:: 2012 St.Kilda Festival

By: Carmine Pascuzzi

Victoria’s largest annual free community event, the St Kilda Festival, recently announced the first round of headliners for its music programme. The stellar line up includes internationally acclaimed urban group, Blue King Brown; 1980s favourite, Boom Crash Opera; Melbourne indie rockers, British India and home-grown electro-pop duo, Sneaky Sound System headlining Festival Sunday, the culmination of the nine-day celebration of music and culture which showcases St Kilda at its best.

From pop and rock to hip-hop, graveyard folk and the best in Australian culture, the 32nd St Kilda Festival will include more than 150 artists across 7 stages and more than 40 St Kilda venues, held from Saturday, February 4 to free Festival Sunday on February 12 2012. Festival Producer Adele Denison said, “Showcasing Australian music, culture and providing the biggest stage for emerging Australian artists, the 2012 program offers something for everyone from world-class headliners to grass roots Australian artists. As Victoria’s largest free annual community event each year attracting crowds of around 400,000, the St Kilda Festival continues to engage the community in a fun and safe environment."

Bringing the beats to O’Donnell Gardens on Festival Sunday, the all-Australian festival also includes World’s End Press and Alpine as well as Busby Marou, Brothers Grim and Rapskallion who will bring the Alfred Square Stage to life. Great artists feature throughout St Kilda Festival with up and comers, The Last Kinection and folk legend, Bart Willoughby leading the revelry at the outdoor Indigenous festival, Yalukit Willam Ngargee on Sunday, February 4, where people of all ages can enjoy a huge program of dance, music, poetry, children’s activities and more.

Music lovers will also fill St Kilda’s venues throughout Live N Local from Sunday, February 5 to Saturday, February 11 where home-grown artists will unleash their talents, the best of which like bluesy urban Lady Lash and new favourites of the US indie scene, Dancing Heals, are set to perform on Festival Sundays Live N Local Stage.

Each of the nine days at St Kilda Festival offer different experiences, catering to a range of interests and tastes, with a common focus to provide friends and families with an event to share and celebrate Australian culture.