Splendour & Wildlands delayed, Bluesfest & Piknic Électronik announce acts
It’s an interesting time to be an Australian music festival, with two major events delayed, one expanding its bill, another unveiling its latest lineup, and two new events announced.
Splendour In The Grass
After two previous delays, Secret Sounds has pushed Splendour in the Grass’ 20th anniversary to Friday 19 to Sunday 21 November.
Co-founders Jessica Ducrou and Paul Piticco said: “We had so hoped to bring you Splendour’s 20th Anniversary edition this July but we can’t stage the event that you know and love within the current restrictions and international border closures.
“Since March 2020, not a single festival in Australia has been able to run at full capacity and the industry is currently operating at a fraction of pre-COVID levels.”
They stressed: “It’s going to be worth the wait,” adding that headliners Gorillaz, The Strokes and Tyler, The Creator are still available for the new spring dates.
Wildlands Weekender
The sold out Wildlands Weekender, to be held on March 6 and 7 at Brisbane’s RNA Showgrounds has been pushed back.
Organisers Origin Fields, Beyond The Valley & Untitled will update the market with more news next week.
“We have approached this from all angles and tried countless revisions to give all parties the confidence to proceed, however the current imposed health and safety requirements as well as Queensland border restrictions have deemed it impossible for us to operate the event in any viable capacity this March,” they posted on Facebook.
The Courier Mail reported the Metro North Public Health Unit was awaiting an updated COVID Safe Event Plan after requesting more information following several meetings with the festival’s organisers, who decided to postpone instead.
The festival’s bill included Lime Cordiale, Spacey Jane, The Veronicas, What So Not, Cosmo’s Midnight, Triple One, Lastlings and Sycco.
Bluesfest
With Bluesfest Byron Bay (April 1—5) rising to a 85% sell-out and its COVID-Safe Plan approved, the festival has added nine more names to the bill.
They are: Pete Murray, Mark Seymour & The Undertow and Kate Ceberano (all for Easter Monday) as well as Fiona Boyes & The Fortune Tellers, Lambros, The Regime, Round Mountain Girls Electrik Lemonade, and Palm Valley.
The festival said in a statement: “Bluesfest continues to make history – It will be the first multi-day, multi-stage camping festival in the world to be staged since the beginning of the pandemic.”
Piknic Électronik
Hardware Group and Stable Music unveiled the artist line-up for the Piknic Électronik season 7 finale. It is on Sunday April 4 and is part of the Sidney Myer Music Bowl’s Live at the Bowl series.
Calling the artists “a group of international and local guests who have been on our wish list for a long time”, those treading the stage are Ben UFO, Marcellus Pittman, Matt Radovich, Merve and Adriana.
Next Exit
MJR Presents has a new regional NSW festival called Next Exit which will start in Tamworth on Friday, May 21 and then on to Gosford, Batemans Bay and Mudgee over a two-week period.
The bill, headlined by Ocean Alley, includes Spacey Jane, Dear Seattle, Merci, Mercy and CLEWS.
Scott Mesiti, MJR Presents’ head of touring in Australia said: “We pass so many ‘Next Exit’ signs on the highway and often drive past with only our destination in sight.
“The original concept for Next Exit was to help bushfire-affected towns, regenerate tourism and hire as many local suppliers as possible.
“So much has happened since then but our aim remains the same.”
Dark Skies
Dark Skies is a new music, art, science and culture event for May 6 – 14 in Alice Springs, “a journey of light, sound and darkness beneath one of the greatest night skies in the world”.
It is produced by Earth Sanctuary and the Artist Expedition Society after receiving almost $20,000 in funding from the NT Government.
In a boost for tourism and local jobs, it features music sets, scientific talks, workshops – and maybe even a UFO sighting.