Catch indie rock up-and-comers at The Gov this Saturday with a high-energy lineup and festival atmosphere.

Hugh Heidenreich is the producer behind Huge Events and has booked local bands to play on the balcony at The Gov for about a year now. 

“People need that opportunity to find out about their sound and practice and grow and have a good time before they start touring and going off, I think that needs to happen everywhere,” Hugh says. 

“The Gov stage is pretty much as good as it gets and hopefully we’ll have a big crowd there.” 

In an effort to foster local talent, Hugh and Sugar Tongue are presenting BigFest, a massive night of music on the main stage. 

Sugar Tongue, a surf-rock band, will headline, joined by 4-piece indie punk rockers Looch, funk rockers Attica, and alt-rock outfit Canino Drive. 

“​​They’ve always been really good to work with and put on a good show,” Hugh says. 

“I definitely wanted to go for more of a rock sound this time, I feel like these bands are all quite upbeat and cohesive.”

Canino Drive performing at the first BigFest in March. This picture: supplied

Folk-pop singer-songwriter Chloe Sea and Hugh himself, who performs as Hugh Deeny, will perform acoustic sets. 

Hugh has been playing for about five years and when asked about including himself on the lineup, he says it was a good way to challenge himself to perform. 

“I know I’d be kicking myself if I didn’t play, because It’s just an opportunity to get in front of a lot of people so I wanted to take it,” he says. 

His sound is a blend of acoustic punk with some rap qualities, but he says it’s mostly “just me trying to express my emotions”. 

“I’ve been getting a lot of singing lessons, so it’s a lot easier on the ears than maybe what it used to be,” he laughs. 

This is the second time BigFest has been held at the Gov, with the first event in March this year. 

“It was pretty much just trying to get a few artists together and put a big show on and give everyone a chance, a lot of bands that wouldn’t usually get the chance to play on the stage at the Gov,” he says. 

The turnout was a surprise for Hugh, with about 300 people filling the venue, so it was a no-brainer to try and make it happen again. 

“I’m looking forward to the atmosphere, I think it was incredible last time, it’s a really great night,” he says. 

“There’s some incredible talent in Adelaide but it’s kind of underground almost, people don’t really know about how good some of these people are but you realise when you go out and see them.”

BigFest is on Saturday, November 2 from 6pm at the Gov. Tickets start at $24.50 and are available online via OzTix.