Category: Festivals

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kid Cudi Headlines Heatwave Festival

After its launch in Adelaide last year, the Heatwave Festival is going national. The event will bring leading local and international hip hop artists together for shows in the major capitals.

Kid Cudi, Tech N9ne, D12, Obie Trice, CrazyTown, and Chamillionaire are all part of the revolving line-up, and there’ll be more local artists added to the bill. I know there are so many festivals encouraging us to spend up big over summer, but with tickets started from just $49 this one represents better value than most. Just make sure you check the website, as not every artist will perform at every show. Tickets for the following gigs are available now from Moshtix.

12-15 January 2012 – Airport Rd, Middleton
17 January 2012 – Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane
18 & 19 January 2012 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
20 January 2012 – Perth venue to be confirmed
21 January 2012 – Epic Arena, Canberra
22 January 2012 – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne

Image used with permission from Heapsaflash

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Scissor Sisters, The Living End, & Grandmaster Flash Rock Eclectic Pyramid Festival

If you missed out on those Falls Festival tickets, don’t despair. The folks at Pyramid Rock are serving up a very enticing New Years Eve alternative.

More than 50 international and local rockers will descend on Victoria’s Phillip Island from December 29 to January 1. The penguins better find some ear plugs, because Scissor Sisters, The Living End, Grandmaster Flash, Ash Grunwald, Gotye Boy & Bear, Drapht, Spiderbait, Bluejuice, Calling all Cars, RocKwiz Live, and more will be taking the stage. And that’s all just in the first announcement!

Two and three day passes are available including free camping to get you into that festival spirit. Tickets go on sale on the Pyramid Rock Festival at 9 am on September 14.

Image used with permission from Shiny Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Aussie Hip Hop Gets Sprung

Once upon a time Australian hip hop was a bit of a joke. But the times they are a changing, as they say in the classics, and now we have the launch of the Sprung Festival to celebrate the best local hip hop talent.

The line-up claims to bring together the cream of Aussie hip hop, and while there are some notable omissions it’s still quite impressive. Drapht ,Illy, The Funkoars, Phrase, Resin Dogs, Lowrider, Diafrix, and more will take to Brisbane’s Riverstage on October 15. If it goes off the way I think it should, perhaps Bliss N Eso and Hilltop Hoods will want to be involved next year!

The event is open to all ages but it is licensed, so it should be stacks of fun for everyone. Tickets are a very reasonable $66 and are currently available through Ticketmaster.

Image source: Premier Artists

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Full Fat as Butter Line-Up Announced

I was pretty excited when I heard Naughty by Nature and The Living End would headline this year’s Fat as Butter festival. Thankfully the rest of the line-up lives up to that early promise.

There’s plenty of top quality local talent, with Empire of the Sun, Sparkadia, Cloud Control, The Jezabels, British India, Calling All Cars, and Evil Eddie all on the bill. And there are more international acts too, including Flo Rida and Sinden.

Tickets to the website presale go on offer from August 1, which doesn’t give music lovers a lot of saving time. Thankfully though there’s an innovative Time to Pay ticket option, which allows students and other punters strapped for cash to pay for their tickets in three installments. You’ll need to register for presale tickets on the Fat as Butter website to take advantage of that option.

Fat as Butter hits Newcastle’s Camp Shortland at The Foreshore on October 22.

Image source: Fat as Butter website

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

New Names Added to Falls Line-Up

The line-up for this year’s Falls Music & Arts Festival is looking even more irresistible with the latest round of announcements.

Amongst the latest international additions are old-school soul man Aloe Blacc, unhinged American electro-dance wiz Dan Deacon, quirky Brits The Kooks, French popsters Nouvelle Vague, and Young MC. Yes that Young MC, of “Bust a Move” fame. I’m not sure he’ll be able to entertain the crowds much beyond that 90s gem, but I’m loving the novelty factor.

The shows will also mark the homecoming of Aussie songbird Missy Higgins. She’ll play alongside other recently announced local talent including Emma Louise, Pnau, and the hilarious Josh Thomas.

