Band Pull Out Of ATP Melbourne 2013 Due To "Unforeseen Circumstances"

In what’s becoming a particularly bad month for Aussie music festivals (re: Harvest, OutsideIn, Boomerang, Future et al.) the Halloween return of All Tomorrow’s Parties – this October’s Release The Bats – has seen one of their bigger names pull out of the lineup.

Taking place at the Westgate Entertainment Centre and Grand Star Reception in Altona, Melbourne next month, Release The Bats features The Breeders playing their 1993 album Last Splash live in full and Television similarly performing their landmark 1977 debut for ATP audiences, but just under those names on the marquee is another influential band that will no longer be making the trip Down Under.

A statement from ATP organisers issued this afternoon confirms that The Jesus Lizard have pulled out of the ATP lineup, citing “unforeseen circumstances” for their withdrawal.

“The Jesus Lizard regret to announce they are no longer able to come to Australia/NZ for their October dates due to unforeseen circumstances. They hope to make it down to Australia in the near future,” reads the statement, the news arriving as tickets for the event are already on their way to punters in the mail. “ATP apologise to fans who are disappointed – a replacement artist is currently being arranged and the rest of the line-up will remain the same.”

The loss of the Austin-based noise punks will no doubt be upsetting fans who’d purchased tickets to the band’s only Victorian show, with organisers originally teasing that The Jesus Lizard would “summon five kinds of hell, and unleash raw, dark forces that will confront your psyche,” for the Halloween-themed music festival.

The remaining ATP festival lineup includes influential Aussie post-punks The Scientists, two-piece electro pioneers Fuck Buttons, noise rock duo Lightning Bolt, stoner rock legends Sleep, neo-psychedelic outfit Forest Swords. Also on the bill are left-of-centre Australian acts including Total Control, Hoss, White Walls, The UV Race and The Spinning Rooms.

The one-day event was designed as a semi-sequel to the success of the two-day I’ll Be Your Mirror festival co-curated by The Drones earlier this year, which had our Tone Deaf reviewer raving: “Was it all a dream? Bizarrely it wasn’t… a weekend of impeccably selected music, food, film, and culture.”

Again, there will be two stages, a cinema, art exhibition, and an amazing food court with the event limited to just 5,000 attendees. With the extracurricular highlight of I’ll Be Your Mirror, Pricasso, returning to paint some special Halloween portraits in his own inimitable style (hint: he doesn’t use his hands).

ATP Release The Bats 2013 Lineup

The Breeders performing Last Splash (only Victorian show)
Television performing Marquee Moon (only Victorian show)
~~The Jesus Lizard (only Victorian show)~~
The Scientists
Fuck Buttons
Lightning Bolt
Sleep
Pop Crimes (The Songs of Rowland S. Howard)
Forest Swords
Total Control
Balam Acab
Hoss
The UV Race
White Walls
The Spinning Rooms