Bambra beckons music lovers

BOUTIQUE Bambra festival By The Meadow has announced its 2018 line-up, revealing an eclectic mix of both international and local talents.

The festival’s fifth edition will be headlined by New Zealand dream-pop act Fazerdaze, local folk number Tiny Little Houses and Tame Impala’s Jay Watson, performing as his alter-ego GUM.

Organisers say this year’s lineup is a journey through the current Australian music scene in the picturesque Otway Hinterlands.

Considering the festival’s humble beginnings as more of a 21st birthday celebration than a music festival, co-organiser Cameron Wade was excited by the fifth event.

“We had two 21st birthdays in a row, and decided to run the parties as a music festival and inviting our friends to play,” he said.

“The third year turned into a festival when there was no birthday party, and we started opening up each year from friends and family to friends of friends.

“We wanted to turn it into something sustainable and something that can support up and coming bands around Melbourne.”

The four young organisers have worked hard to build a successful event from the ground up in a climate that has seen other larger festivals such as Soundwave and Big Day Out fail.

Part of their success could be put down to the organic growth of the event.

“We didn’t push it, we let it grew organically and didn’t try to bite off more than we could chew,” Mr Wade said.

“We are very conscious about keeping it cosy, there’s a minor contingency about growing it bigger but we are pretty happy with the numbers.”

By the Meadow is a BYO camping festival hosted in Bambra from April 6-8. First release tickets are on sale now, starting from $95, plus booking fee. For more information visit: www.bythemeadow.com