The Rions are a four-piece indie rock band from Sydney’s Northern Beaches who went from high school mates to a national touring act faster than most bands manage a second gig. The line-up is Noah Blockley on lead vocals and bass, Harley Wilson and Asher McLean on guitars, and Tom Partington on drums.
They put out ‘Halfway Out’, ‘Sadie’ and ‘Head Still Hurts’ in 2020, but it was ‘Night Light’ — released in April 2021 — that did it. The track won them triple j Unearthed High in 2021 while they were still at school, went on to be certified gold by ARIA, and turned into the kind of song that gets yelled back at them from the barrier.
What followed was a steady climb: ‘Disassociation’ at the end of 2021, debut EP ‘Minivan’ in August 2023, and ‘Happiness in a Place It Shouldn’t Be’ in September 2024. Their sound is loose, warm and unmistakably Australian — jangly guitars, big hooks, and lyrics that don’t bother pretending to be cooler than they are.
Onstage they’re all energy and no posturing, which is exactly why they’ve become a festival booker’s safe bet and a crowd’s favourite discovery.
At Marksenfest
The Rions played Marksenfest 2022 on Saturday 8 October, the festival’s 30th birthday and its first since 2019 after two years lost to COVID. They were a year past winning triple j Unearthed High and yet to chart anything. Their debut album ‘Everything Every Single Day’ went to number five on the ARIA chart three years later.
All-inclusive tickets to Marksenfest 2026 cover drinks, food and entertainment.
