Locals Only: The Tullamarines
The Tullamarines sound is stamped with a happy-go-lucky attitude that makes you groove. Here, the indie-pop-rockers open up about life on the road, Notestock and what’s next
Interview by Zara Richards // Photos by Jack Fenby
We’re stoked to have you playing Notestock! What should we expect from your set?
A lot of fun, a lot of energy and a lot of heart! We’ll be playing all the crowd favourites from our catalogue and some new material we can’t wait to share with our hometown.
You just released a new song, ‘OMG’. Tell us about this track.
‘OMG’ is about feeling inadequate in yourself when you see friends – when you want to give them all of you, but [you’re] not brave enough. You just hide in your shell again, go home early and let the anxiousness win. It’s the feeling of [getting an] Uber ride home because your tummy was in knots while ‘Party Rock Anthem’ plays on the radio and you’re just kicking yourself for not being an extrovert full of energy 24/7. It’s a classic sad lyrics/fun-sounding type of song!
You’ve put a lot of energy into touring this year. Why was this a priority? Do you think Adelaide bands experience a different type of hustle on the national circuit?
We love playing live, we love meeting new bands outside of our little Adelaide bubble and we love chatting to new friends who enjoy our music. There’s some merit to the idea that Adelaide bands have to hustle a little harder. It seems, historically, people have taken less notice of music coming out of our city (although it looks like that’s starting to change, which is super exciting!). We’ve always tried to make as much noise as possible about what we’re doing and make as many friends as we can and (so far at least) it seems to be working!
What’s the reality of touring?
It can definitely be tough. Playing to a brand-new crowd with no personal connection to you whatsoever for the first time is a daunting experience, especially after doing the local circuit for so long. But once it clicks, it really clicks – it’s super rewarding. Hearing an interstate crowd sing your words back to you is surreal and makes all the trips more than worth it.
How would you like to see Adelaide’s music scene evolve?
It’d be awesome to see more local festivals and events celebrating Adelaide artists pop up and have a bigger attendance. It’s all about finding a way to take fans of an artist, pull them into our community and make them fans of Adelaide’s scene. If we’re lucky enough to be that bridge for someone, we’d be super grateful.
We’re racing towards 2025. What energy are you bringing to next year?
We have big plans for next year that we can’t wait to share! We’re coming into 2025 with a happy-go-lucky attitude, but we’re also kicking it up a gear. We know how lucky we are to do what we do and we’ll keep working as hard as we possibly can!
See The Tullamarines at Notestock on November 29, alongside West Thebarton and Private Function. Tickets on sale now.
