After 20 years, Matt Johnston has proven his commitment to live music and community. “Magpie” as he’s known, has been writing and recording his own evolving style of music since his early teenage years. It was in 2004 after returning home from a solo adventure around the world, that he came up with a lightning bolt idea to host The Gum Ball Music and Arts festival on his family bushland property. In 2024, the family property is now well recognised as a 3,200 cap licensed venue, also commencing the annual Dashville Skyline festival in 2015 and the slightly heavier alternative Thrashville in 2017.

In 2024, Magpie celebrated a remarkable 20 years of service to the music and events industry, a rare feat in the modern climate and a testament to his hard work, resourcefulness and tenacity.

Somewhere in the festival fog he’d acquired a working pseudonym as the Magpie, due to his nature of swooping in on anything tangible that would potentially provide service to the festival site. Much like his desire to make something from nothing, Magpie’s music reveals a man with a freedom of talent and desire to build something wholesome, tangible and real.