Music
A guide to the 14 best Aussie festivals this summer
We checked out all the music festivals Australia has to offer in the summer and here are our picks.
After a dynamic shift in the landscape, a scattering of fresh boutique offerings has sprouted to keep the festival ecosystem in Australia at peak lushness with new favourites well-established alongside reliable mainstays. Our love of festivals isn’t exactly confined to summer, but the warmer months certainly kick things into overdrive when it comes to absorbing the sounds of some of the finest musical bills the world has to offer.
As the floppy hats and tropical shirts begin to get an airing out of the closet, we take a look at fourteen key festivals taking place in the Australian summer.
Festival X
The spirit of Stereosonic lives on as its organisers launch Festival X, branching beyond EDM with a sprawling debut bill. Dance giants Calvin Harris, Armin Van Buuren, and Alison Wonderland headline, with rap prodigies Lil Pump and Blueface along for the ride on the festival's maiden voyage.
Fairgrounds
An easy–going vibe and a folk-rock leaning make Fairgrounds a solid destination for connoisseurs of guitar-laden tunes. This year’s edition features '90s rock icons Liam Gallagher and The Lemonheads, along with local legends Kasey Chambers, DMA's, Dope Lemon, and a whole lot more.
Meredith Music Festival
RVG at Meredith Music Festival
© Craig Johnstone
A longstanding bastion on the Australian festival calendar, Meredith Music Festival has maintained slight evolution while retaining its core philosophical values – primarily its one stage, no clashes ethos. There’s a vast array of acts gracing the Supernatural Amphitheatre each year, ranging from invigorated legacy acts to undiscovered gems, the lineup blurring genre lines into one holistic party package. Icons Liam Gallagher and Roisin Murphy lead the charge on the bill, along with homegrown rap stars Briggs and Jesswar along with a cavalcade of punk upstarts, revered house purveyors, and everything in between.
Lost Paradise
Glenworth Valley’s Lost Paradise features two Aussie titans of their respective fields at the top of this year's bill in dance outfit RÜFÜS DU SOL and hip-hop stalwarts Hilltop Hoods. They cap off a who's-who of Australian talent spanning years and genre, including Matt Corby, Methyl Ethel, and resurgent pop twins The Veronicas. The international contingent is well represented, especially by Honey Dijon (who has runs on the board when it comes to throwing it down to Australian festival crowds).
Beyond The Valley
Beyond the Valley
© Justin Baker
Arriving in 2014 to join in on the New Year’s festival action, Beyond The Valley instantly established itself as a destination to ring in the year ahead with a focus on festival-primed dance acts. Extending as always beyond the beats core, this year's lineup welcomes Tyler, The Creator bringing the acclaimed IGOR project to Australia for the first time. Plus there's Floating Points in always-impressive live mode, grime don Skepta, and Brisbane's Mallrat will be there to make your dreams amazing.
Falls Festival
Falls Festival, Lorne
© [unknown]
Over the course of 27 years, Falls Music & Arts Festival has been resolute in its ability to throw a massive New Year’s bash in its home of Lorne – since branching out for Marion Bay, then Byron Bay and Fremantle iterations. Its proven ability to attract top-shelf international stars continues, with mega-star Halsey (performing an Australian exclusive) and Vampire Weekend spanning their career from A-Punk to new double LP Father Of The Bride. There will be bangers galore courtesy of Disclosure, Peking Duk, PNAU, and the biggest banger of them all from the national treasure himself, John Farnham.
Origin Fields
WA's biggest New Year's attraction has always shown a great appreciation for big, big bass, and this year will continue the trend of rattling ribs with RL Grime and ShockOne. Plus there's a chance for the west of the country to see Tyler, The Creator in action.
Let Them Eat Cake
Let Them Eat Cake
© [unknown]
Bringing a pristine roster of house purveyors to the dignified surrounds of Werribee Park, Let Them Eat Cake has provided plenty of reasons to take it easy on New Year’s Eve in order to save yourself for a solid New Year’s Day. The 2019 edition will feature Jon Hopkins to accelerate yourself into the new year nicely, plus Manchester's Madam X, and local Harvey Sutherland in live formation.
Field Day
A human triangle at Field Day
© Press
A long-running staple of Sydney New Year's celebrations, Field Day will kick off 2020 with a potent mix of dance, dream-pop, and bang-on-trend rap – including YBN Cordae, IAMDBB, and Playboi Carti. Miss out and you might endure a stummy ache.
Sun Cycle
A new arrival on the festival calendar, Sun Cycle radiates with some of the most respected names in Melbourne dance: CC Disco, DJ JNETT, Andras, 6AM At The Garage (revisit our recent interview), along with rap heavyweights Freddie Gibbs and Sampa The Great.
FOMO
Rapidly expanding with iterations across the country, FOMO has attracted a calibre and scope of hip-hop talent previously rarely seen in Australian festival lineups. The 2020 edition boasts Lizzo and Rico Nasty making their respective Australian debuts, plus the return of Brockhampton.
Out Of Bounds
A new offering from I Oh You's Johann Ponniah in his hometown, the inagural Out Of Bounds will see Illy, The Rubens, Mallrat, Trophy Eyes, and more descend on Campbelltown (south-west of Sydney) this January.
Laneway Festival
Laneway Festival
© [unknown]
From humble beginnings in a Melbourne CBD laneway to an international festival, Laneway has grown into one of Australia’s biggest touring festivals – attracting international stars while providing a platform for worthy local acts. 2020 features alternative-pop royalty The 1975 and Charli XCX in pole position. Some of the hottest names in rap feature, including Earl Sweatshirt and J.I.D, plus the rock frenzy of King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard and The Chats.
A Festival Called PANAMA
We're pushing the definition of summer out a bit to include this boutique Tassie gem. The full lineup for 2020 is incoming very soon, but you can be assured with the festival's track record that it will be nothing short of top-shelf.
