One of the founding organisers of Australia’s Come Together Festival has said that booking Sydney rapper Kerser to headline last year’s event was “a mistake” that led to the 2014 festival’s eventual cancellation.
Speaking to theMusic.com.au, Gary Grant, organiser of the all ages festival, said that Kerser’s presence on the bill polarised punters and led to stunted ticket sales. “I didn’t realise – as much as I like what Kerser does – how polarised it caused the fans to be,” he said. “Kerser’s fans hate everyone, and all the other fans hate Kerser – it was oil and water.”
Come Together Festival 2014 was cancelled less than two weeks out from the event, with organisers at the time citing poor ticket sales. Other acts on the lineup included Aussie hip hop acts Funkoars, Jackie Onassis, Remi, Diafrix, Citizen Kay and more.
“I just think Kerser is a unique artist. When he plays he has a big following, but they’re only into him and nothing else it seems and so it was just the mix of that and other artists, which was a shame because I thought it was a great line-up,” continued Grant.
“I just said, ‘It’s all hip hop,’ but subsequently there was a lot of activity, and mostly from fans saying ‘We’re not coming.’ So we pulled the plug last year.” Read the full interview over at theMusic.com.au.
The polarising MC in question told Fairfax last year he had moved away from his Western Sydney home in Campbelltown because devoted fans kept knocking on his door. He added that while most of his beefs with his fellow Australian rappers have faded over time, notably that one with 360, things still pop up now and then.
“There are a lot of rappers I get along with,” he said. “But there’s a lot who, to our face, they’re nice and then you’ll see a nasty status update. And you wonder why they didn’t say that to you two weeks ago.”
Having learnt the lessons of a polarising bill last year, Come Together Festival is returning in 2015 but this time with a new-look format. It will be spread over two days – one dedicated to hip hop and another to indie artists.
The lineup this year includes the likes of rapper Seth Sentry, Sydney trio Thundamentals, Horrorshow, Ball Park Music and Brisbane four-piece The Jungle Giants. See the full lineup here.
Watch: Kerser – Let Me Chill
