Sydney Storm Plays Havoc With Good Life And Soundwave Festivals

The huge storm which rolled through Sydney today is taking its toll on two music festivals, with music on the main stages at Soundwave Festival temporarily halted, and under-18s festival Good Life reporting that patrons are being evacuated to a drop-off zone.

Organisers of Good Life Festival, held today at Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse, posted to Facebook earlier this afternoon that “if the storm does arrive…the festival will be temporarily suspended and all attendees will be granted shelter in the Racecourse grandstand and buildings.”

However, the festival has since posted an update saying, “Due to a storm, we have begun to start the buses taking kids back to Moore Park for pick up by parents. We ask parents be patient.”

DJ Timmy Trumpet, scheduled to play at the event, reported on Twitter that Good Life has now been cancelled. Witnesses have posted images to social media showing thousands of punters streaming out of the venue (below).

According to other witnesses (via TheMusic.com.au), the “whole side of a stage blew out at Goodlife and the festival has been shut down and moved to a safer area.”

The earlier statement from the festival reminded parents of under-18s patrons not to pick up their children from the festival, and instead meet them at the designated drop off zone on Driver Avenue, Moore Park.

Detective Superintendent Gavin Dengate of NSW Police said in the earlier statement, “There’ll be plenty of police at Moore Park to ensure kids get safely from the car onto the free bus and into the venue – as well as their return journey at the end of the night.

“We also have sufficient staff to ensure all kids will be looked after on-site should we have to temporarily suspend the event due to bad weather.”

Meanwhile, across town at Sydney’s Olympic Park, the two main stages at Soundwave Festival were temporarily closed due to the storm just after 4pm local time. Music Feeds reviewer Emmy Mack reports main stage act All Time Low’s set was cut short due to water damage to amps and gear.

The band eventually came back on stage to join the waterlogged crowd in an a cappela sing-along. The main stages are now back open, with a performance from Papa Roach underway, though there may be more storm action heading Soundwave’s way.

UPDATE 5:25pm AEDT: NSW Police have confirmed that Good Life Festival has been cancelled. Read their full statement below.

“Good Life, the under-18’s music festival taking place at Randwick Racecourse today (Sunday 1 March 2015) has been shut down due to dangerous weather conditions.

Police and festival staff are escorting attendees from the location now.

Parents of festival attendees are asked to establish contact with their children and arrange to pick them up from the designated Parent Drop Off Zone on Driver Avenue at Moore Park, or allow them to travel home by public transport.

No one should attempt to collect children from Randwick Racecourse directly as it will create hazardous traffic conditions.

A number of traffic diversions are in place around Randwick Racecourse.”

Updates to come.

Post by Good Life Festival.

http://twitter.com/timmytrumpet/status/571901756822573056 http://twitter.com/Drayven_Darko/status/571898384174354432 http://twitter.com/WallyFrogmore/status/571898321855385600

@AllTimeLow set interrupted thanks to torrential tain at #SW15Sydney !! have they angered the metal gods? #SW15 pic.twitter.com/U3vCaBnJPM — Music Feeds (@musicfeeds) March 1, 2015