In a year which has seen local and international key events such as BIGSOUND and South by Southwest forced to go digital in an effort to keep fans engaged, it’s refreshing to report that Parramatta is set to host Australia’s first landmark music and technology festival, with SOUND WEST slated to take place early next year.

Announced today by The Hon. Stuart Ayres, Minister for Tourism and Western Sydney with The Hon. Dr Geoffrey Lee, Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education and ARIA nominated hip-hop artist L-FRESH The LION, the event will bring together the powerhouses of the Australian music and concert touring industries alongside tech innovation.

Running for six days from August 23rd, 2022, SOUND WEST will feature intimate and large performances from established and emerging artists across three days, and a two-day music and technology conference at CommBank Stadium, including sessions, workshops and mentoring from some of Australia’s biggest tech brands and music industry leaders

For its technology and music conference, young creators, professionals, and entrepreneurs within the technology and music industry will be given the chance to explore and experience the unique pathways that exist in their fields, with keynote addresses, workshops, panels, and mentoring sessions helping to complement the event.

Meanwhile, the live music side of things will see local, national, and internationally established and emerging artists taking part by way of a range of stand-alone events, with a number of promoters, venues, companies, brand, and industry bodies producing their own events as well.

Mr. Ayres described the landmark event as a pivotal moment of recognition of the immense talent in the region and technology driven roots being laid down in the “engine room of Sydney.”

“This region is going from strength to strength through industry development, investment in research and innovation, and a rich cultural foundation that makes for a dynamic city to live, work, visit and host events,” he said in a statement.

“SOUND WEST is the first of its kind in Australia and will bring together brilliant minds, industry leaders and music enthusiasts to share ideas, network and enjoy the creativity of home-grown artists.”

SOUND WEST will feature appearances from Dylan Alcott OAM to discuss his ground-breaking Ability-Fest, the world’s most accessible music festival, L-FRESH The Lion, who will collaborate with APRA AMCOS on a variety of Western Sydney songwriter initiatives, and producer Khaled Rohaim, who will discuss his journey producing music from his Western Sydney studio for some of the world’s biggest artists including Rihanna, Ty Dollar $ign, and Australia’s The Kid LAROI.

With SOUND WEST officially announced today, expressions of interest are now open for producers and promoters to hold live music events at the inaugural event. The event’s full line-up will be unveiled in February of 2022, with tickets going on sale at the same time.

SOUND WEST Technology and Music Festival

Wednesday, August 23rd – Sunday, August 28th, 2022
Parramatta, Sydney, NSW
More Info: SOUND WEST