Inaugural festival promises packed first edition

BY the Pier Queenscliff has assembled a stacked line-up of leading Australian contemporary music as the festival prepares to hit the Bellarine shore this month.

The oceanside party is on for the first time for a three-day event next weekend, March 25-27, as Queenscliff’s music scene plots a bigger and better live music offering in the wake of COVID-19.

Sensational sounds, gourmet food trucks, bars and a DJ tent all ready to go alongside the sun, sea and sand.

Festivities kick off on Friday evening, with Western Australia three-piece indie pop group San Cisco continuing a string of post-pandemic interstate tour dates.

Electric Fields, Pierce Brothers and Sam Teskey are among the support acts to launch the experience.

Fun ramps up again for Saturday, with Client Liaison, Julia Stone and award-winning Indigenous artist Briggs all set to perform.

Stone, well-known to Australian audiences as one half of the sibling sensations Angus and Julia Stone, will bring her solo act to the Queenscliff festival, ahead of a reunion with her brother a month later at Mt Duneed Estate in support of Crowded House.

The festival will finish with a bang: electro pop star Vera Blue headlines the final day, with backing from Queensland multi-instrumentalist and producer Jarryd James, soulful singer-songwriter Thandi Phoenix, south-west Victoria local Didirri and smooth tunes from Kim Churchill.

By the Pier is presented by Queenscliff Music Festival, and the new event is geared to complement the long-running live event to bookend the period’s busy summer season.

Festival director Andrew Orvis said organisers were thrilled to launch the new event, especially after a tumultuous period of heavy disruption for live music.

“We’re super excited to see the return of music festivals and to be able to present such a stellar line up of Aussie artists for our inaugural event,” Mr Orvis said.

“We can’t wait to party in Queenscliff with you next weekend.”

Tickets are available for single-day passes and for weekend entry.

More information is available at the festival website at bythepier.com.au