Members of Powderfinger, Spiderbait and Jet will play in just one of many bands to appear at the two-day food and craft beer extravaganza.
From July 12 to the 14th, Adelaide will be full of even more beer, BBQs and live music than usual, as the festival’s largest ever line-up descends upon the state ready to cook up a storm.
Founded in 2015, the Beer & BBQ Festival which appeared on the Limestone Coast in March, draws over 20,000 festival goers annually.
Twelve acts have been announced so far, set to perform in air scented with the sweet smell of BBQ just begging to be washed down with one of the 1000+ beers on offer from 60 brewers.
Festival co-director Aaron Sandow said this year’s tagline, “Ale We Need Is Love”, was “more than just a motto”.
“It’s a rallying cry for the community to come out and be our best selves together, arm in arm and beer in hand,” he said.
“At a time when the festivals, live music, craft beer, and hospitality industries have been hit the hardest, we’re passionate about creating an event that brings people together and celebrates the resilience of these great industries.”
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Two of the announced artists are from South Australia, though we remain hopeful for more when the full line-up drops next month. This picture: supplied
So far just two of the performers announced are South Australian, with Adelaide’s BAD//DREEMS performing with friends, and Peter Combe performing with The Newspaper Mama Band.
But for those, like CityMag, who are always on the hunt for local artists, stay tuned: the festival tells us that 40 odd local acts will be added when the second line-up announcement drops on May 16.
Also joining the line-up will be four bands from across regional South Australia, as part of the festival’s Untapped battle of the bands competition, sponsored by the Music Development Office.
Untapped has run for the last three festivals, and involves four competitions hosted across four breweries over four weekends in the lead up to the Beer & BBQ Festival. The finalists from each weekend will then compete on the main stage at the Adelaide festival for $1000 prize money.
For those not sold by beer or BBQ, worry not, for there will be both non-beer and non-BBQ available. The American fast-food restaurant Mr. Charlie’s will be providing their plant-based take on an unnamed red and yellow fast-food chain, after opening their first Australian store in Sydney last September.
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A whole lot of meat and non-meat will be on offer at this year’s festival. This picture: supplied
Beer & BBQ Festival beer ambassador Ryan Davidson noted the festival was coming at a “ridiculously tough” time for the independent brewing industry.
“Cost of living, rent, materials, excise increases, big business squashing us with lock-out contracts, and consumer preferences shifting mid-recession has made for a uniquely shitty set of circumstances,” he said.
“But we’re a resilient bunch. We love this industry and we believe in what we do.
“After the year we’ve had, it’s going to be one hell of a party.”
And if all those beers, BBQs, and live performances still haven’t sold you, a plethora of activities will be around, such as BMX demos, panel discussions, a pie eating contest, axe throwing, and even a tattoo parlour.
Okay, okay, what you’ve been waiting for – the actual line-up (so far):
Artists:
- AUSTRALIAN ROCK COLLECTIVE feat. Members of Powderfinger, Spiderbait, You Am I, and Jet
- The Southern River Band
- Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of a Tony Hawk Pro Skater Cover Band
- The Neptune Power Federation
- The Bures Band
- The Last Resort
- BAD//DREEMS & Friends playing The Great South Australian Songbook (SA)
- Floodlights
- C.O.F.F.I.N
- Watty Thompson and his Total Fire Band
- UNTAPPED finals (four SA bands TBC)
- Peter Combe and The Newspaper Mama Band (SA)
BBQs:
- Carolina Smoke
- Brisket & Brawn
- Flamin Grillas Low & Slow
- Goldieboy Burger Co
- Señor BBQ
- Mr. Charlie’s
- Warndu
- The Levant Project
- The Thai Guy
- El Costanco
- Alana Brabin and Sarah Turner for the Polyphagia Feast
Adelaide’s Beer & BBQ Festival in on from July 12 to July 14 at the Adelaide Showgrounds. Tickets are on sale now, ranging from $26.20 to $124.07.