By Ali Williams | HEAVY Magazine
There were three certainties heading into Saturday’s ZED51 celebrations at Roma Street Parkland – the music would be exceptional, Brisbane’s independent music community would turn out in force, and the resident bin chickens would be keeping a very close eye on anything remotely edible. What nobody particularly needed was an entire month’s worth of rain in one day. Apparently the weather gods didn’t get that memo. But the music gods definitely got theirs! As for the rain , it was a spectacularly inconvenient contribution to an otherwise excellent occasion.
Returning after last year’s enormous 50th anniversary celebrations, ZED51 had assembled thirteen acts across two stages, with international visitors joining some of Australia’s most respected independent musicians. Among them were Japan’s SHONEN KNIFE, Seattle veterans MUDHONEY, Brisbane favourites CUSTARD and the much-anticipated return of Adelaide’s THE MARK OF CAIN. Throw in an impressive collection of local talent, First Nations performers and a handful of musical personalities who probably shouldn’t be allowed to organise their own birthday parties, and there was plenty worth getting wet for.
The rain became an unavoidable participant in proceedings. Ponchos fought for survival, waterproof clothing was put to the test and the practical differences between water-resistant and waterproof became painfully apparent. Meanwhile, the Parklands’ resident ibis population continued conducting its usual business, apparently unconcerned by either the weather or the extraordinary musical talent invading its territory. It takes a particular level of self-confidence to approach a person holding lunch while possessing a face resembling a medieval medical instrument, then again Brisbane’s bin chickens have never lacked ambition. Thankfully, the humans had music to distract them.
It was Brisbane’s TAPE/OFF who were granted the task of opening the Amphitheatre Stage , with their uncompromising alternative rock providing a suitably robust beginning to the afternoon. The four-piece have spent years developing their musical identity through abrasive guitars, intelligent songwriting and arrangements that manage to maintain their melodic purpose despite considerable distortion. Their 2025 album Fort Sensible reinforced their reputation as one of Brisbane’s most accomplished independent guitar bands. Starting a festival in the rain is not necessarily anyone’s preferred assignment, but TAPE/OFF’s material was well suited to an audience that had already committed to ignoring the weather.
The first journey uphill came courtesy of BABY COOL, the solo project of NICE BISCUIT’S Grace Cuell. Her psychedelic folk songwriting introduced a different musical character to the early proceedings, with delicate melodies and thoughtfully arranged material from her album Infinity Baby. Cuell’s ability to establish a personal musical identity outside NICE BISCUITis one of the project’s greatest strengths. There is an intimacy to her compositions that encourages attention rather than demanding it, a welcome quality in a festival environment where loudness can sometimes become an unnecessarily competitive pursuit.
Back at the Amphitheatre, Los Angeles trio PRIMITIVE RING arrived with plenty of musical credentials and their first Australian visit underway. Featuring Bert Hoover, Charles Moothart and Jon Modaff, the band brought experience drawn from projects including Fuzz, GOGGS and Frankie and the Witch Fingers. Their stripped-back psychedelic garage rock offered a grittier alternative to the preceding set, with the interplay between the musicians central to their sound. Moothart’s involvement with IGGY POP only adds to an already substantial musical résumé. Stepping into the lineup following I HEART HIROSHIMA’s withdrawal, PRIMITIVE RING were an excellent international addition.
Up the hill once more, seven-piece STILL FULL FROM LUNCH were responsible for introducing some wonderfully unconventional musical thinking to the afternoon. Seven musicians offer considerable creative possibilities, although organising that many individual opinions must occasionally require the negotiating skills of a United Nations representative. The Brisbane outfit’s adventurous arrangements, shifting rhythms and unexpected musical decisions have become integral to their appeal. Their material rewards listeners prepared to follow the changes rather than anticipate them, and their willingness to experiment made them an appropriate inclusion in a festival celebrating musical independence.
