The Oceanic music festivals don’t just feature the fixed locale ones around New Year’s that you find in the stodgy Northern Hemisphere, but also traveling ones at the start of 2010, ranging from either side of the Outback to either side of the Tasman Sea:
View QRO Magazine 2009/2010 Festival Guide Down Under in a larger map
Stationary
What: Homebake
Where: Sydney, NSW
When: December 5
Who: Powderfinger, Jet, Hilltop Hoods, Eskimo Joe, Sia, Tim Finn, Midnight Juggernauts, Die! Die! Die!, Bridezilla and more
Why: The all-ANZAC Homebake kicks off the summer festival season down under at The Domain.
Web: www.homebake.com.au
What: Meredith
Where: Meredith, VIC
When: December 11-13
Who: Jarvis Cocker, Animal Collective, YACHT, Patrick Wolf, Sia, Akron/Family, WHY?, Thee Oh Sees and more
Why: Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre has been holding the festival since 1991, and is still going strong, with another interesting line-up (and kind of confusing ticket selling system, designed to make sure the hardcore fans get in).
Web: www.mmf.com.au
What: The Falls
Where: Lorne, VIC & Marion Bay, TAS
When: December 29-31
Who: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Grizzly Bear, Moby, Hilltop Hoods, Rodrigo y Gabriela, The Temper Trap, Xavier Rudd, Major Lazer, Midnight Juggernauts, Andrew Bird, Editors, King Khan & The Shrines, Wolfmother, Liam Finn, Chairlift, Datarock, Patrick Watson, Future of the Left, Dappled Cities, Amanda Blank, White Rabbits and more
Why: Why spend New Year’s in one state, when you can spend it in two? The Falls Festival started in 1993 in Lorne, but in 2003 spread across the Bass Strait to Marion Bay, with acts playing both campgrounds.
Web: www.fallsfestival.com/au
What: Pyramid Rock
Where: Phillip Island, VIC
When: December 30-31
Who: Cat Power, Empire of the Sun, The Cat Empire, Grinspoon, Biffy Clyro, Architecture in Helsinki, The Drons, The Blxer Rebellion, Ponytail, Telepathe, The Juan MacLean, We Have Band, Bang Bang Eche, and more
Why: Now in its fifth year, Philip Island’s Pyramid Rock blows down the last days of 2009, headlined by Cat Power, Empire of the Sun – and Cat Empire…
Web: www.thepyramidrockfestival.com
What: Field Day
Where: Sydney, NSW
When: January 1
Who: The Presets, Major Lazer featuring Diplo, James Murphy & Pat Mahoney, Architecture in Helsinki, Fake Blood, Cassius, Datarock, The Juan Maclean, Phenomenal Handclap Band, Amanda Blank, We Have Band, Bang Bang Eche and more
Why: Celebrate 2010 with an electro-dance party at The Domain in Sydney.
Web: www.fuzzy.com.au/coming-up/212/info
What: Southbound
Where: Busselton, WA
When: January 8-10
Who: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Moby, Wolfmother, Hilltop Hoods, Xavier Rudd, Editors, Jamie T & The Pacemakers, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Grizzly Bear, The Temper Trap, Major Lazer, Midnight Juggernauts, Andrew Bird, Future fo the Left, Datarock, Amanda Blank, White Rabbits, Patrick Watson, Liam Finn, King Khan & The Shrines, Chairlift, Dappled Cities, The Boxer Rebellion and more
Why: The standing festival heads west, as many of the acts that spent New Year’s Eve on the Bass Strait go to Western Australia’s Sir Stewart Bovell Park the following weekend.
Web: sunsetevents.com.au/Festivals/Southbound/latestnews/default.aspx
What: Sydney
Where: Sydney, NSW
When: January 9-30
Who: Al Green, The Decemberists, John Cale, Neko Case, Grandmaster Flash, Medeski Martin & Wood, Grizzly Bear, Patrick Watson, Amanda Blank, Camera Obscura, Laura Marling, Fink, Bridezilla and more
Why: Sydney celebrates the southern summer at venues across the city across January.
