Rock The Black Dog Music Festival

A festival for Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness

Proudly supporting the Black Dog Institute, the not-for-profit mental health medical research organisation, Rock The Black Dog Festival is Geelong’s newest music event giving back to the community, to raise awareness to combat the growing rate of suicide through the power of music!

Happening on Saturday, 1 April at the Barwon Club, the festival will see Melbourne and Geelong’s music community come together to raise awareness of mental health and suicide prevention, featuring a lineup of the best up-and-coming talent and seasoned local rockers and punk legends.

Kicking off at noon, the festival will be headlined by one of Australia’s leading blues musicians, the amazing Ash Grunwald. After nine studio albums, five ARIA nominations, and hot off the back of the Bluesfest tour, this is sure to be a performance that will go down in history.

Alongside Grunwald, the festival will also feature sets from more than 20 amazing acts, including Nick Barker, Poppin’ Mommas, Kopious, Famous Will, John Flanagan, Bella Deer, Grim Fawkner, Rick Hart, Katie Brianna, Alister Turrill, Kate Lucetta, The Swells, Fistful of Steel, The Louds, Isabella Khalife, Dawwn, Damien Edwards, Bella Lear, Sarah McQueen, Geelong Music Community Collective and more.

The brainchild of festival director Jon Gilchrist, with support from Ultragauge Australia, Roaring Respite Disability Services, Ohana Disability Services, Surdex Steel, Lions Club of Leopold, McHenry Partners Business Accountants, Piccadilly Market, Calibre Steel, and the Barwon Club, Rock The Black Dog festival aims to raise much-needed funds for mental health research and support for those in need with proceeds going to The Black Dog Insitute.

According to the institute, 1 in 5 of us will experience symptoms of mental illness in any given year. In Australia, that’s around 5 million people. And roughly 60% of these people won’t seek help. As the only medical research institute in Australia to investigate mental health across the lifespan, Black Dog Institute aims to create a mentally healthier world for everyone.

Tickets are on sale now via Oztix. If you or someone you know needs help or information regarding mental health, please contact Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14, or beyondblue on 1300 224 636.

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the Geelong Arts Centre stands, the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past, to Elders present and to emerging leaders, recognising their continuing connection to land, water, culture and community.

Please note: all information within this ad is correct at time of print.