Surry Hills Festival Unveils 2014 Music Line-Up

The eagerly anticipated annual Surry Hills Festival is almost upon us once more, and the minds behind Sydney’s best-known community celebration of music, art, design and performance have ensured that 2014’s event stands the test of time with the revelation of a high-profile music roster including the likes of Donny Benet, The Laurels and Spookyland.

The delightfully sleazily groomed Donny Benet has been on a solidly upward trajectory of late, having just announced a three-date tour of his own to support his most recent release, the collaborative album Weekend At Donny’s. The self-described Italo-funk-disco master is buckets of fun on record, and even more so in the flesh, so bring your dancing shoes and flex up those cheek muscles, because you’ll be smiling uncontrollably by the time Benet is through with you.

Sydney-bred quartet The Laurels should be no strangers to local audiences, having shared stages with many an A-list act over the eight years they’ve performed together as a band. Staying steady in the two years since the release of their debut full-length Plains, this year’s event should find the near-veteran outfit in as sharp a form as ever, fresh from a tour this month that sees them support US luminaries Night Beat before they step out for Surry Hills Fest.

Likewise, the meteorically rising Spookyland should be a name Sydneysiders are well familiar with by now – the The Silly Fucking Thing hit-makers just signed a UK/EU deal with London-by-way-of-Belgium-bred label Play It Again Sam Records, a matter of weeks after being named as the newest signing to US label Canvasback, so you’d probably be well served taking the opportunity to catch them in the flesh at Surry Hills Fest before they end up spending a bunch of time in the clutches of international fans and industry folks.

Joining that triumphant triumvirate will be the likes of Canyons and Yo Grito! (both DJ sets), The Lulu Raes, Tales In Space, Little Fox and Spirit Valley.

There are more acts yet to be announced for this year’s event, which goes down from 10am-10pm on Saturday, September 27. The Surry Hills Festival will boast two main stages – one each in Ward Park and Shannon Reserve – as well as an additional stage on Hill St, the Velvet Cave – and in between, you and an estimated 50,000 other punters will be able to enjoy the best of community spirit the people of Surry Hills have to offer.

The Surry Hills Festival, part of Art & About Sydney’s 2014 program, is a free event; entry via donation. See the Gig Guide or check The Music App for more information.