Festivals Update: October 6
MUSIC FESTIVALS UP FOR NSW TOURISM AWARD
Six music festivals are up for the NSW Tourism Awards, held on November 24, with the winners progressing to the Australian Tourism Awards in February. In 2016, there are more than 100 finalists across 26 categories.
Finalists in Major Festivals and Events are Byron Bay Bluesfest and Tamworth Country Music alongside Hunter Valley Steamfest and Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, Turandot.
In Festivals and Events are Deni Ute Muster (pictured), New Year’s Eve in Sydney Harbour, Wingham Akoostik Music and Parkes Elvis Festival alongside Boggabri Drovers Campfire, Canowindra Balloon Challenge, Taste Riverina and Tulip Time.
CMC ROCKS CHANGES DATES, PRE-ORDERS SELL OUT IN RECORD TIME
CMC Rocks Queensland has changed its dates to March 24 to 26 at Willowbank Speedway in Ipswich, Queensland. The reason is that they could only score the Dixie Chicks as headliners to fit in with their schedule.
Co-promoter Rob Potts explained, “Securing Dixie Chicks is a major coup, and we’re thrilled. Because 2017 is the 10th anniversary of the festival, we want to deliver the best possible line-up for the CMC Rocks audience, we made the tough decision to move the festival dates back by two weeks to make it happen.”
The rest of the bill is announced on October 7. Last year the festival sold out for the first time, drawing 45,000. This year, pre-order tickets sold out in six minutes yesterday morning. Last year, it took a day and a half for them to sell out.
DARWIN FESTIVAL ENDS FINANCIAL WOES
Darwin Festival is no longer facing bankruptcy, with organisers sorting out their financial woes to expect to break even by the end of the financial year. Statutory Manager Hendri Mentz, appointed in June, said that the event delivered its August activities after a new financial regime was set up.
In June, the festival’s board was sacked when an independent audit report – predicting that the August 2016 festival would lose $400,000 – was leaked to the media. A new board will be announced in coming months to take over from Mentz’s caretaker duties.
STRONG SUPPORT FOR YOURS AND OWLS
The two-day Yours And Owls in North Wollongong drew strong support, with 10,000 attending. According to organisers, “Punters came from every state, the majority from NSW” to Stuart Park to catch 38 acts, gourmet food and arts and crafts. However someone threw a wet blanket on the celebrations, they posted on Facebook, with someone making off with a $7,000 sound system.
THREE AMBASSADORS FOR ADELAIDE FRINGE
Instead of the traditional sole ambassador, Adelaide Fringe 2017 has gone for three. They are singer and actor Hugh Sheridan (who’ll preview material from his jazz album and one with The Crooners), aerosol artist Jimmy C (James Cochran) and comedian Adrienne Truscott of vaudevillian burlesque duo The Wau Wau Sisters to represent at least three artforms on display from February 17 to March 19.
THE PLOT ANNOUNCES LINEUP
A.B Original, Elizabeth Rose, Allday, Alex Lahey, Tired Lion and Thelma Plum are among the 30 acts announced for The Plot, held on November 19 at Sydney’s Parramatta Park. Its focus on all things community this year sees more community groups invited to be involved with a greater array of stalls, markets and workshops. Attractions include the skateboard design competition Decks For Change.
SEMAPHORE SURVIVES ADELAIDE’S WILD WEATHER
Despite Adelaide’s wild weather and black-outs, Semaphore Festival continues staging its 80 acts after moving from the foreshore. Elsewhere, A$AP Ferg’s set at the Gov continued after generators were brought in.
However, an official AFL Grand Final concert, headlined by Jimmy Barnes, was scrapped after Botanic Park was deemed unsafe.
PLUM GOES TO THE DOGS
Thelma Plum will headline of the inaugural Dogapalooza in Melbourne this Sunday (October 9). She joins The Little Stevies, Leah Flanagan and Sam Lohs with another major act to be announced. Held at Richmond’s Burnley Park, it is set up by Oscars Law, My Good Pet Food Kitchen and One Little Indian Enterprises to raise money for various dog agencies. We’re happy to report only a handful of tickets are left. Attractions also include dog washing stations provided by Blue Wheelers and a Moon Dog Brewery Bar. Will we see 3 Dog Night, Snoop Dogg and Gang of Woofs, we wonder?
