Falls Festival

The Falls Festival
Genre	rock, indie, hip hop, electronic, blues & roots.
Dates	Ranging between 28 Dec and 8 Jan
Location(s)	Australia Lorne, Victoria Marion Bay, Tasmania Byron Bay, NSW Fremantle, Western Australia
Years active	1993–2019, 2021–
Website	fallsfestival.com

Falls Music & Arts Festival (commonly known as Falls) is a multi-day music festival held annually in Lorne (Victoria), Marion Bay (Tasmania), Byron Bay (New South Wales) and Fremantle (Western Australia), Australia over the New Year's Eve and January period.^[1] The festival hosts contemporary music performances, dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret, and other art forms. Camping is available and all locations have nearby beaches which are either walking distance or a short bus ride away. Artists playing at the festival include rock, hip hop, indie music, electronic music, blues and roots.

The Falls festival in Byron Bay features a rave party hidden behind a washing machine in a laundromat.^[2]

History[]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

The festival started in 1993, with a small one-day concert, held in Lorne, Victoria, Australia, and was named Rock Above The Falls. The initial event attracted nearly 11,000 people, exceeding the organisers' expectations, and the organisers negotiated the use of neighbouring land to accommodate the crowd.

In 1995, the event adopted a two-day format, and in 1996 the name was changed to The Falls Music & Arts Festival. The 1999 festival was the first to be held off the Lorne site, moved temporarily to the Torquay site of the Offshore Festival due to poor weather.

In 2003, two events were held simultaneously for the first time; one in Lorne, and an additional event at Marion Bay, Tasmania. The same acts played at both events; the 30 December acts who played at Lorne, play 31 December at Marion Bay, and vice versa. Both the Lorne and Marion Bay festivals have continued to run simultaneously and artists continue to be exchanged between the two locations over the course of the festival. Subsequent festivals retained this two-location format.

In 2013 the Byron edition of the event was introduced, increasing the reach of the festival across the country. In 2019, the festival at the Lorne site was cancelled due to extreme bushfire risk during the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season.^[3]

The headline acts typically perform in the evening on 30 December and 31 December.

No festival is planned in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Awards[]

In 2008, the Falls Festival won the FasterLouder Festival Award for 'Best Lineup' and the following year the Marion Bay site received the 'Favourite Venue and Location' award.^[4]

The festival has a strong focus on sustainability, taking home the following awards over the past few years:

• Winner – Excellence in Sustainability Victorian Tourism Awards 2012
• Winner – Excellence in Sustainability Victorian Tourism Awards 2013
• Winner – Excellence in Sustainability Victorian Tourism Awards 2014 (inducted into the Hall of Fame)
• Outstanding in the Greener Festival Awards 2012
• Outstanding in the Greener Festival Awards 2013
• Outstanding in the Greener Festival Awards 2014
• Winner – Major Festivals & Events Tasmanian Tourism Awards 2013
• Winner – Major Festivals & Events Tasmanian Tourism Awards 2014
• Winner – Major Festival Australian Event Awards 2014

Awards and nominations[]

National Live Music Awards[]

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
National Live Music Awards of 2016[5]	Falls Festival	Best Live Music Festival or Event	Nominated
National Live Music Awards of 2018[6][7]	Falls Festival	Best Live Music Festival or Event	Nominated
National Live Music Awards of 2019[8][9]	Falls Festival	Victorian Live Event of the Year	Won
		Tasmanian All Ages Achievement	Won

Timeline[]

1996[]

Pennywise Radio Birdman Regurgitator Custard Powderfinger

The Living End Even Dave Graney and the Coral Snakes Sidewinder Pollyanna

Bodyjar Snout Moler Rebecca's Empire

1997[]

Iggy Pop You Am I The Cruel Sea Hard Ons Lagwagon Superjesus

Jebediah Shihad Grinspoon Guttermouth The Living End Even

Something For Kate Deadstar Front End Loader Pre Shrunk Sprung Monkey

1998[]

Blondie Mudhoney Bentley Rhythm Ace Rocket From The Crypt Unwritten Law Area-7 The Avalanches Magic Dirt

You Am I Grinspoon Superjesus Nancy Vandal Ammonia Screamfeeder Even Bodyjar

Something For Kate Frenzal Rhomb Voitek Honeysmack Pound System

1999[]

Violent Femmes The Tea Party Regurgitator Something For Kate

You Am I Frenzal Rhomb Superheist Killing Heidi 28 Days

Alex Lloyd Area-7 Rhubarb Pollyanna The Fauves

2000[]

Silverchair Reef The Vandals Freestylers Killing Heidi Superjesus The Avalanches Magic Dirt Bodyjar Groove Terminator

John Butler Trio Skulker Pre Shrunk Sunk Loto 78 Saab Superheist Rocket Science Dallas Crane Nokturnl Nitocris

