New Music

New For 2020

New Music: Dregg

We're shining a spotlight on the best new Australian artists set to dominate 2020. Welcome Melbourne new wave hardcore band Dregg.

Check out the rest of our New For 2020 list!

Ticketmaster New Music is your one-stop destination to discover the best emerging live acts before they explode. These are the artists we’re expecting to make waves in the live music scene, and we want you to know about them first.

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If you’ve dipped your toes into the Melbourne hardcore scene at any point over the last couple of years, then we’re certain masked hardcore crew Dregg have left an impression on you. If you’re yet to be acquainted, today is your lucky day.

It’d be easy to write off a band like Dregg as nothing more than a gimmick before even hearing a single second of music – we’ve seen it happen in band rooms around the city – but hear us out. Because as soon as Dregg rip into their set, there isn’t a room that hasn’t been captivated by the energy and sound they are creating.

Dressed in unconventional costumes – masks, warpaint, and all sorts of outrageous outfits make an appearance – Dregg are here to shake the scene up. With thought-provoking lyrics, their tongue-in-cheek take on the current state of the world paired with chugging riffs, spitfire vocals, scorching ferocity and a combination of hardcore, hip hop and nu-metal will leave you smiling from ear to ear.

After vocalist Chris Mackertich and guitarist Jordan McQuitty moved from the sunny Gold Coast to Melbourne in 2016, they got to work searching for the perfect combination of boundary-pushing musicians to bring the Dregg dream to life. Since then, they’ve opened Unify 2018, ripped up stages supporting Hellions, Deez Nuts, Justice For The Damned and more – gathering a dedicated fanbase along the way – and now in 2020 are preparing to join the likes of My Chemical Romance and Deftones at Download Festival.

With a string of singles that keep getting better with every release, it’s time to embrace your inner weirdo.

Dregg is a band like you’ve never seen or heard before. And you won’t easily forget them. That’s why we’ve handpicked them as one of our New For 2020 artists to watch.

dregg new for 2020

The Story

From the beginning

Dregg: “Jordan (McQuitty – Guitar) and Chris (Mackertich – Vocals) started writing together about four years ago on a couple of broken acoustic guitars. We wrote our debut EP on them, titled NO COMMENT, and then hit the studio to bring the riffs to life and the rest is history.”

What you’ll hear

We call our sound New Wave Hardcore but people can call it whatever they want. We just want to take the genre we grew up on and have as much fun with it as we can, experimenting and learning as we go.”

Influences & inspiration

We’re obviously very into our metal, hardcore and hip hop but we also have roots in a bunch of other genres. Beyond that, we’re all quite into influential intellects, scientists, visual artists, authors, political commentators, and psychologists.”

For the love of music

We love that music allows us to say whatever you want.”

Kicking goals

We’ve just announced that we’ll be heading to the US in 2020 to perform at Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival with Metallica and Slipknot so that’s definitely up there.”

The hard yards

Our biggest challenge is being able to say whatever we want haha.”

The year ahead

“In 2020, we plan to release new music, go on a heap of tours and make a lot of noise.”

When we chat in 12 months…

“Hopefully we’ll be touring some songs that are relevant to where our heads are at right now and enjoying ourselves. Can’t ask for much more than that.”

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Essential Listening

Dregg – Goof Troop

“This song is interesting, it was written from the back of my mind. I tried to have no sense of presence when I wrote this song and just let the pen go. I always say it’s about nothing, but it’s about everything at the same time. Anyone who explores their own mind regularly will know exactly what I’m talking about and those that don’t, I hope one day you do.”

Dregg – Hyperbole

“The mispronunciation of hyperbole was originally a mistake on my behalf, then after being corrected the song was altered haha. The beautiful thing is that that’s exactly what the song is all about. Don’t take yourself too seriously, you’re bound to make mistakes at some point. Just celebrate them and move on.”

DREGG // HYPERBOLE (Official Music Video)

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Dregg 2020 tour dates:

Dregg will perform as part of Download Festival 2020 coming to Melbourne Showgrounds on Friday 20 March and Sydney’s Parramatta Park on Saturday 21 March. Tickets are on sale now.

Check out the rest of our New For 2020 feature artists here.

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