Summer Festival Guide: New Kids On The Block
Certified fresh.
Every year it seems like the festival list gets bigger, the line-ups more star-studded and the FOMO more all-consuming. Like most of life's problems, the solution is knowledge. Achieving the perfect summer season takes diligent research. You gotta weigh the pros and face the cons. Sharpen pencils. Make a graph. But the sun's out, and there's tins to be crack — so maybe skip all that and just read our handy guide instead. Here's our pick of the newest festivals you should be visiting…
The spin-off of Austin City Limits, brought Down Under by the team behind Splendour In The Grass and Falls Festival, Sydney City Limits was on everybody's lips even before they announced their hefty first bill. ACL has been putting together mint line-ups for 15 years, and it's no surprise its Aussie counterpart has inherited its Rolodex. Justice, Beck, Vance Joy, Phoenix, Tash Sultana, Grace Jones and Gang Of Youths have all been announced already with more acts in the mail. Plus, the food's being curated by the folks at Mary's Newtown and The Unicorn. You beauty.
Just a couple hours out south the city limits sits Berry, the idyllic coastal town that's played host to Fairgrounds the last couple of years. They've snagged another bevy of local and international talent, from The Shins and Future Islands to DD Dumbo and Client Liaison, but one of their biggest draws might actually be the amazing tucker and mega family-friendly vibe. The Paperbark Camp pop-up restaurant stands out even in the current festival lean towards good eats, they have an onsite pool and Little Fairgrounds provides plenty of amusement for the munchkins - they've even got Tim Rogers, Holly Throsby and children's author Kat Patrick doing story time.
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Right over the border, you can strap your doof boots on. The team behind Brunswick's Rubix Warehouse are setting up shop on the same sustainable 221-acre farm made famous by Boogie and New Year's Evie, aka Melbourne's biggest licensed outdoor venue. It's Friends Of Ours first year out the gate but you wouldn't know it from the ambitious line-up. There are three days of bass heavy party starters lined up including Aussies Roni Size, Dub FX and Spoonbill and a bunch of the UK's best - Eva Lazarus, DLR and Dub Princess. Even better, there's a shuttle bus to and from, because there's nothing worse than sitting on the side of the road waiting to sober up after a ripping weekend a Friends don't let Friends drive home cooked.
still looking for tips for the summer season? we've got the guides for you…
The word boutique gets thrown about a lot these days but second-year event Grampians Music Festival have gone the extra mile and curated their line-up to perfectly match their location. They're dedicated to sourcing and promoting the new and exciting talent growing right in their own picturesque backyard, and the event will be the festival or headline debut for many of the artists on the bill - this year headed up by Didirri, Fountaineer and Crepes. They follow the same creed with their produce as well; Gramp-goers can get into local gin from Patient Wolf, wine from Blue Pyrenees and Pricky Moses Beer and Cider and food from local producers.
Peel Street Festival has a similar local flare, bringing together all the best Collingwood has to offer in a celebration of the local community and culture. It's brand spanking new and absolutely free and we couldn't possibly be more stoked. Centred on The Grace Darling and Peel Street, there'll be food, community stalls, a record fair, a children's park and more amazing local acts than you could shake a Lamb On Brunswick kebab at. Archie Roach and Cash Savage & The Last Drinks are heading the lists, which also feature Terry, Girl Zone, Golden Helmet, Pillow Pro - just heaps of good stuff - and there'll be a discussion on Safe Spaces too.
Leaping fully formed from the brains behind Beyond The Valley, last year's debut Pitch Music & Arts Festival was genuinely gobsmacking in the length and depth of its electronic offering. They haven't succumbed to the second year jitters either. Taking over Mafeking for another four days of "contemporary electronic music steeped in visual arts and landscape" is veritable who's who of the genre; Germany's Motor City Drum Ensemble, aka house pioneer Danilo Plessow, and Booka Shade, Manchester drawcard Floating Points, Melbourne faves GL. Basically, if you like your doofs in the bush and soundtracked by some of the world's best you should hurry up and grab a ticket.
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