Passport to Airlie to headline Airlie Beach Festival of Music in November

Did COVID totally harsh your mellow in 2020? Don’t fret because Passport to Airlie is back with the Festival of Music

Benny Nelson at Passport for Airlie 2019.

Music fans starved of some of the best original live music in Australia can breath a sweet sigh of relief - the Passport to Airlie is back for 2021.

The nation's largest live original music initiative is back with organisers confirming the competition will headline at the Airlie Beach Festival of Music in November.

Passport to Airlie gives rising bands a platform to showcase their work in a series of events across the country, with the best of the regions securing a place at the festival.

Pre-Covid years drew more than 300 acts participating across the country each year since 2013, and there are nine locations selected for the 2021 heats.

Selected regions include Cairns, Mackay, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Sydney, Melbourne and Darwin.

 

Mirage at Passport to Airlie.

 

Heats run from June until September in a three-month celebration of live and original music around the country, with one band or artist chosen from each location receiving accommodation and VIP tickets to the festival in November.

The Thursday night of the festival, all regional representatives will perform at the Passport Showcase event in front of celebrity and industry judges to determine one winner to be announced on the Main Stage on the Sunday afternoon of the festival.

Passport to Airlie is the largest event of its kind to offer free artist entry and place emphasis on original music, with participants required to have three-quarters of their set be originals. Along with the opportunity to perform in paradise, the competition provides opportunity, exposure and industry experience and support for artists through regional events.

 

Passport to Airlie is back with a round of finals across Queensland before converging on the Whitsundays

 

"I wanted to create a festival where you could see the classic rock bands and hear the songs we grew up with, and at the same time discover new talent and give them a chance," Promoter Gavin 'Butto' Butlin said.

"Airlie Beach is the ideal setting for the festival with its relaxed vibe.

"You can walk between all the bars and restaurants in town, enjoy the gorgeous weather, have a drink, make new friends and listen to an awesome variety of good music."

Despite the wrath of COVID-19, Airlie Beach Festival of Music organisers were proud to confirm its return to the heart of the Great Barrier Reef this year, from Thursday November 4 to Sunday, November 7.

 

Lambros Newy at Passport to Airlie.

 

To celebrate the announcement that it's 'all systems go', the festival is releasing a limited number of early bird tickets for a one-off low price of $275 until April 29 only.

With just 2000 tickets available overall this year, the festival is sure to be a sellout.

Tourism Whitsundays CEO Tash Wheeler said the Passport to Airlie was a wonderful initiative to showcase talented up-and-coming artists in what she described as one of Australia's most iconic locations.

"The Airlie Beach Festival of Music is back in a big way this year and the Passport to Airlie has everyone very excited already, you never know where or when you might find the next big star," she said.

"With a limited amount of tickets for this year's event, you don't want to miss out on the magic of live music, right here in the Whitsundays, the Heart of Events."

 

Networking is a key element to the Passport to Airlie festival.

 

With its idyllic waterfront setting in the grounds of the Whitsunday Sailing Club, and across the tropical township of Airlie Beach, there is no other music festival in Australia or globally quite like the Airlie Beach Festival of Music.

As international travel still off the cards, this is a rare opportunity for Australians to experience something truly unique in their own backyard.

Previous festivals have featured headline acts like John Butler, James Reyne, 10 CC, Smokie, Kasey Chambers, Diesel, Killing Heidi and Sneaky Sound System.

Originally published as Passport to Airlie to headline Airlie Beach Festival of Music in November