Festivals Update: September 7
Image: King Gizzard’sGizzfest brought back to life
ANOTHER MUSIC FESTIVAL COLLAPSES
Motor City Music Festival, in Victoria’s Geelong, will not be returning next year, veteran promoter Hugo T. Armstrong confirmed. He first set it up in 2014, with blues-rock and family-friendly tribute acts playing the Geelong Showgrounds.
Armstrong, who also runs the Queenscliff Blues Train, said, “The current economic climate combined with lower than expected ticket sales and a clear reluctance in the Geelong marketplace to pre-purchase ticket (even those heavily discounted) has clearly made this festival and the wider music industry question the viability of large scale music events in Geelong.” The festival was never meant to be a money-making exercise, and has no “substantial” debt.
UNIFY FESTIVAL INTRODUCES “AFTERPAY” METHOD
The all-heavy Unify festival this week introduced a new payment plan called Afterpay for its 2017 edition. Given that punters will have to choose between other festivals and tours, Afterpay allows them to buy now and pay later through four4x interest-free payments of $51.67 per fortnight.
Unify, held in the Victorian hamlet of Tarwin Lower, has been an instant success. Its inaugural event in 2015 sold out its 3000 tickets in three hours. The second year sold out its 5000 before the start-off gun went off. The next one saw all 2000 early bird tix fly out even before the artists were announced.
LANEWAY ANNOUNCES DATES
This year’s Laneway will be held slightly earlier than usual. The acts won’t be announced until Wednesday, September 14. But meantime, the festival lands in Singapore for the seventh year at Gardens By The Bay (Saturday, Jan 21).
The Australian leg then heads to Brisbane Showgrounds (Thursday, Jan 26), Footscray Community Arts Centre and The River’s Edge on the banks of the Maribyrnong in Melbourne (Saturday, Jan 28), and Auckland (Monday, Jan 30) although the venue is still to be decided.
It’s another year at Hart’s Mill in Port Adelaide after last year broke attendance records (Friday, Feb 3), Sydney College of the Arts and Rozelle’s Callan Park (Saturday, Feb 4) with the final stop at Fremantle’s Esplanade Reserve and West End (Sunday, Feb 5).
ADELAIDE FRINGE MAKES CALL OUT
Adelaide Fringe organisers are calling on performers, musicians, visual artists, arts organisations and event producers from across the globe to register for the 2017 Adelaide Fringe. Their website is www.adelaidefringe.com.au. This year 4400 artists registered across 1124 events.
Artistic Director & CEO Heather Croall says, “Adelaide Fringe fosters new talent, independence and risk-taking, which makes it the perfect place for artists to trial new, ground-breaking work. We’re excited to see what new ideas, innovative thinking and new talent emerge as part of the 2017 program.”
Events can be registered under various categories including cabaret, children’s event, circus and physical theatre, comedy, dance, film, interactive, magic, music, special events, theatre, or visual art. Deadline for registration is Friday October 7 at 5 pm.
MULLUM MUSIC ANNOUNCES PATRON
Folk/Americana performer Suzannah Espie will be the official patron of the 9th Mullum Music in November. Previously lauded were Harry James Angus and Mama Kin. Festival director Glenn Wright says, “Suzannah has played Mullum many times and the audience at her gigs is always filled with other musicians. Suzannah is never average; she is always there, in the moment and true to her craft.” As part of her role, Espie will also lead a local women’s choir for a special performance, and take part in the Youth Mentorship Program.
MORE UPDATES: SELL OUTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, PATRONS CHARITY GIVEAWAYS
* Two Falls has sold out – Lorne, Victoria (in 45 minutes) and Byron Bay, NSW.
* Docklands Blues Music in Melbourne gets underway on Sunday October 16 from 10am at the Wonderland Spiegeltent under the Melbourne Star with an Australian and international bill.
* The international and local bill of Sydney’s Field Day (January 1 at the Domain) is headlined by Chance The Rapper and Childish Gambino. The first 27 were announced, with more to be unveiled.
* Forbes in regional NSW will for the third time host Vanfest at the Showground on November 25 and 26. Put together by local promoters Grant and Matt Clifton, Julia and Angus Stone get top billing on a strong list of Aussie acts.
* Remember how we relayed in last week’s column that the Gympie Muster trialled new cashless technology, where the 26,909 arriving on site paid for up to $1 million of credit to be loaded onto a wristband containing a disc-shaped chip? At the end of the festivities, punters got a total of $127,000 worth of refunds. But $21,000 remained unclaimed. This will now be donated to local charities.
* Melbourne band King Gizzard had such a buzz last year with the inaugural mini-fest Gizzfest, which they toured with their buddies through the five capital cities behind their Quarters album. They’ve confirmed they’ll kick it back to life this year behind new album Nonagon Infinity, dates and venues unveiled soon.
* Former Laneway New Zealand promoter Ben Howe’s current festival, The Others Way in Auckland, returned for a second year. Last year event ran into a problem when two international acts pulled out at the last minute, so he continued with 30 acts of up and coming acts, with the 1500 capped tickets sold out. This year, the number of acts was bumped to 43, performing in ten venues.
* The 2016 edition of Adelaide’s punk explosion Scumfest (November 26, Queen’s Theatre) has turned out to be something of a Deja Vu Event. Of the 20 acts playing at high decibel, there are reunions by Conation, 99 Reasons Why, Blood Sucking Freaks, The Jerks and Three Chain Break.
* Due to an “overwhelming response” from musicians and performers, deadline for Expressions of Interest for the inaugural White Night Ballarat 2017 is extended to September 11.
* In the lead-up to Caloundra Music, the Caloundra Chamber of Commerce introduced the Warm Up Sessions – 73 gigs in five venues over eight weeks.
* LGBTIQ community advocate Dannii Minogue headlines Adelaide queer Feast’s opening night street party on October 22 at its new home in Raj House. Among performers are cabaret act Amelia Ryan & Michael Griffiths in Livvy and Pete based on stories and songs of Olivia Newton-John and Peter Allen.
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