After suffering a less-than-fabulous turnout for its debut event in 2015, Fairfax-run music and arts festival Spectrum Now is ramping things up for its sophomore year.
After piquing plenty of interest with its first epic handful of lineup announcements and comedy additions, festival organisers have now laid all of their cards out on the table, and it looks like a winning hand.
Their whopping 16-day program features a massive live music lineup, plus art installations express from Burning Man, live burlesque and painting, fire-breathers, comedy and a range of all-star talks.
Kicking off on March 1st, the Sydney-based cultural extravaganza will host both free and ticketed live music events at central hub, The Domain.
The ticketed music program, which has been curated by Splendour In The Grass and Fall Festival masterminds Paul Piticco and Jessica Ducrou, will go down at Big Top and feature a combination of homegrown and international acts including Missy Higgins, Hot Dub Time Machine, The Jesus & Mary Chain (UK), Godspeed You! Black Emperor (Cananda), Birds Of Tokyo, Calexico (USA), Augie March, Seekae, U.S. Girls (USA) Alvvays (Canada) Jonathan Boulet, Rockwiz Live and more.
While the ANZ Blue Stage Series will put the spotlight on undiscovered local musicians to share their talents via pop-up performances at Martin Place, Pitt Street Mall and The Domain throughout the festival period.
Not to mention the sure-to-be thigh-slapping Workaholics comedy showcase.
The hub will also showcase a range of food, drink, a pop-up tattoo parlour, retro barber and more.
Altogether, organisers are promising more than one hundred “unexpected experiences” across Sydney, to “spotlight the city’s creative heart and soul through four festival categories of art, music, stage and talks”.
Two highlights of the all-star talks program include Pillow Talk – which delves into the “intimate and personal lives” of some of Australia’s leading creative couples – and Cultural Crush – which invites pre-eminent journalists to “cross-examine their dream subject in front of a live audience”.
For more info on the massive 2016 Spectrum Now festival program, head to the official festival website, or else check out the official promo teaser video and music lineup below.
UPDATE 11/02/16: Something For Kate have been added to the Spectrum Now 2016 lineup, and will be performing an exclusive ‘greatest hits’ set for one night only. Catch the updated festival lineup, below.
Watch: Spectrum Now 2016 Teaser
Spectrum Now Festival Lineup
Something For Kate
…joining
Missy Higgins
Hot Dub Time Machine
Workaholics Comedy Showcase
The Jesus And Mary Chain
Birds Of Tokyo
Calexico
Augie March
Rockwiz Live
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Seekae
U.s. Girls
Alvvays
Jonathan Boulet
Thursday 3rd – Sunday 13th March 2016
The Domain, Sydney
Tickets: Spectrum Now
