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And in 2023 it’s a doozy!

Brewing eloquently in the depths of the Hunter Valley countryside is the 9th chapter of Australia’s very own Cosmic Country Weekender, Dashville Skyline.

Held over the October Long weekend, (with the inclusion of the special Thursday night, warm up,) it’s a four night musical escape, which officially kicks off Friday afternoon 29th September,  and rolls along Saturday 30th and Sunday 1st October 2023, held amongst bushland of Wonnarua Country, on the hallowed ‘musical island in the stream’, Dashville, at Lower Belford, Hunter Valley, NSW.

This is more than just your standard country music festival. Dashville Skyline is a meticulously orchestrated musical feast, which casually meanders it’s way across a vast open country landscape, with a sky above full of stars and songs and every step below another rabbit hole.

With 33 acts from all around Australia currently set to perform one at a time over the October long weekend it is indeed a cosmic musical feast. Adding to the distinctly Australian flavours, Dashville is over the moon to announce a number of special international guests, such as first time visitors Hiss Golden Messenger, Ondara and Jenny Don’t & The Spurs all from United States. These acts will perform at the festival, alongside some of Australia’s greats, such as famed sister duo Vika & Linda and legendary songwriter and frontman, Tim Rogers & The Twin Set.

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Following the release of new album Jump For Joy, Grammy-nominated Hiss Golden Messenger along with his 5 piece band, will perform two shows at the festival, one on Friday night and another on Saturday evening.

Other exciting inclusions to the festival include the firey William Crighton, the powerful soul of Karen Lee Andrews, Van Walker and The Ferriters will bring some rebel Irish influence. Popular blues rockers Hussy Hicks will make their Dashville debut, as will Western Australian acts, Jack Davies and Siobhan Cotchin.

Many artists will make their debut appearance, including Adelaide’s Hannah and Jessie-Lee’s Bad Habits, Sydney’s Babitha, Brisbane based acts JB Paterson and the very cool Baby Cool. Rising Melbourne star Queenie, established Melbourne songwriter John Flanagan, New Zealand’s Jenny Mitchell, raucous rock n rollers Willie J & The Bad Books and South Coast legendary songwriter Heath Cullen will also be in attendance.

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Local Hunter based acts getting the call up include T.C. Jones, Good Corn Liquor, Kingsley James, Sunbiirds, a new supergroup Hunter Valley Ramblers and bluegrass banditos Midnight Chicken.

Some familiar faces return, including local legends Magpie Diaries, vintage southern rockers Sweet Talk, alt-rockers The Settlement, Northern River’s country punks Jimmy Willing & The Real Gone Hick Ups , oozing cool Blue Mountaineer CJ Stranger and Echuca born wild man Watty Thompson, a crowd favourite from the 2023 festival.

Closing out the Sunday evening of the festival will be the biggest festival band to ever hit the Dashville stage, Dashville Progress Society rolling out a special tribute show called ‘Love is All’

And if that’s not enough, to kick it all off.. Dave Graney & The Coral Snakes will warm the long weekend party with a 30th anniversary concert of Night of the Wolverines on the Thursday night.

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The family friendly camping festival has an enviable reputation as the ultimate festival experience, one that is as much for the music purists or performer, as it is for young families looking to get back into an easy camping festival adventure and in 2023 it seems there is no shortage of goodness on the table for all.

The jewel in the festival crown, being the Sunset Super Round which happens on Saturday and Sunday on dusk, where artists come together to collaborate live and lay tribute to some of the great songs of past era.

In 2023, the festival will introduce a brand new vibey little space known as The Grateful Shed, which will feature a 20m long race track for power tool racing, a live radio recording lounge and some featured live entertainment from both local and touring acts performing twice at the festival. Oh and there’ll also be a very special wedding in there!

Some kind of wondrous festival is Dashville Skyline indeed.

Scouring the landscape to bring this musical feast to you, is the hardworking team at Dashville and so without further ado, here for you, is the full list of performers for the great Australian ‘Cosmic Country Weekender’.

