This weekend Nimbin musicians will get to go head to head for the chance to win the Airlie Beach Festival of Music’s ‘Passport to Airlie’. The winner/s will be the the regional finalist/s of Australia’s largest ‘Battle of the Bands’.
Heats are held in 15 locations around Australia, from Darwin to Melbourne and everywhere in between.
The Nimbin winner will be decided this Saturday, September 22, at The Nimbin Bush Theatre. The lucky act heads to the grand final – a giant battle between winners of all national heats, held in Airlie Beach during the Festival of Music weekend of November 9–11.
Competitors will be in Airlie Beach with this year’s festival headliners including Smash Mouth, The Church, Killing Heidi, Kasey Chambers, Dave Dobbyn, Ash Grunwald and Marcia Hines.
The ultimate winner secures a place on the main stage line-up at the 2019 festival, a $1000 performance fee, four nights accommodation, VIP festival passes, a spot on Balcony TV, and the chance to play their own music in paradise.
Nimbin Passport to Airlie co-ordinator Nick Hanlon said this year’s acts had been outstanding.
‘There’s no amateur acts in it this year – they’re all professional, established musicians,’ she said.
‘And there’s quite a variety of genres – from Café Enema who are heavy metal to Laurie La who’s folk.
‘The opportunities that come out of the Passport to Airlie in terms of networking potential are fantastic.
‘For someone who’s a gigging muso around this area to go somewhere like the Airlie
Beach Festival of Music can really open doors.’
Saturday’s free final starts from 6pm and is between Mecha Mecha, Laurie La, Dave Barbara and Michael Skinner, Café Enema and Monkey and the Fish.
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