moody Gurlz at 6pm. The three of them will perform as Sultans of Spin from 7-8pm.
“We’ll be spinning four hours of tunes, and there’s something for everyone, so come along and see us,” Jimmy says.
Port Kembla Festival will be held from 2pm on Saturday, April 12, submit your free RSVP here.
Also on the line-up: Anna B, Barely Passable, Clint (FR), Dyllan Floyd, e4444e, Fig, Freyja Garbett, Grinding Eyes, Groove Sister, Jess Locke, Jimmy BYO, Julia Why?, Lahgo, Latino Sabor, Los Echo, Luja Murfi, Mash, Moody Gurlz, Nick Calligeros, Pulse, Russel W, Sako Dermenjian, Sinner G, Sooky La La’s, Soul Flamenco, Summer Guppys, Sultans of Spin, The 515 DJ’s and Where’s Warry.
