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SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2017
Wrap Up
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The grass was green and the weather was perfect as North Byron Parklands played host to the seventeenth annual Splendour in the Grass Music and Arts Festival this weekend, offering up the event’s biggest ever program of music, art, craft, food, discussion and debate over three days.
Splendour 2017’s line-up of over 100 acts played to a capacity 32,500 audience across four main stages – The Amphitheatre, Mix Up Stage, GW McLennan Tent and Tiny Dancer – while the festival’s campground became a home away from home to 19,500 music fans.
On Thursday night the campers rolled in and Splendour 2017 kicked off with Red Bull Sound Select on the Mix Up stage including killer sets by Sampa The Great and Mansionair.
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On Friday, Kingswood got the Amphitheatre going with a set that included a cover of Destiny’s Child’s ‘Say My Name’; Peking Duk were an early contender for set of the day with a huge crowd, guest appearances by Safia and Aluna George and a shit tonne of confetti and CO2; Father John Misty held the GW McLennan Tent mesmerized with his rock n roll sermon and charismatic dance moves; Banks, Cut Copy and RL Grime all drew capacity crowds to the Mix Up and The xx brought the night home with a hypnotic set, incredible visuals and uplifting banter, encouraging the crowd to make the most of their passion for music.
On Saturday, Dune Rats were early party starters, throwing inflatable tinnies to the crowd and inviting Aussie rock mainstay Phil Jamieson on stage. Confidence Man brought their moves to the Mix Up and when Janet said “get down” everyone did! Bernard Fanning shocked fans with a surprise Powderfinger reunion that had crowds running to the Amphitheatre from all directions. Aussie troubadours Dan Sultan and Paul Kelly played all the favourites and Julien Baker brought the GW McLennan crowd to tears, while Rag’N’Bone Man made his Splendour debut to an enthusiastic audience at the Mix Up Stage. Then Royal Blood took things to a whole new level, stunning a packed Amphitheatre crowd with the power they create with just drums and bass before desert rock royalty Queens Of The Stone Age closed the night with a ‘best of’ set and some hilarious banter from Josh Homme.
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On Sunday the Queen visited Splendour – Queena Arena that is – joining Client Liaison on stage to create one of those magical Splendour moments. Schoolboy Q took the hip hop to the Amphitheatre and everyone went mad for it. Over at the GW McLennan, The Lemon Twigs amazed the audience with both their tunes and incredible flexibility before the mighty King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard played a blistering set to a tent full of adoring fans. The huge crowd for Stormzy spilled well beyond the Mix Up Stage and then LCD Soundsystem brought Splendour 2017 to a close with a marathon set laden with all the bangers and finishing off with ‘All My Friends’.
Alongside the music, Splendour punters ate and shopped all the things at 131 food and market stalls; flexed their creativity at Splendour in the Craft; stretched, drummed, meditated and more at The Global Village; engaged in discussion and debate at The Forum and expanded their minds at the new Science Tent and Tipi Forest.
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Health Services Manager Stephen Barnes would like to personally thank all patrons for looking after each other so well. “This year we implemented a system where patrons could self care for existing conditions which resulted in a 50% reduction in case load from previous years with no major or significant presentations.”
Today, Splendour’s 19,500 campers are heading home and we ask everyone to take their time. There’s food and drinks available in the camping areas. Please look after our beautiful venue. So far it’s looking great so a big thanks to all who have done the right thing! Remember if you brought it in, take it out. Be patient and keep the Splendour good vibes going!
Co-producers Jessica Ducrou and Paul Piticco said “Splendour 2017 is up there with our best events ever. Thanks so much to our incredible Splendour community, for looking out for each other and embracing all the crazy shit we dream up. It’s you guys that make this event so special. Safe travels and we’ll see you all again next year (hopefully with pants on)!”
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Splendour in the Grass was proudly supported by triple j and in partnership with the South Pole Group.
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THE XX • QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE • LCD SOUNDSYSTEM • ROYAL BLOOD • HAIM • SIGUR RÓS • SCHOOLBOY Q (ONLY AUS SHOW) • VANCE JOY • TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB • PEKING DUK • RL GRIME • BONOBO • FATHER JOHN MISTY • CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN • TASH SULTANA • PAUL KELLY • STORMZY • KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD • FUTURE ISLANDS (ONLY AUS SHOW) • BANKS • BERNARD FANNING • DUNE RATS • CUT COPY • ÁSGEIR • ALLDAY • MEG MAC • RAG‘N’BONE MAN • THUNDAMENTALS • LIL YACHTY • SAN CISCO • CLIENT LIAISON • REAL ESTATE • DAN SULTAN • VALLIS ALPS • D.D DUMBO • MAGGIE ROGERS • TOVE LO • POND • BIG SCARY • THE SMITH STREET BAND • OH WONDER • A.B. ORIGINAL • DOPE LEMON • THE KITE STRING TANGLE • YOUNG FRANCO • JULIA JACKLIN • KINGSWOOD • AMY SHARK • LUCA BRASI • THE LEMON TWIGS • VERA BLUE • SLUMBERJACK • BAD//DREEMS • BAG RAIDERS • TOPAZ JONES • MIDDLE KIDS • OCEAN GROVE • CONFIDENCE MAN • BISHOP BRIGGS • LATE NITE TUFF GUY • JULIEN BAKER • KILTER • LANY • HOCKEY DAD • KIRIN J CALLINAN • AIRLING • COSMO’S MIDNIGHT • GRETTA RAY • MOONBASE • THE PEEP TEMPEL • TORNADO WALLACE • THE MURLOCS • MALLRAT • LUKE MILLION • THE WILSON PICKERS • ROMARE • JARROW • GOOD BOY • KUREN • ONEMAN • WINSTON SURFSHIRT • SET MO • HWLS • HARVEY SUTHERLAND & BERMUDA • CC:DISCO! • ENSCHWAY • DJHMC • NITE FLEIT • ALICE IVY • WILLOW BEATS • WILLARIS. K • MOOKHI • TRIPLE J UNEARTHED WINNERS
PLUS… SWINDAIL • DENA AMY • ANDY GARVEY • PLANÈTE • SAM WESTON • SUPER CRUEL • CHRISTOPHER PORT • LEWIS CANCUT • KINDER
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SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2017
Friday 21 July, Saturday 22 July and Sunday 23 July
North Byron Parklands
Tweed Valley Way, Wooyung (15 mins north of Byron Bay)
splendourinthegrass.com
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