The 2017 Splendour In The Grass lineup has officially dropped and we couldn't be more stoked to make our way there this July. Here's our top festival picks!
Australian live music enthusiasts had their ears pinned to their radios yesterday morning for the announcement of the 2017 SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS lineup, and boy what a large one it was.
Taking place at its hilly residence of North Byron Parklands this July, punters teared up to the overwhelmingly brilliant debuts and returns of 103 acts for the festival's 17th annual instalment; to be headlined by LCD Soundsystem, Queens of the Stone Age and The xx. A monster of a great time already, the organisers went one up by promising sets from a bunch of respected internationals, as well as creating room for a stack of local talent.
With a smile stretched from ear-to-ear just thinking about the weekend that is to come, we thought we'd introduce to you some Purple Sneakers favourites contributing to the fun that will be had at Splendour In The Grass 2017.
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Compensating a powerhouse of sound where identities are blurred, Brisbane four-piece CONFIDENCE MAN eat their weight in sweet, saccharin pop. Although we know their entity has been built by members of The Belligerents, Moses Gunn Collective and The Jungle Giants, their individual names and personalities still retain a level of anonymity, for the group shed all of their focus and creative energy into only the nature of Confidence Man's sound and unashamed itch to "get down".
Having released only two singles - 'Boyfriend (Repeat)' and 'Bubblegum', it's pretty amazing how Confidence Man already have us completely hooked, both through our speakers and up on stage. With Bigsound, The Plot and Golden Plains ticked off their festival bucket list, as well as the journey of their current [almost sold out] The Hard Candy Tour, be sure to catch the choreographed dance moves amongst the huge sonic space that these four emit at Splendour this year.
Penchant on retrospective synth machinery, ornate splays of old school disco, and otherworldly sequences cushioning dreamlike vocal sensibilities executed through recordings sprinkled with a dusty finish, Melbourne's TORNADO WALLACE is an integral member of the Australian electronic music nest. Now based in Berlin, a home visit is always a super lovely treat, so we're very lucky to have the musician working tirelessly on material in order to keep coming back.
Since teaming up with Otologic's Tom Moore for their Coober Pedy University Band project some four years ago, Tornado Wallace has gone on to release EPs engulfing his musically spaced out demeanour through the ESP Institute, as well as play many a show and festival across Europe, the UK and back home in Australia. Recently performing at Sugar Mountain in Melbourne recorded live as a Boiler Room set, as well as releasing his mini-album Lonely Planet on Running Back featuring collaborations with Sui Zhen and No Zu, Tornado Wallace is modest yet prime Splendour real estate.
With a thirst for a good beat and a passion for connecting with those responsible, it's no surprise that Melbourne's CC:DISCO! has been involved with radio for over 15 years. Hosting her own show, Smoke and Mirrors on PBS 106.7FM, her stint on-air every Friday evening has eventually seen her step out of the studio and onto the podium; reeling in audiences with her namesake as being, "Australia's First Lady of Disco". Entertaining those attendees of Meredith Music Festival to Strawberry Fields to Dimensions Festival, Splendour is looking like a pretty bouncy time, and we could not be more excited to spend it with such a talented lady!
Taking care of the Mix Up tent in 2016 as one of the interval DJs, it's no wonder Sydney's MOONBASE has been asked back to Splendour In The Grass as an official performer in 2017. Absolutely tearing the place to shreds, he took the opportunity to go all out with his dark, industrial grime; abrasively slapping punters in the face with his powerful production [in the friendliest way possible, of course].
Where he had released the Southpaw EP by that point, he's since pushed out his Orthodox EP (featuring vocals from Mikey Dollaz and Ecca Vandal), launched his own label, Trench Records, headlined his own national tour, announced his very first run of European shows, and unlocked 'It Don't Matter' - his huge collaborative single with Anderson .Paak. A promising performer and an undeniably talented beatmaker, it's only up from here for Moonbase. Be sure to catch him at the festival.
Mike Katz is an instrumentalist and studio producer residing in Melbourne. Where he began his musical trajectory as a session musician amongst the //This Thing// collective, he went on to release tunes under the alias Mike Kay, before biting into the Harvey Sutherland project. Achieving a minimalistic disco aesthetic through his love of flavoursome analogue synths, the artist has released a string of EPs across labels such as MCDE, Voltaire Recordings and Echovolt, to name a few.
In 2015, Harvey Sutherland released his highly acclaimed 12" Bermuda - a two-track EP that has helped shape his live show today. Working with drummer Graeme Pogson and Tamii Rogeon on strings, the additional members go by stage name Bermuda, and altogether set a "futuristic disco" appeal for the palette.
Having just revealed their Expectations EP on Katz' own label Clarity Recordings alongside its own tour throughout Australia and New Zealand, grasp the opportunity to see it unravel again at Splendour In The Grass, as the trio sonically traverse through space and time.
Splendour In The Grass will take place at the North Byron Parklands from Friday, 21st July until Sunday, 23rd July. Tickets go on sale next Thursday, 6th April at 9am AEST via Moshtix for online sales, or by calling 1300 GET TIX via telephone. More information can be found on the SITG website.
SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2017 LINEUP
The xx
Queens of the Stone Age
LCD Soundsystem
Royal Blood
HAIM
Sigur Rós
ScHoolboy Q (only Aus show)
Vance Joy
Two Door Cinema Club
Peking Duk
RL Grime
Bonobo
Father John Misty
Catfish and the Bottlemen
Tash Sultana
Paul Kelly
Stormzy
King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard
George Ezra
Future Islands (only Aus show)
Banks
Bernard Fanning
Dune Rats
Cut Copy
Ásgeir
Allday
Meg Mac
Rag 'N' Bone Man
Thundamentals
Lil' Yachty
San Cisco
Client Liaison
Real Estate
Dan Sultan
Vallis Alps
D.D Dumbo
Maggie Rogers
Tove Lo
POND
Big Scary
The Smith Street Band
Oh Wonder
A.B. Original
Dope Lemon
The Kite String Tangle
Young Franco
Julia Jacklin
Kingswood
Amy Shark
Luca Brasi
The Lemon Twigs
Vera Blue
Slumberjack
Bad//Dreems
Bag Raiders
Topaz Jones
Middle Kids
Ocean Grove
Confidence Man
Bishop Briggs
Late Nite Tuff Guy
Julien Baker
Kilter
Lany
Hockey Dad
Kirin J Callinan
Airling
Cosmo's Midnight
Gretta Ray
Moonbase
The Peep Tempel
Tornado Wallace
The Murlocs
Mallrat
Luke Million
The Wilson Pickers
Romare
Jarrow
Good Boy
Kuren
Oneman
Winston Surfshirt
Set Mo
HWLS
Harvey Sutherland and Bermuda
CC:Disco!
Enschway
DJHMC
Nite Fleit
Alice Ivy
Willow Beats
Willaris. K
Mookhi
Swindail
Dena Amy
Andy Garvey
Planète
Sam Weston
Super Cruel
Christopher Port
Lewis Cancut
Kinder
+ Triple JUnearthed winners
Words by Hannah Galvin.
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