EXCLUSIVE: Disconnect Festival Finally Starts Paying Artists; Confirms 2016 Event

Six months after its inaugural run, WA’s Disconnect Festival has finally started paying bands and crew, with the promoter confirming the event will return in 2016.

The music and arts festival came under fire in April from artist and crew claiming promoter Chris Knight of Spring Fever Promotions had not yet paid them for their involvement.

The festival then promised all outstanding payments would be settled “within four weeks”, which didn’t eventuate, but numerous sources have confirmed they have now been paid with Knight telling theMusic.com.au everyone else would be paid this week, stating the delay was due to “commercial negotiations”.

“We had to restructure the business and go find some money to get everyone paid,” Knight told theMusic.com.au.

“It would have been really easy for me to say, ‘It’s been really hard, let’s just wind the company up and liquidate.’

“The only way to go forward was to make sure we got the funding and put it on again.”

Knight revealed the three-day Pinjarra-based camping festival would return for a second run in December, moving a week earlier to 2 – 4 December with a similar vibe to last year’s line-up, which featured headliners Father John Misty, Neon Indian, Mercury Rev, Bully and more with a slew of local talent and arts.

“Hopefully we can retain that good will that we got from last year because it’s such a different festival.

“Eventually, what we want it to be is like a mini-Glastonbury; it’s all about culture, art and music and people being a bit free…it’s definitely worth another crack.”