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Happy Mag’s guide to Splendour In The Grass 2018

Splendour In The Grass was something I dreamt of for a long time, tuning in to the live stream over the Splendour weekend all those years I was too young/poor/unlucky to go. I remember walking through the festival grounds for the first time and stopping in the middle of the grassy field, turning around and trying to take everything in.

Overseas festivals may be bigger but for Australia, this is a huge upgrade from any other festival. Splendour is its own town. It even has a newspaper.

happy mag's guide to splendour in the grass 2018 brooke tunbridge
Photos: Brooke Tunbridge

To make the most of a festival this big, you need to prepare. Allow us to take that responsibility off your hands with our Guide to Splendour In The Grass 2018.

Music

Where do I even begin? I can already picture the amphitheatre going crazy after hearing the first few scratchy sounds of Kendrick Lamar’s Humble on the Sunday night. The green lights flashing for Lorde and her electric dance moves. The heart-beating-out-of-chest moments during Vampire Weekend. There are countless gems on this year’s Splendour line-up, including Khalid, The Wombats, CHVRCHES, Girl Talk, Angus & Julia Stone, Gang of Youths, Franz Ferdinand, MGMT, Ben Howard, and stacks more.

After the release of their new album Middle Kids will be a great set to see. Angie McMahon will take to the stage after hitting the UK and her headline Australia tour. Albert Hammond Jr, Soccer Mommy, Superorganism… I could go on forever.

Point is, it’s a solid lineup with a lot of talent, home-grown and international. Take a good look at the lineup and make sure you don’t miss out on any upcoming talent (easy to say when the set times aren’t yet out – I’m sure there are bound to be clashes because everything is good). Make sure to check out all of the different stages at some point.

Explore

There’s so much to explore over the time you’re visiting Byron Bay Parklands. I’m going to set aside time for Splendour In The Craft because it is amazing. If you’re after twisted electronic music, fire twirlers and light shows, then the Tipi Forest is the place for you. Once the main stages finish, the Tipi Forest is only just getting started.

Music and modern art lovers, you’ll love the Splendour Arts, from projections and paintings to large-scale street art and interactive life size art installations (remember Kanye? We all do).

The Splendour Forum highlights a range of issues including politics, activism, and music in panels, debates, interviews, Q&A sessions, documentaries, literary salons, philosophical talks, and more. Seats fill up quickly for these so make sure you’re quick!

Head to The Bohemian Lounge if you’re after a break. There’s yoga, dance, healing, and poetry by day, and cabaret performances, circus extravaganza, poetry jams, and jazz journeys by night.

If you have kids, there’s heaps of options available at Splendour, from babysitting to a safe place for them to roam and play.

happy mag's guide to splendour in the grass 2018

Food & Drinks

There will be over 70 food outlets at the festival, so there’s something for everyone, even the fussiest of eaters. Remember to bring plenty of food along with you if you’re camping but if you run out, there’s a general store or of course, all of the food outlets just mentioned.

Please remember that you need to take your waste with you and dispose of it responsibly, so be mindful when you’re buying food there and how you dispose of waste back at your campsites.

Eco Cops will be returning. If you’re illegally trashing Splendour, you’ll be hit with on the spot fines or a citizens’ arrest. Waste Warriors will also be in attendance, wearing hi-vis around the festival campgrounds with things like extra garbage bags to make sure you’re looking after the environment.

With live demos of Splendour’s waste sorting procedures happening throughout the weekend, their mission is simple; to recycle and up-cycle and keep it clean! When you’re given the garbage bags at the festival campgrounds, make sure you’re listening to hear how you should be sorting your waste. Don’t be one of those people that trash their campsite within minutes of being there. Let’s keep Splendour at Byron Bay Parklands by making sure we look after the land!

Plan your weekend

Planning what to see at Splendour is as stressful as trying to buy tickets. There’s too much on at once! Sort yourself out and look at the set times before you get there (most of you will have a pretty lengthy car ride so you’ve got plenty of time). Mix in a few different things to make sure you get the full experience of the festival.

If craft isn’t for you, maybe you’ll be intrigued by the discussions at the science tent, or wander the markets to find new threads. Just realise that you can’t be in two places at once, as much as clashing set times make you wish you could.

Hopefully you were lucky enough to grab tickets to Splendour In The Grass. If you did – enjoy. Look after yourself and your mates, respect other people and their space. Take everything home with you when you’re packing up your campsite and leave Byron Bay Parklands looking pristine. Send snaps to your poor mates at home who will have to settle for the live stream.

See you at Splendour!

happy mag's guide to splendour in the grass 2018

Lineup

Kendrick Lamar
Lorde (only AUS show)
Vampire Weekend (only AUS show)
Khalid (only AUS show)
The Wombats
Hilltop Hoods
CHVRCHES
Miguel

Girl Talk (only AUS show)
Angus & Julia Stone
Gang of Youths
Franz Ferdinand
MGMT
Ben Howard
Dune Rats & Friends
James Bay
PNAU
Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite
The Avalanches DJ set
Chromeo
DMA’S
Ball Park Music

Henry Rollins (only AUS show)
SAFIA
The Jungle Giants
Lil Xan
Methyl Ethel
Amy Shark
The Bronx
Ocean Alley
Carmada (L D R U & Yahtzel)
DZ Deathrays
Lord Huron
Middle Kids
Hockey Dad
Towkio
Cub Sport
Touch Sensitive
Sampa The Great
Dean Lewis
Skegss
Albert Hammond Jr
Mallrat
Marmozets
Alex Lahey
Riton & Kah-Lo
Jack River
Superorganism
Anna Lunoe
Lewis Capaldi
All Our Exes Live In Texas
Alex The Astronaut
Yungblud
Crooked Colours
Nina Las Vegas
Soccer Mommy (only AUS show)
Elderbrook
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
Tim Sweeney
Stella Donnelly
Bully
Baker Boy
Wafia
No Mono
Waax
Angie McMahon
West Thebarton
Eves Karydas
G Flip
The Babe Rainbow
Haiku Hands
Didirri
Alice Ivy
Amyl & The Sniffers
Ziggy Ramo
Fantastic Man
Lo’99
Human Movement
Manu Crook$
Kasbo
Madam X
Andras
Alta
Ara Koufax
Two People
B Wise
Made In Paris
Jensen Interceptor
Woodes
Teischa
Antony & Cleopatra
Muto
Elk Road
triple j Unearthed winners (TBA)

Plus…

Mike Gurrieri
Love Deluxe
Lauren Hansom
Poolclvb
Godlands
Nyxen
Emma Stevenson
Ebony Boadu