As seen in Catalyst Magazine
Melbourne’s newest band of inner-city cowboys have exploded onto the scene with a debut single and three consecutively sold-out shows to blow your boots right off. Big Farmer, made up of a couple of pairs of brothers and mates, consists of Melbourne locals Callum and Declan Blackburn, Stephen and Shaun Bellew, and Jimmy Grant. Describing themselves as racing between angular guitar lines and huge synth tracks, Big Farmer assures that they’ve got what it takes to till your soil.
One’s not to be deceived by their name; Big Farmer’s music lacks both farm vibes and references to the big pharmaceuticals. Big Farmer’s music does, however, explore the life and legend of Franco Bernet, kangaroo meal deals at the local pub, and whatever your co-star app is saying.
Having played their second ever official gig and first headline show at the start of November, The Workers Club in Fitzroy was ferociously unprepared for the explosion that these cowboys brought to their farmer fans. New to the scene and new to the stage, these bandits of punk-rock could’ve fooled anyone.
Cheers were chanted from the crowd and the whoos of knowing fans could be heard for miles on end as one of the band’s front men, Callum, begins addressing the crowd with a brief history of the titular character of Big Farmer’s debut song. Promising music that “will not only make you feel, but make you think,” Callum finishes his war-speech, and then crusaders begin.
It was neither surprising nor shocking the ferocious response of love Big Farmer conjured from the crowd on that Friday in early November. Filled with relatives and strangers, old friends and new friends, it was impossible not to feel the undying support for these boys that emanated from below the stage. Communal love and communal live music may have been something of a rarity over those two and a half months of lockdown in Melbourne, and the many months before that, but Big Farmer’s debut headliner gig reminded us all, it’s still here.
And now, after the band’s third official gig, the boys have secured a February residency at the Old Bar in Fitzroy. Playing every Sunday night, Big Farmer promise to weekly deliver the type of high energy rock show they know will till your soil.
Communal love and live music felt unsafe for so much of the last two years. Crowds and germs and unvaccinated sneezes meant Australian music, Melbourne music especially, was forced into a somewhat involuntary hibernation. But it’s summer now and February is just around the corner, and the farmers are back and, quite honestly, better than ever.
If opening up and leaving lockdown behind means anything this summer, it should be those two things: communal love and live music. And Big Farmer have both. Grab yourself a ticket to the Old Bar in February and grab yourself some heart, and we’ll see you as summer welcomes a year of gigs and great bands.
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