Please welcome

DASHVILLE SKYLINE 2023
FULL LINE-UP:

HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER (2 SHOWS) + VIKA & LINDA WITH THE BULLETTES + TIM ROGERS & THE TWIN SET + DAVE GRANEY & THE CORAL SNAKES + ONDARA (US) + WILLIAM CRIGHTON + KAREN LEE ANDREWS + SWEET TALK + HUSSY HICKS + JACK DAVIES + JENNY MITCHELL (NZ) + VAN WALKER & THE FERRITERS + QUEENIE + MAGPIE DIARIES + JOHN FLANAGAN + BABITHA + JB PATERSON + SIOBHAN COTCHIN + LADY LYON + HANA AND JESSIE-LEE’S BAD HABITS + WATTY THOMPSON + BABY COOL + CJ STRANGER + JIMMY WILLING & THE REAL GONE HICK UPS + HEATH CULLEN + THE SETTLEMENT + WILLIE J & THE BAD BOOKS + GOOD CORN LIQUOR + KINGSLEY JAMES + T.C. JONES + MIDNIGHT CHICKEN + SUNBIIRDS + HUNTER VALLEY RAMBLERS + DASHVILLE PROGRESS SOCIETY

Some artists in focus:

Vika & Linda – You can’t beat siblings singing together, Paul Kelly observed when Vika & Linda released their 2020 anthology, ‘Akilotoa. “They make the air beat in sync.”

It comes naturally to Melbourne’s Bull sisters – they’ve been singing together their entire lives, starting in church with their mother, Siniva, who came to Australia as a nursing student in 1959. “Tongans by nature are fun, always laughing, always eating, always singing and always praying,” Vika explains. A snapshot of the highlights: After three classic albums with The Black Sorrows, Vika & Linda have released six studio albums, two live albums and a chart-topping anthology. They have also sung on number one albums by Paul Kelly, Kasey Chambers and John Farnham, done gigs for the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela and the King of Tonga, and been nominated for four ARIA Awards.

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Karen Lee Andrews – Karen’s songcraft is built on a thorough knowledge of blues, gospel and soul music and motored by an undeniable hunger to connect. Yet the defining ingredient is Karen’s unshakeable artistic passion.  Andrews mostly tours as a formidable trio, teaming up with Yanya Boston on drums and Adam Ventoura on bass – two exceptional musicians. This dynamic band is exhilarating to witness!

“One of the most original and dignified talents to emerge in Australian Entertainment in a long time. She manages to be both imperial yet vulnerable.”   – Sydney Morning Herald

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Jenny Mitchell – Multi award winning NZ songwriter Jenny Mitchell is a storyteller with songs wrapped in wisdom and wit. Her music defies easy categorisation but if you admire music by genre-defying artists from Emmylou Harris to Kasey Chambers, you’ll love Jenny Mitchell.

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Watty Thompson – A little bit folk, a little bit country, 100% heart. Watty Thompson has emerged as a powerful, moving and unique folk performer in Australia’s storytelling tradition. With a still-young history of performances having captivated audiences around Victoria, Watty Thompson is set to make his long-awaited return to the stage following the release of his debut album.

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A celebration of alternative country music and the surrounding roots culture in its varied forms, the festival gives music lovers the option to purchase single day tickets, or full event three-day passes.

The ultra-chilled countrified camping festival will host over 40 live performances across three stages. Savor mouth-watering American-inspired food and bevvies, trawl the boutique vintage market stalls, visit the music history exhibit, join the animal petting zoo, partake in a guitar-and-car show and shine. These are just a few of the things this great family orientated, long weekend festival offers.

Held at the same location as The Gum Ball, Dashville Skyline is a popular alternative to its predecessor, providing an amazing experience for alt-country music lovers and those who like to partake in an ultimate weekend escape, full of laid-back music and family fun.

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Follow DASHVILLE SKYLINE
Website – Instagram – Facebook 

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About DASHVILLE SKYLINE

The festival’s name derives from that of Bob Dylan’s 1968 release Nashville Skyline, which lends an impression of the vibe of this festival. It’s a celebration of alternative country, its birth in America during the ‘60s-‘70s, the culture that surrounds the music and the evolution that continues to inspire modern-day songwriters.

One of the main spectacles of the festival is the immensely popular Sunset Super Round. On Saturday at nightfall, artists on the bill merge around the main stage in spontaneous collaboration, to pay homage to their favourite songs of the “golden era”.

Tickets for Dashville Skyline 2023 are on sale now at the Dashville Store.

The festival program extends from Thursday 28th September through to Sunday night, October 1, 2023.

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AMNPLIFY – ML