Festivals Update
Pictured: Hang Out Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama
NEW QUEENSLAND FESTIVAL GETS REPRIEVE
The proposal to hold a two-day festival next November on Coolangatta Beach is still on the table. Promoter TED Dainty applied for permission last year, confident that it would find an audience – particularly given the vacuum left by Big Day Out, which drew 35,000 on its Gold Coast stop before its demise in 2014.
Called Hang Out Music, it will be the local version of the festival of the same name that is held in May on an Alabama beach, which is capped at 35,000 and pumps $35 million into the local economy. Headliners in the past have included Foo Fighters and Lenny Kravitz, with this year’s event featuring Mumford & Sons, Twenty One Pilots, Frank Ocean, Chance The Rapper and Major Lazer.
Whether the Gold Coast version plans to share any of the American event’s acts remains to be seen.
The Gold Coast Bulletin reported that initially, Gold Coast Council had planned to vote against it, after one councillor expressing fear that an event with stages on either end of the Coolangatta-Greenmount Beach was environmentally risky.
But Mayor Tom Tate abstained from a vote, suggesting that promoter Paul Dainty be allowed to address the council of its concerns and the benefits of the festival.
SAD GRRRLS OPEN TO ARTIST EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
Australia’s largest female and gender diverse music festival, Sad Grrrls – which stages in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney – is accepting expressions of interest from bands and artists wanting to perform.
According to organisers, “Bands/artists must have at least one member who is non-male. This includes female, non-binary, gender fluid, gender non-conforming, agender and transgender performers.”
Go to https://goo.gl/forms/AIdLDcNJIgw0xVYC2. to apply. There is also a separate form for the public to suggest acts for the bill.
ANOTHER TRIUMPH FOR CMC ROCKS QLD
In its tenth year, CMC Rocks Queensland was another triumph, with a sell-out aggregated crowd of 45,000 over three days, stunning sets from the likes of Dixie Chicks(whose set finished with confetti raining on the crowd), and national media like The Today Show making the trek to cover it.
With the crowd capped at 13,500 each day, police said the crowd was extremely well behaved, despite the traffic jams getting in and out of Willowbank Raceway near Ipswich.
So what now? Organisers have already begun fielding offers from international acts to play next year.
It is also possible that with 40%–45% of the crowd coming from outside the region, its economic impact will see Ipswich City Council and Tourism and Events Queensland agreeing to it staying past the original three-yeardeal struck in 2015. It would need to increase its capacity to 15,000 per day.
The Queensland Government plans to use events to double annual overnight visitor expenditure from $15 billion to $30 billion by 2020.
Why, the weather and vibe were so good that at least two couples got engaged.
One did it on the first day. During Doug Bruce & The Tailgaters’ set, Bruce called out to Taylah Wheildon in the audience: “Your boyfriend’s got something to ask you.” Brock Woods got down on his knee and proposed.
In the other instance, performer Morgan Evans invited a Rockhampton diesel fitter to pop the question to his partner.
ELEFANT TRAKS CURATING HIP HOP FEST
Sydney label Elefant Traks is curating a free Brisbane hip hop festival. Scenario: The Newstead Hip Hop Festival is on April 30 at The Triffid. The bill features local and interstate acts B-Wise, Birdz, Coda Conduct, Jayteehazard (DJ set), Kaylah Truth and Kudos.
SHIHAD TO HEADLINE CHERRY ROCK
Shihad are headlining Cherry Rock 2017, held at Melbourne venue Cherry Bar’s main stage and outside on AC/DC Lane on Sunday May 7.
Another act is yet to be added to the 13-strong bill, which includes acts from the US (Dwarves, Nashville Pussy), Spain (Bala), Sweden (Bottlecap) and Indonesia (Mooner, Kelompok Penerbang Roket).
ROACH, DONOVAN ADDED TO YIRRAMBOI
Archie Roach and Emma Donovan are the latest additions to Melbourne’s inaugural Yirramboi First Nations Arts in May.
NEW VENUE FOR THIS THAT
Newcastle’s three-year-old This That (November 4) is this yearpulling up sticks from the Newcastle Foreshore to Wickham Park. Reasons given were better transport for the punters and no disruption for the preparations of the V8 Supercars Newcastle 500 race later that month.
RECORD CROWD FOR HORSHAM COUNTRY MUSIC
Organisers of the 10th Horsham Country Music Festival, in regional Victoria, say that crowds were up 10% over the four days to crack a record attendance. As usual, 20% of the audience was from South Australia and 10% from NSW.
CALL FOR NT ACT FOR BASSINTHEGRASS
Organisers of Darwin’s successful BASSINTHEGRASS 2017 has started a quest to hunt a young NT act to join the bill at Darwin Amphitheatre.
Those wanting to join the lineup alongside John Butler Trio, The Rubens and Tash Sultana have to apply online by Friday April 21 with a three-track demo.
The public will then vote from Monday April 24.
27 ACTS JOIN BROADBEACH COUNTRY
Twenty-seven more acts are announced for Broadbeach Country Music, which is expected to draw 30,000 between July 28—30. The free event is supported by the Queensland Government through TEQ’s It’s Live!
The new additions include The Wolfe Bros, Sara Storer, Caitlyn Shadbolt, The Wilson Pickers, Roo Arcus, Jetty Road, Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes, The Weeping Willows, Georgia Falls and Hayley Jensen.
They join America, Kasey Chambers, Troy Cassar-Daley, Shane Nicholson, and two winners at the recent CMC Music Awards, Travis Collins and Fanny Lumsden.
QLD RAVE SCRAPPED
RGM Entertainment was forced to call off its two-day Sunshine Coast hinterland bush rave Autumn Equinox at the very last moment. It was advised by local council that it didn’t have relevant approvals and faced huge fines if it went ahead.
ONE-OFF REUNIONS FOR STONNINGTON JAZZ
Among the events for the 12th Stonnington Jazz through various venues in May are one-off reunions by Kate Ceberano and Her Septet to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their gold-certified album, and Vince Jones and Paul Grabowsky reuniting to perform their 2016 ARIA award-winning album Provenance.
MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL JAZZ UNVEILS LINEUP
Over 500 acts have been announced for Melbourne International Jazz (June 2—11) with 120 events over a number of venues.
These include The Necks christening new venue The Jazzlab, a masterclass by US guitar legend Bill Frissell, David Bowie collaborators The Donny McCaslin Group, a New Orleans street party, a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, a Jazz Out West program, and gospel Sunday sessions.
COUNTRY ROCKS SYDNEY ROYAL EASTER SHOW
In a first for the Sydney Royal Easter Show (April 14, 15), country rock band Brewn singer Mick Bond’s Country Rocks – a lineup changing national touring project – makes its appearance with James Blundell, Brewn, Drew McAlister and Tori Darke.
Country Rocks recently staged Beyond The Blaze at the Royal Hotel Bungendore, raising almost $14,500 for victims of the devastating fires of Carwoola and Queanbeyan.
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