Indie Rock

Portugal. The Man is an experimental indie rock four-piece centered on frontman John Baldwin Gourley's abstract musical approach and corresponding upbringing. He was raised in a sort of technological isolation: his log cabin home in the winter wasteland of the fringes of Wasilla, Alaska was powered by a generator and had no telephone. Both of his parents helped completely immerse him in the unique lifestyle that comes with a land of seasonal darkness and perpetual cold with their jobs as dog sled mushers.

Stage name of Portland, Oregon based singer-songwriter Matt Ward. Ward grew up in Newbury Park, CA and attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Ward was previously with the band Rodriguez, which included bassist Kyle Field (of Little Wings fame) and drummer Mike Funk. They recorded and released on cassette Box Plots and Cash Crops and then the album Swing Like a Metronome in 2000. Duet for Guitars #2 was released by Howe Gelb on his Ow Om record label. Ward's 2001 album, End of Amnesia, was put out by Future Farmer Records and his subsequent albums have been released on Merge Records.

Forming late 2008 around charismatic guitarist/vocalist Marty Frawley and bassist Rick Milovanovic, the Twerps have quickly risen to become one of Melbourne, Australia’s favourite pop bands. They play their own brand of warm and incredibly infectious pop, with elements of the 80s Flying Nun sound and 90s lo-fi. Marty’s cheeky but heartfelt songs are complemented by the crystalline guitar lines of guitarist Julia MacFarlane (ex Batrider) and the sympathetic percussion of drummer Patrick O’Neill.