Then attention returned to the Amphitheatre for one of the day’s most endearing international visitors, SHONEN KNIFE. It’s a special kind of something wonderful about a band that has spent 45 years making music without allowing anyone to convince them their subjects should become more serious. Formed in Osaka in 1981, SHONEN KNIFE. have built an extraordinary international career from punk energy, irresistible melodies and an appreciation for life’s simpler pleasures, particularly those involving food.
Founding member Naoko Yamano, alongside Atsuko Yamano and drummer Risa Kawano, continue to demonstrate why the band’s appeal has survived countless changes in musical fashion. Their songwriting is direct, their arrangements are tightly constructed and their enthusiasm for performing remains an essential part of their character. The band claimed cult staus back in the early 90’s when they opened for NIRVANA in 1991 after being personally requested by. KURT COBAIN. COBAIN discovered their delightful greatness after hearing their 1983 album Burning Farm, and the affectionate relationship between the two bands grew from there. NIRVANA helped shape their status when they did a promotional interview with SHONEN KNIFE in 1992.
SHONEN KNIFE.’s Australian visit coincided with their Let’s Knife: Re-Cut tour, revisiting the material responsible for introducing them to audiences far beyond Japan. Songs including Twist Barbie, Riding On The Rocket and Bear Up Bison remain wonderful examples of their distinctive creative approach. Their music carries a lightness that should never be confused with a lack of substance. There is genuine skill involved in constructing songs that sound so immediate and enjoyable, particularly when the musicians have enough experience to know precisely what their material requires. SHONEN KNIFE. understand the importance of memorable melodies, concise arrangements and giving the listener something worth enjoying.
Their relationship with Australia extends back to the 1990s, while their friendship with REGURGITATOR has continued across performances in both countries. It is a lovely connection between musicians who share an appreciation for creativity and originality. And frankly, anyone capable of celebrating Barbie and Bovine animals within rock music with such sincerity is welcome back to Brisbane whenever they please. The city has plenty of bin chicken inspo to offer. The birds would probably appreciate an entire album dedicated to their dietary interests. And a feature track named ‘Ode To The Ibis’.
The afternoon’s musical eccentricities continued uphill with MITCH, PLEASE whose appearance brought an entirely different interpretation of entertainment. Combining punk, hardcore influences, complicated rhythms and some wonderfully absurd lyrical subjects, MITCH, PLEASE have developed an approach that allows considerable humour without compromising their musicianship. Polly and her fellow musicians are clearly comfortable making creative decisions that other bands might discuss extensively before sensibly abandoning. Songs involving cats, mathematical problems and questionable everyday experiences are delivered through arrangements requiring impressive technical ability.
It takes substantial discipline to make complicated music enjoyable rather than exhausting, and MITCH, PLEASE have developed an effective understanding of the difference. Their inclusion added another entertaining Brisbane personality to the program. The festival paused for the Welcome to Country, an important acknowledgement of the Traditional Owners of the land, the Turrbal, Yuggera and Jagera peoples. The ceremony provided an appropriate moment of respect within a celebration that has always recognised the importance of independent community voices.
The next musical contribution came from CASH SAVAGE AND THE LAST DRINKS, taking the Amphitheatre Stage. CASH SAVAGE possesses an exceptional ability to communicate difficult emotions without disguising their meaning. Her songwriting explores relationships, vulnerability, conflict and identity with remarkable directness, supported by a band whose arrangements give her material considerable musical depth. THE LAST DRINKS are fundamental to that appeal. Their instrumentation can move between restrained passages and powerful arrangements, with the relationship between Savage’s vocals and the musicians creating much of the tension associated with their work. Songs from Good Citizens and So This Is Love demonstrate the range of subjects the group is prepared to examine.
SAVAGE has earned her reputation through the strength of her songwriting and her commitment to performing music with genuine conviction. An excellent addition to a lineup already demonstrating how many different approaches can exist within Australian independent music. DEM MOB took command of the Uphill Stage, bringing some serious lyrical substance to an afternoon already overflowing with musical talent. Hailing from South Australia’s remote APY Lands, these young First Nations artists have been making considerable progress across Australia and internationally, combining hip-hop with powerful storytelling, cultural pride and the Pitjantjatjara language.
