From the Hard-Ons, The Celibate Rifles and Massappeal to King Parrot, Little Lamb & The Rosemarys and Horsehunter - Melbourne's Brewtality Festival has, without a doubt, become a rock and heavy metal institution. Worth travelling for, hell, worth moving for.

Presented by Desert Highways, Brewtality Festival returns in 2019 for its 7th year with yet another insane lineup, featuring the creme de la creme of heavy metal and rock music from around the country. With 3 stages across TWO of the city’s most iconic venues - The Tote and Bendigo Hotel - AND double headliners High Tension and Tassie’s Psycroptic, this year's lineup is not one to mess with.

Amongst the pre-fezzy madness, we caught up with organiser Anthony Moore as he prepares for the 7th, near-sold out instalment...

Tell us about Brewtality...

This festival is an addiction for a lot of heavy music punters, including inter-staters travelling and making it a long weekend! We've had some of Australia’s leading metal and rock bands annihilate the Brewtality stages across its 7 years including King Parrot, Blood Duster, The Celibate Rifles, Hard-Ons, Hobbs Angel Of Death, Fireballs, Dreadnaught, Frankenbok, Heaven The Axe, King Of The North and loads more.

Where did it all begin?

The festival started by HEAVY Mag founder Liv Reppas. I was a writer for the mag early on and started running the festival with her. Liv is no longer a part of the festival per se, but she’ll always be a part of it because without her, it never would’ve happened and she’s left her mark forever. Liv has done and continues to do, so much for heavy music, not just in Melbourne but in Australia.

Favourite memory through all of the festivals?

So many favourite memories over the years! Some of the bands that have played Brewtality first started decades ago and I used to go see them back in the day. First ones that come to mind are the Hard-Ons and The Celibate Rifles. Two of my all-time favourite bands for sure. I think with the Hard-Ons particularly when they headlined The Tote in 2015, everyone was yelling for more and Blackie (guitarist) wasn’t sure as they’d gone over time and he looked over at me. I yelled out to play ‘Suck’n’Swallow’ and they ripped into it. Was awesome and a perfect ending to a massive day.

Band highlights?

Off the top of my head, Barbarion at The Tote in 2014 was huge. Pyro and all! In 2017 we had Damage Zone come down from Sydney and bring some special guests from Hellmenn and Massappeal with them, they did a third of a set from each band. I grew up listening to those bands, so personally that was really huge for me. Dreadnaughtcranking out ’Dead In The Dirt’ in 2017 too was incredible. Horsehunter in 2015, one of the best bands to ever come out of Melbourne. Little Lamb & The Rosemarys are an all-time fav. I could go on, King Parrot destroyed the place, Southeast Desert Metal – a metal band from NT and the first time they played outside of the state was at Brewtality in Syd and Melb. They’re such awesome guys. Suiciety played their first gig in 20 years at the 2015 fest and their last at the 2016 one. Used to watch them back in the day as well. ‘Newer’ bands too like The Archaic Revival, The Hidden Venture, The FckUps, Sundr, Monarchus, Don Fernando, CHILD, Blunt Shovel, Hostile Objects, Dawn, some of them have been around for years but compared to those previously mentioned, a little newer I guess, but still leaving a mark on the scene.

Who are you watching this year?

I will be watching every band of course! I’m really stoked on the lineup this year and it’s such a massive list of incredible bands. Psycroptic and High Tension are both powerhouses and will definitely be worth watching. Frankenbok with Dan McDougall back as vocalist, Slugbucket are a new find for me and I really dig them and have been listening to them regularly, quite a few bands from interstate I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing live yet.

If you could get anyone to headline, who would it be?

It’s a tough one. I’d throw out some band names like OFF!, Orange Goblin, Melvins, Fugazi, Black Flag, Descendents, Bad Brains, Kyuss. OK if we’re talking absolutely anyone, I’d have Pantera headline for sure! Imagine that! Absolute chaos!

Brewtality Festival is going down this Saturday August 3rd at The Tote and The Bendigo Hotel. Tickets available here.

Punters will be treated to a ~toite~ YH tinnie special across both venues, allowing crispy frothie breaks in between windmills. Perfect.

Doors at 2pm.