Australasia News: Secret Sounds Unveils New Fest, Venue; International Additions To BIGSOUND; NZ: Rhythm & Vines Returs For 20th

AUSTRALIA

Secret Sounds Unveils Harvest Rock Festival, Music Venue

Secret Sounds, best known for organizing the Splendour In The Grass and Falls festivals, has an addition to its slate.

Harvest Rock is held November 19 and 20 in Rymill and King Rodney parks in Adelaide. It is expected to draw 20,000 to 25,000 a day.

It’s a tourism initiative by the South Australian government with high end chefs and wine bars and one-offs sets by Jack White and Kurt Vile, as well as the Black Crowes, Khruangbin, Groove Armada, Sam Fender, Tones & I, Avalanches, the Teskey Bros, the Living End, and Angus and Julia Stone.

it is expected 40 per cent of the crowd will come from outside South Australia and Harvest Rock will inject A$10 million (US$6.8 million) into the state economy.

“We’re planning a good old fashioned get together – with great music, food and wine”, said Secret Sounds co-CEO and Harvest Rock producer Jessica Ducrou.

Secret Sounds also launches September 15, its 1800-capacity live music venue Hindley Street Music Hall, in Adelaide’s Hindley Street strip.

Designed to draw more major acts to Adelaide, a UNESO City Of Music, its first acts include international visitors Freddie Gibbs, Hanson and Pennywise.

The $6 million ($4.1 million) enterprise also involves Secret Sounds stakeholder Live Nation.

More International Names For BIGSOUND

More international names were added to the conference and showcase BIGSOUND, held in Brisbane September 6 to 9.

They included US-based record producer Che Pope, Disney Imagineering global head of music Tricia Holloway, Live Nation Women president and chief strategy officer Ali Harnell and Milly Olykan, international relations and development head of the Country Music Association.

Latest Australian names joining the list are Maggie Collins, executive director of Association of Artist Managers, and Annabelle Herd, CEO of the Australian Recording Industry Association.

BIGSOUND has 1,700 conference delegates, with 16,000 expected to catch the 180 export-ready acts across 23 stages.

Industry events are by Live Nation (Ones to Watch with bedroom creator Kanada The Loop and musician producer Carla Wehbe), Spotify, Music New Zealand, Made in South Australia, record label Ivy League, R&B and hip hop platform CADA and multi-division UNIFIED x Lonely Lands agency, and Secret Sounds.

NEW ZEALAND

Rhythm And Vines Returns For 20th Celebrations

After two years of COVID-19-caused delays, Rhythm& Vines returns December 28 to 31 to Waiohika Estate, Gisborne on north island’s east coast.

It celebrates its 20th anniversary with 50 acts in its first lineup announcement, which includes international names as the UK’s Chase & Status and Dimension, and an Australian contingent including Alison Wonderland, Cosmos Midnight and Spacey Jane.

It is considered a rites-of-passage event for its 18—25 target group which snaps up half the 30,000-strong ticket allocation even before the mostly EDM and hip-hop bill is announced.

“We sell the vibe and the reputation than the lineup,” said founder Hamish Pinkham.

The event injects NZ $6 million ($3.7 million) into the Gisborne economy each year.