There is plenty of personality behind DEM MOB’s music, but the messages deserve just as much attention. Their material addresses racism, inequality, community life and the experiences of Indigenous youth, delivered through confident rhymes, infectious beats and an impressive command of language. They are not interested in having their stories interpreted for them. They are perfectly capable of telling them themselves, and the results are far more compelling. Their songwriting also covers a broader range of experiences than audiences might expect. Tracks including Still No Justice, Dream and Break Bread demonstrate their willingness to address social issues alongside personal ambitions, family connections and the importance of looking after one another. Their recent single
Frequency was recorded back on Country, with three generations contributing to a project celebrating the passing of cultural knowledge through families. There is something genuinely special about young musicians finding international recognition while maintaining such strong connections to home. Having recently toured with Regurgitator, DEM MOB have been reaching audiences who might otherwise have had little exposure to hip-hop performed in Pitjantjatjara. Their achievements also extend into education, where members have been helping young people develop musical skills and reconnect with language through creative programs in remote communities.
With the rain continuing its persistent interference at ZED51, DEM MOB had the opportunity to introduce their music to another wonderfully diverse audience. Their confidence, conviction and unapologetic celebration of culture made them an important addition to the afternoon. There is considerable talent here, accompanied by a refreshing determination to use it for something meaningful that we can all enjoy and take inspiration from.. And while some rappers spend considerable energy telling everyone how important they are, DEM MOB have been putting theirs to practical use. Their music is taking them around the world, but the work they are doing back home deserves just as much applause.
Then came the occasion many had been anticipating since the lineup was announced. THE MARK OF CAIN. For the Adelaide trio, ZED51 was their first live performance since February 2024, and there was considerable significance attached to their return. Josie Scott, Kim Scott and Eli Green were beginning a new chapter in the band’s remarkable history, with fresh music underway and further Australian dates approaching. After more than four decades of THE MARK OF CAIN. the prospect of seeing the band return to performing was reason enough for their dedicated following to make the journey to Brisbane.
Their catalogue is built upon formidable musical discipline. Albums including Ill At Ease, This Is This and Songs Of The Third And Fifth established a distinctive sound through repetition, rhythmic precision and intensely focused arrangements. The partnership between the Scott siblings remains central to that identity. Kim’s bass playing provides a substantial rhythmic foundation, while Josie’s guitar work and vocal delivery are essential to the band’s musical character. Green, now the band’s longest-serving drummer, has become increasingly involved in the creative process and contributed material to their forthcoming sixth studio album. There was also an important personal dimension to Saturday’s return.
The respect and support extended to Josie by the crowd and crew deserve particular acknowledgement. It was a meaningful occasion for the band, and the consideration shown reflected the appreciation held for both her and her music. Importantly,THE MARK OF CAIN. were there to perform, and Josie’s decades of musical achievement is nothing short of inspiring. Her contribution to Australian heavy music is both substantial and monumental, the dynamics of the sibling relationship with Kim also remains integral to the band’s identity. Saturday was an opportunity for the three musicians to resume doing what they have spent years doing so exceptionally well.
Having spoken with Kim ahead of the event, there was already considerable reason to be interested in the band’s future. The group has been developing new material for its first studio album since 2012, and now with Green’s contributions, fans can get excited about their new music they will be revealing in their upcoming tour. The relationship between the three musicians has evolved, but the band’s commitment to its own musical standards remains unchanged. Their willingness to develop fresh material after such a lengthy recording absence is particularly encouraging and outright admirable.
ZED51 marked the beginning of that return, ahead of headline dates in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. For their audience, the opportunity to welcome the band back was significant. For Josie, Kim and Eli, it was another opportunity to continue a musical partnership with a considerable history and, importantly, an unfinished future. THE MARK OF CAIN’s return afforded respect to the band it entirely deserved. The Uphill Stage then resumed with Brisbane five-piece SUPERHOTEL whose alternative country and rock arrangements offered an interesting change following the intensity of THE MARK OF CAIN.
