By Luke Voogt
Newtown’s Hey Mammoth might be the quirkiest band playing at NightJar, when the independent artist festival returns to Geelong on Friday.
The trio of Camryn Sheehan, Matilda Hassall and Rosey Wilkens go on lyrical adventures through the ice age and space with giants and imaginary grannies.
“In one of our songs we fall into the sink, meet a whale and have a journey through the ocean,” Matilda said.
“We don’t have any love songs or anything like that.”
The trio met in Geelong school band the Sweethearts and united due to their shared interest in “stagediving” and making their mums proud, Matilda said.
The three were the Sweethearts’ back-up singers but decided to take centre stage with their own act two years ago.
“We’ve known each other for years,” Matilda said.
“We just figured we liked harmonising together and branched out to do our own thing.”
Last year they performed at the Port Fairy Folk Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival and Melbourne’s Federation Square for the first time.
“They’re both festivals we’ve been going to for years so that was really exciting,” Matilda said.
“It was just unreal playing at Fed Square.”
Hey Mammoth could be set for a breakout year in 2018 with the band’s guitarist Rosie winning the Highton Rotary Star Search last year.
One of the band’s idols, ARIA-winner Missy Higgins, won the same talent contest in 2000.
“We had a chat and decided to give it our best shot this year,” Matilda said.
The 18-year-olds plan to tour Victoria with their new EP Hey Mammoth’s Home Delivery Service, despite holding down two part-time jobs each.
Camryn and Rosie just finished high school, while Matilda finished her music degree at the Australian College of the Arts, after completing VCE at age 16.
“I started prep a year younger and skipped year 10,” she explained.
The trio’s imaginations run wild in their share house in Newtown.
“We’re all really close,” Matilda said.
“We’ve had all our fights so we’ve learnt how to get over it and forgive each other.
“We write a lot of songs as three – when we add the other harmonies in it’s just really nice to see them grow.”
The trio were all accomplished singers and drew inspiration for their folky sound from idols Kate Miller-Heidke, Katie Noonan and Ali Barter, Matilda said.
“We also like your classic rock and roll like AC/DC.”
Hey Mammoth play at NightJar on Friday with drummer Will Morgan and bassist Tom Noble, a week after performing at Australia Day festivities at Rippleside Park.
The trio is one of the few Geelong bands on a list dominated by Melbourne and international acts.
“When we got accepted it was awesome,” Matilda said.
“We like to be colourful and fun and have a few laughs in between songs and a bit of banter.”
