The world’s most remote music festival is set to return with its biggest ever line-up of iconic Aussie rock acts next July 7-9, when Paul Kelly and a slew of Oz music legends hit Outback Queensland’s Simpson Desert for the 2020 Big Red Bash.
Headliner Paul Kelly will be joined by a festival-record 19 Australian music greats, including Tim Finn, John Williamson, Kate Ceberano, Ian Moss, Shannon Noll, Dragon, The Radiators, Mi Sex, Wendy Matthews, Thirsty Merc, Marc Gable, Glenn Shorrock, Caitlin Shadbolt and more.
Collectively, the bumper artist lineup has won more than 25 ARIA awards and 27 CMAA awards, as well as releasing over 100 albums and countless hit singles.
Whether it’s Paul Kelly singing ‘To Her Door’,’ Nollsy belting ‘What About Me’, John Williamson crooning ‘True Blue’ or Wendy Matthews breaking our hearts all over again with ‘The Day You Went Away’, festivalgoers can expect a classic playlist of Oz anthems performed live in one of the world’s most unique and quintessentially Australian landscapes.
For Aussie music lovers and intrepid travellers alike, it doesn’t get much better than this.
Crowd favourites Bjorn Again – who took to the stage on camel-back in 2019 – will also return by popular demand for the sixth edition of the all-ages festival, along with Steve Balbi, Chocolate Starfish, Ross Wilson and Vika and Linda Bull.
Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones said the strong growth of the Birdsville Big Red Bash demonstrated the value of the state government’s Queensland Destination Events Program.
“We support Outback events because they attract visitors to the region and create jobs in the tourism sector,” Ms Jones said.
“The Birdsville Big Red Bash is a one-of-a-kind music festival held in an iconic Outback Queensland location. What started as a small impromptu concert with 500 people has grown to a truly epic event that attracts 9,000 people to the Simpson Desert. An event that we hope continues to grow.”
“We’ve put in a lot of work to produce a 2020 line-up that screams iconic Oz Rock and classic Australian and Trans-Tasman music,” said Big Red Bash Founder and Organiser, Greg Donovan.
“This year, we have a total of 20 acts – more than we’ve ever had, which allows us to extend the hours of performance and offer even more entertainment for festivalgoers.”
“We’re also thrilled to have the man that started it all for the Big Red Bash, our good mate John Williamson,” added Donovan.
“In 2013, our festival was born from John performing solo with just a speaker and a mic on top of Big Red. Now, six years on, we’re ready to welcome him back as part of our biggest ever line-up. We’ve come a long way, but we certainly wouldn’t be here now if wasn’t for John.”
“I was there for the first Big Red Bash and I will forever remember performing on top of Big Red,” said John Williamson. “I’m looking forward to returning again to a festival and event that celebrates our beautiful country with a great line-up of entertainers. This is just another reason I encourage everyone to go and explore our big backyard”.
Also returning to perform at her second Big Red Bash event, Kate Ceberano said, “The Big Red Bash event is out of control! The location is so unique – it’s just like a lunar scape, with the earth and the sky divided in equal measure. It’s set up cradled in the arms of this amazing 40 metre red sand dune, where the kids can go crazy.”
“I’m not kidding when I say that it’s one of the greatest events I’ve ever personally been part of. And some of the greatest artists from around the country will gather to perform there again next year. Everything that ailed me in Melbourne was suddenly cured when I got out to the Simpson Desert last time, and I can’t wait to get back out there for Big Red Bash 2020,” added Kate.
The desert landscape has also resonated with headline act Paul Kelly who performed at the 2016 Big Red Bash. The legendary singer-songwriter has said, “I’m really looking forward to playing under a big sky again.”
All 20 of next year’s Big Red Bash acts will perform in front of ‘Big Red’ – a 40-metre high sand dune that provides a spectacular natural amphitheater setting.
With bragging rights as Australia’s largest Outback event, the 2019 Big Red Bash sold-out with more than 9,000 punters attending the festival from every Australian state and territory, as well as abroad. With such an iconic Australian music lineup on offer, festival organisers are expecting another sell-out event in 2020.
Proudly supported by the Queensland Government via Tourism and Events Queensland, the Big Red Bash has grown exponentially to generate around $12 million in tourism spending for Outback Queensland.
The Big Red Bash is a proudly family-friendly event, offering dog-friendly camping and concert areas, with children aged 11-and-under able to attend for free.
Tickets to 2020 Big Red Bash will go on sale next Thursday, September 19, at 9am AEDT. Tickets can be purchased from the festival’s website: www.bigredbash.com.au
