Now that we’re at the halfway mark of the year, with the next big music event on the calendar just around the corner (that’ll be Splendour In The Grass) the announcements for the summer music festival season are beginning to pick up pace.
It was only just last week that we reported on three Aussie music festivals set to launch later this year – including a new Coastal event at Noosa, Philip Island NYE festival Beyond The Valley, and the return of Beechworth’s flaghsip festival early next year – now hot on the heels is another trio of announcements for Aussie music fans to get excited about.
Namely, the return of Western Australia’s favourite summer festival (with a big camping upgrade), a Cronulla comeback, and a pro-feminist arts, music, and culture revelry for Brisbanites.
[include_post id=”410601″]
Leading the trifecta is WA’s Southbound Festival, locking in the weekend of the 3rd and 4th of January 2015 for the 11th edition of the summer festival, which typically shares its lineup with the East Coast’s Falls Festival.
But along with the confirmed dates for Southbound 2015, promoters Sunset Events have announced some big changes for camping attendees, courtesy of negotiations with local council.
“Southbounders! The nice people at the City of Busselton have given us approval to make one of the biggest changes of the festival since its birth,” wrote organisers in a recent Facebook post. “At Southbound 2015, you will be able to drive your cars IN and camp NEXT to your cars! No more dragging your stuff across the massive paddock!”
It might seem like a small change, but it’s the first time in 10 years of Southbound that the Bussleton council has approved the camping alteration. Last October, Sunset Events ran into opposition over getting the flagship music festival relocated from its traditional site in Busselton to a new home, to accommodate for the two-day festival’s growing success and attendance numbers, with a proposal for Hamelin Bay that saw locals opposing the event.
Southbound 2015 will once again be hosted at Busselton’s Sir Stewart Bovell Park, with the lineup and ticket details to be announced in the coming weeks – probably around the same time Falls Festival does their bill. Though the first hint comes from (fittingly) ‘West Coast’ hit-maker Lana Del Rey, who recently teased plans to tour Australia for “the end of this year.” We’ll have to wait and see.
(Source: Facebook)
Another event making a welcome return is Sounds Of The Suburbs, the boutique festival held in the alleways of Cronulla in New South Wales for the first time last year – though ’boutique’ is probably too gentrified a word for the shenanigans this inner-city playground offers.
Last year’s edition saw the likes of Bleeding Knees Club, Chance Waters, The Griswolds, Goon Of Doom, Mind Over Matter, and Bloods taking over Wilbur Lane and the Space 44 gallery for healthy slug of live music, local art, Mexican food, and booze. The event even earned a nod in the Best Music Event category at FBi Radio’s SMAC Awards last year.
For its return, Sounds Of The Suburbs 2015 will once again put Wilbar Lane into lockdown, on Sunday 28th September; “That means you may want to take off the Monday [and] get ready to fill your body with music, art, pizza and tacos,” tease organisers.
There’s also the additional of the outdoor ‘El Sol’ stage to join The Mad House stage (bringing the tally to four) to accommodate for an expanded lineup of “a massive 21 bands”, as well as the return of the Mad Minds and interactive art installations of last year. Lineup and ticketing details are “coming soon” but given Sounds Of The Suburbs 2014 were just $55 (+bf), expect similar value.
(Source: Facebook)
Last but not least in the festivals folio is LadyFest, described as “a celebration and empowerment of women in the arts, and of the women who appreciate them.”
First started as an international movement in the ’00s, the non-profit, community-based event landed in Brisbane last year, with a series of feminine friendly artist showcases, gigs, and artistic events “organised by women for women” over the course of six months and is returning to do the same this month.
LadyFest 2014 will once again “showcase, celebrate and encourage the artistic, organisational and political work and talents of women” through a series of curated events around Brisbane, kicking off with a launch party gig on 18th July, featuring the “criminally underrated” The Stress of Leisure, Brisbane quartet The Bell Divers, award-winning songwriter McKisko, and “veteran riot grrrls” Gunk.
For the full calendar of LadyFest 2014 events, hit the official website. Artists are also invited to submit entries for the second annual LadyFest, under the theme of ‘My Feminine Muse’.
Southbound 2015
Saturday 3rd & Sunday 3th January, 2015 – Sir Stewart Bovell Park, Busselton WA
Lineup TBA
More info at: http://www.southboundfestival.com.au/
Sounds Of The Suburbs 2014
Sunday 28th September, 2014 – Wilbar Lane, Cronulla NSW
Lineup TBA
More info at: http://www.soundsofthesuburbs.com.au/
LadyFest 2014
July, 2014 – Brisbane QLD
Lineup and info at: http://www.ladyfestbrisbane.com.au/
