The annual pilgrimage to the Red Centre, Birdsville Big Red Bash and its sister festival Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash have lit a fuse for an epic celebration of Australian music legends in 2024.
Not only a bucket list item for the intrepid festival traveller but a beacon of community for the surrounding regional areas, both events provide the ultimate escape from the hustle and bustle of urban living.In 2024, Big Red Bash will be headlined by two icons of Australian entertainment, Tina Arena ('Chains', 'Sorrento Moon (I Remember)' and Jon Stevens (Noiseworks, INXS), who'll both be breaking their outback performance cherry.
"I'm absolutely thrilled to be headlining 2024's Big Red Bash," Arena says. "I've stood on many interesting stages in my time, but never on one nestled in front of a 30-metre-high sand dune – I can't wait! See you all in the Simpson Desert."
While at the Mundi Mundi Bash, rock-folk troubadour James Reyne (of Australian Crawl fame) will headline proceedings bring a catalogue of hits like 'Slave', 'Reckless', 'Hammerhead', 'Motor's Too Fast' and 'Way Out West'. Stevens will also appear in Broken Hill.
"2024 is going to be a big year, and next August is going to be a huge highlight," shares Reyne. "We're going to be rockin' the plains at the Mundi Mundi Bash, and I couldn't be more excited as it's our first time at the iconic event.
"So grab your caravan, your camper, your tent and your whole family and we'll see you out on the endless Mundi Mundi desert plains, just out of Silverton, north of Broken Hill."
Both events will also feature the talents of Ian Moss, Tim Finn, Diesel, Baby Animals, Vanessa Amorosi, Mark Seymour, Richard Clapton, Casey Barnes, Shane Howard, Pierce Brothers, Bjorn Again, Chocolate Starfish - Bat Out of Hell, The Rolling Stones Revue, Furnace & the Fundamentals, Ash Grunwald, Fanny Lumdsen, Sarah McLeod, Hayley Mary.
"We're over the moon to be back again and performing at both the Birdsville and Broken Hill Bash," shares Adam Thompson, Chocolate Starfish frontman.
"2024 is a big one for us as we'll be on the road with our 30-year anniversary tour – and we couldn't think of a more electrifying stage to take our Bat Out of Hell show to."
Colin Hay, Mi-Sex, Steve Balbi and Amy Ryan will perform at Birdsville only; while The Living End, Daryl Braithwaite, Mundi Mundi Bash Band, and Tha Boiz, Leroy Johnson & The Waterbag Band will camp out at the Broken Hill event.
"There's some gigs you get very excited about playing, and others not so much – and I'm so looking forward to coming down to play the Big Red Bash next year with my band of Cubans and Guatamalans and Peruvians, and me," Colin Hay says. "Hope you can make it there in the middle of the desert. I'm certainly looking forward to it!"
Off stage, each event will also feature a wide-ranging programme of outback activities – from a Nutbush City Limits World Record dance off attempt (the current record of 6,594 boot-scooters was set by the Mundi Mundi Bash this year) to a Mad Max costume dress up world record attempt at the Mundi Mundi Bash events.
There'll also be sunrise sand dune yoga, dunny door painting, comedy and outdoor film screenings, scenic helicopter flights, camel rides and charity initiatives like the Bashville Drags at the Birdsville Big Red Bash and the Mundi Undie Run at the Mundi Mundi Bash – both runs raising funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
The Big Blue Day will also become a fixture for both events in 2024. The newly created day was a highlight of the 2023 Big Red Bash, with a new world record set for the largest human image of a country with 5,467 participants dressed head to toe in blue.
The Big Blue Day charity partner at the Big Red Bash will be JDRF, while the Mundi Mundi Bash will partner with Beyond Blue as both events will attempt to smash the world record for the largest human image of a country.
"Our events are run on two of the most iconic Outback locations in Australia, with the Big Red Bash also taking bragging rights as the most remote music festival in the world," festival owner and Managing Director of the Outback Music Festival Group, Greg Donovan says.
"I don't think there's anything like our events anywhere else on the planet. People come in from every corner of the country for a unique bucket-list experience that's all about celebrating Aussie music, this incredible outback land, community spirit, and just getting stuck in and having a good time!
"The Big Red Bash sold out in under a week last year, and the Mundi Mundi Bash within a couple of months – and we're hoping this year will be no different. Especially with the awesome acts we've got lined up for 2024."
Birdsville Big Red Bash tickets on sale from 10am EDT on 17 October. Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash tickets on sale from 10am EDT on 19 October.
2024 Birdsville Big Red Bash takes place at Big Red Sand Dune (35km west of Birdsville) 2-4 July. 2024 Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash takes place at Belmont Station (35km north of Broken Hill) 15-17 August.
Birdsville Big Red Bash 2024 Line-up
Tina ArenaJon Stevens
Ian Moss
Colin Hay
Tim Finn
Diesel
Baby Animals
Vanessa Amorosi
Mark Seymour
Richard Clapton
Casey Barnes
Shane Howard
Pierce Brothers
Bjorn Again
Mi-Sex Chocolate Starfish - Bat Out of Hell
The Rolling Stones Revue (starring Phil Jamison, Tex Perkins and Tim Rogers)
Furnace & the Fundamentals
Ash Grunwald
Fanny Lumdsen
Sarah McLeod
Hayley Mary
Steve Balbi
Amy Ryan
Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash 2024 Line-up
James ReyneJon Stevens
The Living End
Ian Moss
Daryl Braithwaite
Diesel
Tim Finn
Baby Animals
Vanessa Amorosi
Mark Seymour
The Rolling Stones Revue (starring Adalita, Phil Jamison, Tex Perkins & Tim Rogers)
Richard Clapton
Casey Barnes
Bjorn Again
Chocolate Starfish - Bat Out of Hell
Pierce Brothers
Shane Howard
Ash Grunwald
Fanny Lumsden
Furnace & the Fundamentals
Sarah McLeod
Hayley Mary
Mundi Mundi Bash Band
Tha Boiz
Leroy Johnson & The Waterbag Band
