The new music festival is bringing 12 bands to two stages at Mt Duneed Estate.
Promising to turn the festival experience on its head with a lineup of international acts and local heroes, Tent Pole: A Musical Jamboree is the newest festival headed for our region in 2023.
The inaugural event takes place on Saturday 4 March at Mt Duneed Estate, on their newly developed Top Paddock site, and will feature twelve acts across two stages and a no-holds-barred attack on your aural senses.
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More than just the music, Tent Pole is a cross-generational, neo-nostalgic celebration and gathering for like-minded music, art and culture lovers; the weird, the wonderful, the outsiders and everyone in between. Remembering, discovering and absorbing. All-inclusive and accessible. All senses catered for; all sensations welcome.
Heading up the ground-breaking new one-day festival is influential and iconic US indie heroes Pavement. One of the most popular bands to come out of the American underground in the last three decades, Pavement will feature the unbeatable line-up of Stephen Malkmus, Scott ‘Spiral Stairs’ Kannberg, Mark Ibold, Bob Nastanovich and Steve West.
The band last toured Australia in 2010 and has just celebrated the 30th anniversary of their seminal 1992 debut album Slanted and Enchanted, a timeless record that not only changed indie music but one that continues to inspire musicians to this day.
Joining Pavement, the festival will also be bringing over Texan blues alt-country singer-songwriter Charley Crockett and his band and US garage punk rockers Black Lips.
With a voice as smooth as silk – and ancestry that traces back to American folk hero Davy Crockett – Texan singer-songwriter Crockett will make his highly anticipated Australian debut next March when he and his band bring their unique rootsy take on Americana music to audiences down under.
Atlanta-based combo Black Lips will then tear up the Tent Pole stage with their raucous southern fried, garage punk, sonic glory. Considered one of the best live acts around today, their recent 10th studio album, Apocalypse Love, shows they’re not slowing down as they enter their third decade.
Alongside these international acts, Tent Pole will also showcase national heroes including indie-rock royalty Spiderbait, legendary Geelong locals Magic Dirt, alt-pop-rock faves Floodlights, San Diego rock’n’soulers The Schizophonics, NT rockers Black Rock Band, punk trio CLAMM, Melbourne punk trio legends MOD CON, power pop rockers The Prize and Bellarine-based psychedelic dream pop, prog rockers Sirens. Huge!
With a bill teeming with revered, respected and rising stars, the new Surf Coast concert event is the first collaboration between Roundhouse Entertainment (the team behind Australia’s iconic outdoor summer concert series a day on the green), Love Police (led by music maverick Brian ‘BT’ Taranto) and Johann Ponniah, founder of I OH YOU (home to one of the country’s most successful independent record labels). They are combining their decades of expertise in booking the finest bands from all over the globe to give music fans the ultimate experience.
“After 21 years and 500 shows, it’s exciting to launch a new event to complement the day on the green experience. It’s been fantastic to curate a smaller boutique event with BT and Johann,” says Roundhouse Entertainment Director Michael Newton.
“The Zoom calls have been fun so far. Mt Duneed Estate is a great site, and with more bands to come we look forward to firmly stamping Tent Pole as a mainstay on the Victorian festival calendar for many years to come.”
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In a celebration of art, music and retro road trips, OK Motels will take over the second stage, curating a line-up that will embrace their unique love of all things rural and retro. And with a nostalgic nod to the ’70s – Kate Berry, the founder and photographer behind everyone’s favourite Instagram account – with Shaun Adams, will produce a very OK program celebrating music, nostalgia and the great Aussie road trek.
Auslan Stage Left, a national organisation specialising in the arts and performance interpreting, will also be at the event, providing access for the Deaf Community.
Prepare for iconic, indie, lo-fi, hi-fi, post-punk, alternative, and renegade rock. Celebrating an eclectic mix of artists, while showcasing a musically diverse mix of seminal and highly influential international and Aussie acts, as well as local, up-and-coming and emerging artists. So magnificent, it will take two stages to contain them all! Arrive early and discover your next favourite band!
Tickets for Tent Pole are on sale now. Head to www.tentpolemusicfestival.com for more info.
This article was made in partnership with Roundhouse Entertainment.
