There Can Be Only Six: 90 Bands To Battle For Airlie Beach Music Festival Spot

The annual Airlie Beach Festival Of Music returns to the idyllic seaside Queensland town this November, which means once again scores of local bands — over 90, in fact — will have the chance to go head-to-head in the yearly Passport To Airlie competition to score a spot on the festival's line-up.

The battle will take place from Cairns to Newcastle, with multiple events also being held in Townsville, Rockhampton, Sunshine Coast, and Gold Coast, seeing each act hit their respective stages for a half-hour set comprising three original songs. The triumphant bands will score a spot on the Airlie Beach Festival Of Music line-up, four nights' accommodation, VIP tickets to the event itself and a cool $1000 in cash for their trouble.

"This is the third year of the competition and it is a major opportunity for amateur bands to advance their music career," festival promoter Gavin 'Butto' Butlin said in a statement.

"The winners get a trip to paradise and the opportunity to perform at the festival … the quality of the performances is excellent and there is a real variety of music genres from rock and hip hop through to country and blues."

Every spot in the competition has been filled — with the exception of a couple of free spaces left in Rocky — so if you're up for a few nights of supporting some hard-working Queensland (and Newcastle) bands, you have a wealth of opportunities to do so. From top to bottom, you can catch the Cairns event at the Balaclava Hotel (Sunday 23 & 30 August), Townsville's at the Dalrymple Hotel (Friday 4 & 11 September), Rockhampton's at the Glenmore Hotel (Saturday 5 & 12 September), the Sunny Coast's at Villa Noosa Hotel, Noosaville (Friday 21 & 28 August), the Goldy's at Shark Bar Miami (Saturday 5 & 12 September), and Newcastle's at The Wickham Park Hotel from tonight, 20 August, with additional heats on 27 August and 3 September, with the final being held on 10 September.

The third annual Airlie Beach Festival Of Music runs in Airlie Beach from Thursday, 5 November, to Sunday, 8 November. This year's line-up boasts a raft of impressive talent, including 10cc, Toni Childs, Sandi Thom, Richard Clapton, Wendy Matthews, The Black Sorrows, Angry Anderson with the James Southwell Band, and many more. 

Tickets are available now. See the festival's website for more information.