What do you think it would be like to perform at the world’s biggest music festival? An Aussie band is going to find out later this year.

Brisbane indie-pop sextet Sheppard have just been announced as the one and only Australian set to play at the epic Rock in Rio Festival held over seven days in Brazil this September.

The group will be by flying the Aussie flag proudly at the World Stage the same night as Rihanna and Sam Smith and join an all-star cast of performers including Elton John, Katy Perry, System of a Down, Queens of the Stone Age, Faith No More, Metallica, Queen + Adam Lambert, Motley Crue, Mastodon, Rod Stewart and so many more.

This is an incredible opportunity for Sheppard, the group having soared at lighting pace through the ranks, their rise catapulted courtesy of the release debut record, Bombs Away of 2014.

The last time Rock In Rio was in it’s Brazilian home, it was attended by 600,000 punters, making it once again one of the most visited and celebrated musical extravaganza’s on the planet.

With a history spanning 30 years, Rock in Rio is the world’s largest music and entertainment event. The festival has already celebrated 14 editions, five in Brazil (1985, 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2013), six in Portugal (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014) and three in Spain (2008, 2010 and 2012). In 2015, Rock in Rio will take place for the first time in Las Vegas, USA, in May. In September, the sixth edition in Brazil will be staged at the City of Rock, the world’s most iconic festival site in Rio de Janeiro.

Combining all past editions, over 7.5 million people have taken part in the event. Rock in Rio also breaks records on social media, with over 11 million followers. Combining the Brazilian, Portuguese and Spanish editions, over 1,274 music acts have performed on the stages of Rock in Rio, totalling some 1,200 hours of music, broadcast to 1 billion viewers around practically the whole world, via TV and Internet.

If you’re keen to be one of the half a million punters in Rio de Janeiro, jump over to Rock In Rio’s website for all details.

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