Shake off the icicles, Spring is here and the new season signals the start of festival fever.
Heating things up, and not just by intense, flame-throwing pyrotechnics, is our cover artist, Parkway Drive, with their namesake festival debut down under. Circus carnival style touring metal festival, Park Waves Festival rolls around the country in early 2026, showcasing the award-winning, dynamic, and durable Australian heavy music scene. Parkway Drive frontman, Winston McCall, takes us on a deep dive into Park Waves Festival and discusses the diverse, deeply supportive, and top-tier community of metal heads in our country.
Adding to the Australian festival portfolio across the warmer period is Summersalt and Castlemaine’s Town Folk Festival. We spoke to The Wombats and Meg Washington ahead of their respective appearances, along with touring artists Emmy-nominated composer, Ben Folds, Sonny and The Sunsets, and Ben Lee. In food, we take you on an ocean tour, heading to Portarlington to discover the pearl of the sea and around the Great Ocean Road to find an on-land delicacy. We also enter into the culinary CV of Tim Foster of Babae and Terrae fame.
In arts activity, we discuss death and legacy with Georgia Banks for upcoming debut theatrical presentation Death Warmed Up at Platform Arts, and we head into the studio with muralist, punk and illustrator Joel Hammonds. Harking back to our cover story, a carnival is heading for Geelong thanks to the annual agricultural and amusement event, the Royal Geelong Show. We take you on an excursion around the grounds. Speaking of excursions, our travel guide takes you into the beloved Ballarat but not in the way you expect. As the renowned Ballarat International Biennale takes over sites across the township, we give you the rundown on our recommended stays, eats, and experiences the goldfields town has to offer.
Roll up – this issue is *insert metal scream* HUGE!
– Tammy Walters, Editor in Chief