SUPERHOTEL ‘s songwriting places emphasis on observational lyrics, melody and the relationships between the musicians. Their material has a distinctly Australian character without resorting to predictable musical conventions, and their continued development has earned them recognition within Brisbane’s independent scene. Their recent association with Bret McKenzie further demonstrates the opportunities opening for the group. Their appearance also brought the focus back to emerging local talent before another international heavyweight arrived at the Amphitheatre.
MUDHONEY took their place in a city that has been part of their touring history for thirty-six years. Seattle’s MUDHONEY needed very little introduction to anyone familiar with the Seattle grunge movement and alternative rock, although their career deserves considerably more recognition than simply being associated with the emergence of grunge in the late 1980s. Mark Arm, Steve Turner, Dan Peters and Guy Maddison have maintained a fiercely independent approach to their work, releasing music consistently and developing a formidable reputation through decades of touring.
Their early recordings, particularly Superfuzz Bigmuff and Touch Me I’m Sick, established MUDHONEY as one of the most influential bands associated with Seattle’s independent scene. Their relationship with Sub Pop became an important part of the label’s development, although the musicians themselves have never appeared particularly interested in treating commercial recognition as the ultimate measure of success.MUDHONEY’s music has always embraced abrasive guitar sounds, garage rock influences and lyrics containing a healthy appreciation for life’s more questionable behaviour.
Turner’s guitar playing is fundamental to the band’s identity. His distorted arrangements and inventive approach provide much of the character associated with their recordings, while Arm’s distinctive vocals remain instantly recognisable. Maddison and Peters complete a rhythm section possessing the experience required to keep everything functioning when the arrangements become particularly unruly.
Their later work, including Digital Garbage and Plastic Eternity, demonstrates a band still actively creating rather than relying exclusively upon recordings made during their earliest years. There was another reason MUDHONEY’S appearance belonged at ZED51. The band first performed for 4ZZZ audiences at East Leagues Club in March 1990, returning that December for the station’s fifteenth-anniversary LIVID FESTIVAL. Their presence at ZED51 brought that long-standing association back into focus, thirty-six years after those early Brisbane appearances. Mark Arm also participated in last year’s ZED50 anniversary celebrations, fronting THE STAINTS ’73–’78, making his return with MUDHONEY a particularly pleasing continuation of that connection.
With so much musical history between them, MUDHONEY have every reason to be proud of their achievements. Yet their continued commitment to performing and recording remains a greater testament to the band’s longevity than any collection of historical accolades. The wet weather had become an established part of the evening’s proceedings, with the parklands having absorbed more than their fair share of Brisbane’s rainfall. The audience had made it through hours of outdoor music, and the possibility of going home dry was no longer a realistic consideration. Even the bin chickens appeared to have the better accommodation arrangements.There was still another significant contribution awaiting the Uphill Stage.
FRED LEONE brought his remarkable musical and cultural background to ZED51. A Garrwa man and Senior Badtjala Songman, LEONE has devoted considerable effort to preserving and sharing traditional language and culture through music. His work incorporates traditional song, contemporary influences and powerful cultural storytelling, with collaborations alongside Birdz and Electric Fields introducing his artistry to audiences throughout Australia and internationally. LEONE’s inclusion following BARKAA’s withdrawal brought an important additional perspective to the program. His music draws upon generations of cultural knowledge while finding a place within contemporary performance, demonstrating the relationship between traditional expression and modern Australian music.
And with the evening rounding to the end, ZED51 had one final appointment to keep. CUSTARD were in formation ready to take to the main stage. Brisbane’s own Dave McCormack, Glenn Thompson, Matthew Strong and Paul Medew were responsible for bringing the celebrations to a close . McCormack has spent decades establishing himself as one of Australia’s most entertaining frontmen, with his distinctive vocal delivery and wonderful lyrical imagination central to CUSTARD’s identity. But the band’s continuing appeal depends equally upon the musicians surrounding him. Thompson’s contribution to the group’s songwriting and rhythmic arrangements is substantial, while Strong’s guitar playing and Medew’s bass work provide the musical foundation for their extensive catalogue.