The Waifs George Machine Gun Fellatio Resin Dogs Friendly (musician) Josh Abrahams 1200 Techniques Honeysmack Voitek

2001[]

The Hives Stanton Warriors Grinspoon Regurgitator John Butler Trio Something For Kate 28 Days Resin Dogs Groove Terminator

Alex Lloyd Paul Kelly Bodyjar Dr. Alex Paterson George Superheist Area-7 One Dollar Short

1200 Techniques Dern Rutlidge Pound System

2002[]

Jack Johnson The Black Eyed Peas Ozomatli Timo Maas The Vandals The Ataris Brad Grinspoon Machine Gun Fellatio Infusion Xavier Rudd 1200 Techniques The Casanovas

You Am I Magic Dirt Jet Rocket Science The Drones Antiskeptic The Butterfly Effect Groove Terminator Offcutts Warped

Pete Murray Even Melatonin The Beautiful Girls The Sleepy Jackson Phil Smart Goodwill Samuel Jackson Ballpoint Three Rounds Shy (JJJ Unearthed) Ransom

Quirk

2003[]

Michael Franti and Spearhead Groove Armada Pennywise Reel Big Fish G. Love and Special Sauce Turin Brakes Ozomatli Mason Jennings Paul Kelly The Waifs Xavier Rudd Regurgitator The Beautiful Girls Cog The Mess Hall Bodyjar Dallas Crane Bit By Bats Nubreed

Krafty Kuts Cut Copy Missy Higgins TZU Offcuts Danny Kelly and the Alpha Males The Butterfly Effect After The Fall The Pictures Ember Swift Bomba Gerling Harry Manx Epicure

Carus The Go Set Mick Hart SMC Reflex Waiter Enola Fall Taiko Drum Sharif Galal

Performers at the 2003-04 event include Australian artists Xavier Rudd, The Beautiful Girls, Gerling, Regurgitator and The Waifs; and international acts Michael Franti and Spearhead, Pennywise, Reel Big Fish, and Ozomatli. Like many Australian festivals, the event also promotes local bands, with Victorian and Tasmanian artists also performing at their respective state's festival. Solo female performer Missy Higgins promoted the release of her album and several singles, for which she was later recognised by receiving multiple awards at the ARIA Awards in 2005.^{[citation needed]}

2004[]

The 2004/05 festival was again held at both venues. Both sites sold out early – the only Falls Festival to sell as fast was the 1999 event. Artists performing at the event included:

The Black Keys De La Soul Billy Bragg The Living End The John Butler Trio Missy Higgins The Thrills Veruca Salt Spiderbait The Cat Empire Xavier Rudd Donavon Frankenreiter You Am I

The Beautiful Girls Vusi Mahlasela Hilltop Hoods Rocket Science Bob Brozman Downsyde TZU The New Pollutants Butterfingers The Panics Hayden Sarah Blasko

Even The Cops Betchadupa The Spazzys The Vasco Era Carus and The True Believers Epicure Mia Dyson Ash Grunwald The Hot Lies Clare Bowditch and the Feeding Set

2005[]

Artists who performed at the 2005 event included:

The Dandy Warhols Ozomatli The Shins Ian Brown Wolfmother Pete Murray The Beautiful Girls The Vasco Era Faker TZU The Grates Hoodoo Gurus The Zutons

Sarah Blasko End of Fashion The White Buffalo The Mess Hall Evermore Dallas Crane Lior 67 Special Ugly Duckling The Cat Empire Rolling Blackouts The Presets

Eric Bibb Little Birdy Ash Grunwald Dappled Cities Fly True Live Offcutts Rob Sawyer Mia Dyson Youth Group Dan Sultan & Scott Wilson The Embers

In 2005 tickets for the Marion Bay festival sold out two and a half days after going on sale on 15 August, and Lorne tickets selling out one week after coming onsale.

Further allocations of tickets for both festivals were released during December and sold out within hours of coming on sale. An unlimited number of Falls Festival patrons were able to attend the 'Falls Cinema' on Thursday 29 December (one day earlier than the official kick-off) in an effort to minimize traffic congestion. In Tasmania, the number of tickets available were capped at 9000.

2006[]

In early July, a new website for the 2006 event was launched. People were able to subscribe to the official mailing list and be entered into the draw to be offered tickets ahead of the official release date of 16 August. Subscribers that were selected were notified by 30 July. Tickets for the 2006 festival were put on sale as of 9 am, 16 August. All tickets to the Lorne event were gone in about 2 hours. The Marion Bay event followed suit, with all tickets sold out within 3.5 hours.

