September 7th is the kick off date for BIGSOUND 2016, one and once again, while there will be some really exciting speakers again this year, we can’t forget the incredibly useful networking tool that is the humble party.

There are an obscene amount of great acts to see this year, and you really can’t go wrong wherever you end up, but we’ve browsed through a stack of invites to pick out some of the lineups and parties that you might like to give particular consideration to this week.

Here’s our cheeky little guide to some of the best BIGSOUND parties you’ll be kicking yourself if you miss.

Secret Sounds Opening Night

When: 6 – 9pm, Tuesday Sep 6
Where: The Triffid
Booze Situation: Free drinks for delegates!

There are a few great events kicking things off early on Tuesday, but few boast a lineup as immediately attention-grabbing as this one from Secret Sounds. Tkay Maidza heads up a bill that also includes guitar maestro Harts, the brilliant and indefinable Ecca Vandal, and folk-pop champs Oh Pep! – rock solid. With an album on the way, Tkay has a bag of new tunes to burn through, so this’ll be a great way to wreck yourself for the next two days. You’ll need a ticket or a pass for this one!

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PROMO (Paradise x Good Manners)

When: 6pm – 12am, Tuesday Sep 6
Where: Bloodhound Bar
Booze Situation: Coopers will have you sorted.

Damn, this is a strong showing from the Melbourne combo of Paradise (of excellent boutique festival fame) and Good Manners (a great Melbourne record label), with one of the most cohesive and talented lineups of electronic artists you’ll see. There’s a distinct buzz around these acts, which includes friendships, LUCIANBLOMKAMP, BUOY, ALTA, HABITS, Christopher Port, Null, and the talented crew of in-house DJs. Free entry via RSVP, get on it.

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Mushroom Free-For-All

When: 8:30pm, Tuesday Sep 6
Where: The Flying Cock
Booze Situation: Sailor Jerry and Young Henry picking up the slack.

You’ll have to RSVP for this one, but it’s a great way to ease into the evening with sets from a talented crew of Tiny Little Houses, ALTA, The Belligerents and Kyle Lionhart, as well as choons selected by I OH YOU and Soothsayer DJs.

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Deathproof x Crowbar Pre-BIGSOUND Party

When: 8pm – 12am, Tuesday Sep 6
Where: Crowbar
Booze Situation: Melbourne Bitter and Bulimba Gold Top, sorted.

Fancy something a little heavier? Deathproof PR have got you sorted with a rock-solid lineup of exciting bands like the absolutely buzzing Ceres, hard af party starters Totally Unicorn, Milk! Records alumni Loose Tooth, new UNFD addition Columbus, and hometown heroes Walken. Free entry, absolute quality guitar acts, and one hell of a hangover. Crowbar will be keeping the choons coming the following nights with the likes of Save The Clock Tower, Hideous Sun Demon and Sydonia, so settle in.

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Remote Control Pre-BIGSOUND Party

When: 8pm Tuesday Sep 6
Where: The Elephant Hotel
Booze Situation: Free Bulimba Gold Top, they’re everywhere!

Another free party on Tuesday, and of course it’s also set to be huge – it’s Remote Control we’re talking about here, and their labels Dot Dash, Barely Dressed and Flightless. Brill new signings friendships and Lost Animal will be joined by a supremely good lineup including Teeth & Tongue, Dorsal Fins, Oh Pep!, Gabriella Cohen, Leah Senior and Jarrow. All killer, no filler.

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The Night Before BIGSOUND

When: 7pm – 3am, Tuesday Sep 6
Where: The Foundry
Booze Situation: Sailor Jerry and Young Henry have the hookup.

For a free party that’ll take you right through to 3am, you can’t go past this offering from Mucho Bravado & Co, which is frankly just overflowing with talent to the point of needing two whole stages. It’s almost obscene, really. Just a few picks include Braille Face, A.D.K.O.B, Woodes, Ivan Ooze, Born Joy Dead and Alice Ivy, while Last Dinosaurs and Jungle Giants will be spinning some tracks as well.

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Wednesday Night At The Flying Cock

When: 8pm, Wednesday Sep 7
Where: The Flying Cock
Booze Situation: No luck on freebies for this one!

