Aussie Festivals Set To Welcome Back International Headliners

A date for the reopening of Australia’s borders is still remote and not expected until early 2021 at least. Most summer festivals are thus making do with all-Australian bills, but three in the first half of 2021 are taking a gamble by announcing overseas names.

The 11-date Under The Southern Stars festival with +LIVE+, Bush and Stone Temple Pilots was rescheduled from April 2020 to Feb. 16 to March 7.

Promoter Andrew McManus teamed with TEG chief executive Geoff Jones to present the COVID-Safe Road Map to prime minister Scott Morrison to adopt as a blueprint for all future live music events.

The plan sees the three acts travel with two support staff and using Australian road crew. They will be tested for COVID before leaving the U.S. and again when they arrive. The bands will be quarantined at an isolated compound with a rehearsal studio for 14 days.

While traveling Aussie supports Rose Tattoo and Electric Mary and crews will be in segregated sections on flights and “military style” transfers between cities. They will stay in locked hotel floors.

Shows will be capped at 70% of venue capacity. Punters must download the government’s COVID-Safe app which displays when the user is close to someone with the virus and undergo temperature checks and strict social distancing.

McManus said, “We want to be part of the solution, not part of the COVID problem.  We want to work with government at all levels, federal, state and local to formulate a plan that can get our industry off its knees.”

Bluesfest Byron Bay’s first artist announcement for its April 1-5 meet included Bon Iver, Patti Smith & Her Band, George Benson, Michael Franto & Spearhead, Morcheeba, The Wailers, Buffy St. Marie, Jimmie Vaughan and John Mayall.

Festival director Peter Noble stated, “As this country’s most highly awarded music festival, we are working with government to find the best possible outcomes for Bluesfest 2021. 

“We want to present another great event, one that is safe and with best-practise protocols implemented on every level.  We need it, the music industry needs it and the greater community needs it.”

Bluesfest traditionally draws 100,000, but would only play to 9,000 under current rules.

Secret Sounds announced Splendour In The Grass will stage July 23-25, 2021 with two headliners from its cancelled 2020 – Tyler, The Creator and The Strokes (along with Gorillaz) – event for 50,000 attendees at North Byron Parklands In Byron Bay.