Winston Surfshirt
Six-piece Sydney collective Winston Surfshirt have spent the past six years establishing themselves as one of Australia’s, and the world’s, finest R&B-soul outfits. Building a dedicated fanbase off the back of two dreamy, lackadaisical albums and a handful of unforgettable collaborations, they’re a group of unassuming cult heroes making music that’s old-school in feel and modern in style. Led by the eponymous Winston, the band channel a vintage kind of rockstardom, led through openness, earnestness, and a drive to share their music with the world. Combining a classic west coast hip-hop sound with the snap of psych-pop and sunny Australian charm, the band are a testament to the power of the free-minded and the casually virtuosic.
Across their two indelible full-lengths — 2017’s Sponge Cake and 2019’s Apple Crumble — they’ve built a catalog of warm, impeccably produced hits (winning praise from none other than Sir Elton John who called them his “favourite band of the moment”). Their reputation as a bold, undeniable collective has led to multi-platinum singles, sold-out tours across Australia and Europe, and packed sets at major festivals including Splendour In The Grass and Groovin’ The Moo.
With a lauded and unique versatility in their sound, Winston Surfshirt’s past performances range from sold out headline shows across national Australian tours, to festival billing at Splendour In The Grass, Spilt Milk, Falls Festival, Field Day & This That, support slots for Midnight Oil's comeback tour, underground warehouse gigs and block parties.
On their debut album, Sponge Cake - a 16-track melange of summer sounds blurring the lines between funk and hip-hop, bound together with airy vocals and bold brass - the band received nods from international tastemakers Jason Bentley (KCRW), Huw Stephens & Phil Taggart (BBC Radio 1), Lauren Laverne (BBC Radio 6), Beats 1 host Zane Lowe & Sir Elton John, publicly labelling them his 'favourite band of the moment'. After earning triple j feature album, the band went on to sell out all 10 shows across the country on their national Sponge Cake tour, marking them as one of Australia’s most prolific upcoming acts.
If you know, you know.