New Rhythm And Alps Festival
Taking its award-winning festival down south, Rhythm and Vines is holding a new sister festival in Canterbury this December!
The new festival Rhythm and Alps will be held over two Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 December, at the picturesque Terrace Downs resort at the base of Mt Hutt just outside of Christchurch.
Big on bass culture and electronica and featuring 34 renowned international and local acts, the festival’s line-up includes some of the stars of the R&V mothership, including US hip hop and turntable legend Grandmaster Flash, Belgian drum and bass star Netsky andKiwi bands of the moment Six60 and Homebrew.
Most of the 34 acts are exclusive to the South Island festival, however, including US experimental multi-genre producer Flying Lotus and UK drum and bass DJs/producers LTJ Bukem and Brookes Brothers.
A heavily weighted local line-up includes South Island favourites Dub Fx, 1814, Antix, Stinky Jim, A Hori Buzz, country band The Eastern, Dubwise, Soulware, Soulsystem, Cyril Orsen and Soul Trader, while Wellington’s Fried Chicken Soundsytem and Kev Fresh also get a look-in.
Program Director Hamish Pinkham says organisers are excited to bring a taste of R&V to Canterbury, while at the same time ensuring that Rhythm and Alps has its own unique flavour.
“Surrounded by the beautiful vista of the Southern Alps, Terrace Downs is the South Island equivalent of our Gisborne home and the ideal location for a music festival.
“Rhythm and Alps will very much have its own South Island flavour and that’s reflected in a line-up heavy on bass and dance culture with local favourites Dub Fx, 1814, Antix and Stinky Jim.”
Pinkham says the team would love for Rhythm and Alps to give R&V a run for its money.
“At the moment though we’re just focused on putting on a great show. We hope locals will get on board and support it.”
With two-day passes at $159 and one-day passes from $89, several thousand festival-goers are expected, with most likely to come from the South Island.
Various accommodation options are available including free onsite camping as well as hotels and holiday homes in the surrounding area. VIP packages will also be on offer.
Pinkham says after nine years, the Gisborne-based Rhythm and Vines has built a loyal fan base with last year’s festival selling-out with a record 25,000 people. Last year also saw the festival pick up best Festival/Event award at the annual Tourism Industry Awards.
With most festival-goers coming from the North Island and a definite gap in the market in the South Island, the team saw an opportunity to bring R&V artists down south while in New Zealand.
He says both he and fellow director Alex Turnbull from Bench Music have strong southern ties and a history of sell out shows and with “test events” held in Dunedin and Queenstown, so it was a natural progression to look at the South Island.
“After such a hard year, we’re bringing a kick-ass international and local line-up and world-class event right to Canterbury’s doorstep. It’s the definitive outdoor South Island event of 2011.”
Tickets are on sale now through http://www.1-night.co.nz/. A limited allotment of early bird 2-day passes are on sale now for $129. A GA 2-day pass is $159, with one day passes at $89 for day 1 and $119 for day 2.
