There’s a lot of anticipation surrounding the 17th Splendour in the Grass, notably because late last year international entertainment giant Live Nation bought the controlling stake in Secret Sounds – SITG’s (and Falls) parent company. Secret Sounds founders, Paul Piticco and Jess Ducruo, have assured the festivals are in good hands, saying “with their support we can continue to curate the lineups that fans love, while also experimenting with new exciting ways for fans to experience live music.”
While this is a massive move for Australia’s much loved music festival, time will tell if it is a positive one. Splendour have revealed the dates for their 2017 festival to be Friday 21 to Sunday 23 July at North Byron Bay Parklands.
Splendour in the Grass 2017 is coming up once again this July so we take a look at how its poster aesthetics have changed over time.
The first SITG was held in 2001 in Byron Bay and has since evolved to be one of Australia most popular three day music events, hosting the best national and international artists, with tickets generally selling out in just days. While posters for the wee years are rare, some pixelated online documentations have preserved the festival’s history from 2001 – 2016.
While you’re here, check out our the best moments from Splendour in the Grass 2016 by Nic Wheatley and Georgia Love’s highs and lows!
Image credit to Saminator, Angelfire, Festival Records and Mark Robert Allen.
The 2001 baby Splendour was a one-day event with Aussie faves Powderfinger, Pnau and John Butler Trio. Tickets $45.
Time to squint: 2002 evolved into two days, with Grinspoon, Spiderbait, Rocket Science and Gomez. Ticket price unknown.
2003 had some bigger international acts like Goldfrapp, Coldplay and Placebo. Tickets $99.
2004: Keeping with the Australian classics like Spiderbait, Grinspoon and Pete Murray but still honing in international musicians like PJ Harvey and Jurassic 5. Tickets $112.
2005: Moby, Queens of the Stone Age, Ryan Adams, Sarah Blasko and Hilltop Hoods. Tickets $75.
2006: Sonic Youth, Brian Wilson, Scissor Sisters, Death Cab for Cutie, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Wolfmother, You Am I, The Vines and The Avalanches. Tickets $160.
2007: Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs, Lily Allen, The Shins, Hoodoo Gurus, Cat Empire and Operator Please. Tickets $185.
2008: Devo, Sigur Ross, The Wombats, Vampire Weekend, Laura Marling, Bluejuice and Bliss N Eso. Tickets $199.
2009: Bloc Party, The Flaming Lips, Jane’s Addiction, MGMT, Birds of Tokyo, You Am I and Little Birdy. Ticket price unknown.
In 2010, shit got real: The Strokes, Pixies, Florence and the Machine, Foals, Two Door Cinema Club, Empire of the Sun, Angus and Julia Stone, The Temper Trap, Violent Soho… Tickets $350.
2011: Coldplay, Kanye West, Pulp, The Hives, Regina Spektor, James Blake, The Vaccines, The Jezabels, Drapht, Kimbra, Illy… Tickets $390.
2012: Jack White, At The Drive-In, Pond, Chet Faker, Flume, Lana Del Rey, Tame Impala, Bleeding Knees Club, Smashing Pumpkins, The Kooks, Azealia Banks, San Cisco, The Rubens, Father John Misty… Tickets $350.
2013, when Frank Ocean pulled out and was replaced by Lorde: Mumford & Sons, Baby Shambles, Matt Corby, Flight Facilities, Boy & Bear, Dune Rats, The National, Birds of Tokyo, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Vance Joy, Of Monster & Men, The Presets… Tickets $350.
2014: Outkast, Interpol, Childish Gambino, Angus & Julia Stone, London Grammar, DMA’s, Sticky Fingers, Sky Ferriera, Lily Allen, Foster The People, Hilltop Hoods, Chvrches, Courtney Barnett… Tickets $355.
2015: Blur, Florence + The Machine, Mark Ronson, Of Monsters & Men, The Wombats, Tame Impala, Peking Duk, Ryan Adams, Flight Facilities, Earl Sweatshirt, The Dandy Warhols, Years and Years, The Delta Riggs, Joyride… Tickets $365.
2016: The Strokes, The Cure, Flume, The Avalanches, James Blake, Violent Soho, Hermitude, Santigold, Sticky Fingers, The 1975, The Kills, The Preatures, Gang of Youths, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Urthboy, Montaigne… Tickets $375.
2017: Who knows? We find out tomorrow…
