Cut Copy, GRAACE, Late Night Tuff Guy & Crazy P Recall Their Best NYE Experiences

NYE In The Park, Sydney's only New Year's Eve music festival, kicks off this weekend. To celebrate, we caught up with a bunch of acts on the line-up to learn all about their best or craziest New Year's Eve experiences.

Cut Copy's Dan Whitford

"I think the craziest New Year's experience we had was playing at an outdoor festival in the middle of a snowstorm in Colorado. We were supposed to do the New Year's countdown, but someone at the festival got the time wrong and set off all these fireworks and lights ten minutes early, right in the middle of one of our songs. We thought everyone was really getting into the song, but it turns out they were chanting 'Happy New Year' and popping champagne. It was total chaos."

GRAACE

"My favourite New Years' time was in New York in 2017! It started with a blizzard on Christmas day, which made me feel like I was in Home Alone. I then got to spend New Year's Eve with my best friend at a concert before rushing back to this beautiful, classic apartment we’d rented to cheers the New Year in style. The whole experience felt surreal - there’s just something about New York!"

Late Night Tuff Guy

"Can I have two New Year's Eve experiences? 

"The first was when I played a 10hr set NYE 1995/1996, which was absolutely hectic but amazing. And the second might not be a surprise for those who know me but playing Prince’s 1999 on NYE 1999 at an Adelaide venue called St. Paul’s was a lot of fun."

Crazy P Soundsystem's Danielle Moore

"So, back in the day when we used to travel with the full band and a sound tech/tour manager, we were younger, fitter and constantly in search of a party. Gigs were in abundance, and the one year was pretty hyper. We were fortunately equipped with relative youth and ignorance. I think it was only when we got to the airport we realised the furiousness of the first four days.

"Our gigs took us in the space of three days to two countries and four cities. Auckland, Gisborne (New Zealand) and, Sydney and Perth....starting on the 30th finishing on the 1st of January. Flying to Gisborne in what we thought would be a private jet (why did we think that) - it was a small aircraft resembling a hair dryer with wings. Wonderful pilot but a very tight 12 seater with tissue stuck in the air con. I would estimate we had 6 hours of sleep over the three days, if that! 

"With my bag not arriving in Sydney for our daytime New Year's Eve performance, I had nothing to wear and borrowed an outfit from a friend, which after jumping off a speaker, I ripped the arse out of. We got through that JUST and headed to our gig in Perth, where we were offered a bag of crystal meth on arrival. 

"Our manager whipped it away before we even knew what it was ... I puked through tiredness, my luggage eventually caught up with me 2 hours pre-gig, and we went on to have a great night. Them were the days!!!"

NYE In The Park is full of beats, disco-pop, smooth guitars and vocals, and a jam-packed party experience.

NYE IN THE PARK

VICTORIA PARK, SYDNEY

FLIGHT FACILITIES | LIME CORDIALE | CUT COPY | RICO NASTY (US) | SAN CISCO | CRAZY P SOUNDSYSTEM (UK) | LATE NIGHT TUFF GUY | GRAACE | VACATIONS | GRENTPEREZ | DISCOVERY | BECCA HATCH | TORI LEVETT | DJ JARRED BAKER

WHATSLIVELY STAGE feat:
DJ TALISHA B2B MISTAH CEE | JAZMINE NIKITTA | PRESTIGE Of TFRA w/ D0NT PLAY | FARNOZZ w/ DAYSHAWN | AYSHE | MONI B2B AJ FLORES | DNA | SIENNA w/ PAPA FRANK

+ SPECIAL PERFORMANCES BY FOOLIGAN KEVS | TIMBA | RHB | JEIDA WOODS & FRIENDS

POOF DOOF presents NEON HOEDOWN feat:
ATOMIC KISS | DAMMIT JANET | DANNI ISSUES | DAPHNE GAYE | FAGGY | HOLLY WOULD | JIMI THE KWEEN | KARNA FORD | KALIN KLEIN | LOGAN | NIC HOLLAND | SVETA | VENUS PAGINA

Tickets here.