Homecoming on the horizon for Newman-raised South Summit band at Oddysea Fest

They’ve only played in the North West a couple of times before but for two members of South Summit, their return to the Pilbara for Odyssea —Hedland Music and Arts Journey will be a long-awaited homecoming. The five-piece band based in Perth have exploded on to the scene recently with their distinct fusion indie rock sound, and have been gaining widespread recognition through tours of the country’s South West and east coast. Made up of Nathan Osborne, Josh Trindall, Fynn Samorali, and brothers Nehemiah and Isaiah Reuben, the band will be in Port Hedland to perform at the first weekend of the new Odyssea festival, supporting headline act King Stingray. And while they will be away from their southern base, their visit to the Pilbara marks a return home for Nehemiah and Isaiah, who were raised in the region. Isaiah said he was excited to return and play in front of a home crowd. “Nemo and I are originally from Newman,” he said. “We grew up there and have done a few shows at local pubs when we first started. “Being in the Pilbara for a lot of us is going back home, and it’s a good place to be, so it’s great to be heading back there because we have only played there twice.” The band formed when Trindall and Osborne began jamming together at school, later meeting the Reuben brothers, and Samorali through mutual friends. They started, as many bands do, playing covers, and said their original music was influenced by bands like Great Gable and Spacey Jane. Their sound has been described as a blend of alt-rock, reggae, and indie music, and the band say they are willing to change their style based on the song they’re trying to write. Osborne said their music was heavily influenced by the band’s cultural diversity. “We have a lot of different cultural backgrounds and influences because we are all from different areas,” he said. “My background is from England originally, Fynn’s from Israel, Trindall’s Aboriginal, Isaiah and Nemo are from the Torres Strait and New Zealand. “All those cultural differences influence our sound.” The band came on the scene with popular performances at the Groovin The Moo, BIGSOUND, and Falls festivals. Many of their songs focus on deeply personal experiences and issues, like major track River Days, which is about alcohol abuse and how it affects friends and family. And while Odyssea will be the first time the band have played together in Port Hedland, Samorali said they all had personal connections in town, which made the performance more exciting. “It’s our first show in Port Hedland and we know a few people there, so it’ll be great to play in front of friends and family,” he said. Odyssea is not the only Pilbara performance for the band this year. They will head back to Newman for the Outback Fusion Festival later in the year, and after that they have a performance lined up in Karratha. In November the band are going on a national tour, and will be making their first visit to New Zealand as well. The Odyssea — Hedland Music and Arts Journey will take place on the two weekends from August 19-27.