FBi Picks :: Sydney Festival 2014
October 24th 2013
FBi Radio
It’s back! The 2014 program for Sydney Festival was announced last night, and as always, there’s basically nothing on it that we’re not interested in going to. But unless you’re Hermione Granger, you can’t see everything – so here are some of our favourite picks for next January…
FBi NIGHT: KURT VILE & THE VIOLATORS
22 January // Paradiso at Town Hall
We’re super excited to be bringing you the hazy, lazy, beautiful Kurt Vile and his full band, the Violators. His latest album Wakin’ On A Pretty Daze is a captivating listen, taking out our album of the week spot in April this year. We’ll be giving away tickets to FBi supporters, so make sure you’re listening to FBi if you want to score some freebies to this one!
Kurt Vile is also playing a solo show in the Festival Village on 23 January.
HIVE + 100 MILLION NIGHTS
TYONDAI BRAXTON + CANYONS AND DANIEL BOYD
21 January // Sydney Opera House
Two very unique audio-visual experiences: Tyondai Braxton (ex frontman of Battles) and four musicians will play live using modular synthesisers, sound design and percussion, all while perched upon custom-built illuminated platforms in HIVE.
100 Million Nights is a collaboration between Melbourne electronic dudes Canyons and visual artist Daniel Boyd, exploring Aboriginal and Australian-European history through a live performance and three-panel installation.
(And if you’re a big fan of Tyondai, he’s also doing a free late-night DJ set on 22 January as part of Paradiso Lates.)
FUTURE CLASSIC NIGHT
JACQUES RENAULT, MEDLAR, TOUCH SENSITIVE & WAVE RACER
24 January // Paradiso at Town Hall
MODULAR NIGHT
JUAN ATKINS, MOVEMENT, ROLAND TINGS, WORDLIFE & SOFTWAR
17 January // Paradiso at Town Hall
What can we say? Two of our favourite record labels consistently curate festival highlights each year, and 2014 is no different. Alongside international heavyweights, the Sydney contingency is strong, and we’re particularly excited to see newcomers Wave Racer, Touch Sensitive, Movement and Wordlife on the bill. Choosing between these nights would be like choosing a favourite child… just go to both, okay?
SAMARIS
16-17 January // The Spiegeltent
Samaris is a gorgeous production trio from Iceland. They’re kind of like our Icelandic cousins, having collaborated with our Sydney artists Lanterns and Moon Holiday when we sent them to Reykjavik for the 2012 FBi Northern Lights competition. Download the EP they made together here then go see ’em in the flesh!
DONNY BENET & THE DONNY BENET SHOW BAND
10, 17 & 24 January // The Spiegeltent
Yup. The sophisticated lover is back. Free in the Spiegeltent over three consecutive Friday nights… because why not?
ABOUT AN HOUR
17-20 January // Carriageworks
About an Hour is back in 2014, taking over Carriageworks with a series of “60-minute-ish” performances over four days. Highlights include The Redux Project – one guy (Richard DeDomenici) re-enacting famous scenes from popular movies with very low budget props and effects (think Priscilla: Queen of the Desert and Muriel’s Wedding…), Cadavre Exquis – a live theatre version of that game where you write a sentence on a piece of paper then fold it over so only the last line is visible and pass it on to the next writer (ya know?), and Forklift… because forklifts!
THAT RUBBER DUCK
This year, the big yellow duck of happiness is travelling a bit further west – taking up post in the Parramatta River. Holy Duck, we love you.
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MINI FESTIVAL HUB
This year, the SydFest team are launching things a little bit differently. Up until Sunday, you can head down to Town Hall and get up close & personal with the program at the Mini Festival Hub: an interactive exhibition that’s way more fun than scrolling through the shows on the interwebs. You can even get a guided tour from the festival director Lieven Bertels, then when you’re all learned up, you can buy single tickets right there and then, before general on-sale on Monday.
Thursday 24 October: 11am – 8pm (5pm – 8pm Cash Bar)
6:30pm Guided Tour with Lieven Bertels
Friday 25 October: 11am – 8pm (5pm – 8pm Cash Bar)
6:30pm Guided Tour with Lieven Bertels
Saturday 26 October: 10am – 4pm
2pm Guided Tour with Lieven Bertels
Sunday 27 October: 10am – 4pm
2pm Guided Tour with Lieven Bertels
Multi-pack tickets are on sale now, and general release all go on sale on Monday 28 October at 9am. Check out the full Sydney Festival program for 2014 here.
Relive the fun of 2013’s Sydney Festival