Festivals Update: November 10

Image:King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

GROOVIN’ ANNOUNCES 2017 DATES

Successful regional trek Groovin’ The Moo announced its dates and venues. It kicks off in South Australia at Oakbank Racecourse on April 28. It then heads on to Maitland Showground, Maitland NSW (April 29) and Murray Sports Complex in Townsville, Queensland (April 30).

The second weekend is Prince of Wales Showground in Bendigo (May 6), University of Canberra (May 7) and Hay Park in Bunbury, WA, on May 13.

Steve Halpin, head of Moo promoter Cattleyard Productions said, “We can also continue to deliver a diverse line up to all GTM events, avoiding scheduling clashes with other international festivals. Not only does this give a number of amazing Australian artists the opportunity to play GTM AND be billed on international festivals, it also allows us to bring some great talent from overseas.”

INAUGURAL ESOTERIC TO STAGE IN MARCH

A new doof bush Esoteric is staged in March 10—13 is named because it is specifically curated to hardcore EDM followers. Staged on a private property in West Victoria, the event’s capacity is capped so followers of prog, tech, psy-trance and glitch can catch 20 international acts and 60 Aussie names boomed through 130,000 watts over three stages.

THIS THAT DRAWS 15,000

Despite the strong winds last Saturday, the second This That drew 15,000 to the Newcastle foreshore. Highlights were headliners Peking Duk and Hermitude, along with LA’s Schoolboy Q (who played table tennis in the VIP section with punters), Drapht, Ball Park Music and SAFIA.

MELBOURNE GETS AFRICAN MUSIC & CULTURE

Sounds of Africa is determined to get as wide a showcase of African bands and DJs, sourcing them from Cameroon, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Mauritius, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Gambia, Congo, Uganda, Guinea, South Africa. The music component includes drum workshops. The event, on Ceres Community Environment Park, Brunswick East on Saturday November 26, also offers food, art, free mask making, rock painting African necklaces and storytelling sessions.

BANGALOW BBQ & BLUEGRASS DONATES TO ARTS COMMUNITY

The third Bangalow BBQ and Bluegrass, which drew 1500 to Bangalow Showgrounds, has donated a total of $25,000 to the local arts community, promoter Fletcher Potanin said.

$17,882 goes to local school’s for arts programs, $3000 to create Original Music Artists Bursaries, $2000 to Bangalow Theatre Company, $1500 to the Showgrounds for development of the grounds, $1180 to Heritage House Tea Rooms and Museum and $350 to A&I Hall for improvements.

ERIC PRYDZ HEADLINING ELECTRIC GARDENS

DJ superstar Eric Prydz returns to the country after two years to headline Electric Gardens in Jan/Feb in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and, for his first time, in Perth. The full artist lineup is announced next week.

BENDIGO BLUES & ROOTS “A SUCCESS”

Shortly before taking to the stage with his band Urban Creatures, Blues and Roots Director Colin Thompson said that the four-day event had been a success on a number of fronts. The crowd was larger, most of the 450 gigs at a total of 48 venues were sell-outs or close to, he plans more international acts next year, and the feedback from the crowd was that they discovered a number of new acts.

FOLK IN BROKE EXPECTS GOOD WEATHER

After its return last year following a four year hiatus, this Saturday’s Folk In Broke, in the NSW hamlet of that name will be generally warm, promoters said, adding “We hopefully might get a few brief cooling showers.” Director Adrian Buckley who was brought in last year, will continue the festival’s family-friendly focus and free camping but has widened the scope of the music from its original trad folk.

FIRST LINEUP FOR GAY TIMES

Queer camping festival Gay Times is back on February 17—19 at Lake Mountain Alpine Resort with a capacity of 1000. First acts include Ngaiire, New York’s JD Samson, Teeth & Tongue, Jess McAvoy, Ali Barter and Habits. Also offered are art installations, light projections, cinema, speed dating and yoga.

SELL OUT FOR ORIGINALS MUSIC

Last weekend’s Originals Music in Coolum, Queensland, was a sell-out yet again, with a line-up that included The Living End, Thundamentals, Dune Rats and Remi among the main acts.

BEECHWORTH MUSIC BACK

Beechworth Music, in the rolling hills of country Victoria, will include Stonefield, Gabriella Cohen, Tracy McNeil and the Goodlife, The Sugarcanes and more.

MAIREYA TO RETURN

In the wake of two cancellations, regional Victoria’s Maitreya plans to make a comeback in 2017. It was cancelled in March due to clashes with local council over paperwork for the event. In May the promoter planned a free show for ticket holders who had not been refunded. Last month, promoters declared that was not going to occur either and predicted the festival would not return.

But in the latest post, promoters said they “feel we must dance again” after two other festivals were allowed permission to stage at the old Maitreya site.

GIZZFEST GETS LARGER

Melbourne band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard’s five-city Gizzfest (November 25 to December 4) added 17 more acts to its Melbourne date, with four themed stages with their own dedicated acts.

WEIRD FRONTIER THIS WEEKEND

Weird Frontier Music is held this Saturday at Ainslie Arts Centre in Canberra showcasing ten acts re[resenting the new wave of Australian alternative and experimental working on new sounds and new technology.

WORLD OF WORDS COMING TO WOMAD NZ

Next year’s Womad NZ will expand to also the World of Words. It is a series of spoken sessions featuring novelists, poets, critical thinkers, entrepreneurs, and musicians from throughout the globe. They include influential poet Sam Hunt, The Vintner’s Luck author Elizabeth Knox, and Australia’s Archie Roach.

Taranaki Arts Festival Trust CEO Suzanne Porter discovered World of Words at Womad UK this year and was impressed how it provoked discussion and encouraged the audience to participate in the exchange of ideas.

ADDITIONS TO GARDEN OF UNEARTHLY DELIGHTS

The second round of artists for Adelaide’s The Garden of Unearthly Delights (February 16—March 19 at Rundle Park) include North East Arnhem Land’s indigenous dance and YouTube sensations Djuki Mala, Katie Noonan & Karin Schaupp performing their collaboration album Songs Of The Latin Sky, Björk, Cinematic Orchestra and Anoushka Shankar percussion collaborator Manu Delago, Hot Dub Time Machine getting a makeover for kids with Kid / Dub, London’s Massaoke singalong club night, and Turkey’s traditional and electronic purveyor Mercan Dede. The full program is announced on December 2.

LAKESIDE TWILIGHT SELLS OUT

Lakeside Twilights at Ballarat’s Lake Wendouree foreshore on December 3 has sold out. The bill features The Angels, Jon Stevens, The Black Sorrows and Mental As Anything.

NEW ENTRY FOR TAMWORTH COUNTRY

A new event for Tamworth Country Music is the Festival Gala Dinner at Tamworth Golf Club on January 24 to unite foodies and country music attendees. Performing are Hayley Jensen (who is also hosting), NZ’s Mae Valley of X Factor renown, and two other festivals acts who will remain a surprise until the night.

The evening is an initiative of Market the Music, Pope Productions and Tamworth Event Planners with Yalumba and Tooheys locked in as sponsors.