Family group ready to rock WA Day

A second Kimberley-based band has been given the opportunity to celebrate WA Day in style by showcasing the best music of the region at the State of the Art Festival in Perth.

The Family Shoveller Band, who hail from Bidyadanga, have been announced as part of an exciting line-up of musical talent celebrating what’s great about Western Australia on Monday, June 3.

The Family Shoveller Band will join the likes of fellow Kimberley band The Struggling Kings and big names in WA music including John Butler, Katy Steele, Jebediah and Drapht.

Band member Billy-Jo Shoveller said he was very excited to showcase everything the band has to offer in Perth.

“We play a fusion of pop-rock, contemporary and reggae music,” he said.

“We grew up playing all types of music and we thought we’d get together to make our own unique sound. We are an underdog compared to the likes of John Butler and Katy Steele but we are very excited to be in the same line-up as them.

“We’d also like to give a shout-out to all our family in Bidyadanga, we’re working very hard producing our music and we want to thank you for supporting us.”

Mr Shoveller said that being one of the two Kimberley-based bands in the line-up allowed them to “open the gates” for other musicians in the region.

“There’s heaps of musicians that want to perform and play their music so we hope that us performing ... will open the door for other Kimberley bands to play in Perth,” he said.

The festival is an all-ages event which will be held at Perth’s Burswood Park for the first time.

Along with the stacked line-up of local musical talent, the festival will have an all-inclusive kids’ zone, sporting clinics, the annual WA Day mascot race and a fireworks show.

It will be live-streamed on YouTube, RTRFM and REDFM.