<\/span><\/p>\n Berry NSW will come alive with indie sounds across multiple venues on Thursday May 21 and Sunday May 24, as the next instalment of the A Day Well Spent live music series brings a new wave of touring acts and local talent into the village.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A Day Well Spent forms part of\u00a0<\/span>Extend the Weekend<\/span><\/a>, a destination campaign supported by the NSW Government\u2019s UPTOWN Grant Program, designed to encourage visitors and locals to stay longer, spread visitation across more days and support local businesses beyond peak periods.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Following strong turnout and growing buzz across the first two themed weekends, the indie program leans into a new generation of Australian indie – from guitar-driven rock through to alt-pop and electronic-leaning sounds – with a deliberate mix of touring artists and South Coast musicians.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Curated by South Coast live music collective Holy Pavlova, who have delivered a range of events and festivals across the region, including recent large-scale shows in Milton and Port Kembla, the indie weekend brings together a carefully selected mix of touring acts and standout regional talent, including:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Cheeky Leash<\/span><\/b>\u00a0– guitar-driven indie rock with a classic 2010s feel, arriving in Berry as the final stop on a regional tour<\/span><\/p>\n \u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Joe Mungovan<\/span><\/b>\u00a0– a groove-led indie artist with strong Triple J airplay and a growing national profile<\/span><\/p>\n \u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>GRXCE<\/span><\/b>\u00a0– a rising Sydney trio named among the next generation of Australian indie, with Unearthed success and SXSW Sydney selection<\/span><\/p>\n \u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Club Cam\u00e8l<\/span><\/b>\u00a0– a South Coast electropop outfit entering a new phase with a refreshed sound and rebrand, known for their live-first energy<\/span><\/p>\n \u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Electric Ginger<\/span><\/b>\u00a0– a Berry local bringing disco-infused indie energy, shaped by strong community support and performances at events like Fairgrounds<\/span><\/p>\n \u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Jimmy Vann<\/span><\/b>\u00a0– frontman of The Vanns, a band known for selling out major venues across Australia, performing a stripped-back solo set<\/span><\/p>\n \u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Freya Staer<\/span><\/b>\u00a0– a Milton-based singer-songwriter with an intimate, atmospheric sound grounded in connection to place<\/span><\/p>\n \u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Sam Allen<\/span><\/b>\u00a0\u2013 an emerging indie artist with a powerful vocal style and growing Triple J Unearthed support<\/span><\/p>\n \u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Ziggy McNeill<\/span><\/b>\u00a0– a First Nations guitarist known for his lightning-fast fingerstyle playing, with touring experience across Australia and Europe<\/span><\/p>\n \u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Jack Willis<\/span><\/b> – a South Coast artist bringing a laid-back indie acoustic sound, blending folk, coastal pop and stripped-back storytelling<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A highlight of the weekend is Electric Ginger\u2019s daytime disco set, expected to get things pumping early. Electric Ginger (Greg Townley), who now calls Berry home and was part of the local committee behind the successful UPTOWN grant, said the series is helping reshape expectations of what regional towns can offer.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a real appetite for live music beyond the big cities, and Berry is starting to tap into that,\u201d he said. \u201cMy first album as Electric Ginger was made here, and the support from the community has always been there. Having played things like Fairgrounds, it\u2019s pretty special to now be part of something that\u2019s bringing that energy back into the town.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Precinct Coordinator Kate Dezarnaulds said the indie weekend reflects how the series is evolving.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re incredibly proud to have already paid more than 40 musicians through the series, with 67 performances programmed and a bumper Funk and Soul weekend to come in June,\u201d Ms Dezarnaulds said. \u201cIn addition to supporting local businesses, it\u2019s about strengthening the social fabric of the town, creating opportunities for artists to perform and giving people a reason to come together and enjoy live music across the whole weekend.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The indie weekend builds into a multi-venue Sunday session running from midday through to the evening, with audiences encouraged to move between venues including The Berry Hotel, Great Southern Hotel, Il Locale, Albert St Caff\u00e9, Le Bar, The Rutledge, The Garden and The Berry General Store, creating a connected, village-wide live music experience.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Stay a little longer: accommodation offer encourages extended visits<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n To coincide with the weekend, participating accommodation providers are offering a \u201cstay three nights for the price of two\u201d deal, encouraging visitors to extend their stay.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Local accommodation operator David Stubbs said the shift towards a full weekend program is already having an impact.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhen you give people a reason to come on a Thursday and stay through to Sunday, it changes how they experience the town,\u201d <\/em>he said. \u201cIt\u2019s not just a quick visit anymore – people settle in, spend more time across venues and that flow-on is really important for local businesses.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The upcoming dates of A Day Well Spent are:<\/span><\/p>\n May 21 & 24 \u2013 Indie<\/span><\/p>\n June 18 & 21 \u2013 Funk and Soul<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Full program details are available<\/span><\/b>\u00a0at\u00a0<\/span>extendtheweekend.berry.org.au<\/span><\/a> \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"Berry-Drone-Hero](\"https:\/\/thetimes.com.au\/images\/Berry-Drone-Hero%20-%20Rob%20King.jpg\")
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