2009 - THE BEGINNING
The first Dead of Winter Festival is held in Brisbane, created as a home for heavy music, dark art and horror culture. What started as a grassroots event laid the foundations for what would become Queensland’s longest-running heavy and alternative festival.
Venues: Brisbane
Highlights: Birth of the Dead of Winter identity - heavy music meets horror and alternative culture.
__________________________
2015 - THE UPSCALE YEAR
Saturday 25 July 2015
Dead of Winter returns bigger than ever at the Jubilee Hotel with the addition of a massive 1000-capacity outdoor tent in Brisbane’s Valley precinct.
This year introduced multiple stages of killer bands, performance art, cutting-edge and slashing-edge films, future fashion, R-rated comedy, markets and horror cosplay chaos with major prizes.
Venues: Jubilee Hotel + Outdoor Tent
Features:
Multiple stages
Dark arts and performance
Horror cosplay competitions
Markets, food and immersive visuals
__________________________
2017 - SOLD OUT
Dead of Winter sells out, proving the festival’s place as a cornerstone of Brisbane’s heavy and alternative scene. This year cemented the event’s reputation as a must-attend for lovers of loud, dark and strange culture.
Status: Sold Out
__________________________
2018 - DOUBLE THE HORROR
Dead of Winter doubles in size with the addition of The Tivoli alongside the Jubilee Hotel — double the venues, double the horror.
Six stages, heavy-duty cabaret acts, more alt-stalls and premium food trucks turned the Valley into a horror-fuelled heavy music playground. Fans pushed costume limits, with zombies, she-devils and monsters roaming between stages all day.
Notable 2018 Acts Included:
Frenzal Rhomb, Polaris, Ocean Grove, Clowns, Radio Moscow, Desecrator, Lo!, Pagan, Pangaea, Alien Weaponry, Nancy Vandal, Deadlights, Harlott, Earth Rot and more.
Venues: The Tivoli + Jubilee Hotel
Stages: Six
__________________________
2019 - A DECADE OF DEAD
Celebrating ten years since its inception, Dead of Winter 2019 became the largest edition ever assembled - featuring 61 bands and 4 sideshow acts across six stages, including the Tivoli main stage and outdoor truck stages.
After sold-out 2017 and 2018 events, the 2019 edition continued the momentum with a massive lineup and a 94% satisfaction rate among attendees.
Notable 2019 Acts Included:
Cog, Disentomb, Mammal, Bodyjar, 28 Days, Aversions Crown, Voyager, Svetlanas, The Go Set, Beatswars, Hits, Blowhard, Kyuss Dies! (with Nick Oliveri), Rick Dangerous and the Silkie Bantams, Chaos Divine, Kaosis, Fight Ibis, Wraith, and many emerging local acts.
Venues: The Tivoli + Jubilee Hotel
Stages: Six
__________________________
2020–2025 - THE SILENCE
After 2019, Dead of Winter entered a long pause. The world shifted. Scenes changed. Yet the festival’s spirit never faded - we simply waited.
__________________________
2026 - PHOENIX RISING
Dead of Winter returns to Brisbane on Saturday 27 June 2026, reborn under the banner Phoenix Rising. Carrying its legacy forward while embracing the future, the next chapter begins.
Status: TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
2009 - THE BEGINNING
The first Dead of Winter Festival is held in Brisbane, created as a home for heavy music, dark art and horror culture. What started as a grassroots event laid the foundations for what would become Queensland’s longest-running heavy and alternative festival.
Venues: Brisbane
Highlights: Birth of the Dead of Winter identity - heavy music meets horror and alternative culture.
2015 - THE UPSCALE YEAR
Saturday 25 July 2015
Dead of Winter returns bigger than ever at the Jubilee Hotel with the addition of a massive 1000-capacity outdoor tent in Brisbane’s Valley precinct.
This year introduced multiple stages of killer bands, performance art, cutting-edge and slashing-edge films, future fashion, R-rated comedy, markets and horror cosplay chaos with major prizes.
Venues: Jubilee Hotel + Outdoor Tent
Features:
Multiple stages
Dark arts and performance
Horror cosplay competitions
Markets, food and immersive visuals
2017 - SOLD OUT
Dead of Winter sells out, proving the festival’s place as a cornerstone of Brisbane’s heavy and alternative scene. This year cemented the event’s reputation as a must-attend for lovers of loud, dark and strange culture.
Status: Sold Out
__________________________
2018 - DOUBLE THE HORROR
Dead of Winter doubles in size with the addition of The Tivoli alongside the Jubilee Hotel — double the venues, double the horror.
Six stages, heavy-duty cabaret acts, more alt-stalls and premium food trucks turned the Valley into a horror-fuelled heavy music playground. Fans pushed costume limits, with zombies, she-devils and monsters roaming between stages all day.
Notable 2018 Acts Included:
Frenzal Rhomb, Polaris, Ocean Grove, Clowns, Radio Moscow, Desecrator, Lo!, Pagan, Pangaea, Alien Weaponry, Nancy Vandal, Deadlights, Harlott, Earth Rot and more.
Venues: The Tivoli + Jubilee Hotel
Stages: Six
2019 - A DECADE OF DEAD
Celebrating ten years since its inception, Dead of Winter 2019 became the largest edition ever assembled - featuring 61 bands and 4 sideshow acts across six stages, including the Tivoli main stage and outdoor truck stages.
After sold-out 2017 and 2018 events, the 2019 edition continued the momentum with a massive lineup and a 94% satisfaction rate among attendees.
Notable 2019 Acts Included:
Cog, Disentomb, Mammal, Bodyjar, 28 Days, Aversions Crown, Voyager, Svetlanas, The Go Set, Beatswars, Hits, Blowhard, Kyuss Dies! (with Nick Oliveri), Rick Dangerous and the Silkie Bantams, Chaos Divine, Kaosis, Fight Ibis, Wraith, and many emerging local acts.
Venues: The Tivoli + Jubilee Hotel
Stages: Six
__________________________
2020–2025 - THE SILENCE
After 2019, Dead of Winter entered a long pause. The world shifted. Scenes changed. Yet the festival’s spirit never faded - we simply waited.
2026 - PHOENIX RISING
Dead of Winter returns to Brisbane on Saturday 27 June 2026, reborn under the banner Phoenix Rising. Carrying its legacy forward while embracing the future, the next chapter begins.
Status: TICKETS ON SALE NOW
