Kiama’s summer is about to get a little louder as Profannity Palooza takes over the Kiama Bowlo on January 24. 

Created by local musicians who wanted to bring live music back into the community, the event includes a line-up of regional favourite bands - Profannity, Bush Doofs, Silvia Lane, Ashpit and Scram. 

The festival aims to bring people together for a night of homegrown talent and long-weekend fun.

The idea for the event came from a group of musicians who felt Kiama needed more live music after some major festivals in the region were cancelled. 

The team behind Profannity wanted to create something that felt local, supportive and joyful, something that puts a smile on people’s faces.

While each band has played its own individual shows, this is their first time joining forces for a festival-sized event. And surprisingly, pulling it all together wasn’t as chaotic as expected.

​“We’ve got a really good group of talent between the bands, who each put on seriously good live shows. It’s the first time all of us have come together for something like this.”

​Many of the performers have connections to Kiama and the broader Illawarra scene, making the Bowlo the natural place to host the event.

​“A lot of our friends are from Kiama. And with so many major festivals cancelled, we wanted to give people something that puts a smile on their faces,” he explained.

The headline act, Profannity, has its own evolving story behind the scenes. 

The project began as a blues-leaning solo project, with its frontman, Max Carr, performing around the region, experimenting with demos and developing his sound. 

Through years of gigging, he connected with the musicians who now form the band, and together they shifted into a full rock ’n’ roll group.

Profannity has performed widely around the region and is now preparing to head into the studio to record a new album, with hopes of taking it on the road. 

With many new songs already written, the long-term plan is to keep producing, touring and growing.

If the first festival goes well, they hope to turn it into an annual event, an idea they’re already excited about. 

“The goal is to make it an annual thing and be able to give back to the little guys,” Carr said, “growing the festival each year and offering even more support to emerging artists in the community”.