Words by Zac Farr.

Photography by Josh Ma.

AGAINST ALL ODDS

Was it smaller than last year? Yes.

Did way too many artists pull out? Yes.

Are 16+ festivals a tricky dynamic? You bet ya.

Did Fuzzy put on a safe, wonderful festival with a diverse and high-calibre lineup that brought all the vibes, fantastic performances and a little hope back into the Australian festival scene? Yes, yes, yes!

Listen Out 2024 looked and felt different, but despite all the festival backlash, it has been proven that festivals are not dead. The iconic Listen Out branding wrapped the stages bringing a sense of nostalgia to the festival veterans and eagerness for those young music lovers that have been given access to high-end festivals a little earlier. The people weere full of joy, the vibes were infectious and with good music coming from all angles, smiles and dancing as far as the eye could see and an overall connection around the love of music, we couldn’t be happier. 

Gold Fang (Atari)

When we mix a well-deserved, unapologetic presence with the eclectic merger of reggae and hip hop and place him on a stage in the middle of Centennial Park, we get a powerful performance from the one and only Gold Fang. His strong and intricate sound takes us on a journey through our thoughts of everyday life, to self-medicating to the struggles of relationships. He dominated his performance, connected with the people and really proved the two genres he is colliding can hype a crowd. He stands for hope within the Australian scene as he has shown, smaller artists with unique sounds do have a place and can grow a fanbase. His journey of moving from Trinidad & Tobago at 18 and putting everything into his craft should inspire us all to go out and create the things we love. 

Disco Lines (909)

Cultured, classy and eclectic. 

From mainstage lallapalooza to back-to-back with John Summit in Bali, to sharing the basement with Australia’s own Mcmillian Twins and Ben Gerrans, he brings an authenticity and pure joy to all he does. He came warmed up and ready to guide the 909 stage to a wonderful place of blissful freedom. With a set perfectly orchestrated, his talent behind the decks shined as he transitioned and mixed to a tempo the Sydney side crowd understood, loved and danced their faces off too. He understands the scene, the people and he delivered a wonderful, heartfelt, personalised performance for our house and techno head, somewhat pretentious Sydneysiders (me included).

Jessie Reyez (Atari)

Sexy, dominant, wordsmith. 

Jessie Reyes seduced the heck out of the Atari stage as she performed some her classics such as figures all the way to her new track RIDIN… Jessie has the specular ability to both mock and place relationships on a pedestal in the most mature yet playful way. She is herself, shares all the intimate details and when she sings, it feels as though she is a friend letting all the fun, scary, lovely, sexy, maybe too much information stories that you can’t help but feel loved, included and such a fan of it all. A iconic, spectacular voice partnered with cheeky, deep and quite well-written tracks leads to a fantastic time on the Atari lawn. 

Conducta (prophet)

A sophistication like no other… the up and coming Conducta came through the prophet stage with an elegance and attitude that you couldn’t help but let it all go and dance to his rapid set. After annihilating the Ivy and playing one of Lost Sundays most wonderful of sets a week prior, he mixed with an energy the Sydney scene is both not quite used to but is in desperate need of. He shared new music, estatic IDs and produced a set like no other. 

Sampa the great (Atari)

From her intro to on-point backup dancers, visuals and perfectly put together outfits, Sampa the great went all in for her set on the Atari stage and aren’t we grateful. She jammed with the crew, connected with the crowd and left us all feeling quite inspired. She was the epitome of professional, performed perfectly and brought all the sas. Sampa brought out our very own, Barkaa and the chemistry between the two was UNMATHCED. Aussie dancers, Aussies features and an artist who’s lived and loved our land, bringing all the vibes. What more can you ask for?

Lithe (Atari)

Live, live, live.

Musical mastermind from Melbourne, Josiah Ramel (Lithe) has made masterpiece after masterpiece and has recently risen to a huge following with the release of Fall Back. With a fanbase growing and having travelled a little around the world, Listen Out was a huge live opportunity for Australian fans to listen to the tracks in the flesh. With his audio engineer Trae by his side, he showcased most of his latest EP, What would you do?, and it was quite special.  

Earthgang (Atari)

Unknown by many and the replacement for Flo Milli, the duo EARTHGANG came right on time, raising many peoples eyebrows to who they were… this was quickly answered with a glorious set that had the entire crowd swaying to hits such as WATERBOYZ ft. JID and J. Cole and BILLI ft. Future. As they continued with the energy and played recognisable tracks such as This Side. Their joy was infectious and by the end of their set the Atari stage was in love.

Skepta (Atari)

Skepta brought his signature intensity and unmatched energy to the stage. From the moment he stepped out, the crowd erupted, and the vibe only escalated as he launched into a set packed with bangers. Classic tracks like Shutdown and That’s Not Me had fans rapping along word for word, while the heavy beats of Greaze Mode sent waves of energy through the crowd. Skepta's commanding stage presence, paired with his sharp lyrics, kept the audience hyped from start to finish. The synergy between Skepta and the crowd was electric, creating an unforgettable atmosphere. It was clear that he owned the stage, and his performance was easily one of the festival’s standout moments.

John summit (909)

He treats it like a 9-5 and it shows… having just won 1001 tracklist’s producer of the year John Summit is in a league of his own. From YouTube tutorials to endless memes, to one of the most talked about names in the current electronic music scene, he truly is iconic. His attention to detail alongside having such a broad knowledge of the Australian scene being quite close with our lovely Fisher, prepared John to absolutely blow our minds. We were guided on a euphoric journey with tracks IDs like, Escape (John Summit Remix), DANNY AVILA’s Chase The Sun—VIP and the iconic track Where Are You sent us to whole new places. 

21 savage (Atari)

Powerful, commanding and exactly what was needed. 21 left a lasting impression on us all. From the moment he stepped on stage, his presence was undeniable, his effortless, nonchalant style is immediately captivating. Opening with fan favourites including A Lot and Bank Account, 21 Savage had the crowd rapping along to every word, creating an electric atmosphere. His hard-hitting tracks, No Heart and X, sent waves of energy through the festival, with bass-heavy beats shaking the ground as fans bounced along. What really stood out was his ability to switch between his laid-back delivery and intense verses. The chemistry between 21 Savage and the Atari stage was palpable, as he hyped them up with call-and-response moments and a few surprise shout-outs. By the time he closed with his massive hit Rockstar, the energy was at its peak and we were left on a spectacular high. 21 Savage's performance was raw, intense, and undoubtedly one of the highlights of Listen Out.

Sub focus

Subfocus closed out Listen Out with pure energy and excitement! His set at the 909 stage drew a huge, buzzing crowd, all dancing under a stunning laser show. As fans poured in from the Atari stage to catch the final act, the atmosphere became even more electric. Standout tracks like his remix of Artemas's I Like the Way You Kiss Me and the crowd-pleaser Wildfire, had everyone moving. The ultimate surprise came when John Summit joined him on stage for an exhilarating collaboration, leaving the audience cheering and thrilled as the festival ended on a perfect high note!