Add in all the other already announced names, including Arctic Monkeys, Fleet Foxes, Josh Pyke, The Jezabels, and Arj Barker and you’ve got an incredible way to ring in the New Year.

They’ll all play the all ages event in Marion Bay, Tasmania from December 29 to 31 and the adults only version in Lorne, Victoria from December 28 to 31. To secure your possie, make sure you add your name to the ticket ballot on the Falls Festival website before August 5. The majority of tickets will be distributed amongst these Falls die-hards before the general sale on August 17.

Image used with permission from Two Fish Out of Water

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Wollongong Goes Retro with 80s Music Fest

Wollongong’s never really had a big music festival, but it’s saved up something special for its first. From October 28 to 30 Kembla Grange will embrace all things retro with the 80s Rewind Music Festival.

The bill is out of this world, with international acts like The Human League, Kool & The Gang, Sister Sledge, Bananarama, Nik Kershaw, Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet, and Go West all taking part. There’ll be a strong local presence too with Ross Wilson, Mental as Anything, John Paul Young, and Pseudo Echo all taking part. Tickets go on sale on July 25 from Moshtix.

Needless to say, I just wish it didn’t clash with Jazz in the Vines! Side shows anyone?

Image source: Andy Mac @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Naughty by Nature and The Living End for Fat as Butter

We haven’t even seen the full line-up announcement yet, but this year’s Fat As Butter Festival is already shaping up to be pretty spectacular. How many other opportunities do you have to catch American hip hop legends Naughty by Nature and our own Living End on the same stage?

Fat as Butter will take over Newcastle’s Camp Shortland on October 22. Those early leaks have me salivating to see who else will make the complete line-up when it’s announced on July 25. If you’re keen for tickets I suggest signing up for the presale list through the Fat as Butter website. Anyone on that list can score tickets on August 1, two full days before the general public, and five lucky eager beavers will win a VIP pass!

Image source: Fat as Butter website

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Crystal Castles, Josh Pyke Join Falls Festival Bill

This year’s Falls Festival is shaping up to be something pretty special, with Crystal Castles, J Mascis, Josh Pyke, and Papa vs Pretty, DJ Yoda, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra all recent additions to the bill.

The latest group of local and international acts joins already announced headliners Arctic Monkeys, Fleet Foes, The Jezabels, Easy Star All Stars, and Arj Barker. They’ll all play the all ages event in Marion Bay, Tasmania from December 29 to 31 and the adults only version in Lorne, Victoria from December 28 to 31. What a way to ring in the New Year, right?

If the announced acts excite you, make sure you add your name to the ticket ballot on the Falls Festival website before August 5. The majority of tickets will be distributed amongst these Falls enthusiasts before the general sale on August 17.

Image used with permission from Two Fish Out of Water

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

MC Chali 2na Back for Island Vibe Festival

The Island Vibe Festival is heading back to Stradbroke Island this October long weekend for another big year.

After he wowed crowds in 2009 former Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli star MC Chali 2na has been announced as this year’s headliner. He’ll join first class local talents Blue King Brown, Dubmarine, Bobby Alu, Opiuo, Grace Barbe from the Seychelles, and heaps more.

Island Vibe is a music festival with a difference thanks to its magnificent beachside location and focus on culture and the environment. Check it out from October 28 to 30. Fans can enjoy discounted early bird tickets through the Rudekat Records website now.

Image used with permission from Heapsaflash

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

John Butler Trio Headline Coaster

Now in its fourth year, Central Coast’s fledgling music festival appears to be going from strength to strength. John Butler Trio are heading up an all-Australian line-up for this year’s event at Gosford Showgrounds.

They’ll join hometown heroes Something with Numbers and One Dollar Short, Jebediah, Little Red, The Potbelleez, Andy Bull, and heaps more. The festival’s Tomorrow Land dance quarter will also return with Ajax, Nina Las Vegas, Purple Sneakers DJs, and Wolfpack.

Coaster will hit Gosford Showgrounds on September 17. Tickets will be available from June 23 from the Coaster website, Oztix, and a variety of retailers including ESS Boardstore in Erina, Network Communications in Lake Haven, and the Newcastle Rock Shop.