There are some birthdays that call for a nice dinner, a bottle of wine and an early night.
Dean “Bozzie” Boswell’s 60th was never going to be one of them.
For more than two decades, Bozzie and Back In The Day have been part of Melbourne’s hard rock community. It began in 2003 with one very simple philosophy -give people who loved their music loud, their guitars big and their nights out even bigger somewhere to call home.
For 13 years, Back In The Day brought together the bands, DJs, punters and assorted rock ‘n’ roll lifers who weren’t particularly interested in being told that the music they grew up with had gone out of fashion. The regular events may have finished in 2016, but the people never really went anywhere. They’re a little older, maybe a little wiser, although that’s debatable, and the music certainly hasn’t got any quieter.
So when the man responsible for so many of those nights turns 60, there really is only one appropriate way to celebrate.
Get everyone Back In The Day together again.
On Saturday, August 29, BOZZFEST takes over Melbourne’s Leadbeater Hotel for one massive reunion and birthday bash featuring a collection of Australian hard rock names that don’t exactly spend every other weekend playing around town anymore.
Heading south for their only Melbourne show are hard rock veterans THE POOR, bringing the kind of loud, sweaty, no bullshit rock ‘n’ roll that has made them a favourite with Australian hard rock audiences for decades. They’ve earned those stripes the hard way too, touring extensively with AC/DC on the Ballbreaker tour both here and in the USA, along with runs alongside Scorpions, Van Halen and KISS.
They’re joined by genuine Aussie pioneers HEAVEN, also making their only Melbourne appearance and bring a special Ozzy Osbourne / Black Sabbath set alongside Heaven classics.
Heaven were there when Australian heavy metal was still finding its feet, sharing stages back in the day with KISS, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Mötley Crüe. Back In The Day also hosted Heaven’s 2010 reunion tour, so with the band preparing to head to Japan later this year, it only made sense to invite them back to do it all again.
Also joining the party are WILLIE J’S 6V6S and RIFF RAFF, delivering a full Bon Scott era AC/DC live show, while longtime Back In The Day resident DJs Andrew Haug, Turtle Rox and Bozzie himself will bring all your fave hard rock hair metal hits and make sure there isn’t much opportunity for anyone’s hearing to recover between bands.
Four bands. One night. Home grown rock at its finest.
BOZZFEST isn’t about pretending it’s 2003 again. It’s about getting the people who were there back into the same room. For years, Back In The Day gave Melbourne’s hard rock community somewhere to meet, drink, discover bands, hear the songs they loved and regularly stay out until the small hours.
Some of those people have been there since the beginning. Some haven’t seen each other in years, and some probably just need a sufficiently good excuse to get off the couch, call a few old mates and go to a proper rock show again!
This is a damn good one.
Bozzie is turning 60! Back In The Day is back for one night, The Poor and Heaven are playing their only Melbourne shows. The beers will be cold and absolutely nobody involved has developed an appreciation for sensible background music.
Come and remember why you used to do this every weekend.
Just maybe don’t try and do everything you used to every weekend.
BOZZFEST 2026
A BACK IN THE DAY REUNION – ONE NIGHT ONLY
THE POOR – Only Melbourne Show
HEAVEN – Only Melbourne Show + Special Ozzy/Sabbath Set
WILLIE J’S 6V6S
RIFF RAFF – AC/DC Live Show
DJs ANDREW HAUG · TURTLE ROX · BOZZIE
Saturday, August 29
5.00PM–1.00AM
Leadbeater Hotel, 1 Church Street, Richmond
Tickets are on sale now via Oztix.
$45 + booking fee / $50 at the door unless sold out.
And because apparently a 60th birthday, Back In The Day reunion and eight hours of rock ‘n’ roll isn’t enough, every ticket purchased goes into the draw to win a double pass to
Guns N’ Roses at Marvel Stadium, thanks to Live Nation, valued at $600!
