Australian hip-hop and jazz festival Soulfest has announced a move to a bigger venue due to overwhelming demand.
Soulfest appears to be benefitting from an Aussie population starved of a premier rap festival in recent years and the October-based event is now set to bring the likes of Common, Mos Def and Aloe Blacc to the Kings Domain Gardens, while also incorporating a second stage at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, to meet the demands of more than 15,000 punters.
Festival organisers say the expanded Soulfest will not feature any scheduling conflicts for its bill of over 20 live acts and DJs over the course of three 10-hour days in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane this October.
Claiming to be “Australia’s first ever neo-soul, jazz and hip-hop festival”, Soulfest will also include “authentic New Orleans soulfood, a chilli cook-off, and themed bars”. The expected 15,000 fans for Melbourne’s leg of the tour may seem miniscule in comparison to other premier Aussie festivals, however promoter John Denison believes the days of the major festival are done in Australia.
“I don’t think this country can handle big festivals anymore,” Deinson told FasterLouder in a recent interview. “I think our country is an 8000 to 12,000 [capacity] festival country. That’s what I believe. There are only a handful of festivals that can handle the magnitude and we all know what those are your Sterosonics, Futures, Soundwaves, Laneways. Those guys are where it’s at. I just wanted a festival that was 10-14,000, no more. If we sell out in 10 seconds we’re not going to grow year two or year three. We’re going to keep it boutique. That’s a commitment I’m making to myself.”
Soulfest tickets are priced at $139 for General Admission and $179 for VIP access.
Soulfest 2014
Maxwell
D’Angelo
Common
Aloe Blacc
Mos Def
Anthony Hamilton
Angie Stone
Musiq Soulchild
Leela James
Ngaiire
Nathaniel
Ms Murphy
Miracle
Milan Ring
Thandiwe Phoenix
DJ Trey
Saturday, October 18 – Sydney (Victoria Park (Broadway)
Sunday, October 19 – Melbourne (Kings Domain Gardens and the Sidney Myer Music Bowl)
Saturday, October 25 – Brisbane (The Riverstage)
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