With festival season well and truly upon us there is a good chance you haven’t bought any tickets yet, and there is an even better chance that the reason for your indecision is that the summer festival market is pretty fucking booming right now and this year there are some seriously good lineups going around. Most of said lineups are filled in by the incredible local talent that makes Australian music so damn magnetic, but there are also some really, really good international headliners heading to our shores this festival season that will tend to be that last straw – the one that makes you say fuck it and spend all your savings on one weekend of bliss. God bless them.
This summer there are far too many festivals to choose from. It’s almost not fair, with each lineup as alluring as the last. Here are 6 big international artists heading our way who might help you make up your mind.
Bully – Meredith Music Festival
Bully are one of those young artists who have had an absolutely ripper start to their career. Hailing from Nashville, they made a pretty huge impact with their debut record Feels Like, a collection of potent, serrated alt-rock, akin to Hole or Kim Gordon-led Sonic Youth. They are hitting up Meredith Music for the festival’s silver jubilee and are not doubt gonna put on a blistering show.
Father John Misty – Fairgrounds
As a festival surrounded by rolling hills and a magically carnival-esque setting, Fairgrounds had to fill their bill with some pretty mystic acts; Father John Misty is just the man for the job. Epitomising talent and class, Misty, aka Josh Tillman is extraordinary and his enchanting live set is pretty much the perfect way to spend a weekend blissing out in the lush domain of Berry on the NSW South Coast.
Thurston Moore Band – Meredith Music Festival
Aunty Meredith is renowned for pulling some big guns when it comes to international talent and their silver jubilee features one of their biggest lineups ever. Thurston Moore is one of the most irresistible of their bulging lineup – an absolute legend with a career that has grown into something worthy of the ages. His solo stuff is no let down either – The Best Day and Bully are both solid chunks of indie rock gold.
Kurt Vile & The Violaters – Falls Festival
Falls Festival is pretty packed with international headliners this year from Foals to Bloc Party but Kurt is the man to see. The man has seen a steady rise to the helm of indie royalty with his languid, rolling blend of spacey folk and rock. Wakin’ On A Pretty Daze was one of the best albums of 2014 and his follow up b’lieve i’m goin down is an unbelievable follow up. Definitely set to put the Falls crowds into a pretty blissful stupor.
DIIV – Laneway Festival
Laneway 2016 is strewn with some pretty solid international headliners this time around, as always. DIIV suit Laneway down to a tee. With a new record just around the corner they’re sure to have a few new tricks under their sleeves (and Zachary Cole Smith usually has some pretty massive sleeves). Hopefully they pull this one out (DIIV covering Bob Dylan live sounds better than, well, Bob Dylan live):
Albert Hammond Jr – Mountain Sounds
The man played in The Strokes. Enough said.
