When it comes to gigs, who best to deliver an awesome festival than the artists themselves? Sure, you could entrust the job to a seasoned booker, but with a fellow artist at the helm, it helps to not only give the audience what they want, but it helps to ensure that the final lineup is diverse, cohesive, and full of life, and that smaller artists also get the support and recognition that they deserve. We love artist-driven festivals.
In recent years, we’ve seen a rise in these festivals, with artists such as King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard, Jack River, and even Client Liaison getting in on the action. But what makes them so great? Well, with Client Liaison’s huge ‘Expo Liaison’ kicking off in the middle of next month, we’ve decided to take a look at some of the biggest artist-curated festivals in the country.
King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard’s Gizzfest
Arguably one of the biggest and most popular artist-curated festivals in Australia, Gizzfest is King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard’s way of throwing an awesome get-together of stunning rock bands all over the country.
With previous years having featured the likes of ORB, Mild High Club, Pond, Bad//Dreems, and every date featuring the Gizz themselves, Gizzfest has become something for like-minded music fans to look forward to each year.
With a grass-roots approach to festival booking, and a friendly, communal atmosphere at every leg of the festival, Gizzfest could soon become one of the next huge Aussie festivals. Let’s face it, with King Gizzard at the helm, there’s no way this one wouldn’t be a success.
Client Liaison’s Expo Liaison
Having been announced earlier this year, Client Liaison’s Expo Liaison is described as “a unique festival experience”, and that’s honestly the best way to put it. With the group having referred to it as a “stock market spike for the senses”, Client Liaison have now also delved into the world of music festivals, putting together a truly one-of-a-kind experience that matches their very existence.
With its inaugural lineup including “seven hours” of entertainment and featuring artists such as Alice Ivy, Luke Million, KLP, and the one and only John Farnham, punters are well and truly in for something special.
While most music festivals aim to cram as much music and excitement into one day as possible, events such as Expo Liaison will go a long way in providing eager attendees with a themed festival that they won’t soon forget.
Jack River’s Electric Lady
Last year, Jack River launched what became known as an “all female media movement” after receiving the idea while attending the 2017 International Women’s March. Dubbed Electric Lady, the movement aimed to promote the achievements of female musicians – achievements which are often overlooked in favour of their male counterparts.
Soon, Electric Lady became its own festival, and began bringing sweet lineups full of some of the finest female musicians all around the country.
While gender representation is a huge issue within the music industry still, festivals such as Jack River’s Electric Lady hopes to put an end to this disparity, providing female artists the spotlight they often don’t receive, and helping prove to the music-loving public that festival lineups don’t have to be skewed in the favour of male artists.
Luca Brasi’s Til The Wheels Fall Off
For most of the mainland-dwelling population, it’s easy to forget just how overlooked Tasmania is when it comes to music festivals. Sure, they have the stunning music festivals put on by the Museum of Old and New Art and this year’s One Night Stand, but when a major artist like Kendrick Lamar comes to town, Tasmanians are usually draw the short straw and are forced to venture interstate.
Having been running for a few years now, Tasmanian natives Luca Brasi set up Til The Wheels Fall Off back in 2014, and it’s been coming back every year since. With lineups including huge acts like The Bennies, Camp Cope, and Bad//Dreems last year alone, Til The Wheels Fall Off provides one of Australia’s most overlooked states the chance to hear some of the music they’ve been craving for quite a while.
‘Expo Liaison’ 2018
Client Liaison w/ special guest John Farnham
Alice Ivy
John Farnham
DJ John Howard
Ken Davis
KON (USA)
Luke Million feat. KLP
NO ZU
Rainbow Chan
Total Giovanni
Tickets on sale now.
Saturday, August 18th
Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Official Website
Sunday, August 19th
Claremont Oval, Perth, WA
Tickets: Official Website
Saturday, August 25th
Parramatta Park, Sydney, NSW
Tickets: Official Website
Sunday, August 26th
Victoria Park, Brisbane, QLD
Tickets: Official Website
