The much-anticipated and hugely speculated Splendour In The Grass 2013 lineup was finally announced this morning but speculation is set to continue with organisers revealing (or more accurately concealing) a “Mystery Band” among the epic lineup (its pretty amazing, take a look at the bottom).
With all the rumours and leaks leading up to today’s official Splendour 2013 lineup announcement the rumour mill is set to go into overdrive as punters try to guess who the mystery band might be. With each day’s lineup also revealed, the proposed secret act are rather high up on the bill for the final day on Sunday 28th July, below the likes of Frank Ocean, Of Monsters And Men, The Presets, Passion Pit, James Blake, and Laura Marling.
The most likely artist to fill such a slot would surely be Alt-J (∆), who are already playing Australian headline shows in July that coincide perfectly with the dates for Splendour.
The four-piece have a show on Saturday 27th July in Perth with their next gig not until the Tuesday 30th at Melbourne’s Festival Hall, leaving a Splendour shaped hole in their tour schedule to play as the mystery band on Sunday.
It will be the Leeds quartet’s third visit Down Under in less than a year, further fuelling speculation that they’ve been wooed back to the country to play the Byron Bay festival. It’s all speculation, but one theory for their omission from the lineup is that the award-winning outfit – who are being brought out by Frontier Touring – are holding back their announcement on the Splendour bill until sold out signs are put up for their their three-date headline run. It will be the Leeds quartet’s third visit Down Under in less than a year, further fuelling speculation that they’ve been wooed back to the country to play the Byron Bay festival.
The other heavily rumoured artist omitted from today’s announcement that could fill the gap is synth-pop trio Chvrches. Many were surprised the Scots weren’t included on the bill with them in the country for dates in early August, playing shows in Sydney and Melbourne. They’re a pretty plausible fit as the mystery band, with their two-date tour starting in Sydney on the 2nd August, exactly a week after Splendour.
Regardless of who the Mystery Band turns out to be, the official Splendour lineup features a pretty impressive mix of local and international acts with the winter festival securing a coup or two with a handful of top billed artists using Splendour as their only Australian show.
British folk outfit Mumford & Sons are making the jump across the pond exclusively for the winter festival, along with Brooklyn indie outfit The National, who were last in the country for Harvest Festival in 2011. Ditto for New York’s TV On The Radio, with Splendour being their only Australian show. Fans hoping to catch any of these acts will need to scramble for Splendour tickets when they go on sale on Friday 26th April, and scramble they will – given last year’s event sold out in record breaking time.
The superb lineup features plenty of big name international acts but Australia is also well represented with a huge contingent of highly sought local acts included on the bill.
Former Powderfinger frontman Bernard Fanning will return to the stage after a few years absence off the back of his new solo album Departures, whilst iconic Aussie rockers You Am I will treat fans with a rare performance of their first two albums, Sound As Ever and Hi-Fi Way as part of their sellout ‘Hi Fi Daily Double’ national tour.
Other homegrown talents to feature are the always popular producer and festival veteran Flume, indie popsters Architecture In Helsinki, Sydney quartet Boy & Bear, up-and-comers The Rubens, Australian radio conquering Birds Of Tokyo, electro duo The Presets, and Melbourne sextet Alpine. Many were surprised the Scots weren’t included on the bill with them in the country for dates in early August, playing shows in Sydney and Melbourne.
Along with today’s lineup announcement, organisers have also revealed which artists will play which days, allowing the budget conscious punter to choose a single day ticket to see their favourite bands. But which day has the best offering?
Kicking off on the Friday 26th July will be Splendour exclusive acts Mumford & Sons and TV On The Radio, along with Kaxons, Babyshambles and You Am I. The Saturday will see The National headline along with Empire Of The Sun, Bernard Fanning, Sarah Blasko and Polyphonic Spree performing the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The final day will feature Frank Ocean, Of Monsters And Men, Laura Marling, Passion Pit and that evasive mystery band.
Taking place over three days, from Friday 26th July to Sunday 29th July, Splendour returns to its purpose built site at the North Byron Parklands in Yelgun. Organisers have waited and worked for seven years to return to their new permanent residence, 25 kilometres north of Byron, on a massive 660 acres of parkland for all the festival camping delights.
Ticket prices have also been announced, capped at 25,000 allocation and the pricing is very similar to Splendour 2012. Single-day tickets cost $140 plus booking fee (just $5 more from last year), three-day event tickets remain at $350 plus booking fees, while camping tickets cost $99 plus booking fee once more.
There’s also a newly named VIP tier called the Country Club Ticket, with a price tag of $699 which seems to be the 2013 edition to last year’s Gold VIP tickets, offering festival goers a luxury experience with an exclusive bar overlooking the main stage, coveted deluxe toilet facilities, as well as access to merch and a “Country Club Concierge” to help minimise those inevitable Splendour lineup clashes.
Splendour In The Grass 2013 Lineup
FRIDAY, JULY 26
Mumford & Sons (Exclusive to Splendour)
TV On The Radio (Exclusive to Splendour)
Klaxons
Babyshambles
Architecture In Helsinki
Matt Corby
Flight Facilities
Boy & Bear
Darwin Deez
You Am I (performing Sound As Ever and Hi-Fi Way)
Haim
Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes
Portugal. The Man
Daughter
Wavves
Robert Delong
Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Deap Vally
Dune Rats
Cub Scouts
Mitzi
Songs
Dcup
Yolanda Be Cool
Xaphoon Jones (aka Noah Chiddy Bang)
SATURDAY, JULY 27
The National (Exclusive to Splendour)
Empire Of The Sun
Bernard Fanning
Flume
Birds Of Tokyo
Drapht
Polyphonic Spree (performing the Rocky Horror Picture Show)
Fat Freddy’s Drop
Cold War Kids
Sarah Blasko
Ms Mr
Cloud Control
Something For Kate
Chet Faker
Whitley
Jake Bugg
Palma Violets
Vance Joy
Jagwar Ma
Villagers
Violent Soho
Art Of Sleeping
Twinsy
Alice in Wonderland DJ set
Otologic
Bad Ezzy
SUNDAY, JULY 28
Frank Ocean
Of Monsters & Men
The Presets
Passion Pit
James Blake
Laura Marling
Mystery Band
The Rubens
Hermitude
Airbourne
The Drones
Gurrumul
Everything Everything
Snakadaktal
Fidlar
The Bamboos
Surfer Blood
Alpine
Little Green Cars
PVT
The Jungle Giants
The Growl
The Chemist
What So Not
Peking Duk
Tyler Touche
Splendour In The Grass 2013 Dates & Tickets
Friday 26, Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 July
North Byron Parklands, Yelgun
info at splendourinthegrass.com
Tickets go on sale Friday 26th April
Three day event ticket: $350 + BF
One day event ticket: $140 + BF
Camping pass: $99 + BF
Country Club ticket: $699+BF
