Zander Chugg: Z Fest music festival started by muso dad Nick Chugg to remember late son, 17

“A music festival is a fitting way to honour him”: A Tasmanian dad is in the midst of putting the final touches on a new charity music festival, three years after his son died tragically young at 17.

Zander Chugg, who died in 2020 of a blood infection. He was 17. Picture: Supplied

A musician in Tasmania’s North is putting the finishing touches on a new charity music festival in honour of his late son Zander, who died in 2020 at the tragically young age of 17, his short life filled with surgeries and hospital stays due to his short bowel syndrome.

“Zander was a huge music fan, he played guitar and I spent every night when he was little teaching him guitar before bed, it was our bedtime ritual,” said White Hills man Nick Chugg, whose Z Fest will be held at Norwood’s Apricus restaurant and farm on October 21.

“Zander was a big Foo Fighters fan. He went and watched the Foo Fighters in Melbourne and met them in 2011 through the Make a Wish Foundation,” Mr Chugg said.

“It was one of Zander’s favourite stories, singing on stage with Dave Grohl – he was only nine years’ old at the time.

Zander Chugg meets Dave Grohl. Foo Fighters, AAMI Park, 2011. Picture: File

“He used to love going to concerts, he saw the Foo Fighters again in Melbourne a few years later and had started going to concerts on his own.

“He met Jebediah, snuck backstage and met the band. When he told me, it was a proud dad moment.

“Music was a huge part of his passions, so I thought that a music festival a fitting way to honour him.”

Dave Grohl meets the Chugg brothers. Make A Wish.

Z Fest is raising money for Ronald McDonald House Charities Victoria and Tasmania.

The charity provided essential accommodation and emotional support to Zander’s family throughout his first five years of life, Mr Chugg said.

Jo, Nick and Zander Chugg. Picture: Supplied

Zander was born with gastroschisis – an abdominal hole through which his intestines extended as a baby, leading to their removal and his resultant short bowel syndrome.

“We spent quite a lot of time in the Melbourne’s Royal Children's Hospital, the Royal Hobart Hospital, Launceston General Hospital,” Mr Chugg said.

Follow @humidityreport

“In the first five years of his life I reckon we spent two or three years of that time in a Ronald McDonald House.”

Two previous Z Fests have been held, but they were private affairs on the family farm featuring approximately 50 friends and family, both raising approximately $1000 – $2000. This is year is the first the festival has been taken public and at scale in the hopes of raising up to $20,000.

Zander Chugg with his dad Nick have a jam session at their Sunbury home. Zander is waiting for an intestinal transplant and is making the most of things while he waits. Picture: File

“I think it’s starting to dawn on me as I talked to our production supervisor [friend Michelle Robinson] on Saturday the enormity of what we’re about to pull off. I’m getting chills up my spine getting the last bits organised,” Mr Chugg said.

The festival will be headlined by Melbourne acts Loser and Willie J & The Bad Books, and feature local acts Alfarè [consisting of Mr Chugg, son Josiah Chugg and nephew Oscar Forrest], Nat McDermott, Allison Bell Band, Backyard Business, Voodoo Rhythm Devils, Napoleon Dodo & His Wind-Up Dolls.

Tickets range from $40 for children over the age of 12 (kids under 12 free, accompanied by a guardian to $180 for a family pass. They are available online.