Despite the news that this year’s festival might be the last, The folks at St. Kilda Festival have announced that The Cat Empire will be headlining this year!

Following the City of Port Phillip council rescuing it from a potential cancellation due to budgetary concerns late last year, organisers teased the first batch of musical acts to play at the 2013 event this past December, including Aussie rock stalwarts Bluejuice, Midnight Juggernauts offering a DJ set, up-and-coming Brisbane artist Thelma Plum, and the effervescent sounds of The Bamboos vocalist Kylie Auldist – to name a few.

The full program lineup for the Festival weekend was later revealed with more than 150 artists playing across seven stages and more than 40 venues across the Melbourne beachside suburb, taking place on Saturday 2nd February right through to Sunday 10th.

The main stage will see performances from Bluejuice, roots multi-instrumentalist Ash Grunwald, hip hop star Pez, Melbourne’s own Oh Mercy. The aforementioned Midnight Juggernauts DJs closing out the sunset slot of the festival, while the day will be opened by locals While The City Sleeps, and the fun sounds of Peter Combe & The Quirky Berserkey Newspaper Mama Band.

Over at the O’Donnell Gardens Stage, organisers promise something “for a chilled vibe”, including the Royal Jelly Dixieland Band, energetic eight-piece Eagle & The Worm, rising star Grey Ghost, the sleek, inventive Hiatus Kaiyote, funked-up strut of The Cactus Channel, pop fizz of Loon Lake; and finishing proceedings – Northeast Party House’s dance-inflected set and Bamboos vocalist Kylie Auldist.

The likes of Thelma Plum, Madre Monte, and Kutcha Edwards will liven up the Alfred Square Stage, along with musical wares from Patou Powell & The Ska Vendors, bluegrass heroes The Quarry Mountain Dead Rats, Mojo Juju and Abbie Cardwell & The Chicano Rockers.

Those looking for something completely fresh will enjoy the New Music Stage, hosting unsigned bands on the way to glory, this year welcoming Buckley Ward, Shaun Kirk, Animaux, Warning Birds, Roscoe James Irwin (Tin Pan Orange/The Cat Empire), The Twoks, Stillwater Giants, Straylove, Sub Atari Knives, and Client Liason – producers of the ‘most Australian’ music video ever.

Having spent much of 2012 touring overseas, The Cat Empire are now home making plenty of noise in the studio, writing and recording their new long player.

The new album is being recorded in Melbourne with producer Jan Skubiszewski and it heralds the same spirit which originally attracted a massive world-wide legion of fans to the band – music that is guaranteed to make even the rhythmically challenged dance and the orally challenged sing.

It is a return to the original anthemic party sound for The Cat Empire, whose energy and uniqueness has won over hearts and headphones across the globe.

The programme is overflowing with acts, so for further details head tostkildafestival.com.au/2013

St Kilda Festival 2013 Lineup

Saturday 2nd February to Sunday 10th February 2013.
The St Kilda Festival is produced and presented by the City of Port Phillip and supported by the Victorian Government through Arts Victoria.

CAT EMPIRE/ MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS DJS / BLUEJUICE / ASH GRUNWALD / PEZ / OH MERCY / THELMA PLUM / KYLIE AULDIST / LOON LAKE / NORTHEAST PARTY HOUSE / THE CACTUS CHANNEL / HIATUS KAIYOTE / GREY GHOST / EAGLE & THE WORM / WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS / ROYAL JELLY DIXIELAND BAND / PETER COMBE & THE QUIRKY BERSERKY NEWSPAPER MAMA BAND / BUCKLEY WARD / SHAUN KIRK / ANIMAUX / STILLWATER GIANTS / WARNING BIRDS / ROSCOE JAMES IRWIN / THE TWOKS / CLIENT LIAISON / STRAYLOVE / SUB ATARI KNIVES / THE REFUNDS / JOHN FLANAGAN AND THE BEGIN AGAINS / DIRT RIVER RADIO / BELLE ROSCOE / ELOQUOR / SOUL SAFARI / KASHMERE CLUB / BETTER THAN THE WIZARDS / FLOUNDER

+ MANY MORE


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