With all the lineup leaks (we’re looking at you, Falls and Laneway,) and killer announcements (take a bow Aunty Meredith, NYE On The Hill, Beyond The Valley) flowing in, you can bet we’ve officially entered the dawn of the Aussie summer festival season.
Further dispelling the cold shoulder of winter is a raft of festival news – boutique and major alike – throughout July that gave live music livers a veritable smorgasbord of options this year. And yep, you guessed it – now there’s a few more.
This week has brought another six fresh festival specimens to the fore. There’s two brand new events – a Sydney-themed music street party and a festival set on an island – plus the return of a few old favourites, the lineup announcements for others, and a Brisbane festival with arguably the best name ever.
Let’s examine more closely, shall we?
The team at craft beer brewery Young Henrys have come up with a pretty smart way to combine their passion for great bands, booze, and food: a curated street party that celebrates Sydney’s fertile music scene.
The vibrant one-day celebration will close down Marrickville’s Jabez Street to cheers to the best that the inner-west has to offer in a “family friendly, community minded celebration,” on Saturday 20th September.
Leading the inaugural Small World 2014 lineup are Sydney’s ultimate stoner rock legends, Tumbleweed, joined on the bill by the kaleidoscopic rockers The Delta Riggs, seven piece “punk string” troupe Little Bastard, blues grunge band The Snowdroppers, punky-garage-popsters Bloods, beardy bard Steve Smyth, Australia’s own ‘Flaming Lips’, Richard In Your Mind, hip hop heroes True Vibenation, plus The Upskirts, Pat Capocci and Royal Tennyson.
The food and art lineup is equal in length and quality; featuring gastronomic delights from Sydney culinary majors like Bloodwood, Cornersmith, Mary’s and Porteno. Plus, Young Henrys are taking the opportunity to deliver their entry into the gin market – with new Noble Cut Gin.
All this for the very attractive asking price of just $59 (+b/f). Full ticket info and details at bottom.
We’ve already praised this event as one “worth hammering the piggy bank for.” Why? Aside from the applause-worthy Simpsons-referencing title, you mean? Well the Brisbane team promised to deliver a raft of killer names for the event’s return this year – taking place at a clutch of Brisbane venues this Saturday 18th of October. And they’ve delivered.
If there’s a running theme to Blurst’s bill, it’s inventive guitar bands. Headlining will be dynamic thrash-pop (and AMP nominated) duo DZ Deathrays; along with punk stalwarts Hard-Ons; critical darlings Dick Diver and their good mates The UV Race; cult Brisbanites Blank Realm; lush guitar innovators I, A Man, and emerging shoegazers Roku Music.
Rounding out the bill are Orphans Orphans, Major Leagues, TV Colours, High Tension, Babaganouj, Rolls Bayce, Day Ravies, High-Tails, Dollar Bar, Born Lion, The Good Sports, The Upskirts, Salvadarlings. Plus there’s word that there’s even more great bands to join the bill on 8th September. No wonder it’s taking three of Fortitude Valley’s finest venues to house all that goodness.
Speaking of good, tickets are on sale now for only $46.95 (+ b/f); we might not know what the blurst of times are, but this festival is shaping to offer the best of times.
And the good times keep rolling, with the team behind Blurst – The Fans Group – today giving birth to a music gathering set on an island. The appropriately named Stranded, is described as “a series of boutique festivals which will take place four times over the course of this spring/summer, offering a different lineup of bands and artists each time. In short, they have your summer sorted.”
Held on a secret location on Queensland’s South Stradbroke Island, the debut Stranded will take place on 21st September boasting a lineup presented by promoters Your Friends House. Your Desert Island Discs selections are party-starting DJ Alison Wonderland, the prince of new wave hip hop Allday, purveyors of kitsch Australiana and Ansett-tronica, Client Liaison, soul/electro/blues/you name it moodists SAFIA, Sydney duo Fishing, plus Just A Gent, Paces, Promnite, Young Franco, and Designated.
Don’t stick your head in the sand, grab some early bird tickets for Stranded now for $49.20 (+b/f) or stay posted for more ship in a bottle news of upcoming Stranded editions.
Following its launch last year with an impressive all-Aussie lineup performing atop a mountain resort, Paradise Music Festival has confirmed that “YES we will be ‘a thing’ this year”, officially announcing its return by locking in the weekend of 28th – 30th November, 2014.
Having planned their second edition “since the close of our freshman festival last December,” say organisers, Paradise will once again return to the glossy heights of the Lake Mountain Alpine Resort, The festival will retain its BYO and camping features, as well as its dual stages: “a lush grass amphitheatre to be enjoyed during the day, and a lux indoor club for when the sun’s gone down.”
So who’s playing? Well, the 2014 lineup won’t be unveiled until Tuesday 19th August, but judging by last year’s bill (a 55-strong A-Z of electro up-and-comers and outré tastemakers), expect something special. If you’re feeling game though – or just loved it last year – pre-sale tickets are now available at the discount rate of $100 (+b/f). After that, first round rise to $130, then $150 at last chance.
Heed the wisdom of our Tone Deaf reviewer of Paradise 2013: “despite normal mishaps for a first time festival, Paradise was one of those crazy lab experiments that turned out to cure something. Get your fix next year.”
