Harvest Festival

Not too long ago I stoked the flames of the rumour pit by mentioning the Harvest Festival, an indie/arts festival that was (rather surprisingly) being down by the Soundwave team. All that was known then was a small release asking for potention artists to help fill the event sites with life.

And while I was gone on holidays, it was announced. And it's going to be quite the awesome indie festival.

Below is my reaction as I read the line-up for the first time:

• Portishead. Finally. I was wondering if they were ever going to come out. I know a tonne of people who will lose their shit over this.
• The National. Wow. So good earlier this year, but it will be amazing to see them without the crappy Sunset Sounds crowds and the pouring pre-flood rains
• The Flaming Lips. HOLY HELL I FINALLY GET TO SEE THE FLAMING LIPS! *swoon*
• Bright Eyes... not my thing, but I know a lot of indie kids that just wet themselves in excitement
• Holy Fuck. 2nd best band of Laneway this year. Their electronic noise will hopefully find a better crowd here than in a little shed full of hipsters
• The Family Stone... Where's Sly eh? Did he get kicked out of the family?
• The Walkmen! I get to overcome one of my greatest non-Weezer concert regrets, when I decided to not go see them in a little venue in 2003, instead I did an assignment.
• This Town Needs Guns were so good at the Toff this year, will be interesting to see them on a big stage.
• Foxy Shazam, 2nd best band of Soundwave and I'm looking forward to see them funk and rock their way back into my pants.

The details. $135, 18+ (no annoying kids). Botanic Gardens/Riverstage, November 19.

EDIT: the logo and the name is just really making me want to listen to Neil Young.

Harvest Festival

I don't normally post rumours on my blog, but this one has caught my interest so much that I had to share with you.

AJ and the team at Soundwave touring, best known for their punk/metal tours and festivals (I've been to every festival they've put on), are taking a slightly different path in November this year with the Harvest Festival. Unfortunately, it's not a festival featuring Neil Young playing his iconic album (how sweet would that be though?), but rather an arts and indie-slanted music festival.

So what do I mean? Well let's start with the music. Bands rumoured to be on this tour are the Flaming Lips, the National, Aphex Twin, Portishead, Bright Eyes and Mogwai. The indie hipster in me is already frothing at the mouth with just that line up.

Secondly, the Brisbane date is November 19 and the venue size will be 15-20 thousand. I'm thinking Riverstage, which would be an awesome venue for this type of festival, as long as it doesn't turn into the wanky-fake-hipster-dance-music crowd that is Sunset Sounds et al.

But the most interesting thing is something I saw tweeted early this morning. It's a call for submissions from the art sector. That's right, the festival is taking submissions from artists for installations and shows for their music festival, to go hand in hand with the music. This includes:

• Massive installations for the main arena
• Installations for a garden and campire stage, for more laid back music and discussions
• A 1920's style alt-performance tent, incorporating a bar (I've already got some messed up visions of what this could be floating around my head)
• Art for in between the stages and just around the facility in general

It's an interesting idea coming from the Soundwave team. It's good to see them branch off with something new and challenge themselves.

If you're an artist, you have until July 14 to submit your proposal to the team. And if they like it, they'll fund your art at a major music festival! Not too bad. All of the details can be found here at their call for submissions.

Of course, given the internet and the rumour mill, all of this could be a fake. But I hope not, I'm sick of music festivals in their current format and I hope this turns it into something bigger and better.