Drop rocks Snapper
Music fest to follow surf tour
A NEW touring music festival is set to drop in on the Australian leg of the World Surf League Championship Tour when it opens at Snapper Rocks next month.
Driven by founding partner and surf star Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew, The Drop Festival will follow the WSL Australian tour from Snapper to Bells Beach and Margaret River in March and April.
“I thought it would be a great fit to bring live music back to major surfing events. I’m super pumped on this,” Mr Bartholomew said.
The match is a no brainer – surfing and rocking riffs have long gone hand-in-hand on the Gold Coast.
The Gold Coast leg of Drop will see SAFIA, Dune Rats, San Cisco, Holy Holy and Ruby Fields play Ebenezer Park, Tweed Heads, on March 17 – the first weekend of the annual Quiksilver and Roxy Pro at Snapper Rocks (from March 11-22).
Mr Bartholomew, a former Association of Surfing Professionals CEO and president, said he was excited to create a festival that celebrated music and surf culture. “It’s a really good fit.” The 1978 world surfing champion and 1999 ASP world masters and 2003 ASP world grand masters champ, Mr Bartholomew was renowned for his rock star image as frontman of covers band Firewalkers during his 20-plus career as a pro-surfer.
“There used to be a lot more live music in general,” he said.
“There used to be a big night with a big band during the comp and then there was this big lull with nothing happening. We brought this idea along and it’s definitely got traction. All the stakeholders have bought into it.”
Mr Bartholomew and his partners tested the water with a Cooly Beach Fest concert in Queen Elizabeth Park, Coolangatta, during last year’s Quiksilver Pro, its success paving the way for this year’s expanded Drop festival tour.
“We can’t have anything on the Coast with the Commonwealth Games in 2018 – it’s out of bounds – so Drop fest’s original home is now Ebenezer Park at Duranbah,” Mr Bartholomew said. “It’s an incredible site.” Drop Festival tickets are $75 (first release) or $195 for a family of four via Moshtix.