Splendour In The Grass 2014 Lineup Rumours And Info

UPDATE 28/04/14: Three major new acts added to the Splendour 2014 lineup including Childish Gambino — full details here!

UPDATE 23/04/14: The full Splendour In The Grass 2014 lineup has been announced! Full details here.

UPDATE 19/04/14 6pm AEST: A Splendour headliner has leaked details of their appearance at this year’s festival! More details here.

Following a successful 2013 and a lineup that included The National and Mumford & Sons, rumours regarding Splendour In The Grass 2014 have already started heating up, with names like London Grammar, ~~James Vincent McMorrow~~, Sky Ferreira, and Outkast being thrown around.

Among those rumoured, Norwegian singer Mikhael Paskalev, who turned heads with his ridiculously catchy single, I Spy, kicks off a debut East Coast tour this March and told Music Feeds Podcast that he may return in the Norwegian summer.

It’s become something of a habit for SITG acts to embark on quick March tours to kick-start buzz and ready punters ahead of the big event, and it’s possible that Paskalev, whose tour is being presented by Splendour promoters Secret Sounds, could be doing a warm-up lap on his March tour.

Splendour organisers had previously employed the same tactic with Foster The People in 2011 and Lana Del Rey in 2012, while last year, Mercury Prize winner James Blake played two Australian March dates before his return for Splendour In The Grass 2013 a few months later.

There’s evidence that American singer Sky Ferreira’s recently announced Australian trip could result in an SITG appearance. “I’ve never been to Australia before,” Ferreira told Triple J. “I’m definitely coming in July for a festival… I’m not quite sure [of the exact date], but it’s in my summer.”

However the singer, model and actress recently and conspicuously changed her tune and her schedule, telling theMusic, “I have no idea where I’m actually playing, but I’m coming in March. I thought it was July. Maybe I am coming back in July, but I’m definitely coming in March.”

Meanwhile, London Grammar made themselves likely Splendour candidates after guitarist Dan Rothman told The Vine last month, “We were supposed to play it this year but they couldn’t get us out there in time. It wasn’t going to work, so I think it’s always been the plan to go back next year.”

James Vincent McMorrow threw his hat into the Splendour ring when he told Triple J’s Veronica and Lewis, “I would suspect [I’ll be back]. There’s been some conversations. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to say anything, but I think you’ll probably see me for some shows during your winter.”

McMorrow’s recent headlining shows earlier this month were, like Paskalev’s, promoted by Secret Sounds. McMorrow’s comments, coupled with the association with the promoter and booker of Splendour In The Grass, suggests punters may see the Irishman at Byron Bay later this year.

[UPDATE: McMorrow has announced shows as part of Sydney’s Vivid LIVE, effectively taking him out of the running for Splendour]

Whilst speaking to Music Feeds’ Joshua Paterson earlier this month, Ed Nash, bass player of UK indie darlings Bombay Bicycle Club, told us, “We’d like to come back in your winter and our summer, I know you guys have a lot of great festivals that we’d love to play.”

Ed not only expressed to us his love of Australia as a touring and holidaying destination, but happened to mention that he’d love to play in Byron Bay, saying, “Last January after the tour we stopped off in Byron Bay. It was one of the funnest weeks of my life. I’d love to play a gig there.”

The rumour mill has also been pushing newly reformed Atlanta hip-hop legends Outkast as potential headliners, following Andre ’3000′ Benjamin and Antwan ‘Big Boi’ Patton‘s announcement of a 40-date, festival-only international tour during the US spring/summer.

Outkast have already been announced as part of the lineup for Coachella 2014 and in addition to the seemingly perfect timing, Splendour has a history of sharing reformed artists with one of the US’ biggest music events, including At The Drive-In in 2012 and Pulp 2011.

Big Boi was hotly rumoured to be playing last year’s Splendour event, even tweeting, “Im Doing a tour in Australia in July, holla at ya people,” though did not appear on the final lineup. The duo will be touring to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik.

[Update: Outkast have leaked their appearance at this year’s Splendour In The Grass! Full details here.]

Another “good fit” act in the running for a SITG appearance is Austin-based singer-producer Max Frost, who dropped his debut EP Low High Low late last year, and recently revealed to a fan via Twitter that he would be making his way Down Under “hopefully this summer!”

Splendour In The Grass 2014 organisers are likely to drop their first lineup announcement some time in late April. Till then, readers should keep their eyes and ears peeled, stay tuned to our special Splendour In The Grass 2014 Feed, and keep watching this space!