The announced performers as of 28 December, include:

Modest Mouse Michael Franti and Spearhead Wolfmother Basement Jaxx The Bees John Butler Trio Saul Williams The Black Seeds Matt Costa The Vasco Era Dan Kelly and The Alpha Males

You Am I The Audreys Youth Group Josh Pyke Blue King Brown Jamie Lidell Hilltop Hoods Eskimo Joe Unleash the Nugget Wolf & Cub Timmy Curran

Scribe The Sleepy Jackson The Mountain Goats Little Birdy The Exploders Jen Cloher and The Endless Sea Dan Sultan Cansei de Ser Sexy Ground Components FourPlay String Quartet Custom Kings Muph & Plutonic The Embers

Restrictions on ticket sales were made in 2006 (in the form of a ballot) in an attempt to curb the increasing practice of ticket resale, commonly known as 'scalping', as well as to make the access to tickets more equitable. The changes reflected similar alterations made to ticket sale procedures of other major Australian music festivals such as Splendour in the Grass and The Big Day Out. Previously, tickets had been released for sale in bulk and with no limit on the number of tickets able to be purchased by an individual, resulting in a high incidence of individuals purchasing multiple tickets, and a subsequent sell-out of tickets within 12 – 24 hours.

The restrictions included a purchasing limit of four tickets per any individual, as well as the initiation of an online ticket lottery, which randomly allocated the sale of approximately 50% of all tickets to a list of people who had registered their interest on the Festival's website. Tickets were also released on multiple dates rather than in bulk, to make sales more manageable and to increase consumer accessibility to the sale of tickets.

2007[]

The artists at the festival of 2007/08 included:^[10]

Kings of Leon Groove Armada Paul Kelly Midnight Juggernauts Black Rebel Motorcycle Club The Waifs Gotye Built to Spill José González The Go! Team Blackalicious The Mess Hall Girl Talk Kev Carmody Neville Staple's Specials ** ** Magic Dirt* Sarah Blasko* Children Collide*

Jackson Jackson* The Pipettes The Herd Lior Little Red Operator Please Old Man River Angus and Julia Stone The Beautiful Girls Regurgitator Clare Bowditch * Jeff Lang Cut Off Your Hands The Scientists of Modern Music Diafrix Mattafix Busdriver The Panics **

The Cops ** * Teenage Fairytale Dropouts* Dukes of Windsor* Macromantics* The Paper Scissors* * Goons of Doom* Whitley * * * * Hoops* * * New Young Pony Club*

(* Lorne Only), (** Marion Bay only)

Ticket purchasing procedures changed again in 2007, extending changes made to procedures in 2006. Changes included:

• the extension of the ticket lottery from 50% to 80% of all tickets – intended to increase the equity of ticket sale
• the centralisation of all ticket sales to the Falls Festival Website – intended to eliminate the need to line up outside stores overnight in order to purchase a ticket, as well as prevent criminal problems associated with it such as littering and drinking in public
• the inclusion of a name and date of birth printed on the Festival ticket – intended to further restrict scalping practices

Tickets went on sale to the general public on Monday 10 September at 9 am AEST, with the 14,500 tickets to the Lorne event selling out on the day they were released.

2008[]

Franz Ferdinand The Hives Santigold The Kooks Gomez Tegan and Sara Fleet Foxes Donavon Frankenreiter SoKo Jamie Lidell Cut Off Your Hands Mystery Jets A-Trak Late of the Pier

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings The Cat Empire The Grates Faker Lykke Li Augie March Blue King Brown Ash Grunwald TZU The Drones Architecture in Helsinki The Dodos Wolf & Cub Liam Finn Rocket Science Eli "Paperboy" Reed

British India Violent Soho South Rakkas Crew Tame Impala The Holidays* Snob Scrilla* Grafton Primary Murs CW Stoneking & Mamadou Diabate Kat Frankie Dash & Will Skipping Girl Vinegar

Those marked with an asterisk (*) played in Lorne only.

2009[]

Those marked with an asterisk (*) played in Lorne only.
Those marked with a caret (^) played in Marion Bay only.

On 6 August 2009 some of the bands scheduled to play at the 2009 Falls Festival were leaked online due to a directory being left open on the official falls festival website. The organisers subsequently decided to officially release the entire first line-up announcement ahead of the scheduled 13 August release date.^[11]

On 7 October 2009 the Falls Festival announced that they would be putting on a pre-festival party, and extending the Falls Funk’n’Soul Revue to Lorne on 28 December. The extension of the revue made the Lorne festival a four-day event from 28 December to 1 January. The Funk’n’Soul Revue occurred over two days across the respective states, on the 28th in Lorne and on the 29th in Marion Bay with slightly differing lineups across the two locations.^[12]

2010[]

2011[]

2012[]

2013[]

2014[]

Joining

2015[]

In 2015 the events Lorne, Victoria venue was threatened by bushfires in the area and moved to Mount Duneed Estate, which is approximately 15 minutes from Geelong.^[16]