Ability Fest returns to Melbourne next weekend. It’s the city’s first major music festival since the end of lockdown and the advent of COVID-19 vaccines, and it’s set to be a celebration of mass proportions.
Due to ongoing border restrictions, however, Brisbane act Cub Sport and Tassie duo Sumner will have to miss out. But never mind, as Ability Fest has already named two worthy replacements in Confidence Man and KYE.
The brainchild of Australian sports and cultural hero Dylan Alcott, Ability Fest is a fully-accessible festival that launched in 2018. Ability Fest was forced to take a fallow year in 2020, but it’ll be back next Saturday, 27th November.
Ability Fest has a new home this year, leaving the Coburg Velodrome in favour of Alexandra Gardens on the southern banks of the Yarra River. The event is almost completely sold out, but some tickets remain here.
Confidence Man became firm festival favourites in Australia and abroad off the back of their debut album, 2018’s Confidence Music for Confident People. The duo returned earlier this month with the single, ‘Holiday’. It’s their first new music of 2021 and first release via new label, I OH YOU.
Melbourne-based neo-soul artist KYE just released her debut EP, Good Company. The five-song release features collaborations with Sampa the Great, Jacob Farah and producer 18YOMAN, as well as Touch Sensitive on the new single, ‘Finest Quality’.
Ability Fest 2021
Saturday, 27th November – Alexandra Gardens, Melbourne
Alex the Astronaut
Benson
Confidence Man JUST ADDED
Dena Amy
Ebony Boadu
Eves Karydas
Illy
Inkrewsive
JK-47
Kye JUST ADDED
Motez
Nina Las Vegas
Peking Duk (DJ set)
Rudely Interrupted
Stace Cadet
Sunshine
What So Not
