Sunshine Coast band The Dreggs release new album, launch tour

An Australian duo at the peak of their power have pleaded with punters to get around local music as much as they do Taylor Swift, saying musos will be forced to flee overseas if festivals continue to crash and burn.

The Dreggs put plenty of soul into their set at Agnes Blues Roots and Rock Festival.

A Sunshine Coast folk pop band has lifted the lid on a whirlwind 12 months involving the cancellation of Splendour, working with an Australian music legend and their “genre smoothie” new album.

The Dreggs will soon embark on an overseas tour following the release of their album Caught In A Reverie on April 26, which reflected on their “fever dream” existence during the pandemic where live music and normal life was non-existent.

Created by Bribie Island boys Zane Harris and Paddy Macrae, the two piece began out of boredom and decided to ply their trade as buskers on the Sunshine Coast.

The pair’s folk goodness resonated with punters which led to them playing in local pubs such as Drift Bar Caloundra, Taps in Mooloolaba, Alley Cat in Coolum Beach and most notably a residence at Sol Bar in Maroochydore.

The independent duo started to write their EP when Covid hit which plunged Australia into lockdowns.

Zane Harris and Paddy Macrae from The Dreggs. Picture: Contributed

“It was like we were stuck in a day dream all through Covid … sitting around the house wishing we could be here and there,” Harris said.

It’s here the musicians drew inspiration for their new album through the word “reverie”, cooking up songs ranging from folk, pop and even rock ‘n’ roll.

“Not one song sounds the same, it’s similar to a genre smoothie,” Harris said.

“We just wrote songs and thought why not experiment with it.”

The pair regularly return to the Sunshine Coast and nurture the music scene which was crucial in their rise to Triple J notoriety.

“More people are paying to go to shows (on the Sunshine Coast) which shows there’s definitely been an improvement,” Harris said.

“There’s so many brilliant musicians here, everyone should be able to go Mooloolaba hill and enjoy who is playing there.”

The duo were left devastated by the recent cancellation of Splendour in the Grass, which robbed them of a set on the festival’s amphitheatre stage, reserved for the hottest acts on the bill.

After seeing Caloundra Music Festival’s cancellation as well, Harris believed it was a “super scary time” to be in the Australian music industry.

“The hard hitting truth is that life is so expensive at the moment, but you see when Taylor Swift and Fred Again come to town people are happy to spend $350 for one night,” he said.

The duo are well known on the Sunshine Coast. Picture: Contributed

“People have to start supporting Aussie music again, and not just the huge names.

“Even if you don’t know who is playing, just go to the pub, it’s more important than ever, otherwise every artist is going to have to start moving overseas.”

The Dreggs' new album Caught In A Reverie, released on April 26, 2024. Picture: Contributed

On the brighter side of things, Harris said the pair relished their ethereal studio experience with prolific singer-songwriter Matt Corby.

Harris said it was unreal for the band to work with someone who they believe is the “pinnacle” of music.

“We’ve always looked up to him and were invited to his studio to co-write a song, we thought it was a meme originally, it couldn’t be right,” he said.

“But with the song, how you hear it on the album, is how it was done into studio. Everything fell into place, we were stoked with how it came out.”

The Dreggs will be venturing to Europe for a 16-stop tour before coming back home for a national album tour in June.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast band The Dreggs release new album, launch tour