TRANSGENRE Festival Heads To South Australia For The First Time
The all trans/non-binary festival takes over Adelaide for its biggest edition yet, with a lineup featuring Sunsick Daisy, Oscar the Wild, Placement and more.
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TRANSGENRE, Australia’s biggest grassroots initiative celebrating trans and non-binary voices in Australian music, is heading to South Australia for the very first time this May for TRANSGENRE Volume III.
After staging the first two festivals in Gadigal/Sydney, both of which sold out, the third edition of the all-ages festival takes over the UniBar in Kaurna/Adelaide on Saturday 23 May. For the first time in the festival’s history, tickets will be free, so there is no reason not to head along. Grab yours now via Moshtix or the TRANSGENRE website.
As with previous festivals, TRANSGENRE Volume III features an eclectic lineup of trans and non-binary artists who are making an impact in the Aussie music scene, with this edition emphasising Adelaide acts.
Local rockers Sunsick Daisy, Oscar The Wild, Stormy-Lou and Pearly Stars will be joined by underground punk queens Pity Lips, post-punk favs Placement, alt-folk luminary Emerauld, hyperpop darling Killed By Cupid and alt-rock hellions Thempath. Also making an appearance is Naarm/Melbourne experimental dance sweetheart Cyberfae.
Along with highlighting the country’s fantastic trans and non-binary live music scene, there will be stalls showcasing LGBTQ+ artists and makers, heaps of artist merch available, a licensed bar and kitchen and a resource hub to highlight community organisations.
As explained by TRANSGENRE co-directors Ellie Robinson (she/her) and Tay Blunt (they/them), “Right now, the state of play for trans people around the world is absolutely dire. In a time when it is frankly exhausting just to live in a world so hellbent on hurting us, community action has never been more vital. Campaigns and protests are essential to that, but so too are opportunities for us to unite and experience joy, appreciate each other’s presence and celebrate our one-of-a-kind talents. We aim for TRANSGENRE to be a conduit for that joy.
“We say it every time we announce a show, and every time it rings truer: as gender-diverse people living in Australia, we need to be visible, defiant and thriving – and at the core of that is positive representation in all corners of society. With our festival, we’re showing that trans and non-binary voices are among the strongest and most powerful in the country.”
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For TRANSGENRE Volume III, Ellie and Tay are collaborating with local community leader Lucy Solonsch (she/they), who says that bringing TRANSGENRE to Kaurna Land holds particular significance. “South Australia’s trans and queer communities have always been innovative, creative and artistic; we led the nation’s first pride parade in 1973, and have continued to advocate and create change ever since,” Lucy explains. “It’s a hopeful time for our community as SA Health’s commissioning body is exploring funding for the statewide gender affirming surgery service. As a trans person, advocate and artist, I know our community is at its strongest and most capable of creating change when we come together, and there’s no better way to bring people together than music.”
Helping the TRANSGENRE team realise their vision is the exceptional crew behind Adelaide’s mainstay Feast Festival. “Feast Festival is proud to support TRANSGENRE Volume III and the powerful visibility it creates for trans and non binary artists in South Australia,” representatives from Feast Festival say. “Feast champions LGBTIQA+ artists, stories and communities, creating platforms where diverse voices are not only included but celebrated. Festivals like TRANSGENRE are vital in strengthening creative leadership, cultural expression and community connection for trans and gender diverse artists. We are honoured to stand alongside this work.”
TRANSGENRE Volume III is being made possible thanks to the Department of Human Services SA, with funding for the event coming by way of their Social Impact grant program.
TRANSGENRE Volume III takes place at UniBar in Kaurna/Adelaide on Saturday 23 May. Entry is free, with tickets available via Moshtix or the TRANSGENRE website.
TRANSGENRE Volume III Lineup
Sunsick Daisy
Oscar The Wild
Placement
Stormy-Lou
Pity Lips
Emerauld
Pearly Stars
Killed By Cupid
Thempath
Cyberfae (VIC)