And what a catalogue it is.
Apartment, Girls Like That (Don’t Go For Guys Like Us), Music Is Crap and Anatomically Correct remain among the many songs at the core of the group that established the band’s reputation. Their material contains clever lyrical observations without becoming unnecessarily complicated, with infectious melodies ensuring the songs remain memorable long after the humour has registered. One of CUSTARD’s greatest achievements is their ability to entertain through genuinely intelligent songwriting. Their lyrics frequently address romantic misunderstandings, awkward social encounters and the small absurdities of everyday life, often revealing uncomfortable truths through observations that initially seem ridiculous.
McCormack’s more recent association with the children’s hit series BLUEY where he is the voice of BANDIT, has introduced him to millions of families. The opportunity to introduce CUSTARD to an entirely new generation is sitting right there waiting to be exploited. Give doggo a guitar, round up a few woofy dads from the neighbourhood and have CUSTARD provide the soundtrack. Word on the street is that the bin chickens also approve. Educational programming at its finest. You’re welcome.
CUSTARD closing ZED51 was particularly appropriate given their long relationship with Brisbane’s independent music community. The band formed during a critical period for Australian alternative rock, with stations such as 4ZZZ providing invaluable support for original local artists. Their continuing activity also demonstrates their genuine affection for making music together. CUSTARD have developed careers outside the band, pursued other creative projects and accumulated an impressive collection of individual achievements, yet the chemistry of the original members remains fundamental to the group. After a full day of unpredictable weather and an extraordinary variety of musical performances, CUSTARD provided an appropriately entertaining conclusion to the occasion. There is something especially satisfying about having a Brisbane band with such an extensive history entrusted with wrapping up the celebrations of one of the city’s most influential independent radio stations.
ZED51 had delivered thirteen acts spanning several generations, countries and musical traditions. The decision to operate two stages without overlapping performances allowed audiences to experience every artist on the program, although the uphill journey between stages became increasingly interesting as the rain continued. Navigating the venue for 10 hours straight really does require a month long program of pre training in order to be match fit. The event also served as an important reminder of the work undertaken by the people responsible for keeping 4ZZZ broadcasting. Independent community radio depends upon considerable voluntary effort, and the station’s survival for 51 years represents an extraordinary contribution to Brisbane’s cultural history.
Special recognition belongs to the organisers, production staff, sound engineers, stage crews, volunteers and everyone responsible for delivering ZED51 under particularly unpleasant weather conditions. Outdoor production is challenging enough without spending an entire day negotiating rain, wet equipment and the logistical demands of thirteen performances. The audiences deserve recognition as well. There were considerably more comfortable ways to spend a rainy Saturday, but none offered quite the same collection of musicians and memories.
The return of THE MARK OF CAIN was a particularly meaningful part of the occasion, while SHONEN KNIFE, PRIMITIVE RING and MUDHONEY brought decades of international musical experience to the program. CUSTARD ensured Brisbane had the final contribution, with the local and First Nations artists demonstrating the breadth of talent independent radio continues to support. Last year’s ZED50 established an impressive standard for these celebrations. ZED51 honoured that achievement while providing its own collection of memorable reasons to appreciate the station and the musicians it champions.
Fifty-one years of 4ZZZ, thirteen bands, two stages, a thoroughly saturated Brisbane audience and one man largely responsible for it all. Kudos Paul Curits, you have successfully brought Brisbane the goods once again. On behalf of everyone involved and all who attended we say thanks to a man who is collectively regarded as one of the most respected and significant influences in Australia’s independent music scene. Here’s to another successful event and to many more to come .
CASH SAVAGE
DEM MOB
STILL FULL FROM LUNCH
FRED LEONE
PRIMITIVE RING
SHONEN KNIFE
MUDHONEY
CUSTARD
THE MARK OF CAIN