MOTLEY VILLAGE SETS DATE
Motley Village Music in Melbourne, set out to offer motley acts (headlined by Pierce Bros) and motley experiences, announced it is held Saturday December 10.
ANOTHER NO-SHOW FOR MAITREYA
Maitreya Festival in country Victoria was a no-show. It was to be held as a goodwill gesture for those who had tickets for the festival, which was cancelled earlier this year. But due to the cold chill between the festival and Buloke Council, plans to hold more events at Lake Wooroonook are withheld. Organisers said, “This, and the financial outcomes of this years event, all lead to the hard truth that we may never be able to present you Maitreya Festival again.”
EX-THE VOICE SINGER MAKES IT TO AIRLIE BEACH
The winner of the first Passport to Airlie Band Competition was The Voice finalist Nathan Lamont and his band beating out five other acts at the finals at The Oaks Hotel. Lamont and crew now play the Airlie Beach Festival of Music alongside Tim Finn, Daryl Braithwaite, Richie Ramone, The Potbelleez and GANGgajang.
ROCK & RODZ RAISES MORE MONEY FOR CHARITY
Despite the good weather, this year’s Rock & Rodz in Launceston had a smaller crowd than in the past, so organisers are still crunching numbers to see how much was raised for the Camp Quality charity.” We have a few bills to pay but as soon as we know the final figure for Camp Quality we will let you know,” they said. About 150 vintage cars (pre-1970) were on show. Last year’s event raised $25,000 for the charity, totalling $128,000 over seven years.
WORKSHOPS FOR SONGWAYS
Aside from the music, the inaugural Ballarat SongWays in regional Victoria (October 14—16) also has a number of workshops and masterclasses. Even before the music begins, the SongWays Education Program begins on October 9 to 12 with Small Business Skills For Musicians & Bands. There will also be workshops on royalties and mechanics, financial advice, music photography and marketing & PR. For more information go to:www.facebook.com
SECOND ROUND OF ACTS FOR PARADISE MUSIC
Paradise Music (Friday November 25 – Sunday November 27 just outside of Marysville in regional Victoria) announced its second round of acts. They include friendships, Rainbow Chan, Holy Balm, Terrible Truths, Planète and Moon Holiday.
NOLL, WOLFE BROS, AT TAMWORTH
Shannon Noll and The Wolfe Bros team up for Boys will be Boys Australia Day Eve Party (Wed January 25) as part of Tamworth Country Music. Noll and the Wolfes began a bromance 12 months ago when Noll went down to the band’s farm in Tasmania to write some songs.
SO FRENCHY SO CHIC ANNOUNCE DATES
So Frenchy So Chic In The Park (“the next best thing to jetting off to the south of France!”) announced that its Melbourne stop is on Sunday January 15 at Werribee Park Mansion and the Sydney event on Saturday January 21 at Bicentennial Park in Glebe.
MORE ADDITIONS FOR PORT FAIRY FOLK
The latest additions to Port Fairy Folk (March 10—13) are Paul Kelly & Charlie Owen, The Warsaw Village Band, Cookin’ on 3 Burners with Tex Perkins & Stella Angelico, and Van Morrison’s Masterpieces with Vince Jones & The Astral Orchestra paying homage to Van’s Astral Weeks and Moondance classic albums.
DESIIGNER FOR FOMO
Making his Australian debut at FOMO’s three shows is 19-year old Brooklyn native Desiigner, signed to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D Music label. He’s behind the global hit Panda, which holds the record for highest numbers of streams of a song by a rapper over a 7-day period.
He’s the latest international act, alongside Flosstradamus, Metro Boomin and Hannah Wants to land at Adelaide Gaol (January 6), Riverstage, Brisbane (7) and The Crescent, Parramatta Park, Sydney (8). Second release tickets are almost sold out, organisers reported.
OFF THE GRID BACK TO MELBOURNE
Australia’s first solar powered, zero-waste, music and arts festival is making its way back to Melbourne (December 21 at the ACCA Forecourt) with a forward thinking lineup and concept behind it. Acts include eight-piece NO ZU, underground house don Andras, Amsterdam’s Tako, and Izabel of radio show turned label Lullabies for Insomniacs.
HARLEY DAYS DEBUTS IN AUSTRALIA
The global celebration of the motorcycle brand Harley Days makes its Australian debut with all things hogs accompanied by arts, music and food across the last weekend of October in Wollongong. The array of DJs include Tom Loud of Hot Dub Time Machine.