In May this year, the Entertainment Grounds in Gosford will play host to one of NSW’s newest regional festivals, featuring a full line up of local Aussie talent.
The NEXT EXIT festival will feature Ocean Alley, Spacey Jane, Dear Seattle, Merci, Mercy, and the CLEWS.
The festival has been created to help performers and musicians restart following COVID-19 restrictions.
There will be an emphasis on engaging local businesses to take part in the event, to help drive economic activity, encourage regional tourism and highlight local tastemakers and artisans.
The festival will visit four regional towns over the last two weeks in May, starting in Tamworth on May 21, the on to Gosford on May 23, Batemans Bay on May 28, and Mudgee on May 29.
Psych-rock band and Triple J Hottest 100 winner, Ocean Alley, is one of many bands which has had to take time off from performing due to COVID.
Guitarist, Mitch Galbraith, said despite the pressure of having to stop, the band had tried to spend the last year catching up with family, friends, and each other.
“It has been a bit of a struggle because performing is our bread-and-butter; that’s what we love to do,” Galbraith said.
“We have spent the last three years performing, not just in Australia but across the world.
“To have it all come crashing down and cancelled was a bummer.
“It is just frustrating to have things cancelled, and it is definitely not how it was a year ago.
“But we are not in too bad of a position to deal with this.
“We have been enjoying the breaks at home; (now is) a good time to catch up and get back into the groove.”
The NEXT EXIT festival will be one of the first larger events the band will be playing following the lifting of restrictions.
“We managed to do a few gigs before the New Year,” Galbraith said.
“We did a few shows up (on the) Queensland Sunshine Coast, but then everyone went back into lockdown again.
“It has been a smattering of gigs.”
MJR Presents created the festival after receiving Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) funding from the Federal Government.
Head Of Touring Australia, Scott Mesit, said the original concept for the NEXT EXIT Festival was to help bushfire-affected towns regenerate tourism and hire as many local suppliers as possible.
“We pass so many ‘Next Exit’ signs on the highway and often drive past with only our destination in sight,” Mesit said.
“So much has happened since then but our aim remains the same.
“We have designed a safe festival that can be delivered under current restrictions and will employ many people from our industry who have sat on the sidelines for too long.”
Galbraith said band members were excited to play in some regional towns they had never been to before.
“The big cities get all the attention, but it is so much fun to go somewhere off the beaten track,” he said.
“Festivals in these places are important for their communities, but they’re also important for the artists, performers, and the crew that is working.
“Many have lost their livelihoods, so it’s important to put on shows wherever and whenever we can.”
Tickets go on sale on Tuesday, March 9, at 10am via mjrpresents.com.
Jacinta Counihan