With the bulk of the major music festivals now concluded, the full attention of the music loving public can now turn to Splendour In The Grass 2014.
Though the lineup rumours of Australia’s winter music event have steadily intensified with a series of potential leaks and rumours in recent months, the Splendour candidates list has been gifted with another series of names thanks to a second Fuji Rock 2014 lineup announcement, which regularly shares acts with Splendour’s bill.
Outkast, Foster The People, Lorde, Kelis, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, and Blur frontman Damon Albarn are among 16 new acts confirmed to be jetting to Japan for Fuji Rock, taking place from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th July – the same weekend as Splendour.
That puts them all in contention for a visit to Byron Bay, along with previously announced Fuji Rock acts Basement Jaxx, Manic Street Preachers, Franz Ferdinand, Bombay Bicycle Club, Darkside, SBTRKT, Parquet Courts, The Strypes, The Waterboys, BBC Sound Of 2014 pick Jungle, plus Bloody Beetroots, and Australia’s own John Butler Trio.
Outkast are already hotly tipped to headline Splendour after outlining a majority of their 40-date festival run (to celebrate Big Boi and Andre 3000’s 20th Anniversary) with a conspicuous Splendour-shaped gap in their touring schedule. The Splendour candidates list has been gifted with another series of names thanks to a second Fuji Rock 2014 lineup announcement.
Outkast’s appearance at Fuji Rock only strengthens the chances of the seminal hip hop duo gifting Splendour with festival-sized freakouts to ‘Ms. Jackson’, ‘B.O.B’, ‘Roses’, and Song of the Millennium: ’Hey Ya!
Foster The People have already confirmed that they’ll be touring Australian later this year in support of their sophomore effort Supermodel, telling both FasterLouder and MusicFeeds of plans to head back Down Under. The popular indie pop trio have also previously headed the 2011 Splendour bill.
As for Lorde, who famously made her career-making festival debut at last year’s Splendour due to Frank Ocean’s last-minute cancellation, the 17-year-old Kiwi sensation is already set for a headline Australian tour this April/May (if Kyle Sandilands hasn’t completely put her off returning) but could make it two Antipodean visits in a year given her huge popularity in Australia.
Another fresh addition to the Splendour rumour mill is buzz-worthy UK band Circa Waves. As reported yesterday, the Liverpool rock four-piece have signed with Dew Process – the Brisbane indie label associated with Splendour promoters Secret Sounds – for the release of their new single ‘Stuck In My Teeth‘.
Circa Waves also have a healthy Splendour-shaped hole in their 2014 tour schedule, playing the Truck Festival in their native UK on 18th and 19th of July but with no commitments until an appearance at Spain’s Festival Arenal Sound on Thursday 31st July, more than enough time to pop over to Byron and back in time.
Other artists on the Splendour In The Grass 2014 rumour mill include London Grammar, James Vincent McMorrow, Mikhael Paskalev, Sky Ferriera, Metronomy, plus the list of artists that played the Splendour & Falls Festival SXSW 2014 showcase in Austin, Texas yesterday; namely Skaters, Basecamp, De Lux, Drowners, Tor Miller, Wolf Alice, Jetta, BBC Sound of 2014 picks Chlöe Howl and Royal Blood, plus Gossling and Dune Rats.
Read our three-day report on Splendour In The Grass 2013 here and our Festival Guide to Fuji Rock Festival here.
Splendour In The Grass 2014
Friday 25, Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 July
North Byron Parklands, Byron Bay
http://splendourinthegrass.com/
