The third annual Mount Isa Music Festival has been cancelled for 2017 in the wake of triple j’s One Night Stand coming to town.
After it was announced last week that the broadcaster would be bringing its regional romp to the Northwest Queensland town on Saturday 22nd April – the weekend before Isa Fest was scheduled to rock n’ roll – organisers decided a rethink was in order.
“We had been planning this for six months but with the news the Triple J concert was coming to Mount Isa obviously we had to stand back and re-assess our plans,” Festival chair Tony McGrady tells the North West Star.
But, he says, there are no hard feelings.
“We’ve taken the decision now we will cancel this year’s music festival though I must say we welcome Triple J, it’s going to bring something to the city which we haven’t had for a long time.”
And despite having to ditch the festival this year, McGrady says they’ll still be promoting local music in other ways.
“We’re negotiating with a city organisation for them to put on social evenings and we will meet the cost of providing live music at that venue to promote local musicians,” he says.
Meanwhile, Mount Isa locals will be treated to one of the biggest music events the city has ever seen when a stellar delegation of some of triple J’s fave acts hit the region for the free all-ages event, including The Smith Street Band, San Cisco, Tash Sultana and Thundamentals.
Isa Fest, which has previously hosted performances from the likes of Troy Cassar-Daley, Adam Brand and The Bridge, has promised to return in 2018.
