:: 2010 Queenscliff Music Festival

By: Carmine Pascuzzi

The first round of artists for this year's Queenscliff Music Festival have been revealed as well as a number of exciting, new announcements. The 2010 festival line-up when completed will deliver over 80 acts presenting 150 performances in 13 venues across Queenscliff on the weekend of November 26-27-28.

Direct from three years of staging large scale concerts in Macau and ten years at the USA's Telluride Blues and Brews Festival, New Festival Director, Michael Carrucan, has added a new stage called The Crossing Stage, and ensured everything kicks off on an ultra high note with The Lighthouse Stage opening a day earlier to encompass the Friday night.

In an epic summer weekend event that engulfs the whole of the town, Queenscliff Music Festival famously encompasses all types of music - blues, roots, rock, pop, soul/groove, classical, jazz, country, folk, world/reggae and acoustic - accommodating the tastes of young, old and everything in-between, in unexpected venues. This year's Festival will be no exception with a line-up which includes the following artists and shows:

The cult TV show RocKwiz Live, Kate Miller-Heidke, John Williamson, Little Red, Colin Hay, Washington, The Black Sorrows, Mark Seymour, Atlanta-based singer/songwriter Shawn Mullins, the only female ever named a “guitar god” by Rolling Stones Magazine - Kaki King also from Atlanta, Sally Seltmann, The Vasco Era, Mary Gauthier, Vika & Linda, Gareth Liddiard, Katie Noonan & The Captains, Dan Kelly's Dream Band, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performing in the Grand Ballroom of the Vue Grand Hotel, Ash Grunwald, Public Opinion Afro Orchestra, Mick Thomas & The Sure Thing and Pikelet. Many more names will be added over the coming weeks.

As usual, one of the highlights of this year's 14th Queenscliff Music Festival is sure to be the QMF Express - the festival-on-a-train, departing from the grounds every hour with four artists performing in four different carriages. Enjoy a great, chilled-out experience as you travel up and down the coast of the peninsula to live tunes.

Whether you are enjoying some great music on the QMF Express, sipping on a bevvy at The Crossing Stage or watching the sun set over The Lighthouse Stage, the ambience of this Festival will make the world feel like your oyster. When you've had enough of the music, you can always cruise down Hesse Street and wander through the markets or fill rumbling tummies at the many food stores designed to feed the soul as well as your hunger cravings.

Queenscliff Music Festival is a great excuse to pack your bags for the weekend - or just plan a day trip - for a festival experience in a historic, beachside town with unique performances spaces and a tremendous wall of eclectic sound.

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**Update as at September 20, 2010**

The Queenscliff Music Festival’s 2010 program just got a whole lot bigger with the announcement of a swag of new acts for the program. Joining the already wide array of artists on the festival stages will be the man many have labelled the “black Johnny Cash” Frank Yamma, Melbourne favourites, The Meanies, wildly talented Perth outfit Mama Kin, Mr Percival, blues miesters Blue Shaddy & the Ray Beadle Band, the afro-columbian rhythms of Watussi, Kim Churchill, Skipping Girl Vinegar, Paul Greene, Andy Bull, Ashleigh Mannix, Catherine Britt, The Bedroom Philosopher, Jazz groovers, Louie Prez, Mark Ferrie’s latest outfit, The Mercurials, Sweethearts, The Nymphs, Kate Vigo, Claude Hay, Tiffany Eckhardt & Dave Steel, The Go Set, The Mojo Corner, Victoriana Gaye, The Rustys, Quarry Mountain Dead Rats, Sweet Delores, Ghost Mutt, Stephen McEwan, Courtney Barnett, Catherine Sanzaro and DJ Ken Eavel.

Acts already announced include RocKwiz Live, Kate Miller-Heidke, John Williamson, Little Red,Colin Hay, Washington, Mark Seymour, Ash Grunwald,The Black Sorrows, Shawn Mullins, Kaki King, Sally Seltmann, The Vasco Era, Mary Gauthier, Gareth Liddiard, Dan Kelly's Dream Band, Vika & Linda,Katie Noonan & The Captains, MSO and the Public Opinion Afro Orchestra.

Each year Queenscliff Music Festival stages a special music showcase in tribute to a great music artist and this year will stage a special concert Tribute to Stevie Wonder featuring a range of festival artists - these as well as many more fantastic acts will entertain the crowds across the last weekend in November.

In an epic summer weekend event that engulfs the whole of the town, Queenscliff Music Festival famously encompasses all types of music – blues, roots, rock,pop,soul/groove, classical, jazz, country, folk, world/reggae and acoustic – accommodating the tastes of young, old and everything in-between, in unexpected venues.

Whether you are enjoying some great blues & roots music on the QMF Express, sipping on a bevvy at Train Bar with its live music stage, watching the sun set over The Lighthouse Stage or saying ‘hi’ to the presenters in the Triple R tent, the ambience of this Festival will make the world feel like your oyster. When you’ve had enough of the music, you can always cruise down Hesse Street and wander through the markets or fill rumbling tummies at the many food stores designed to feed the soul as well as your hunger cravings.

Queenscliff Music Festival is a great excuse to pack your bags for the weekend – or just plan a day trip – for a festival experience in a historic, beachside town with unique performances spaces and a tremendous wall of eclectic sound.

Ticket options cater for any schedule with a $40 Friday night ticket, a $60 Sunday session ticket, a full on Saturday, Essential weekends (Sat+Sun) and The best value ticket, the Big Weekend Ticket, which gets you in from the first act Friday night to the last act at the after party Sunday, are still available and going fast.