Music festivals

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Palestinian DJ Sama’ Abdulhadi performing at Exit music festival, Serbia, in 2021.

Palestinian DJ ‘heartbroken’ after visa not approved ahead of major music festivals

Sama’ Abdulhadi was due to play at huge events in two states this weekend, expected to attract about 120,000 revellers.

  • Kayla Olaya

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Eurovision bound: Australian singer Delta Goodrem.

Delta’s dawn: Australia’s queen of pop is Eurovision-bound

Armed with a dance-disco anthem and three decades of pop pedigree, Delta Goodrem is preparing to step onto the world’s biggest stage.

  • Michael Idato
The Rolling Loud Australia lineup.

Major music festival cancelled 24 hours out from first show

Rolling Loud Australia, the local iteration of “the world’s biggest hip-hop festival”, has pulled the pin less than a day before its first event.

  • Karl Quinn
Chappell Roan performs at Laneway Festival, Flemington Park, February 13.

A ruckus and a proposal as one of the world’s biggest acts hits the Melbourne stage

With a line-up featuring Chappell Roan, Geese, Lucy Dacus, Role Model and Wet Leg, this year’s Laneway Festival took crowds on a fantastical ride.

  • Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen
Attendees were barred from entering the stage to see PinkPantheress with security citing capacity issues.

Stages blocked, exits crowded: Fans slam ‘disappointing’ festival at new Gold Coast venue

Security blocked hundreds of people from accessing a stage at the event, with one fan complaining that decisions seemed to be “based purely on vibes”.

  • Brittney Deguara
The Dreamstate Music Festival was held at Sydney Showground on Saturday.

Man dead, six rushed to hospital from Sydney music festival

Police are investigating after a number of festivalgoers suffered medical episodes at a music festival at Olympic Park on Saturday. 

  • Angus Thomson and Kayla Olaya
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Cooper Smith in action at the 2024 Australian Open tennis tournament music stage.

‘They can see past the disability’: Cerebral palsy no barrier for popular DJ

Cooper Smith says taking his place behind the decks at top music festivals makes him feel free and connected.

  • Carolyn Webb
Despite cost-of-living pressures, Erin Girvan makes going to gigs and festivals a priority.

Music festivals have had a bad few years, but promoters say things are on the up. This is why

High-profile festivals have hit the wall, and some new festivals were cancelled before they even began, but 2026 could be the year it turns around.

  • Aidan Elwig Pollock
SXSW Sydney will not go ahead in 2026. Its first event was in October 2023, which saw Bow and Arrow (pictured) perform at its Tumbalong Park launch.

SXSW Sydney axed two years before taxpayer-funded, multimillion-dollar deal expires

The “festival of festivals” was lauded as an “unparalleled coup” for the city by industry heavyweights – but the gamble didn’t pay off.

  • Bronte Gossling and David Swan
Fern Greig-Moore returned to raving in her 40s.

Can you be a raver in your 40s? I decided to revive my life on the dance floor

A few years ago, while battling another chaotic family meal prep, I dreamily reminisced about the ’90s. Those heady times of glitter hair gel, fluoro crop tops and chunky sneakers.

  • Fern Greig-Moore