Honouring a local legend at 'Psyched As. Forever'

‘Psyched As. Forever’ is a celebration of Richard ‘Millsy’ Mills (left)

On Saturday, January 27th, we’re teaming up with local music tastemakers Psyched As and The Grifter Brewing Co. to throw our support behind ‘Psyched As. Forever’ - a celebration of the life and legacy of local Inner West musician, and Psyched As co-founder Richard ‘Millsy’ Mills, who tragically passed away in 2022. The stacked lineup features a bunch of Millsy’s mates from Sydney and beyond, with a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales being donated to the Bula’Bula Arts Centre in Ramingining.

We caught up with Psyched As co-founder Brad Kafer to learn more about the gig, Millsy, and the legacy he leaves. Read on.

‘Psyched As. Forever’ 2023. Shot by Yeah Rad

YH: G’day Brad, can you tell us a bit about Psyched As?

BK: G’day! Psyched As started in 2016 when Millsy and I met at University. We were both looking to move out of our current houses and put on some gigs together, so we decided to combine the two. We moved into a house in Petersham, where we turned a retail shop space into a gig room. At its core, Psyched As represents community. Our events have always been somewhere for likeminded people to connect through good music, and now, they’re also about Millsy’s legacy. He loved music, and poured his heart and soul into Psyched As. Everything down to the name reflects his outlook on life. 

YH: Can you tell us a bit about Millsy and who he was?

BK: He was an icon in every sense of the word. A true larger than life character, a thrill-seeker, and the purveyor of many good times and laughs. He had an energy that lit up any room he walked into. I think everyone who knew him, even if just for a moment, felt like they’d just made a best mate for life. A dear friend, bandmate, colleague, beer rep, brother, son, uncle, partner, local music icon; an all round legend loved by many. 

Johnny Hunter at ‘Psyched As. Forever’ 2023. Shot by Yeah Rad

YH: How did the first ‘Psyched As. Forever’ gig of 2023 come together? What was the response like?

BK: We reached out to our collective network of bands and friends and pulled together the lineup really quickly. Everyone who played had played a Psyched As show before, or knew Millsy. We were blown away by the support of the artists, the local community, the sponsors, and friends and family who came out in droves for him. We sold the show out and managed to raise some money for Bula’Bula Arts Centre in Ramingining. (Special shoutout to my dear friend Liz from YH who without a hesitation helped me pull it all together!)

YH: What were some of the most memorable moments from the gig?

BK: Every band on the day performed a cover of a song that connected them to Millsy. Pist Idiots covering The Clean was definitely a highlight! Millsy was well known for not wearing shoes, so the lads from PEEL got the crowd to go shoeless which was pretty special. The ‘Psyched As House Band’ set was pretty wild too. Made up of housemates, friends, and Millsy’s partner Samara, we covered a set of songs that had a special story and connection to him.

Pist Idiots at ‘Psyched As. Forever’ 2023. Shot by Yeah Rad

YH: How has it evolved for year two? What are we in for on Jan 27?

BK: We’ve got three stages this year -  bands across two (with no clashes!) and stacks of DJs. We’ve moved the gig to the Sydney Portugal Community Club in Marrickville, so the music will be spread across inside and outside stages, all day long into the late evening. Apart rom tunes, there’ll be pop up tattoos by Thanks Tattoo and Tattoo Rosies, plenty of good booze from YH and Grifter, and delicious food from Pizzamici. 

YH: Can you tell us a bit about Millsy's connection to the Bula’Bula Arts Centre in Ramingining, and why you've chosen to donate a portion of proceeds to them?

BK: Millsy and Samara spent several months working there in 2022, and the community loved him as much as we did! I feel like he wouldn’t want us making a fuss over him, so this felt like the right way to give back to the Yolngu community. The money raised last year was used to buy artwork for what will become the Ramingining Community Collection. These pieces will be kept for the intergenerational transmission of culture and preserved for ongoing cultural teachings.  

Turbo times at ‘Psyched As. Forever’ 2023. Shot by Yeah Rad

YH: Who are you most excited to see hit the stage at ‘Psyched As. Forever’?

BK: For me, personally it’s Los Tones - they were one of the first local bands Millsy and I bonded over way back in our Uni days, so to have them play is special. I also can’t wait for DARTZ, who are making the trip over the Tasman to come play. C.O.F.F.I.N as well - they’re one of the best bands in Australia, so I’m keen to see them tear up the stage. Honestly though, I love every band on this lineup. I’m beyond stoked that they’ve all said yes to playing, so I’ll be in the mosh for each and every one one of them. 

Cheers Brad!

’Psyched As. Forever’ is going down on Saturday, January 27 at Sydney Portugal Community Club in Marrickville. See below for the full lineup and click here to grab your tix today.