LIVE: Dead of Winter Festival – the resurrection -

27 June 2026 – Mansfield Tavern, Brisbane – words and pictures by Bec Harbour

It has been a long time between drinks for the Dead of Winter Festival – with losing it’s spiritual home, The Jubilee Hotel to “gentrification” and Covid intervening not long after Brisbane metal, punk, horror and everything in between, fans probably thought the festival was lost.

But from the get-go, the quiet whisper that it was going ahead, to someone slapping a Dead of Winter magnet on my car (several times I might add), people were keen to see the resurrection of this loud and proud Brisbane tradition. The trek out to Mansfield did not deter anyone and people arrived by car, bus, scooter, bike – whatever got them there.

As is usual with Dead of Winter, there was a small market set-up with clothing, jewellery and other wares, people were buying up merch and other goodies and just generally having a great time catching up with people they haven’t seen for a bit. It would have been great to have more food options, but the tavern kitchen was pumping out the pub fare and there was plenty of water available.

The line-up was local, Australian, showcasing what amazing acts we have in not only Brisbane, but in Australia that are from the louder genres, that often don’t make a festival line-up or are on while punters are still coming in the gates and are missed. Dead of Winter had no lines, and get this, a shit tonne of seating and easy access to see local and interstate bands alike. This has been the success previously of Dead of Winter, band accessibility – if you are in the market to find something new to listen to, Dead of Winter is one of the best festivals to do this.

Dead of Winter gallery

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