The inaugural Northern Beaches born and bred music festival, the Sun Sets Festival, has been announced for Saturday 3 December at Warriewood’s Rat Park. The locals’ answer to Glastonbury will feature 42 music artists in what is set to be a memory-making day for artists and fans alike, including the event’s local 20-something creators Zac and Finn (more on them later.)
Headlining the three major stages are internationally acclaimed Northern Beaches indie rock band Sons of the East (Orange Stage), electronic dance duo Bag Raiders (Yellow Stage), and three genre-leading DJ/producers from the Netherlands Jesse Jacob, M-High and Artmann (Red Stage).
For Sons of the East, Sun Sets is their first gig on home turf in two years with the trio having spent most of the 2022 on touring UK, Europe and North America. They will be joined on the Orange Stage by Adelaide-born hip hop/rap/pop hybrid artist Allday; Melbourne trio The Grogans in their first live Beaches appearance; and formidable live performer Mollymook-born sisters Clews, plus Eagle Eye Jones, Marvell and more from the Beaches.
On the Yellow stage alongside the Bag Raiders, Set Mo is guaranteed to get the crowd moving and cap off a line up of influential rising talent including the likes of Manly’s DJ/producer/vocalist Tori Levett and 24 year old DJ Alex Hayes who will bring his ‘Live Daily’ vibe.
Playing with the international performers on the Red Stage are Beaches locals Jasper Rowden, Jamie Glover and Dan Reisinger who have been working with the Event’s creators since its inception.
Plus there’s a special stage in the Pink Festival fun and food zone featuring solo artists including Warringah Rats own first grade player Will Clift who bases himself between the beaches and Noosa.
Among the 42 artists some 70% are from the beaches, representing 13 suburbs from Manly to Avalon and Dee Why to Belrose.
Sun Sets is the lockdown love child of beaches bred 20-something locals Finn Ashton (below right) and Zac Warneford (below left) and a bunch of their talented friends; created to celebrate both up and coming and experienced Northern Beaches artists – from bands and DJs to visual artists and graphic designers.
“The Northern Beaches has borne more than its fair share of nationally and internationally acclaimed music talent,” says Manly’s 27-year-old Warneford. “I can hardly wait for everyone to see the talent there is in this line up and a new wave of local talent being able to follow their aspirations as artists…and something for people on the beaches to look forward to and enjoy together.”
The pair has brought on experts to bring the event to life in a way that will deliver a fun and safe day.
“From safety experts, Police and Council to set designers and production gurus, we are working really hard with a big team to make this become a reality,” says Ashton, 22 from North Manly who has been documenting their journey on the event’s Instagram page in a series called “How to run a music festival”.
And they’ve also generated the support of local brewer Bucketty’s which is hosting the Orange Stage and is the official beer of the festival. The recent Winner of Bucketty’s Battle of The Bands Jacket Weather won a spot and will play on the Bucketty’s Orange Stage.
“When we all work together in a supportive way in something like Sun Sets, we’ve all got one another’s backs,” says Warneford.
Ashton and Warneford met through soccer. Ashton plays for Manly United and Warneford runs a football academy he established after playing overseas; and they both also work in content production, the former as a camera operator and editor and the latter as a production manager. They started collaborating and then established The Hub Company, now the promoter of Sun Sets Festival.
“We started out with a concept about giving our mates a chance to play live in front of a big crowd of friends, everybody enjoying the afternoon, the Beaches atmosphere and the sunset together,” adds Ashton.
Tickets now on sale through Ticket Fairy and Ashton and Warneford are on the countdown to the big day.
WHAT SUN SETS FESTIVAL
WHEN Saturday 3 December 2022 from 11am – 9pm
WHERE Rat Park, Pittwater Rugby Park
1472 Pittwater Rd Warriewood
TICKETS https://www.ticketfairy.com/event/sun-sets-festival-3dec2022
Limited to 4000 18+ only
CONNECT:
Website: https://www.sunsetsfestival.com.au/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunsets_festival/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SunSetsFestival
Facebook Event: https://fb.me/e/5XrKZxgoH
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5JN01u1xfR5KPDQXFfkjgd?si=8ae6846da0e74055
