TMN RETROSPECTIVE REPORT: The Bottom Falls Out Of The Festival Market - 2013-14

TMN celebrates two decades in this ever-shifting music industry by taking a look back at the key moments – both triumphant and tumultuous – in the Australian music business.

2013-2014
THE BOTTOM FALLS OUT OF THE FESTIVAL MARKET

Just two years earlier, things seemed rosy in the world of music festivals. Australia had, for the most part, avoided the global recession, and our high dollar and reverse seasons meant a flood of high-profile international artists washed up on our shores, resulting in world-class festival lineups, and a rush of new entrants into the marketplace. Of course this couldn’t hold steady, and as the bottom fell out, many of the big players found punters’ loyalties – and cash – weren’t in infinite supply.

A comedy of errors forced the cancellation of Homebake: the independent-leaning Harvest Festival was scheduled just two weeks before Homebake at the same venue, promoting Homebake to shift from longtime home the Domain to the Sydney Opera House, spreading the event over three days. Harvest itself cancelled days before Homebake announced its format and venue change – which was promptly rejected by fans. Low ticket sales forced the cancellation, and organisers rued the whole situation as “achingly ironic”. The rest of the casualties list reads as a cautionary tale, relics of an optimistic era: Stonefest, Peats Ridge, the stillborn Soundwave Revolution, Pyramid Rock, Days Like This, Pushover, V Festival, Good Vibes, Supafest, Ultra Session Beats, Playground Weekender, Movement – and a 2013 NYE festival at the newly-opened Wet ‘n’ Wild in Sydney which was cancelled six hours prior to gates opening. AJ Maddah has already vowed not to bring Soundwave Festival to Perth in 2015, and with Big Day Out’s ticket sales a fraction of past years, rumblings that 2014’s edition may have been the last were met with the cancellation of next year’s tour.

Our year on year reports are published courtesy of the Australian Music Industry Quarterly magazine. For your free copy click here.