Brisbane is no stranger to eclectic music festivals. Seasonal Fruit is a joint-hosted venture between Jet Black Cat and Felons Barrel Hall that started in late 2023 and is one of the newest to grace the banks of the Brisbane River.
Seasonal Fruit's third showing, dubbed The Autumn Edition', took place earlier this month (2 March) hosting an impressive line-up of local, interstate, and international artists.Crowds were already lined up at Felons for an early afternoon start. The relaxed nature of the festival had people flowing in and out all day, with a steady crop showing up to support from beginning to end.
Although four o'clock in the afternoon may be early for some, Brisbane locals Arugula shook the sleep out of everybody with their blend of surf and indie rock. Kicking off a festival with such a stacked line-up is no easy feat, but by the end of Arugula's set, everybody was cheering and ready to dance.
Keeping up the tempo was no trouble for the next band to take the stage, Melbourne's ENOLA. Their fiery brand of urgent post-punk kept everybody moving with a frenetic energy. ENOLA's set felt like a healthy dose of adrenaline injected straight into the veins.
Eggy - image © Dylan Hewitson-Bevis
It felt appropriate, then, to slow things down a little and get a bit weird with Eggy, a surreal pop outfit also hailing from Melbourne. Playing as the sun began to set, it was fitting getting to watch the golden hour rays shine as Eggy ran the gamut of what felt like an endless list of musical ideas.
The band's five members seemed to play every instrument, with saxophone and synths dotted tastefully across sprawling song structures. Following Eggy was another Melbourne act, Surprise Chef, who eschewed vocals entirely for straight instrumental cuts.
They played a solid ten instrumental tracks, masterfully weaving their way through passages of funk and soul. As the last of the evening sun disappeared beyond the horizon, Surprise Chef's mellow tapestries of sound had everybody in a blissful state of relaxation.
The Belair Lip Bombs - image © Dylan Hewitson-Bevis
Last but certainly not least of the Melbourne bands, The Belair Lip Bombs then burst onto the stage, popping the tranquil bubble with their sharp indie riffs. With Felons now full of punters, it was clear that Seasonal Fruit was kicking off in earnest. The Belair Lip Bombs were no joke, rocketing through their set and playing nothing but bangers.
The final three acts of the evening were all international, with MJ Lenderman and the Wind and Wednesday both hailing from Asheville, North Carolina. It was fascinating getting to watch MJ Lenderman and Karly Holtzman pulling double duty on guitar and vocals for both projects.
It was clear both bands had a big presence in Australia, as fans were screaming every word for both acts. Although some in the crowd had been at Felons for nearly eight hours by the time
New Zealand band The Beths took the stage, it was all hands on deck in terms of crowd excitement. The crowd jumped, bobbed and swayed with an infectious glee for the band's whole set. With The Beths closing out Felons at just past midnight, it seemed like nobody wanted the night to end.
MJ Lenderman - image © Dylan Hewitson-Bevis
Thankfully, Jet Black Cat has announced Seasonal Fruit's winter edition, taking place 16 June with Tirzah (UK) and Bonny Soon (US) joined by Skeleten, Tex Crick and Middle Name Dance Band. For those who can't get enough of fresh festival line-ups, Seasonal Fruit has more than enough on offer.
More photos from the festival.
