Australian metalcore band Thornhill will headline and headline Surf’s Up! The festival, a one-day massive concert at Melbourne’s Riviera Beach Club on Saturday, February 20, 2027, promoter Destroy All Lines announced on Monday (November 2).
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The band’s chosen bill included Stand Atlantic, Alpha Wolf, US duo SACE6, Justice for the Damned, Philadelphia’s Varietals, Headwreck, Bloom and Blinder. Presale tickets will go on sale on Thursday (5 November) at 10am AEDT, while general tickets will go on sale on Friday (6 November) at 11am AEDT. Event is 18+.
“Personally curated by the four of us, we’re excited to be joined by some of the best names in Australian heavy music,” Thornhill said in a statement. “Expect big fights, good times and a lot of energy.”
It is the second artist-curated heavy bill at the St Kilda venue, following a Polaris-programmed version staged in February as part of Life’s a Beach series.
Thornhill reached the strongest point of his career. Their third album, Bodies, debuted at number 4 on the ARIA Albums Chart in 2025 and won the ARIA Award for Best Hard Rock or Heavy Metal Album, as well as Best Independent Heavy Album or EP at the AIR Awards. It was also nominated for Australian Album of the Year at the J Awards. The band’s 2022 album Heroine peaked at number 3 on the ARIA Charts and number 1 on the Australian Albums Chart, earning an ARIA nomination, while their 2019 debut album The Dark Pool peaked at number 20 on the Australian Albums Chart. They have toured with Sleep Token, Bring Me the Horizon, Architects and Avenged Sevenfold, and played Download, Welcome to Rockville, Hellfest and Grasspop Metal Meeting.
Stand Atlantic released their fifth album, Godbreath, through Virgin Music Group on 23 October, and it debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart last week – the Sydney band’s first chart-topper, surpassing the No. 3 peak of 2024’s Was Here. They have toured with Sum 41, A Day to Remember and One OK Rock, the 2026 Warped Tour run and a UK support slot with Simple Plan.
Alpha Wolf earned an ARIA nomination for Best Hard Rock or Heavy Metal Album with 2020’s A Quiet Place to Die and a Grammy nomination for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package for 2024’s Half Living Things. SACE6 released debut album Brutalist this year and toured with Dayseeker, Don Broco and Northlane. The Varials released their fourth album, Where the Light Leaves, in 2026 and are currently on a North American tour supporting Wage War.