SpeedSydney-based hardcore band SPEED have announced that, starting next month, they’re launching a bi-monthly hardcore initiative called Dynasty Of Style.
After winning the inaugural NSW Music Prize in November, which resulted in a life-changing $80,000 prize, the band are reinvesting that money into the local scene. Dynasty Of Style will host six free, all-ages hardcore matinee shows in Sydney, 100% funded by SPEED.
The shows will run every second month following their launch in February. Each line-up will be curated by SPEED, who will focus on showcasing a variety of heavy music styles and scenes from across the country. The line-up for Vol. 1 will be announced next week.
Revealing the initiative on Instagram today, the band explained that after winning the inaugural NSW Music Prize, they accepted the prize “as a recognition not just for SPEED, but as an acknowledgement of the power of hardcore in Australia and our home in Sydney.”
Adding that hardcore in Australia “is the most exciting it has ever been,” the band shared that they take “great pride” in new generations of hardcore kids embracing the genre. And now, they want to give back.
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“For SPEED, our mission has always been simple: promote Australian hardcore culture,” they continued. “As we are witnessing that culture transform before our eyes in ways we never imagined, our focus is now on sustaining the energy of this moment for generations to come.
“We believe that one way to support this vision is to help establish a consistent home for Sydney hardcore. The Sydney hardcore scene needs a regular event that is accessible to young hardcore kids, that allows them to experience hardcore the way it’s meant to be.”
SPEED explained that the humbling $80,000 NSW Music Prize “must be paid forward” to the community “that we are writing our story with together.”
They added, “With these funds, we will be sponsoring a Sydney hardcore matinee every second month this year, starting in Feb.” The events will be all-ages, take place in a small room with no barriers and “showcase some of the best of today’s hardcore bands from all over Australia.” Most importantly, the band added, each event will be free to attend.
You can follow the Dynasty Of Style Instagram account for updates and read SPEED’s post below for all the details.
As a hardcore band from Sydney, SPEED have lived through the lockout laws, which came into effect after attending all-ages shows at the local Masonic Hall or youth clubs.
In a recent interview with The Music, frontman Jem Siow and guitarist Josh Clayton discussed the impact of those events. “I think that’s lit a fire under us to try and make that space available where we can – it’s still really difficult,” Clayton told The Music.
“Now, the amount of red tape and logistics that go into that and the cost make it next to impossible, but we’re really lucky that we’ve been empowered to be able to do that.
“And yes, it’s a massive priority to us, and we’re seeing the benefits of it all over Australia. There’s new all-ages scenes popping up in every city, and there’s young people getting into hardcore for maybe the first time.”
