Riot FM Marks a Decade of Heavy Music Broadcasting in Newcastle
Riot FM, the independent radio station dedicated to heavy music genres, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a special event in the Newcastle region. Founded by Rohan Brown in Nelson Bay, the station has carved out a unique niche by playing music that mainstream FM stations often avoid.
A Decade of Defying Mainstream Music Trends
Rohan Brown launched Riot FM 87.6 ten years ago with a clear mission: to provide a platform for metal, hardcore, and punk music that commercial stations were reluctant to air. "You have the commercial and mainstream stations like Triple J and Triple M, they are not really playing that heavy music, the metal, the punk," Mr Brown explained. "So, I thought, well if you aren't going to play the music we want to hear, we'll play it ourselves."
The station quickly gained a following by embracing ominously named subgenres such as:
- Doom metal
- Death metal
- Thrash metal
- Black metal
- Punk and hardcore
Celebrating with a Free Community Event
To mark this significant milestone, Riot FM is hosting a "psycho pop-up show" at Anna Bay Skatepark on February 28. This free event, running from 1pm to 6pm, promises to be a "debauched DIY day out" featuring some of the Bay and Newcastle's most promising heavy bands.
Mr Brown expressed enthusiasm about the local music scene, stating: "I travel all the time for music, to Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane and there is some fantastic music around Australia now, but, Newcastle is a cut above, consistently amazing."
Showcasing Newcastle's Rising Musical Talent
The anniversary event will highlight several up-and-coming bands from the region, including:
- Smacked Youth - recently gaining international attention with performances in Canada
- Dead Showws - a prominent local act
- Loons - featured performers for the pop-up gig
- Bardvark - fresh from playing at the Rising Tides festival
- Talk House - recent winners of Best Band at the Steel City Showdown
- Caster - an exciting new metal band joining the lineup
Mr Brown emphasized the importance of radio in supporting emerging artists: "Radio is still really important in getting band's music out there and narrowcast stations like Riot FM have a role to play in that."
Supporting the Local Music Community
The anniversary celebration is designed as a family-friendly afternoon that brings together local musicians, families, and music enthusiasts. While admission is free, donations will be accepted on the day, with all proceeds directly supporting the performing artists.
Following the daytime event, an official after-party will commence at 7pm at Anna Bay Tavern, extending the celebration into the evening.
Filling a Void in the Live Music Scene
The timing of this event is particularly significant given recent developments in the local music calendar. Mr Brown noted that the celebration also serves as an opportunity for heavy music fans to enjoy live performances following the cancellation of Parkway Drive's Park Waves Festival, which was scheduled to take place in Maitland this month.
"Sadly they had to cancel for their own reasons, but we always wanted to do something for our 10-year anniversary," he explained.
As Riot FM enters its second decade, the station continues to champion alternative music in Newcastle, providing a vital platform for genres that might otherwise struggle to find airtime on traditional radio stations.
