Today OK Motels has dropped the highly anticipated lineup to their northern Victoria venue takeover OK Rochester.
A co-presentation from OK Motels and Triple RRR, with support from Visit Victoria and Visit the Murray, OK Rochester sees tremendous talent take to the stage on Saturday 18 October on Dja Dja Wurrung Country, including Marlon Williams, Kacy & Clayton, Sylvia, The Drifting Clouds, Jess Ribeiro and more.
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Across Criterion Hotel, Shamrock Hotel, Rochester Hotel, and culminating in a central car park, OK Rochester is a glorious activation of Rochester with some of the most accomplished and alluring songwriters.
It sees the co-headline of Aotearoa singer-songwriter and modern day crooner, Marlon Williams team up with Canadian duo, Kacy & Clayton to perform their DM initiated collaborative album Plastic Bouquet live and in full, whilst also taking on individual sets.
In addition, Rochy Shire Hall will be fostering friendships old and new, rebranded the Rochy Hall of Friendship for the day. You can Marry Your Friends, Tell You Friends You Love Them Speed Friending and Devo Tea, do some Friend Fortune Telling and boogie down in the Disco Rodeo.
Rochesters township will be activated through Sip Shop, taking you through the local watering holes of Rochy to indulge in the best drinks from local wineries, breweries and distilleries. Public drinking is on the cards for this community experience. Wayne’s Mural Walk is a must on this excursion as you make your way to the OK Headliner Diner to share some tales, a meal, raise a glass, and witness a special musical memory all together.
The Lions Club will on BBQ duties sizzling up the snags, pub counter meals will be a-plenty and Rochester Fish Shop will be serving up their famous steak sanga.
With trains running directly from Southern Cross, there is no excuse not to travel out to Rochy for the day.
Marlon Williams (Kāi Tahu, Ngāi Tai), the genre-blending Aotearoa singer-songwriter, is set to make his solo Australian debut at OK Motels, performing Te Whare Tīwekweka, his first album in Te Reo Māori. Known for his rich vocals and eclectic sound spanning country, folk, rock, and synth-pop, Williams rose to fame with his 2015 debut and 2018’s Make Way for Love, even appearing in A Star Is Born. His 2022 album My Boy brought a playful Māori disco vibe, and his latest work continues that evolution—fusing traditional Māori rhythms with global influences into something entirely his own.
Kacy & Clayton are second cousins from Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan, where they grew up playing music at family get-togethers and soaking up old folk records. Their sound mixes British folk, old-time country, and a touch of psychedelia—like Fairport Convention taking a detour through prairie backroads. Kacy’s voice and Clayton’s guitar work are the backbone of it all. They’ve released a run of albums, including two with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, and toured with Wilco, The Decemberists and Marlon Williams. Whether it’s candlelit folk clubs or dusty hall stages, their music feels timeless without trying to be, just solid tunes, done well.
Back in ’75, John Schwab and his band Mad Anthony laid down tracks in a California barn, on the cusp of something, but the deal never came. The tapes got boxed up and forgotten. Decades later, in small-town Ohio, his son Ben found them. That sound stuck with him, warm, unforced, full of soul. After a wild run as a pro inline skater, art school, Golden Daze and Drugdealer, Ben circled back. Sylvie is the result. Recorded in an LA garage with mates, his dad even sings on a track. It’s all come full circle. Simple, heartfelt music, made the same way it started.
Wrong Way Up are Naarm’s Afro-synth duo bringing vintage disco and psychedelic boogie into the now. Emma D’s powerful vocals meet ADP’s synth and drum machine wizardry for a sound that’s both fresh and familiar, nodding to legends like Frances Bebey and William Onyeabor. Signed to UK’s Soundway Records, their debut Totally Right dropped in early 2025. Having played major festivals like Glastonbury and WOMAD, their live shows pack serious energy and groove. With a tight team behind the scenes, Wrong Way Up are carving out a space where old-school vibes meet modern dancefloor heat.