Web: www.sydneyfestival.org.au/2010
What: Perth International Arts
Where: Perth, WA
When: February 5-March 1
Who: Yo La Tengo, Antony & The Johnsons, British Sea Power, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Calexico, Jamie Lidell, Dean & Britta, HEALTH, Dirty Three, Pivot, Hypnotic Brass Enesemble, Bachelorette and more
Why: Some artsy acts come to the most isolated city in the world.
Web: www.perthfestival.com.au
What: New Zealand International Arts
Where: Wellington, NZ
When: February 26-March 21
Who: Rufus Wainwright, St. Vincent, The Swell Season, Dean & Britta, Calexico, Antibalas and more
Why: Some of those same acts – plus some great new ones – then swing over to the most isolated country in the world.
Web: www.nzfestival.nzpost.co.nz
Traveling
What: Big Day Out
Where: Auckland, NZ; Gold Coast, QLD; Sydney, NSW; Melbourne, VIC; Adelaide, SA; Perth, WA
When: January 15-31
Who: Muse, Powderfinger, Lily Allen, Eskimo Joe, Groove Armada, Grinspoon, The Mars Volta, Ladyhawke, Dizzee Rascal, Karnivool, Peaches, The Temper Trap, Kasabian, Midnight Juggernauts, Rise Against, The Horrors, Calvin Harris, The Decemberists, Girl Talk, Jet, Devendra Banhart, Passion Pit, Simian Mobile Disco, Hilltop Hoods and more See more in our preview here
Why: The biggest traveling festival Down Under has been dogged by controversy, from mosh pit & O.D. deaths to jingoist flag-waving & a homophobic rapper (just dropped from this year’s tour), but also has the best acts from all around the world, playing all around Australia & New Zealand. See more in our recap of Big Day Out 2010 : Auckland here
Web: www.bigdayout.com
What: Laneway
Where: Brisbane, QLD; Melbourne, VIC; Sydney, NSW; Auckland, NZ; Adelaide, SA; Perth, WA
When: January 29-February 6
Who: Echo & The Bunnymen, Florence & The Machine, Black Lips, The xx, Daniel Johnston, N.A.S.A., Hockey, Dappled Cities, Mumford & Sons, The Very Best, Wild Beasts, Cut Off Your Hands, Surf City and more
Why: But getting bigger & bigger is St. Jerome’s Laneway, only coming on its sixth year, but has been adding a city every year for the past five, last year crossing the outback to include Perth, this year crossing the Tasman Sea to include New Zealand.
Web: www.lanewayfestival.com.au
What: Soundwave
Where: Brisbane, QLD; Sydney, NSW; Melbourne, VIC; Adelaide, SA; Perth, WA
When: February 20-March 1
Who: Faith No More, My Chemical Romance, Jane’s Addiction, AFI, Placebo, Paramore, alexisonfire, Tacking Back Sunday, Sunny Day Real Estate, Anthrax, Eagles of Death Metal, The Get Up Kids, Reel Big Fish, All Time Low, The Weakerthans, Anvil, The Almost, The Aquabats, RX Bandits and more
Why: While most of Soundwave’s line-up wouldn’t be out of place on Bamboozle or The Warped Tour (QRO Highlights), it also features some great, reunited classics like Faith No More, Jane’s Addiction, and Sunny Day Real Estate.
Web: www.soundwavefestival.com
What: Future
Where: Brisbane, QLD; Perth, WA; Sydney, NSW; Melbourne, VIC; Adelaide, SA
When: February 27-March 8
Who: The Prodigy, Franz Ferdinand, Empire of the Sun, David Guetta, Boys Noize, Does It Offend You, Yeah? and more
Why: Dance, from electro- to -rock, hits Australia over two weekends.
Web: www.futuremusicfestival.com.au
