Against The Grain, 2026

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Well, it's been a little while since we've announced a show, but that's because, behind the scenes we've been working on GRAIN's biggest event to date.

When I started this little blog, I was fresh out of high school with heaps of energy. I was at gigs as many nights of the week possible, and I was falling madly in love with every aspect of the live music scene. I started GRAIN because I believed that some of the best music from around the world was coming out of Brisbane, and everyone had to hear about it. I also wanted an excuse to meet my favourite bands and get "media passes" to gigs that I definitely couldn't afford.

A few months in, one of my friends asked if I would be interested in putting on a show. My band had played a few shows by then and had been to enough shows, so I figured - it can't be that hard right?

Ten years later, and the little blog I started has now produced over 165 live events in Magandjin, around Australia and internationally. GRAIN has presented shows for artists like Fontaines DC, IDLES, Alex G, Caribou, Dry Cleaning, Baxter Dury, Bad//Dreems, Spacey Jane, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, Genesis Owusu and countless more.

It's really surreal to look back over the past decade of GRAIN, especially knowing that none of this was really planned - it just felt right at the time and has kept going, and I'm so proud of what we've done so far.

There's always been one event that felt extra special....

Back in 2016, GRAIN produced a little boutique festival called Against The Grain.

I vividly remember one day walking past the newly built Bakery Lane in Fortitude Valley thinking, "woah wouldn't it be cool to put on a show in there?" I then went home and emailed the landlord, asking very kindly if they would let me put on a gig.

To my surprise, they said yes. I guess they couldn't tell that behind the email was an 18 year sweating in his Brisbane share house (because we couldn't afford to run the air conditioning). I then got to work, reaching out to bands, leaning on friendships, asking people for help, everyone was really keen to be a part of it. What started as a single day event with 4 bands, blew out into a 3-day festival with 20 acts.

While the festival itself definitely could have been run better, Against The Grain was met with such a beautiful showing of community. People were eager to discover new artists and see bands they'd never heard of in a new space. 

Against The Grain really was the first event that made people recognise who GRAIN was and what we were trying to do. The festival ran from 2016 - 2018 but had to stop. Until now......

I am genuinely so excited and proud to present, Against The Grain Festival 2026. Marking 10 years since GRAIN's first show way back when.

We have partnered with the Open Season program to produce an event that I truly believe is one of the best one-day music festivals that Magandjin/Brisbane has ever seen. We will be taking over the historic Clarence Corner in Woolloongabba, activating venues such as: The Princess Theatre, Brisbane Brewing Co, Echo & Bounce, Season Three, C'est Bon, Woolloongabba Art Gallery plus an outdoor carpark stage. All fenced into one festival site. 

One ticket gives you access to over 30 performances featuring a deeply curated lineup of some of the best artists from Australia and globally. 

Expect a very, very special reunion from a band that has played many of GRAIN's lineups in the past, debut Magandjin shows from interstate artists, a performance from an international act that hasn't played in Brisbane in over 16 years as well as street art murals, DJ lineups, and so much more. 

Honestly, this is the biggest and truly the greatest show GRAIN has ever produced. We can't wait to tell you everything.

The first artist announce will drop on Tuesday the 24th of March with tickets to follow.

For now, all you need to know is to mark your calendars for the 20th of June, 2026 - and sign up for presale access, because these tickets will sell out. 

Sign Up For Presale Here