It's about damn time! The 21st annual Splendour in the Grass festival is back. After running in the North Byron Parklands for more than two decades, the vibey winter music festival is making a (fingers crossed) triumphant return to its OG location after three long years of major setbacks driven by that pandemic and unhinged mud floods.
We really hope that four times is a charm because the line-up this year is absolutely stacked. In addition to the empowering goddess of pop, Lizzo, Splendour has dropped the other headliners. British folk-rock lords Mumford & Sons will be playing an Australian exclusive set at the fest; singer-songwriter and the self-proclaimed "Beyoncé of Scotland" Lewis Capaldi is heading out; and electronic music titan Flume will make an exclusive Australian appearance, celebrating ten years since his self-titled debut album broke records (and speakers) across Australia.
Other acts on the festival bandwagon this year include indie pop-rock legends the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Aussie hip-hop stars the Hilltop Hoods, Auckland's own quirky indie-pop bop maker Benee, as well as Meg Mac, Cub Sport, Tove Lo, Young Franco, Ball Park Music – and more acts that we can possibly name here. And after some controversy, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are in (and Sticky Fingers are out).
But back to Lizzo. Yes. You are allowed to scream. Lizzo is clearly one of the best people on Planet Earth right now, and to get the chance to let loose under the Byron sky to her serotonin-laden dulcet tones is kind of what dreams are made of. If you want all the Lizzo and none of the mud, count your lucky stars – she is playing a Sydney show at the Qudos Bank Arena on July 23.
Tickets for Splendour are on sale from 9am Friday, April 14 over here. Festival organisers have unveiled a 'flexible pricing model' – which essentially means they will get more expensive as time goes on. General admission for three days will set you back around $450.
The 21st edition of Splendour in the Grass is shaping up to be a pretty special time. With La Niña officially over, and festival organisers said they have heavily invested in “significant onsite materials and equipment to immediately address unexpected weather conditions” – we are hoping that the skies will stay blue and that the campgrounds and dance floors will flow with lots of good times, and absolutely no catastrophic mud.
Frankly, we all deserve it.
You can stay up to date with all things Splendour in the Grass 2023 by clicking right here.
