BIGSOUND 2019 Artist Focus: MID CITY

Answered by: Joel Griffith – vocals

Give us a short description of your music: We make happy-angry party anthems, with pounding beats, soaring guitars and heartfelt lyrics about love, loss and everything that happens in between.

Which acts are on your must-see list at BIGSOUND? We're excited to see Flossy and Bakers Eddy – both great young bands we'd love to play with sometime. Them and These New South Whales. Those guys are the legit schnitz.

Why should people come and see you among the many amazing bands at BIGSOUND? We started this band to uncross a few arms in our notoriously cross-armed town. Not saying we're the only band in the world trying to do that but if it's a sweaty good time mixed with a bit of pith and vinegar you're looking for, we're your band.

What music trends do you think are dominating right now, and do you have any predictions for the coming year? I really see more interactivity in shows becoming a thing – people really making efforts to make the experience of live music more memorable and personal for fans. The breaking down of a few of those barriers between artist and fan to create a real tribe.

In your career to date, what have been the key watershed moments? Definitely the response to the lead single from our debut EP has been mega. That and our first sellout shows this year. Also the crazy response we've received from people in Europe – those cats love them some rock!

What industry lessons would you like to take away from the BIGSOUND conference? How to make our vision of creating a better experience for our fans happen – whether that's through better online engagement or seeing how performers make that happen from the stage. We're only new to all this so we're open to any and all ideas!

What do you identify as the most pressing issue impacting the Australian music industry at present? When you have increasing amounts of amazing music available to audiences with shrinking attention spans, I think it's about how well artists and their team can build an enduring following. Musical memories are a massive part of people's happiness. What more can artists do to create and sustain those memories?

What is the best bit of advice you've been given to prepare for your time at BIGSOUND? Practise, practise, practise... then just have fun. Sounds like an odd combo to me but one really leads to the next. That and get in shape so you can run between shows without keeling over halfway through Wednesday.

When and where is your BIGSOUND showcase? 4 Sep, X Cargo, 9.40pm; 5 Sep, Oztix BIGSOUND Party, The Valley Drive In, 5pm; 5 Sep, The Foundry, 9.50pm.