Ask anybody who attended this year’s DARK MOFO, nobody throws a festival quite like the folks at Hobart’s MONA FOMA (Museum of Old and New Art Festival of Music and Art). The curators have announced the dates for its summer festival – taking place from 15th – 18th January, 2015 – and have warn patrons to brace for a “seismic shake-up of the MOFO festival model.
“We will be going for a sprawling non-stop 24/7 experience for MOFO 2015,” says chief curator Brian Ritchie (of Violent Femmes, The Break infamy). “Don’t expect to sleep much.”
As for what exactly will be keeping attendees awake in the wee hours, leaping from various events held across the Port of Hobart to the Salamanca-side festival hub at Princes Wharf 1, won’t be detailed until the lineup drops in October. But there’s a few clues.
The four-day festival ticket will grant access to music and art “ranging from New York post-punk to Japanese girl groups, Mexican DJs, guitar orchestras, inflatables, and interactive sound art – continuing with the tradition of hosting free events around the city in line with MONA’s egalitarian, anti-formulaic and non-hierarchical modus operandi. Try and say that after a few Moo Brews in the sunshine.” Indeed.
Take a peek at the 2014 lineup to get your minds racing, and keep your eyes peeled as we supply more details as the arrive.
We already named Queenscliff Music Festival as one to totally attend thanks to its all-Aussie lineup. Now we stamp it with a double recommendation as a selection of international artists now join the fray.
Newly appointed Festival Director Andrew Orvis had promising to “add a dash of international flavour to the Queenscliff experience,” bolstering the typically homegrown bill for a shake-up for the long-running festival’s 18th edition. Doing the shaking will be Nahko and the Medicine for the People (a Bluesfest highlight), New Orleans outfit Hurray for the Riff Raff, soulful country blues singer Kristy Lee, Toronto trio Elliott Brood, and singer-songwriter Hayward Williams.
If that doesn’t entice you, try this roll-call of A-list Aussies on for size: The Church, Dan Sultan, The Delta Riggs, Stonefield, The Waifs, The Jezabels, Xavier Rudd, Hiatus Kaiyote, D.D Dumbo, Tkay Maidza, and many more.
Subscriber and early bird tickets are already gone, so if you’re liking what you see grab a ticket before 1st September when the prices experience a hike. There’s the flat $200 Adult 3 Day passes, plus a huge array of multi-day passes for young and old available at the official website.
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Small World Festival 2014
Saturday 20th September – Jabez Street, Marrickville NSW
w/ Tumbleweed, Bloods, Little Bastard, Pat Capocci, The Delta Riggs, Richard In Your Mind, Royal Tennyson, The Snowdroppers, Steve Smyth, True Vibenation, The Upskirts,
Food: Bloodwood, Cornersmith, Mary’s, Porteno
Art: Apeseven, Ben Brown, Brent Smith, Glenno Smith, Grizzle, Keo Match, Lachlan Bruce, Mulga, Rohan Carter, Sindy Sinn, Trait Cross, UD3, Warrick McMile
Tickets: $59 + bf // $13 + bf for kids under 13
On sale now from www.smallworldfestival.com
The Blurst Of Times Music Fesival 2014
Saturday 18th October – Fortitude Valley, Brisbane: The Brightside, Brightside Carpark & The Zoo (18+)
w/DZ Deathrays, Hard-Ons, Dick Diver, Blank Realm, Orphans Orphans, The UV Race, Major Leagues, TV Colours, High Tension, Babaganouj, Rolls Bayce, Day Ravies, High-Tails, I, A Man, Dollar Bar, Roku Music, The Good Sports, The Upskirts, Born Lion, Salvadarlings
+ more to be announced on 8th Sep.
Tickets: $46.95 (+ b/f)
On sale now from: http://thebrightsidebrisbane.oztix.com.au/
Stranded 2014
Sunday 21st September – McLarens Landing, South Stradbroke Island QLD
w/Alison Wonderland, Allday, Client Liaison, SAFIA, Fishing, Just A Gent, Paces, Promnite (USA), Young Franco, and Designated (UK).
Tickets: $49.20 (+b/f)
Tickets on sale now via www.strandedfestival.com
Paradise Music Fesival 2014
28th – 30th November, 2014 – Lake Mountain Alpine Resort, VIC
Lineup announced Tuesday 19th August
Pre-sale tickets: $100 (+ b/f) for a limited time.
1st round tickets: $130 (+ b/f) 2nd round tickets: $150 (+ b/f)
On sale at paradisemusic.com.au
MONA FOMO 2015
15th – 18th January, 2015 – Hobart, TAS
Lineup announced in October 2014.
More info www.mofo.net.au
Queenscliff Music Festival 2014
28th – 30th November, 2014, Queenscliff VIC
Blue Shaddy, The Bombay Royale, The Church, D. D Dumbo, Dan Sultan, The Delta Riggs, Dyson Stringer Cloher, Elliott Brood, Hayward Williams, Hiatus Kaiyote, Hurray For The Riff Raff, Husky, The Jezabels, Kasey Chambers, Kristy Lee, Marlon Williams, Nahko And Medicine For The People, Perfect Tripod, The Shaolin Afronauts, Steve Smyth, Stonefield, Tijuana Cartel, Tkay Maidza, The Waifs, Xavier Rudd
Multi-day passes from $200 (+b/f), plus multiple ticket options. More info at http://www.qmf.net.au/
