10 Moments That Defined ’90s/’00s Aussie Alt-Rock

If there was ever a “golden age” of Aussie music, it would have to be hands-down (and horns-up) the period running from the late nineties to the mid-2000s.

Not only was there an explosion of homegrown alt-rock acts whose impact was powerful enough to continue packing moshpits across the nation some two decades later, the music industry at large was absolutely pumping with life (in the years before music piracy would lay waste to its financials).

The Aussie festival scene was booming, with the blockbuster Big Day Out and Homebake occupying much-frothed spots on the summer calendar as Soundwave emerged to shake up the scene. And triple j was far from the only music platform that unified the nation’s listeners, with punters also getting their regular fix on the idiot box thanks to the likes of Rage, Recovery and Channel [V].

It was a wild-ass time, filled with big budgets and even bigger dreams, which would soon come crashing down as new technologies emerged to transform and fracture the industry into a more boutique, niche beast. Artist interviews were loose, bizarre and often hilarious with a vibe that absolutely anything could happen. The live music scene was raging, before government-mandated alcohol restrictions, lockout laws, residential noise complaints and a general spirit of complacency ravaged our cities’ nightlife. And loud guitar music reigned supreme.

The zeitgeist of the late nineties/mid noughties gave birth to countless epic experiences and memorable moments for those who were lucky enough to be around to enjoy them. And in honour of the forthcoming Hotter Than Hell tour — which will see some of the hugest bands of the era such as Killing Heidi, Grinspoon and Frenzal Rhomb unite to thrill moshpits across the country once again — we thought we’d tip our hat to this golden age of Aussie music by recapping some of its most defining moments.

And by all means, give us a shout in the comments if we’ve missed any!