The Breath Of Life 2014 lineup has been announced, with an impressive mix of styles and genres represented in the popular Tasmanian music festival’s bill as promoters continue to seek local support following issues with local council over the annual event.
Topping the Breath of Life 2014 lineup, headlining on Saturday 8th March at the Inveresk Showgrounds in Launceston, will be ‘Thrift Shop’ hit-makers Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.
Joining the ticket scalper-pranking hip hop duo at the top of the bill is hugely influential rap legends, Public Enemy, with the Tasmanian festival roping in the forthcoming Golden Plains headliners to play the 2014 edition of the event, which annually raises funds for the Australian Lung Foundation.
Also on the Breath Of Life 2014 lineup are the recent ARIA-nominated electropop masters Empire Of The Sun, who will bring their arena-sized spectacle to the festival, as well as the overdue return of Art Vs Science on the bill.
There’s plenty for fans of the heavier music set to enjoy as well, with the presence of hardcore heroes Parkway Drive, Tonight Alive, arty proggers Dead Letter Circus, and UNFD label faves Buried In Verona and Indigenous charity helpers In Hearts Wake. Hip hop heads have plenty more to enjoy too, with the presence of MCs Drapht, Pez, and rising star Allday, while local acts include Luca Brasi, Akuou, and Ash Tiffin vs Ceej.
Speaking to The Examiner, Breath Of Life co-promoter Clint Pease (of Opcon), described the event’s multi-genre lineup appeal. “Having all genres for all people is a real key for Breath of Life… to have Macklemore & Ryan Lewis headline just sets the bar higher, and then there’s Parkway Drive, who are a massive band and Empire of the Sun will just present an amazing show,” he says. “We now move forward without any local council support for the event. That’s life, we deal with it and focus on delivering a great festival.”
“Art vs Science will have a new single and album and WIll Sparks is the biggest thing going around in the DJ world, so that’s massive, and then there’s Public Enemy, who are hip-hop royalty,” adds Pease.
The impressive Breath of Life 2014 lineup has been put together by Opcon without the financial support of Launceston City Council, who rejected the festival’s application for $20,000 in sponsorship last month, leading to Mr Pease and his team considering moving the annual event away from the Inveresk Showgrounds, where it has been held since Breath Of Life’s inception in 2011, where attendance of over 1,600 punters generated $70,000 in funds towards lung disease research.
Speaking to Tone Deaf, Mr Pease explains that efforts to appeal Launceston City Council’s decision to shoulder a fraction of the event’s costs, which have risen to $1.3 million, have been unsuccessful despite the support of local businesses and Council Member Alderman Rob Soward.
“A motion was put forward to council by one of a very supportive Alderman to help fund the event for 2014 as we have in every other year,” says Mr Pease. “This was defeated so we now move forward without any local council support for the event. That’s life, we deal with it and focus on delivering a great festival. A request for reduction in venue hire and permit costs (the venue is owned by council) was also rejected.”
A submission to council demonstrated that Breath Of Life had generated over $2.3 million in economic activity for Launceston, putting it in the Top 3 major events for the city. “We sit alongside other major events that receive many hundreds of thousands of dollars support whilst Breath Of Life now survives with nothing,” says the promoter.
“All the data along with many letters of support from local business were still was not enough for them to see a youth music event as significant as the other events that are held in the city. We asked for very little, and received nothing. It was disappointing to see council ignore the overwhelming support for the event put forward by its rate payers.”
Regardless of the lack of council support, Breath Of Life 2014 is soldiering ahead with its impressive lineup and, for the first time, the event will offer discounted early bird general admission tickets for $119.95. VIP Tickets have also been reduced for early buyers, to $189.95. Tickets are on sale Thursday 24th October.
Breath Of Life 2014 Lineup
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Empire Of The Sun
Public Enemy
Art Vs Science
Parkway Drive
Drapht
Dead Letter Circus
Tonight Alive
Pez
Will Sparks
In Hearts Wake
Buried In Verona
Saviour
Allday
Joel Fletcher
J-Trick
SCNDL
Kronic
Tigerlily
Ember
Kilter
Dave Winnel
Akoud
Ash Tiffin Vs Ceej
Luca Brasi
+ More to be announce
Breath Of Life 2014 Dates, Tickets
Saturday 8th March 2014
Inveresk Precinct, Launceston TAS
breathoflifefestival.com
Tickets will go on sale Thursday 24th October, 9am from Oztix outlets.