Bawuypawuy is the debut track from Drifting Clouds, the solo project of Yolngu artist Terry Guyula. It’s a modern take on an ancient Songline, passed down through generations, telling stories of sea and current in Arnhem Bay—all in Terry’s first language, Liyawulma’mirr-Djambarrpuyngu. The track blends steady grooves, soaring sax and soft, layered vocals. Written in his homeland of Bunhungura, just outside Gapuwiyak, Terry’s sound pulls from synthpop, rock, country and culture. Drifting Clouds has since grown into a full family band, hitting NT festivals in a troopy and building something honest, grounded and full of heart.
Padraic landed in Wollongong after a two-week trip to Dublin turned into two years, and then a total life pivot in 2001. Fast forward to lockdown 2020, stuck at home and going a bit stir-crazy, Chimers was born in their backyard. Padraic ditched the drum kit, grabbed a guitar, and stepped up to the mic. What came out? Raw, brash, beautiful noise. Think post-punk, noise pop, garage grit—somewhere between Wipers and Mission of Burma, with a nod to Discord Records. Fans include Henry Rollins and Guy from Fugazi, so yeah, it’s loud. It’s real. And it rips.
Jess Ribeiro, based in Naarm, writes songs that sit with you long after they’re done. Her voice is calm but cuts deep, and the lyrics, straightforward at first, unfold into something bigger. She’s got a sharp eye for the quiet stuff most people miss. Since the early 2010s, Jess has been part of a wave of Australian and New Zealand artists mixing folk, country and rock with a kind of gothic, Antipodean slant. It’s music that feels familiar but a little off-centre—in the best way. No fuss, no flash—just well-crafted songs that know exactly where they’re going, even if you don’t.
Hedge Burners came together in winter 2024, under a house in Rye. Two pairs of friends, some new, some with years of playing behind them, ended up in the same spot at the right time. Jackson, Mawson, Shauny and Steph started jamming, found a shared rhythm, and let the sound take shape. It’s a bit rock, a bit country, a bit punk—familiar but not too polished. They like building things from the ground up, following instincts over plans, and letting the songs find their own way. It’s not overthought, and that’s kind of the point.
The Secret Beach is the indie folk project of Manitoba’s Micah Erenberg, built around a revolving crew of collaborators and anchored by Erenberg’s understated songwriting. Rooted in prairie calm and analog charm, their sound weaves folk, country, and pop into something warm, loose, and deeply human, think late-night tape hiss and melodies that feel like they’ve always been there. Their 2025 album We Were Born Here, What’s Your Excuse?, produced by Rob Fraboni, picked up a Juno nod for Adult Alternative Album of the Year. It’s music made with care, in a studio on an actual secret beach. Literally.
Loose Lips are a raw and rowdy garage punk trio out of Naarm, stitched together from members of The Prize, The Unknowns, and Chubby and the Gang. 60s girl group swagger crashes headfirst into pub rock grit and boogie-fuelled chaos. Their sound’s all heart, fast, loose, and made to be played loud. Inspired by Ronettes-era pop and New York Dolls-style sleaze, it’s hooks first, polish never. Their debut four-track cassette is out now: short, sharp, and ready to melt your speakers. Named after a wartime warning, Loose Lips say what they mean—and mean it, loud.
Public Figures is the passion project of Evie Vlah and Gigi Argiro—built on big hooks, power-pop grit and a knack for capturing the mess and magic of everyday life. Joined by Lakota Vella and Mary Lou Hylands, this four-piece brings serious energy to the stage. Their songs are sharp, catchy and loud in all the right ways—made to be played with the volume up and the windows down. It’s not polished or perfect, and that’s kind of the point. Public Figures aren’t trying to be anything they’re not—they’re just here, loud and clear, now and 4eva.
A devoted selector, curator and advocate for underground and underrepresented music, Millu has been a mainstay of the local dance community for the past decade. Festival repeat offender, international circuit breaker and club scene rotator, her ear is tightly tuned to astral fringes of the electronic underground. Her sound is honed week after week on her slot on Melbourne’s RRR, delving into celestial ambient, brain-dance IDM, and deep, progressive grooves. On the dance floor this translates to deeply considered, immersive journeys, whilst never underestimating the importance of a good groove and a big bassline.
Tickets to OK Rochester are on sale now and can be picked up here. To discover more about OK Rochester and their impressive program, head here.
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