Following on from the sad news that another Australian music festival went gently into that good night, with Tasmania’s Soundscape Festival quietly exiting the scene after a strong finish last weekend despite poor ticket sales, yet another event has scratched itself from the music festival calendar.
The reggae, rap and roots festival Raggamuffin has been canned for 2013, despite promising it would be back “bigger and better” following the cancellation of its 2012 iteration, that was to be headlined by UB40’s Ali Campbell, and featuring Marvin Priest and Billy Ocean.
FasterLouder reports that Raggamuffin’s promoters have confirmed that the festival won’t be returning to Australia in 2013, instead focussing on other “large shows” including the New Zealand version of the festival, set to take place over two days at the Rotorua International Stadium February 1st and 2nd, 2013.
Raggamuffin’s 2013 NZ version will be headlined by troubled but ever-iconic ex-Fugee, Lauryn Hill, along with international acts The Green, Common Kings, Gappy Ranks, and Fiji with more major acts to be announced soon, but none will be making the trip to Australia, with the official word from promoters making the possibility of Aussie sideshows unlikely.Raggamuffin’s promoters have confirmed that the festival won’t be returning to Australia in 2013
The strength of the New Zealand leg of Raggamuffin was hoped by promoters to strengthen its chances of returning to Australia next year. Following the cancellation of the 2012 event, promoter Andrew McManus stated: “We are concentrating on building the New Zealand leg of Raggamuffin into a massive two day festival… This growth will enable us to return to Australia in 2013 bigger and better than ever.”
The festival has had troubles establishing itself in Australia since 2011, when a lineup featuring soul/RnB performer Mary J. Blige, reggae legend Jimmy Cliff, and Bob Marley’s backing band The Original Wailers, failed to attract strong ticket sales, leading to last minute drop in ticket prices and venue downsizing weeks out from the event in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Adelaide.
Worst of all was last year’s charity event whose donations to Flood Relief victims in Queensland never materialised.
When struggling ticket sales, following headliner Sean Paul pulling out, saw last year’s Brisbane Ragamuffin transformed into the Reggae For Recovery benefit concert, the charity fundraiser promised donations to those devastated by the Queensland natural disaster through the Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal.
The McManus Group hoped to over $500,000 for flood victims, but a donation from the proceeds raised from the Ragamuffin charity concert never materaliased. It was reported that the majority of contractors and artists waived their fee for the benefit concert. When questioned lawyers acting for Andrew McManus made the following statement:
“We are instructed that The Raggamuffin 2011 tour and the Reggae for Recovery concert in Brisbane both lost money. Our client personally met losses arising from the poor attendance levels and there were insufficient funds remaining to distribute to the Queensland Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal.”
Raggamuffin isn’t the first music event that’s struggled in an oversaturated market, where even the big players like Falls Festival, Homebake and Big Day Out’s promoter Ken West, have felt the squeeze.
With 2011′s music event death toll acting as a stark reminder, many major promoters and industry figures around Australia have been forging new business partnerships and alliances to strengthen themselves in the ruthless music festival market.
The Chugg Entertainment group recently announced an alliance with Homebake 2012 as co-promoters, while top brass from Splendour In The Grass, Jessica Ducrou and Paul Piticco, stepped in and bought a share of Falls Festival with Simon Daly.
The Dainty Group partnered with former Big Day Out promoter Vivian Lees to create Two Worlds Touring last September. Meanwhile Lees’ former partner, Ken West sought solace in a new partnership with C3 Presents, the international company responsible for the likes of Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits, bringing their considerable promotional power to the Big Day Out 2013, which is set to sell out in a matter of weeks.
Just as many music festivals have fallen over in the last 12 months, either through lack of organisation and infrastructure, or over-reaching ambitions.
Including charity event One Great Night On Earth quietly folding, the dissolution of the Kangaroo Island Surf and Music Festival after blowing $500,000, the cancellation of Perth’s On The Bright Side, Victoria’s Castle Music Festival falling over, and NSW’s Central Coast Coaster Festival coming apart – just to name a few.
