By Anabelle Bremner

THE sun, the wind, and the community were out in force for the inaugural Breakthrough Music Festival; a testament to the love Bass Coast has for its young artists. Marquees threatened to take flight in the gusts, but nothing could dampen the atmosphere as some of the region’s incredible emerging talent took to the stage.

The free event, run by Green Room Concept Studios (GRCS) Music School and YES Youth Hub, brought young performers of all experience levels together at YES Youth Hub, Wonthaggi on Sunday, giving them a chance to play live in front of a home crowd.  

For GRCS founder Tom Green, the festival represents over a decade of work coming to fruition. A familiar face on the region’s stages, Green’s passion for supporting the arts is undeniable – even more so with Breakthrough in the mix.

“Seeing the past thirteen years of building GRCS come to this is incredible,” he said.

“It’s amazing to be able to provide this opportunity for young performers. The goal goes beyond just giving young musicians a stage, though – it’s about giving them a genuine start. 

“We wanted to guide these young artists through a professional gig setup and give them an opportunity to add to their performance resumes – that first credited, credible step into the music industry.”

Green said the festival was designed to fill a long-standing gap in the region, where many performers struggle to find stages for their music – much less paid opportunities such as Breakthrough. 

“Youth music hasn’t really had an outlet outside of schools in South Gippsland. We wanted to fill a void there and allow artists to connect, collaborate and take ownership of their performances.”

The ambition doesn’t end with one festival. Green envisions Breakthrough becoming bigger than his studio, and is looking to establish a dedicated committee to grow the festival in the coming years. 

Fellow organiser and GRCS music teacher Callum Lee Gow echoed that purpose. 

“We really want to give young people a platform,” he said. “It’s something I would’ve loved when I was younger – getting that chance to perform in the real world, rather than just being thrown straight into it after school, is so important.”

Breakthrough also drew support from South Coast FM, which broadcast performances and interviews throughout the day. Station president Nicky Chung said the event was a natural fit for the station’s mission. 

“We have goals of community engagement, youth engagement, and this festival lines up exactly with that. 

“We also believe in protecting the creative arts. It’s really important to us to promote the talent of these young people.”

For the performers themselves, the day meant something different to everyone. Singer-songwriter Zac Grogan called the experience “really special”. He said that when performing originals, he feels “free” – not least because “you can stuff up!”.

For Flynn Dengerink of Zenith Paradox, live music offers something to build a life around. “It’s a better way to spend my teenage years, and a great outlet to express myself.” 

Bandmate Holly Martelli kept it simple. Performance, to her, is “happiness”. 

Elleah Rodgers of Trinity pointed to what the event represented for the wider scene, outlining the need for “more live music to celebrate the talent of our youth.” 

The crowd was just as invested. Local performers Travis Thompson and Joel Stevenson came along to support the next generation, both emphasising the need for events like Breakthrough to support and stimulate the local music scene. 

“It’s vital, it’s essential,” Travis said of the festival. “Having opportunities to perform is just so valuable.” 

Joel highlighted not only the benefits for artists but for the region as a whole. “It’s so great to have an opportunity for young people to perform. The level of talent is so high. We need to support local arts not just for the performers but to keep events happening for the community.”

Kicking back between their own performances, Noah Thompson and Finn Campbell-Walker soaked up the rest of the lineup. For Noah, “hearing original music” was the highlight of the day, while Finn said the best part was simply being able to hear other young artists play live. 

With the wind eventually dying down and the final acts wrapping up, organisers are already looking ahead – hoping Breakthrough becomes a fixture on Bass Coast’s calendar, and a genuine first step for the region’s next generation of musicians.