How to make the dark matter

DARK Days are set to descend on Hobart next weekend, as the city hosts an influx of more than 30 punk bands from across the country.

A celebration of Australia’s vibrant DIY punk/hardcore music scene, the inaugural Dark Days punk festival will feature three big shows organised by the crew behind long-running events in Brisbane (Total Attack) and Victoria (Such Is Life).

Dark Days kicks off at the Brisbane Hotel at 7pm next Friday (March 23) with performances by Melbourne bands No Class, Bog, Altered Visions, Reaper and Antex Attac, Brisbane “stenchcrust” group Battery Humans, Adelaide noise-punks TALC, and Tasmanian acts Ironhawk, Final Broadcast and Al’s Toybarn.

The hordes will head back to the Brisbane at 3pm next Saturday (March 24) to see a massive lineup including Melbourne acts Diploid, Extinct Exist, Debacle, Motovilikha, Muffler and Creep Diets; Dark Horse, Disparo and Dog from New South Wales; Queensland bands The Meat, Terra Mater and Schism; Adelaide crust punks Apteria; and Tassie’s own Uncle Geezer, Pure, This Is A Robbery, Break Through and Terrrorbrawl; plus a special oneoff set by IronSynth (aka DiscoHawk).

Then next Sunday (March 25) the action moves to the Arts Hall in Fern Tree for an all-ages show from noon, featuring Perth protopunk four-piece Last Quokka, Brisbane duo Enjoy Our Last Century On Earth, new Melbourne punk band Road Rash, and locals Ultra Martian, Lake Myer, Tarraleah Power Station, The Dead Maggies, and Yoni & the Steamers.

Tickets are $25 (plus booking fee) for all three shows, or $10 for the Friday night, $15 for the Saturday, and $5 (at the door) for the Sunday. Go to www.oztix.com.au for bookings, or www.darkdaysfest.wixsite.com/ darkdaysfest for more information.

Money raised from ticket sales will go towards a swimming program for isolated single mums and their children.

A compilation cassette will also be available, with proceeds donated to Adelaide DIY music venue and community space Animal House.