Brisbane’s most talented rooster will be hosting a ripper of a night on Wednesday as it plays hosts to a swathe of predominantly female acts including BUOY, Lastlings, Vera Blue, Kučka and Tkay Maidza, so you can hunker down and catch one great set after another. There’s a similar situation the following night (albeit a little blokier) with selahphonic, Gideon Bensen, The Ruminaters, ROLLS BAYCE and The Belligerents gracing the stage. Being a part of the festival, you’ll need a BIGSOUND ticket for this one.

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Ric’s Big Backyard

When: 8pm, Wednesday Sep 7
Where: Ric’s Bar
Booze Situation: No freebies, but a great beer garden.

Ric’s Bar is hosting a marathon three nights, and day one is our pick, with a stack of talent that includes Saatsuma, Woodes, Jack Grace, Fortunes and Tigertown – that’s a lineup you can just marvel at from start to finish. The following nights are no slouches either, with names like Dorsal Fins, Olympia, Teeth & Tongue and The Stiffys holding it down throughout the week.

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Sign My Band

When: 2:30 – 4:30pm, Wednesday Sep 7
Where: The Brightside
Booze Situation: Try your luck?

Full name ‘SIGN MY BAND :: Official Bigsound Party :: A Very Professional Showcase By Professionals’ (because who can take themselves seriously by the first hungover arvo of BIGSOUND?) this one brings an eclectic lineup of acts including Willow Beats, Hideous Sun Demon and Australia, as well as a few emerging artists – all in the delightful surroundings of The Brightside.

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Red Bull Sound Select

When: 5pm, Wednesday Sep 7
Where: The Elephant
Booze Situation: We’re sure there’ll be Red Bull?

Okay, this is a lineup, perfectly balancing the worlds of hip hop and rock for a night that everyone can get behind. There’ll be a live set from DZ Deathrays, a must-watch perfromance from rising hip hop and soul star Sampa the Great, more choons from the ever-exciting Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, and emerging Sydney emcee B Wise to cap it off. Free entry for delegates.

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I OH YOU’s Annual Keynote Kegger

When: 12am – 5am, Wednesday Sep 7 (well, Thursday morning, technically)
Where: The Brightside
Booze Situation: Delegates are in luck, with Sailor Jerry and Cricketer’s Arms picking up the slack.

If you’re still standing by the end of Wednesday and want to completely write off the next day or two, I OH YOU have you covered, with a late-night rager that kicks off with a set by Jack River, and backs it up with DZ Deathrays and The Creases taking to the decks, amongst others. Free entry for delegates, a good night guaranteed for all.

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Humblebrag Chill AF Networking

When: 2:30 – 4:30pm, Thursday Sep 8
Where: The Brightside
Booze Situation: Ease back into it.

Need a bit of a breather on Thursday? Rat & Co, Broadway Sounds, Alice Ivy and SAATSUMA have you covered with a chill arvo of DJ sets at The Brightside, hosted by Melbourne’s own Viceroyalty, Inmocean, Smooch Records & Small FRY. Free entry for delegates and artists, and you might even get a little bit of that ‘networking’ done that everyone keeps going on about. It also makes for an ideal lead-in to…

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The Oztix BIGSOUND Party

When: 5 – 8pm, Thursday Sep 8
Where: The Brightside
Booze Situation: More free drinks for delegates.

Alex Lahey, Olympia, Gabriella Cohen and Mallrat are all on the bill for this one, another party custom-built to celebrate women in music. The drinks will flow for anyone with a BIGSOUND wristband, but the real highlight is the tight selection of artists, all of whom are absolutely buzzing. Free for delegates.

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Coopers/BIGSOUND Official Closing Party

When: 7pm, Friday Sep 9
Where: The Triffid
Booze Situation: Does it even matter at this point?

If you’ve made it to Friday night, well done. The official closing party is always a great way to send BIGSOUND off, and this year boasts a really solid lineup of FLOWERTRUCK, Good Boy, Alex Lahey, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and Gideon Bensen. Coopers will have you sorted if, for whatever reason, you still feel like one last beer to see the week off with a bang.

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