Big Day Out Adelaide 09 photo by badjonni

I owe heaps of apologies for skipping out on last week’s post. I was detained in China for selling Kiss knock off t-shirts to unsuspecting locals. Kidding! I was just sick but that sounds so boring in comparison. So anyway, I’m back with a post on Aussie and Kiwi Festivals. These festivals take place throughout our winter so they  make for an awesome getaway when Canada is a frozen wasteland!

The Falls Music and Arts Festival (New Years)
What better way could you end one year and begin another than a music festival held in the Otway Rainforst in Australia? The Falls Music Festival started in 1993 as the Rock Above The Falls Festival. It’s held on the same dates every year which makes for easy New Years planning. You can join the mailing list or keep up to date with this year’s lineup on Twitter and Facebook as bands are being announced. Last year’s included many of the same names we’re seeing in our own upcoming summer festivals like Lykke Li, The Dodos, Fleet Foxes, Franz Ferdinand and Architecture in Helsinki. But you’re also guaranteed to get in on some great locals gems that are still relatively unknown to North American audiences, which is a great way to look like a music genius to all your friends.

big day out 28/01/2008. RATM crowd. 2 (B&W) photo by deep_schismic

Big Day Out (late January)
When Big Day Out started in Sydney in 1992 the main headline was the Violent Femmes. Bands like Nirvana, who were new to the Aussie scene, were given the opportunity to introduce themselves to hordes of soon-to-be fans. Its not much of a surprise that the festival was so well revered that in succeeding years new venues were added in Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth, Gold Coast and Auckland. The festival did take a break in 1999 when organizers convinced themselves that dance music was the new big thing. The massive error in judgment was quickly rescinded and the festival made a heroic comeback in 1999. Several locations have already sold out but tickets are still available for Adelaide, Auckland and Perth. So far the lineup includes Neil Young, The Prodigy, Arctic Monkeys, Serj Tankian, Dropkick Murphys (hello!), Hot Chip, Lupe Fiasco and TV on the Radio.

Alexisonfire photo by bob8son

Soundwave (late February)
Soundwave is the badder, hotter younger brother of the Big Day Out Festival that launched in 2004 in Perth and has now spread its loud, angry influence to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. Playing metal, hardcore, punk rock, acoustic rock, pop punk and alternative rock artists and bands, this festival definitely has a massive potential for killer base drums, eardrum damage and just plain good fun. Tickets for all venues are still on sale and the lineup includes Nine Inch Nails, Alice In Chains (?!?), Lamb of God, Billy Talent, In Flames, Attack in Black, Bedouin Soundclash and just so many more.

Well, there you have it folks. A few weeks of my best effort to school you on some great festivals to catch if you’re out and about in some of my favorite countries. Music can add such an amazing new level of enjoyment to travel and you always meet terribly incredible and unforgettable people at these festivals. So pick one, book a flight, buy a festival pass! You won’t regret it!

Marion Bay, Tasmania is highlighted on the Flight Centre Travel Map.

Jennifer Maley is an International Travel Consultant with Flight Centre based in Victoria, British Columbia and can be reached at 1 866 604 6340.

Categories: Off The Beaten Path

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