Harvest Rock 2023: Jamiroquai, Beck headline Adelaide festival line-up

Adelaide music festival Harvest Rock is aimed at an audience who prefers ‘camping in hotel rooms’, and the line-up for its return in October will be headlined by Jamiroquai and Beck.

Jay Kay, frontman of British funk/soul band Jamiroquai.

A little over a week after presenting a sunny, successful edition of Splendour in the Grass near Byron Bay, festival promoter Jessica Ducrou has shifted her focus to the South Australian capital, plotting the return of a smaller, boutique event named Harvest Rock.

“If Splendour were my marriage, Harvest is my affair,” ­Ducrou told The Australian with a laugh.

Held at two neighbouring parks in downtown Adelaide on October 28-29, Harvest Rock will be headlined by exclusive sets from two international performers: British funk/soul band Jamiroquai, in its first Australian appearance since 2011, and US rock singer-songwriter Beck Hansen, aka Beck, with his band.

For Ducrou, who grew up in Adelaide, splitting her time between working on the two major festivals is energising, as they cater to different audiences.

“Splendour is a big commitment,” she said. “You are deeply involved in the experience, and because of the demographics – six to 60-year-olds – we need to be everything to everyone. A three-day camping festival in a rural area is about as challenging as it gets, in terms of producing an event.”

Live music promoter Jessica Ducrou, co-founder of Byron Bay festival Splendour In The Grass, at the Secret Sounds office in Sydney. Picture: Yianni Aspradakis

Late last month, the Splendour team shook off a challenging 2022 festival – beset by adverse weather, acres of mud, major transport delays and a cancelled first day of programming – to welcome about 40,000 people per day on to the North Byron Parklands.

Its audience was down about 20 per cent from its peak capacity of 50,000 ticketholders, but the festival – headlined by US pop singer-songwriter Lizzo, Australian electronic musician Flume and British folk-rock act Mumford & Sons – went off without a hitch beneath blue skies.

Harvest Rock, meanwhile, involves camping in hotel rooms. The festival grounds are centrally located at Rymill and King Rodney parks, and its two-day, two-stage format encourages a slower pace among attendees.

Concertgoers at the debut Harvest Rock festival in Adelaide in November 2022. Picture: Topbunk

“It’s geared toward an audience when they decide they don’t want to do the hard yards at Splendour,” said Ducrou, 53, who happens to fit snugly inside the festival’s target demographic of 30 to 60-year-olds.

Artists joining Jamiroquai and Beck on the line-up include overseas acts Nile Rodgers & Chic, Bright Eyes, Santigold, Sparks, Warpaint and Chromeo, while Paul Kelly, Flight Facilities and Chet Faker are among the Australian acts booked.

Beck Hansen, aka Beck, is among the headline acts at Harvest Rock festival in Adelaide.

As with last year’s debut – headlined by Jack White and Crowded House, and attended by about 15,000 people a day – Harvest Rock is supported by the SA government through the South Australian Tourism Commission.

“It’s very focused on food and beverage offerings, particularly wine, showcasing all the amazing produce and wineries down in South Australia,” said Ducrou, co-founder of concert promoter Secret Sounds. “It’s for an older audience, which really suits this town and this state.”