The organisers of Fat As Butter festival have announced that they have scuppered their original plans to burn an effigy of Flo Rida, the rapper they labelled a “prime dickhead” after he wriggled his way out of $400,000 in damages to Fat As Butter promoters Mothership Music in an ongoing court case.
The major court loss saw Mothership Music going into voluntary liquidation late last week, owing debts of more than $200,000 to the ATO and creditors, but Fat As Butter organisers re-assured punters to “100% confirm” that this year’s edition of the Newcastle music festival would be going ahead regardless, complete with the burning of an effigy of ‘prime dickhead’.
Fat As Butter organisers put the call out late last week, offering up two VIP tickets as the winning prize for a design for a life-size effigy that would then be lit in a “sacrificial burning at this year’s festival.”
But those plans have now been put on the backburner, with organisers taking to the festival’s official Facebook page to announce that though they had selected their competition winner, their Flo Rida effigy would not be lit. “…The powers that be heard you, and have advised that we’re not allowed to light fires at the festival!” write organisers. “Oh well,we’ll just have to come up with another crazy idea.”
“Thanks for getting on board with this and having some fun, so much fun in fact that the powers that be heard you, and have advised that we’re not allowed to light fires at the festival!” write organisers. “Oh well,we’ll just have to come up with another crazy idea.”
Flo Rida has been a thorn in Fat As Butter’s side ever since he failed to turn up for his scheduled appearance at the 2011 Fat As Butter festival, cancelling just minutes after he was scheduled to on stage to an audience of 11,000 attendees, who’d paid upwards of $110 a ticket.
Fat As Butter’s promoters, Mothership Music, had been chasing Flo Rida and his management down for his festival no-show, and after repeatedly dodging court summons, a NSW Court judge approved that the serving of papers to Flo Rida over Facebook and ordering he pay $380,400 in damages and $37,745 in legal fees to Mothership Music.
Last week however, judges at the NSW Court Of Appeal upheld the rapper’s appeal that the method of issuing summons was not appropriate, resulting in him weaselling his way out of the $400,000+ fine.
Shortly after the court decision last Tuesday, Mothership Music announced that it was going into voluntary liquidation, while organisers assured that “Fat As Butter is a totally separate Proprietary Limited company and is in no way financially linked to Mothership Music or effected by the decision of the Flo Rida appeal,” wrote organisers in a statement last week. “Despite all of this, Flo Rida is still a prime dickhead, and it would take a lot more than someone like him to stop this awesome festival.”
So while there may no be ritual burning of the rapper at this year’s event, organisers say to expect another round of bands to join the likes of Gym Class Heroes, Matt Corby, Bliss N Eso, Boy & Bear, and more on this October’s Fat As Butter 2013 lineup. Organisers say the second announcement is “not long now – we’re in final negotiations with some tasty bands and should have word to you in the next week or so.”
This year’s event also sees Fat As Butter becoming a camping festival for the first time ever, after Newcastle City Council looked at approving submissions to allow up to 870 punters to pitch tents on Shortland Lawn at the Foreshore for the duration of the festival, running from 25th – 27th October. But the camping site is causing friction amongst local residents opposed to the ruling, calling the proposal “unacceptable” based on the behaviour of punters last year, as well as concerns over noise regulations.
Promoters Mothership Music say they have provided extensive information to meet council and community requirements for Fat As Butter’s camping and volume monitoring. They estimate that this year’s festival will draw 18,000 people and around $1.8 million to local economy.
Fat As Butter 2013 Lineup
GYM CLASS HEROES [USA]
BLISS N ESO
MATT CORBY
BOY & BEAR
PORTER ROBINSON [USA]
DIGITALISM DJ SET [GER]
BOOKA SHADE DJ SET [GER]
MICKEY AVALON [USA]
BOMBS AWAY [LIVE]
BRITISH INDIA
THE ASTON SHUFFLE DJs
COSMO JARVIS [UK]
OWL EYES
GOLD FIELDS DJs
SPIT SYNDICATE
THE HOLIDAYS
PEKING DUK
THE M – MACHINE [USA]
DIALECTRIX
BATTLESHIPS
WILLOW BEATS
+ More acts TBA
Fat As Butter 2013 Dates & Tickets
Saturday 26th October, 2013
The Foreshore, Newcastle
15+ Event
FAB CAMP
Shortland Lawn, The Foreshore
18+ Event
Tickets On Sale Thursday 25th July
http://www.fatasbutter.com.au/
