Regurgitator ProfileAustralia’s youth music organisation, The Push, is celebrating an incredible milestone this year: 40 years of advocating for young people to be part of, and help grow, Australian music.
During that time, they’ve been instrumental in giving younger audiences opportunities to “find their place in music: on stage, in the wings, or in the crowd.” With a renewed presence, after unveiling their ten-year National Plan For Young Australians And Music at Parliament House earlier this year, The Push is more alive than ever.
The 40th anniversary celebration brings back its iconic festival, Push Over. Hosted at Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens as part of the city’s Live at the Gardens series, the legendary alumni performing include Bodyjar, Frenzal Rhomb, Killing Heidi, Magic Dirt, and Regurgitator.
Each will be paired with a special guest for an exclusive collaboration, including Alex Lahey, Alice Ivy, Baker Boy, Ruby Fields, and members of Teenage Joans and Public Figures.
Stimpies are also joining the headliners as recent winners of Double J’s Push Over competition.
This multigenerational mix of artists from Push Over’s original 1992–2013 run and more contemporary ones reads as a “passing the torch” moment, but also signals that a music career is still possible despite whatever crises are affecting the industry.
Kate Duncan, CEO of The Push, affirms this was the main idea behind reviving the festival.
“We wanted to curate a line-up that spoke to the history of the organisation and allowed us to reconnect with members of our community, who we may not have connected with for 40 years,” Duncan says.
“But we were also really aware that we are an organisation that is run by young people, for young people, so we needed to make sure that this is not just a 100% nostalgia throwback moment – that there is still 2026 reflected and represented.”
The Push’s work is especially vital today because many young people can’t easily access live music. Citing the organisation’s research, Duncan says cost has been reported as the biggest barrier preventing young Australians from attending live events for the third year in a row.
From a musician’s perspective, Regurgitator vocalist Quan Yeomans blames the rising cost of living for venue closures and eating into musicians’ earnings. However, few venues specifically cater to younger Australians.
Frankston’s Singing Bird Studios is one great example, nurturing competition winners Stimpies, but Yeomans says there aren’t enough places like it.
“Providing new spaces like that is a great alternative. It doesn’t have to be something that everyone has to do, but it’s a really nice option to have,” he explains. “I don’t think governments are putting enough money behind it, but it just means you’ve got to do it yourself.”
Those low-stakes venues need to exist because that’s how bands develop their craft. Yeomans recalls Regurgitator playing 150 shows in their first year, but kids today don’t have that luxury.
“I think everything is so high-stakes because of this online life that [young people] live. Everyone’s terrified of being outed, bullied, and shown up to look ridiculous,” Yeomans muses.
“There’s this huge low-stakes space that’s missing, which is what a live venue should be: A place where people can experiment, be themselves, have a fun time looking like dickheads with their friends, and be supported.”
He appreciates The Push’s “amazing” efforts to make this possible, as more venues do slowly materialise.
The Push is committed to giving young people access to live and broader music industries and experiences, supporting their mental health, and promoting equity for underrepresented communities, all notions Duncan and Yeomans reiterate regarding live music’s impact.
“Two-thirds of young Australians go to music events to deal with anxiety, depression, and stress,” Duncan says. "That is no different to when you’re in a sporting club or watching a game of footy – it’s an outlet to meet like-minded people and feel okay.
“That is exactly what we’re advocating for at The Push: Music is essential infrastructure for young people’s mental health and wellbeing, and we need to think of it the same way as we do sport in this country.”
When you think about it, music is fundamentally no different to sport and deserves the same consideration.
Meanwhile, Yeomans discusses the facilitation of creative expression: “Even if you’ve got a boring day job, it's still important to engage with that side of your soul.
"If you don’t, something inside of you dies, and you end up trapped under the rubble of adulthood," he adds. "So for [Regurgitator], playing live is about expressing our energy, passing it to the audience, and then receiving it back, and if it's positive, then great. That’s all I can ask for.”
The Push Over revival embodies all of this and more. Duncan’s first live music experience was actually Push Over in 1998.
Standing among thousands of like-minded attendees who looked like her, loved music, and felt they belonged was so formative. It’s not lost on her how surreal it is to now lead The Push.
“We are creating those memories for thousands of young people across the country every day now," she says. "That’s so important, and I feel so grateful to be here at this time.”
Parents who attended as kids may now bring their own kids; the rite of passage lives on. Yeomans is thrilled that Regurgitator are involved, particularly with a younger generation of artists whose “endless drive to do things and take risks” inspires him.
“I always feel like we’re just this ramshackle punk band that kept going pretty loose,” he says with a laugh. “I hope we don’t embarrass ourselves, but we’re really looking forward to sharing the stage with them.”
Everyone on the line-up also has a connection to The Push. Duncan recalls Public Figures’ Evie Vlah hosting a free all-ages gig on the steps of Parliament about 10 years ago, made possible by one of The Push’s programs. That’s just one of many beautiful stories.
“So much has changed in the world and in Australian music, but The Push has been a constant,” she concludes.
The treasured veterans sharing the stage with new up-and-comers is not just about celebrating our country’s vibrant musical tapestry and The Push’s enduring existence. It proves that a music career is absolutely viable for young people today.
Push Over’s single-day return might be some kids’ first live music experience, compelling them to pursue music like Duncan did, and even shape the future of Australian music.
Undoubtedly, The Push’s impact is still felt, and that’ll last.
Tickets to The Push's Push over anniversary event are on sale now.
PUSH OVER
40 YEARS OF THE PUSH – LIVE AT THE GARDENS
Bodyjar, Frenzal Rhomb, Killing Heidi, Magic Dirt & Regurgitator
Special guest appearances by Alex Lahey, Alice Ivy, Baker Boy, Evie from Public Figures, Ruby Fields & Thalia and Cahli from Teenage Joans
Saturday, November 21st – Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, VIC (Lic. All Ages)
This piece of content has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body
