Two Acts, Shared Roots
Thelma Plum is a Gamilaraay singer from Brisbane whose folk-pop writing is direct, tender, and sharp.
Sons of the East come from Sydney's Northern Beaches, bringing warm harmonies, acoustic drive, and a campfire pulse scaled for a big stage. Her arc since
Better in Blak has leaned into candid stories and brighter grooves, while the trio keep things open and communal. The pairing reads like two lenses on modern Aussie folk, one confessional and one built for group singing.
Songs You Will Probably Hear
Set-wise, expect anchors like
Better in Blak,
Homecoming Queen,
Into the Sun, and
On My Way. The crowd skews mixed-age with Triple J lifers, new fans discovering First Nations voices, and folk lovers who like to sing but leave space in the quiet parts. Watch for First Nations flag pins, well-worn boots, and people mouthing the verses before letting loose on the choruses. Trivia worth knowing: she won triple j's Unearthed NIMA competition in 2012, and the trio self-released an early EP tracked in a beachside home setup. These setlist and production notes are informed guesses from recent runs, not a locked plan.
Thelma Plum crowd notes: garden party edition
Soft Singers, Big Choruses
The scene is relaxed and tidy, with earthy linens, sun-faded denim, and a few brim hats that look more practical than costume. You will spot First Nations pride tees and earrings near the rail, a quiet nod that fits
Thelma Plum's presence. When
Sons of the East kick into a clap section, the crowd tends to fall in fast, but they dial back for fingerpicked verses. Sing-back moments arrive on the last chorus of the big singles, often with a wordless hook so everyone can join.
Little Details Fans Notice
Merch leans tactile and tasteful, like screen-printed posters on thick stock, tote bags with native flora, and soft tees in washed colors. A few fans trade setlist guesses like baseball cards, comparing notes from recent dates and debating the closer. The overall mood favors kindness and shared space, where people step aside to let kids see and then settle back into listening. It feels like a garden party with purpose, music forward and chatter tucked between songs.
How Thelma Plum and Sons of the East make it work onstage
Voices Up Front
Live,
Thelma Plum keeps her voice front and dry, letting consonants click so the stories land clean. Her band favors tight kick patterns, a glassy guitar on the top end, and keys that fill space without crowding her phrasing.
Sons of the East build their core around three-part harmony, acoustic strum, and a percussive stomp that acts like a bass drum in open air. They often stretch an outro into a handclap break, then drop everything but the vocal for a beat so the return feels bigger.
Arrangements With Breathing Room
A small but telling move is a stomp board and floor-tom layer that adds low thump you feel in your chest without getting boomy. Expect a few mid-set rearrangements, like a halftime bridge that turns back to a faster chorus for lift. Lighting usually tracks the music with warm ambers for folk sections and a cool wash when the keys take the lead. The net effect is music-first pacing where lyrics sit on top and the band breathes underneath.
If You Like This, You'll Like That: Thelma Plum and friends
Kindred Roadmates
If your playlists lean toward story-first folk-pop,
Vance Joy is a natural neighbor, sharing acoustic bounce and an easy sway in the choruses. Fans of
Angus & Julia Stone will hear the same soft-focus warmth and patient builds.
Julia Jacklin brings diaristic writing and a steady band feel that echo
Thelma Plum's plainspoken detail when she goes quiet.
Where Tastes Overlap
For harmony-rich, road-tested folk,
The Paper Kites hit the same gentle dynamic lifts that
Sons of the East fans enjoy. If you like sharp wit over bright guitars,
Stella Donnelly sits nearby and draws a similar crowd that listens closely to lyrics. Together these artists live in the same mellow-tempo lane, leaning on clean melodies and sing-back hooks rather than fireworks. The overlap means you will hear careful words, patient pacing, and arrangements that leave room for breath. That throughline ties this bill to a wider scene across Aussie and indie folk circuits.
