Festival season is well and truly upon us and while most of you are probably still salivating over the immense lineups for Soundwave, Stereosonic, Meredith, and Laneway, as well as eagerly awaiting the forthcoming Future Music Festival bill and that second Soundwave announcement, we have four boutique festivals that we think you should be equally excited about.
While it seems like a new Aussie music festival is announced every week, these are the cream of the crop. Three of them — Marmalade Skies, A State of Trance, and Campfire Festival — will soon enjoy their inaugural events, while the beloved Deni Blues & Roots festival has now been rebranded the Big Sky Blues & Roots Festival, bestowing the popular roots music event with a brand spanking new identity to see it into what we’re sure will be many more years as a staple on the Australian festival calendar.
The organisers of Marmalade Skies, the festival that famously crowdfunded its way into existence, have unveiled their inaugural lineup, featuring Kilter, KLP, Fishing, Lime Cordiale, Hattie Carroll, and Pro Bono, all of whom will be making their way down for this new boutique two-day camping event.
Taking over Goulburn in New South Wales this December, passes to this extensive roster of artists will run you $135 + booking fee, with camping included. Limited second release sales will be available through Ticketbooth from 9am Monday, 20th October.
The first-ever Marmalade Skies Festival will be taking place thanks to the generous contributions of punters, who funded the event via organisers’ Pozible campaign. The crowdfunding effort managed to reach its $15,000 target in just 11 days, ultimately exceeding the target by over $5,000.
Formerly known as the Deni Blues & Roots Festival, the Big Sky Blues & Roots Festival will be taking over the Southern NSW town of Deniliquin this April. Taking place over the 2015 Easter long weekend, the first round of artists have now been announced as Zac Brown Band, Michael Franti & Spearhead, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Mavis Staples, Benny Walker, Dallas Frasca, and Dale Winters.
“We’ve been so thrilled with the growth the festival has made in its short but busy life thus far. We’re really confident that now, in its third year, the punters know and trust that this fantastic Easter event is a trusted source of great music and great fun. The site works so wonderfully well, with the infrastructure that’s already there, but additionally with the stunning landscape with its low horizon and the dome of the big sky above, it’s just magic. We can’t wait!” said Chugg Entertainment Chairman Michael Chugg.
With a newly minted identity, the two-day festival is bringing world-class, Bluesfest-certified, blues and roots entertainment to the scenic surrounds of Deniliquin, which is located just three hours from Melbourne, four hours from Canberra, and less than five hours by road from Adelaide.
Every October, renowned trance master Armin van Buuren announces his plans for the annual A State Of Trance tour. Earlier this month, van Buuren confirmed that in 2015, A State of Trance will be coming to Australia. ASOT 700 will go down with multiple festival events around the world — the first time such an event has happened in the history of van Buuren’s famous brand — preceded by a celebration weekend set to go down in Sydney and Melbourne.
The events will be going down on Friday, 6th February at Melbourne’s Hisense Arena and Saturday, 7th February at the Sydney Showgrounds. The lineup for both events is expected in the first week of November so stay tuned to Tone Deaf. Organisers have promised that punters “can expect only the best DJs within the trance and electronic music industry”. For those unable to attend, a live stream of each festival will be streaming via the official ASOT website.
“We’ll be taking this concept to the next level, with different festivals on different continents, during which the radio studio will get a more prominent place than ever,” van Buuren explained. “We’re all looking for that special State and hope to reach that through different artists and music, for example by giving new talent a platform to perform. The interaction with my fans is key to me, that’s why ‘Together in A State of Trance’ will be the new theme this year.”
The inaugural Campfire Festival is set to descend on the Hunter Valley’s famous Hope Estate winery this March, with a lineup featuring some of the best in Australian country, folk, roots, and blues music, including John Butler Trio, Lee Kernaghan, Kasey Chambers, Ash Grunwald, and more, who’ll be providing the entertainment over three days in addition to a raft of other activities, including numerous food options, craft beer demonstrations, Indigenous dance, and morning yoga.
Highlights include a new luxury camping option, with the Hope Estate vineyard as your scenic backdrop. The estate itself will be host to a number of entertainment precincts, including a main amphitheatre featuring two stages – the first showcasing established Aussie stars and the second playing host to talented up-and-comers.
Early Bird tickets to the inaugural Campfire Festival are available now through Ticketek or the Winery direct on 1800 777 444. Early Bird tickets provide a discounted three-day pass for all purchases made on or prior to 1st December 2014.
Big Sky Blues & Roots Festival 2015
Zac Brown Band
Michael Franti & Spearhead
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic
Mavis Staples
Benny Walker
Dallas Frasca
Dale Winters
Harry Hookey
Saturday, 4th April 2015 – Sunday, 5th April 2015
Conargo Road, Deniliquin NSW
Tickets: Big Sky Blues Festival
Marmalade Skies Festival 2014
Acaddamy
Brave
Castlecomer
Fishing
Flamingo
Godwolf
Islnd
Joy.
Kailo
Kilter
KLP (live)
Lepers And Crooks
Lime Cordiale
Mickey Kojak
Olympic Ayres
Softwar
Sons Of The East
with
Avivaa
Bad Pony
The Blackbird Collective
Borneo
Elliot The Bull
Hattie Carroll
Kamera Lucida
The Khanz
Lincoln
Luen
Mantra Collective DJs
Marc Lore
Mose + Fmly
Nova And The Experience
Owen Rabbit
Parkside Djz
Pro Bono
Strange Associates
Sam And The Bird
Sheerkhan
Slowblow
Wallflower
The Year Of Our War
+ DJs
+ Market Stage acoustic acts from breakfast everyday
Friday, 12th December – Sunday, 14th December 2014
Goulburn, NSW
Tickets: Ticketbooth
A State Of Trance Festival 2015
Lineup revealed soon!
Tickets on sale 10am AEDT Thursday, 23rd October 2014
Friday, 6th February 2015
Hisense Arena, Melbourne
Tickets: Ticketek
Saturday, 7th February 2015
Exhibition Halls, Sydney Showground, Sydney
Tickets: Ticketmaster | Viagogo
Campfire Festival 2014
John Butler Trio
Lee Kernaghan
Kasey Chambers
Ash Grunwald
Beccy Cole
The McClymonts
Wendy Matthews
We Two Thieves
Greg Champion
Amber Lawrence
The Bob Corbett Band
Chelsea Basham
+ More to be announced soon!
Friday, 13th March 2015 – Sunday, 15th March 2015
Hope Estate, Pokolbin NSW
Tickets: Campire Festival
