The modern age is transforming electronic music culture before our eyes.
The most notable shift in the past 20 years has been the gradual shift away from nightclubs as the main purveyors of electronic music, as day parties and festivals shone daylight on the diversity the genre can offer.
The next shift – and this is across the entire music industry – has been away from large-scale camping festivals in featureless paddocks towards boutique, smaller and increasingly luxurious events.
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Festival 23 epitomises both of these trends. From January 27-29 this year, the festival organisers held their second-ever, three-day camping festival in the Lancemore Macedon Hotel.
Rolling hills overlooking vineyards, an infinity pool overlooking a large swimmable dam, multiple stages set inside the rather pristine hotel itself, lush grass and yoga and air conditioning and reiki healing tents…mark our words, this is the future of techno festivals.
Its utter suitability for the genre was evident in the quality of the music and the spirit of the attendees. As one staffer noted, this is a festival for “people who can handle their shit”. 800 or so experienced festival-heads, averaging between 30 and 35-years-old, going off to the likes of Seth Schwarz, Madmotormiquel, Osunlade, Henry Saiz, Ben Balance and so on.
Not household names by any means, but highly experienced and regarded European electronic masters that have formed their reputations over decades.
As with any brand-new festival, there were teething issues. The local council had, in one person’s words, “fucked them” by changing the campground location at the last minute. They persevered and thanks to the target demographic, succeeded. There were other minor gripes here and there that you wouldn’t experience at, say, Pitch or Rainbow. But the advantages? Pwoah.
Ultimately, judging the festival organisers by what they could accomplish, the overall implementation was absolutely commendable.
The proof will undoubtedly be in the festival’s long-term future. We expect Festival 23 to form a reputation as a must-attend festival across the entire Australian calendar. Then, in such a beautiful environment, their only challenge will be the people themselves.
Find out more info about Festival 23 here.
