In Partnership with Keno

Long before they were making music as alt-pop trio Blusher, Miranda, Jade, and Lauren were solo artists trying to find their way in the local scene – loop-pedalling from ironing boards, supporting other acts, and playing to bartenders and the occasional friend.

If you name a small local venue on the east coast, there’s a good chance one of them has played there. “[Those venues] were so foundational for each of us individually to go and learn through the experience of performing on stage… there’s just no experience like it,” says Jade.

“It’s so intimate. You get to really see the sweat on people in front of you. People are so close and you just get that awesome connection, you feel this energy, this love of music.”

Now, after years of finding their sound and a dedicated fan base, Blusher are set to headline Rolling Stone Local Legends, a new live music series powered by Keno that celebrates the venues where stories like theirs begin.

Their free show will take over Hotel Steyne in Manly on Saturday, May 31st. It’s one of two live gigs, alongside Great Gable at The Stock Exchange in Brisbane on Saturday, May 24th.

Blusher have toured around Australia, the UK, Europe, and North America, supporting artists like Tove Lo, NOTD, Aurora, The Rions, and Dadi Freyr. In 2025, they released two new dancefloor tracks, “RACER” and “WHATEVERWHATEVER”.

From their first chaotic performance at BIGSOUND in Brisbane to sold-out headline sets, the trio have built their live show gig by gig. And it all started in small, local venues.

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“Local venues mean the world to us,” says Lauren. “We have been playing music for a long time and those early days, those early venues, were so supportive.”

“Any chance we get, I want to go [to the local show] and find my next favourite song and next favourite artist. It’s such a cool feeling… like you’re discovering something that’s up next, but you’re seeing it first with a small group of people.”

The trio remember those early days of playing to empty rooms and working out how to win over crowds. It’s when they learned how to perform with confidence, even when everything was falling apart, like at one of their first shows. “We started late because they couldn’t get any of the sound working and then they tried to cut off our last song,” Miranda recalls.

“But we got through that, like spiritually,” Jade adds. “It really brought us together as a group, that experience.”

There’s a kind of confidence that only comes from humble beginnings, rehearsing in bedrooms and hearing your own sub-bass through club speakers for the first time. Learning how to connect with a crowd that isn’t quite sure about you, until they are.

“I feel like we’re ‘Local Legends’. It’s kind of an honour, but I’m like, ‘Yeah, we’re in the right spot,’” says Lauren. “We’ve done the rounds. We’ve done our time.”

Headlining at Rolling Stone Local Legends brings everything to a full circle, with a local crowd, a sweaty dancefloor, and support lineup stacked with talent.

Don’t miss the chance to see Blusher live at one of Australia’s most iconic local pubs. Entry is free and doors open from 4pm. Get ready to dance and maybe catch a Keno game between sets while you’re there.

See Blusher perform at Rolling Stone Local Legends on Saturday, May 31st at Hotel Steyne in Manly. 

Help is close at hand GambleAware. Visit gambleaware.nsw.gov.au or call 1800 858 858.

Rolling Stone Local Legends – Blusher

Saturday, May 31st
Hotel Steyne, Manly, NSW

4pm – Doors open
5pm – 5.30pm – Opener by Marvell
6pm – 6.30pm – Charli Lucas and Molly Millington return with another “play together” acoustic set
7.15pm – 8pm – Borderline return as support act
8.30pm – 9.30pm  – Blusher headline