The promoter of one of Australia’s biggest festivals said he can “guarantee” it will return this year.
The local festival industry was dealt two major blows in as many weeks this month, with confirmation that both Splendour in the Grass and Groovin the Moo will not return this year after both did not go ahead in 2024. While Splendour said it needed “a little more time to recharge”, Groovin the Moo organisers last week said it is working on “finding the most sustainable model for Australia’s most loved regional touring festival”.
Speaking to Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Chris O’Brien from Good Things Australia conceded that the local festival scene is in a precarious position.
“I’ve never seen a more challenging festival environment in my life and have never seen so many festivals cancel in such a short space of time,” he said.
“Programming festivals is incredibly difficult as so many of our costs have sky rocketed over the past two to three years. The flow on effect is that the artists cost has also exploded and it makes it harder for them to come to Australia, so we have to pay more money to get them here. In the same breath we have to be conscience of our ticket prices, but our market has proved that if we keep delivering a quality lineup and a great day out, they will continue to support Good Things.
“2024 was another incredible year for us and we have managed to stay ahead of the curve and buck the trend.”
First launched in 2018, Good Things has quickly climbed the festival ranks to become one of Australia’s biggest festivals, particularly in lieu of the now-defunct Soundwave festival, which O’Brien also co-managed.
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Boasting local and international acts from the rock, punk, and metal scene, Good Things has been headlined by the likes of Bring Me the Horizon, Parkway Drive and The Offspring. The travelling, one-day format visits Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane late in the year, and in 2024 welcomed more than 100,000 punters.
It hasn’t always been smooth sailing, however. In 2023, US heavyweights Fall Out Boy were forced to call off their headlining set in Sydney just minutes in due to bad weather. And this past December, Sum 41 axed all of their Australian festival and headlining dates after frontman Deryck Whibley fell ill, despite the Canadian band being in the country.
Adding to that, Sum 41’s local run was to be their final lap after they just played the last shows ever this past week.
However, O’Brien has insisted that Good Things is well positioned for the future and it will return this December.
“We don’t take that lightly and never assume people will keep supporting us,” he said.
“We have to maintain the rage and continue to offer them lineups that are exciting. I can guarantee that Good Things will be back in 2025.”
This article was originally published on Rolling Stone AU/NZ.