UPDATE 10:42am 13/03/14: Another wave of acts has been announced for this year’s Fuji Rock festival, and along with them comes another solid set of contenders for Splendour 2014 positions. First up, the big news – Outkast has been added to the Fuji Rock bill! This all but locks in the recently reformed hip hop act for an appearance in Byron come July.

Next up, Foster The People. The band’s frontman Mark Foster had a chat with Music Feeds recently, confirming that FTP will tour Australia some time in 2014, but wouldn’t bite when pressed for details about exactly where they’d be showing. The band do have a history with Splendour, playing back in 2011 at the height of their Pumped Up Kicks hype. They have a new album to plug. They’re available in the prescribed window. And now they’ve been added to Fuji Rock. Let’s call it a strong chance.

As for other Fuji additions, Damon Albarn‘s in there, and he’s certainly got some making up to do for his Australian fans after Blur pulled out of Big Day Out earlier this year. We’re hoping he’ll venture south for a greatest hits set as well as the new solo material he’ll be plugging. Last year’s Splendour saviour Lorde might also make a less-impromptu appearance to the Aussie festival in 2014 now she’s on Fuji, though she does have a large headline tour booked for April/May. And we’re pretty keen for Kelis to make the jump across from Japan — she’ll have a new album out as well.

Skaters, Chlöe Howl, Royal Blood, Wolf Alice, Basecamp, Gossling, De Lux, Dune Rats, Drowners, Lowell, Jetta and Tor Miller all play Splendour and Falls Festival’s SXSW showcase tonight, and it’s been speculated that this lineup also holds clues to a future Splendour In The Grass lineup announcement. Gossling and Dune Rats played at Splendour 2013.

UPDATE 5:36pm AEDT 25/03/14: Following a leak released in his official artist bio, 21-year-old NSW dance music producer Yahtzel is the first confirmed name for the Splendour In The Grass 2014 lineup. Yahtzel is coming off lauded appearances at Future Music Festival 2014 and Field Day.

Meanwhile, Joseph Mount, the nucleus of London electro-pop outfit Metronomy has dropped a few hints that point towards a Splendour appearance. Mount confirmed the band would be in the country come Splendour time, but acted coy when asked if they would appear on the SITG lineup.

UPDATE 3:13pm AEDT 07/04/14: Melbourne-based down-tempo producer Nick Murphy, aka Chet Faker, has confirmed his third consecutive Splendour In The Grass appearance. During an interview with Purple Sneakers, Murphy revealed that he would be making it Byron Bay this July.

UPDATE 3:08pm AEDT 14/04/14: Chet Faker has confirmed to Music Feeds that he will not be making his third consecutive Splendour appearance at Splendour In The Grass 2014. He said that while “Splendour In The Grass is happening,” he will “not be be performing at it this year.”

Splendour 2014 Confirmed Acts

Outkast (Only Aus Show)

Two Door Cinema Club (Only Aus Show)

Lily Allen

Interpol (Only Aus Show)

Foster The People

Angus & Julia Stone

City And Colour

London Grammar

Vance Joy

Darkside (Only Aus Show)

RÜFÜS

Ben Howard

Kelis

Metronomy

Hoodoo Gurus

Chvrches (Only Aus Show)

Grouplove

The Jezabels

Tune-Yards

360

Wild Beasts

Danny Brown (Only Aus Show)

Illy

First Aid Kit

Violent Soho

Ásgeir

Spiderbait

The 1975

Ball Park Music

Art Vs Science

Buraka Som Sistema (Only Aus Show)

The Preatures

Parquet Courts (Only Aus Show)

Sticky Fingers

Peking Duk

Sky Ferreira

Future Islands

Courtney Barnett

Phantogram

DZ Deathrays

Skaters

Gossling

Jungle

The Strypes

Hot Dub Time Machine

The Kite String Tangle

Ry-X

Mikhael Paskalev

Wave Racer

The Acid

Saskwatch

Kingswood

Circa Waves

Broods

Dustin Tebbutt

The Head And The Heart

DMA’S

Darren Middleton

Little May

Darlia

D.D Dumbo

Tkay Maidza

The Creases

The Wild Feathers

Chrome Sparks

Fractures

Mas Ysa

Nick Mulvey

Triple J Unearthed Winners

Plus DJs & Producers:

Nina Las Vegas

Yacht Club DJs

Motez

Touch Sensitive

Indian Summer

Wordlife

L D R U & Yahtzel DJs

Cosmos Midnight

Sable

Kilter

Basenji

KLP

Fishing DJs

Paces

Charles Murdoch