Australia's Hottest Music Festivals

A Guide to this Summer’s Australian Rock & Alternate Music Events

Nov 19, 2008

Summer is nearly here and the music is pumping in Australia as fans get ready to rock at some of the hottest music festivals in the country.

Every summer Australian music fans are inundated with opportunities to see local and international bands as the festival season swings into gear. Here's a selection to get your motor running.

Big Day Out

The Big Day Out started in Sydney in 1992. Since then it’s grown to encompass other Australian cities – Melbourne, Perth, Gold Coast, and Adelaide, as well as Auckland in New Zealand. Last year more than 280,000 crazed rock fans turned out to see a host of international and local acts.

This year the shows are selling out fast and organizers expect record crowds. An eclectic mix of 39 artists is on the bill including music legend Neil Young as well as the Arctic Monkeys, rockabilly band The Living End, The Prodigy, dance act Sneaky Sound System, Bullet for My Valentine, Birds of Tokyo, Died Pretty, The Drones and Infusion.

Homebake 2008 Peace in the Park

For one day only the heart of Sydney will be thumping with a stellar line up of more than 40 acts performing on four stages at this year’s Homebake Festival.

Neil Finn’s Crowded House is back and will play along with multi-award winning Melbourne singer Gabriella Cilmi, country songbird Kasey Chambers, The Getaway Plan, You Am I, End of Fashion and Sparkadia. These are just a few of the hot acts in this year’s line up.

In addition to the action on the music stages there will be an international food fair, market stalls and artist signings with all proceeds to Amnesty International.

12th Queenscliff Music Festival

Billed as the ‘Big Day Out for Grown Ups’ the Queenscliff Music Festival is held in the historic seaside town of the same name, an hour’s drive from Melbourne on the Bellarine Peninsula. This year’s Festival features an impressive line up of legendary rockers, jazz musicians, and emerging talent. The Festival is played out in venues around the town from church halls and hotel ballrooms to circus marquees and the renowned ‘festival train’.

US artist Howie Day makes his Australian debut on the festival stage. Australian rock icons Madder Lake are also on the bill performing their first festival gig in 23 years. They will be joined by another Australian rock legend, Ross Wilson of Daddy Cool fame, appearing with his Urban Legends. Australian artists Josh Pyke, The Audreys and Kate Miller–Heidke will perform along with Jackson Jackson, a 10 piece outfit featuring Harry James Angus from the Cat Empire.

The Liyarn Ngarn (coming together of the spirit) concert will feature music by well-known indigenous Australian musician Archie Roach and his longtime musical associate Shane Howard whose band Goanna was a major act in the early 1980’s.

Guitar maestro Geoff Achison will also put in an appearance along with musical comedy troupe Tripod, Martin Martini and the Bone Palace Orchestra, soul-funk group The Josh Owen Band, jazz singer Julie O’ Hara and swing band Frankie Wants Out.

Soundwave

This festival draws a diverse audience of punk, metal and alternative music fans. More than fifty local and international artists make up the bill this year including featured act Alice in Chains, Nine Inch Nails, Billy Talent, Evergreen, Funeral for a Friend, Less than Jake, Forever the Sickest Kids and a whole lot more.

The copyright of the article Australia's Hottest Music Festivals in Modern Rock Music is owned by Alison Stieven-Taylor. Permission to republish Australia's Hottest Music Festivals in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.