Fears Falls Festival may not return to Marion Bay, Tasmania following shock cancellation

The frontman of a popular Tasmanian band says he is concerned the Falls Festival may not return to Marion Bay in the future following its shock cancellation this year.

• Falls Festival Marion Bay 2020 cancelled
• Tasmania Chamber of Music Festival cancelled

CONCERNS have been raised about the return of the popular Falls Festival in Tasmania following its shock cancellation for this year.

It was announced on Tuesday the state’s beloved new year’s music festival at Marion Bay had been called off for 2020, with the organisers blaming uncertainty caused by coronavirus.

Falls Festival has been running at the Marchweil property owned by Mona founder David Walsh for 17 years.

In a statement, organisers Secret Sounds said the Tasmanian event would not go ahead this year, but they were planning to operate in NSW, VIC and WA and “remained hopeful” of coming back to Marion Bay in the future.

Frontman of popular Tasmanian band Luca Brasi, which played the festival three times, Tyler Richardson said while the decision to cancel the festival did not come as a surprise, it was unexpected the Tasmanian leg had been “singled out.”

Tasmanian band Luca Brasi playing at Falls Festival Marion Bay. Picture: PATRICK GEE

“I can’t see it going ahead anywhere, but at least in the other states they might have enough local bands to be able to have a similar smaller scale event, whereas Tassie doesn’t have that spread and certainly couldn’t fill out the Marion Bay site,” he said.

“It was so important for burgeoning Tasmania bands to have the opportunity to play at home on such a scale — it’s a world class event and you just get immersed in it.”

Mr Richardson said he was concerned the festival may not return in the future.

“I have a few fears that it may not return — COVID aside, the on ground costs, freight, just the cost of getting across Bass Strait doesn’t work in its favour,” he said.

“I hope it continues because the opportunities for young bands would be so hard to pull off elsewhere.”