The Australian Festivals Association has pleaded for “the ongoing war on festivals” to end after another barrier was proposed this week by the New South Wales (NSW) government.

Bushfires, floods, the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis are among a laundry list of issues that have left the market’s festival scene “in crisis” and caused a raft of events to shut down.

This week NSW premier Chris Minns added to that list with a veiled threat to ban music festivals on Anzac Day – a national day of remembrance for army corps from Australia and New Zealand.

On Wednesday (10 July), the premier announced a crackdown on retail trading on the “solemn” occasion, which would see shops and supermarkets remain closed until midnight. He also implied those restrictions would extend to music festivals, though curiously National Rugby League matches will be unaffected.

Small businesses are exempt from Minns’ proposed new trading hours, along with markets, cafes, chemists, news agencies and takeaway restaurants.

“Anzac Day is a day for Australians to come together and if it is in a social environment, at a pub, at a club,” he told reporters, “as long as it’s part of an RSL [the Returned and Services League of Australia] club or a pub and it’s done with a view to commemorating that service, then we are not going to stand in the way of that.”

“This shows the NSW government’s priorities are completely out of line with the community”

The state leader added, “There is a distinction, and I think it’s reasonable for the government to draw this distinction, between a for-profit major rock concert in the domain, that has nothing really to do with Anzac Day, that hasn’t been done in co-operation or consultation with the RSL.”

Minns’s comments come off the back of the Pandemonium Rocks controversy when the music event, scheduled for April 25 at The Domain, clashed with the Anzac Day March at nearby Hyde Park.

The proposal to ban music festivals on Anzac Day has been branded a “complete overreach” by The Australian Festivals Association.

In a social post, the trade body adds: “Allowing people to go to the pub and play two-up [a traditional Australian gambling game] yet not attend a music festival shows the NSW government’s priorities are completely out of line with the community.”

Music festivals “contribute to culture and community,” the message continues. “We are committed to work with NSW government so festivals can respectfully co-exist alongside these important commemorations. This ongoing war on festivals must end.”

A number of festivals disappeared from Australia’s 2024 season including Splendour in the Grass, Groovin The Moo, Coastal Jam, Summerground, Vintage Vibes, Tent Pole: A Musical Jamboree and ValleyWays.

The cancellations were followed by a new report from Creative Australia which found that only half of the country’s festivals are profitable.

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Pandemonium Rocks organisers have dramatically scaled down the debut edition of the Australian touring festival, following weeks of speculation.

Two of the festival’s four headliners – Deep Purple and Placebo – have been axed, in addition to Dead Kennedys, Gang Of Four, Gyroscope and Petch.

On account of these omissions, the Apex Entertainment-promoted event will now be run as a one-stage event.

Seven acts remain on the bill, including Alice Cooper, Blondie, Psychedelic Furs, Wheatus, Wolfmother, Palaye Royale and Cosmic Psychos.

Changes have also been made to the location of the events: the Gold Coast show will now take place at the Broadwater Parklands rather than its original venue, Doug Jennings Park. The event scheduled for Sandstone Point Hotel near Bribie Island will now happen at Eatons Hill Hotel in Brisbane’s northern suburbs.

The two festival sideshows scheduled to happen in Newcastle have been combined into one, co-headlined by Blondie and Alice Cooper.

“With an industry on its knees, it’s now more important than ever to keep the wheels turning,” Andrew McManus, CEO of Apex Entertainment, told news.com.au. “There are hundreds of people in the industry, including venue operators, roadies and hotel staff, relying on the success of this tour.”

“With an industry on its knees, it’s now more important than ever to keep the wheels turning”

In line with the pared-down edition, organisers have announced that tickets for the Melbourne, Sydney and Gold Coast editions will now cost $190 ($70 less than the original price of $260), while Brisbane’s show will now cost $165 to attend.

Those who’d already bought tickets at the original price will have three options: a partial refund of $70, an extra ticket for free, or an exclusive hoodie (said to be valued at $100) which will not be sold at the festival itself. Ticketholders who do not choose by 12 April will automatically receive one complimentary GA ticket to give to another person.

“It will be Pandemonium this April! Recently pandemonium, it seems, has ensued,” an update from the festival organisers read. “We have been hard at work ensuring we deliver events that provide fans with the best possible experience and we extend our thanks to those who have patiently waited for our good news.

We acknowledge the current state of the Australian economy and the cost of living crisis, of which we’re constantly reminded of by the media. This cost of living crisis has impacted the live music touring industry significantly and forced many other festivals and tours sadly, to cancel. Pandemonium is not one of those and despite aforementioned national issues our festival is moving forward.”

Australia’s 2024 festival season has rapidly diminished with a myriad of cancellations since the beginning of this year, including Splendour in the Grass, Groovin The Moo, Coastal Jam, Summerground, Vintage Vibes, Tent Pole: A Musical Jamboree and ValleyWays.

Meanwhile, Wanderer announced that it’s moved to a biennial format, while Falls and Mona Foma’s winter sibling, Dark Mofo, have taken breaks in 2023 and 2024.

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The Sydney edition of Pandemonium Rocks is under threat after the local government said the festival could not coincide with ANZAC Day, a national day of remembrance for army corps from Australia and New Zealand.

The new touring festival, featuring rock and post-punk icons, was slated to take place in the New South Wales (NSW) capital on 25 April, at The Domain.

But after backlash from veteran groups, NSW Premier Chris Minns responded: “There’s not going to be a rock concert in the middle of the city on ANZAC Day.”

“Pandemonium festival organisers, Apex Entertainment, are working collaboratively with the NSW State Government”

Minns added that the festival, promoted by Andrew McManus’s Apex Entertainment, going ahead on that date is “completely inconsistent with ANZAC Day.”

Alice Cooper, Blondie, Placebo and Deep Purple are due to perform on the Pandemonium Rocks festival tour, which will also visit venues in Melbourne, Gold Coast and Bribie Island.

Wheatus, Dead Kennedys, The Psychedelic Furs, Gang Of Four and Palace Royale are also on the bill, which was teased in early January.

“Pandemonium festival organisers, Apex Entertainment, are working collaboratively with the NSW State Government on a solution pertaining to the location of Pandemonium Sydney, scheduled for Thursday, April 25 in Sydney NSW,” reads a statement from the organisers. “We’ll issue an update very soon, and thank you for your patience.”

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Australian promoter Apex Entertainment is teasing a new touring festival featuring rock and post-punk icons.

Pandemonium Rocks is scheduled to land in Melbourne, Sydney, Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast this April and is slated to feature the long-awaited Australia returns of many legendary acts.

The promoter has hinted at performances from the likes of Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, Blondie, Gang Of Four, Dead Kennedys, The Psychedelic Furs, Placebo and Wheatus, via several teaser posts on social media.

 

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If all the acts teased do indeed make it to Australia, Pandemonium Rocks will mark Deep Purple’s first performance Down Under in eleven years, Blondie’s first gigs in the country since 2017, Gang Of Four’s first Ozzie shows in five years, Wheatus’ first shows in the territory in twelve years, and Placebo’s first concerts there in seven years.

According to local reports, the lineup for Pandemonium Rocks will be officially confirmed on 17 January.

The festival’s promoter, Apex Entertainment, is led by Andrew McManus who has promoted tours for the likes of Whitney Houston, Aerosmith, Fleetwood Mac, Kiss and Mötley Crüe.

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