Back for another instalment of country, rootsy-rock magic, the Groundwater Country Music Festival returns in 2021.
The completely free, non-ticketed festival staged on the Gold Coast right next to the beach (12-14 November) has an all-star line-up of Aussie country music stars co-headlined by The Wolfe Brothers, Adam Harvey, Gina Jeffreys, Adam Brand, Casey Barnes, Catherine Britt.Take a another look at the 2021 bill and you'll find even more talent; think Andrew Farriss, Brad Butcher, Cass Hopetoun, Darlinghurst, Felicity Urquhart and Josh Cunningham, Halfway, Jayne Denham, Kaylee Bell, Lachlan Bryan and The Wildes, Melanie Dyer, Mick Thomas' Roving Commission, Raechel Whitchurch, Sara Storer, Tami Neilson, The Audreys and These Idle Hands.
Last staged in 2019 when the festival attracted 73,000 people injecting approximately $8.46 million into the local economy, Groundwater has been recognised by both the Australian and Queensland Tourism Awards winning a number of prestigious awards across the years.
With its unique combination of country music charm, ocean calm, and tropical palms, Groundwater Country Music Festival promises to deliver a memorable weekend of sun, sand, surf, sophistication, and incredible sounds.
We catch up with Festival Director Mark Duckworth to discuss the 2021 event, managing a festival during COVID, the rise of country music's popularity and a stacked line-up of Australian talent that will descend on Broadbeach for three days of excitement in November.
With the experience gleaned from staging previous festivals during COVID, what have you learned that's been put in place to make the running of Groundwater as smooth as possible?
[Mark] The last two years have been a tough environment to plan a festival.
Some of the biggest learnings we've uncovered along the way include extra planning time, good communication, flexibility. Control what you can and accept there's things you can't.
The general music fan's appetite for live music; can you feel/ sense the collective want of music fans to re-engage with bands-performers given the amount of cancelled/ postponed events and tours?
Absolutely. Attending live music events and festivals is our lifeblood.
Everyone is pumped to attend and sentiment has remained positive across all of our channels. We have people from Victoria and NSW, SA and North Queensland all wanting to attend. We will be ready to welcome and party with whosever border allows it.
Country music really is enjoying a resurgence at the moment; that has seen Groundwater become one the biggest growing country music festivals in Australia; 73,000 people attended in 2019; what has played a part in the festival building such a dedicated fan base?
One of the most common things we hear our fans raving about is Groundwater's unique location for a country music festival.
Held in Broadbeach on the Gold Coast, Queensland, we trade a paddock for a beachside destination. This combined with our enjoyment of country music has created an enjoyable experience for many years.
The new additions that have joined the 2021 line-up; some icons of the genre are headed to the Gold Coast like Adam Brand, Catherine Britt – you must be wrapped to bring together so much talent to an already stacked line-up?
After almost two years since the last Groundwater, we can't wait to welcome back our friends to the Gold Coast.
Adam Brand, Catherine Britt, Casey Barnes have all played the festival and know how to bring a good time with them. Every year, we make it a priority to invite a range of high-calibre artists and exceptional songwriters and musicians.
This year, we have curated such a diverse line-up of musicians across a variety of country music sub-genres. Groundwater has a way of bringing people together and creating a community, and we love seeing this every year.
You also have the recently awarded Gold Coast Music Awards Artist Of The Year winner (for a second consecutive year) Casey Barnes representing his home town; what will he bring to the festival?
I've watched Casey play for many years. He is a great mate and an exceptional artist; we're so proud to call him one of our own here on the Gold Coast.
Casey brings a great stage show and band with him every time. I get a real kick out of seeing him performing to crowds and everyone singing his songs.
Looking further at the line-up; who are a couple of the lesser known names you're thrilled to have playing, who you think people are really going to respond positively to?
I'm a fan of Melanie Dyer and Melody Moko is not to be missed, and we're excited to be bringing up Michael Carpernter and the Banks Brothers from Sydney as well as showcasing Halfway and the local alt-country talent of These Idle Hands.
Let's not forget the headliners from the first artist announce: The Wolfe Brothers, Adam Harvey, Sara Storer, Gina Jeffreys, Andrew Farriss – there really is every sub-genre of country music represented at Groundwater to suit fans of all ages; is it important to have such a broad offering for a specialised festival?
Country music is so diverse, so creating a fully-encompassing country music experience is so important to us.
We pride ourselves in curating a musical journey for attendees offering something for every age group and musical taste with plenty of room for new music discovery.
Music is the major drawcard, but the beachside location and Gold Coast's holiday reputation must also attract a lot of visitors from other parts of Queensland as well as interstate travellers, right?
That's exactly right. The Gold Coast offers so many unique experiences, from the beach to the hinterland and everything in between. We see attendees travelling to the Gold Coast from every state of Australia, and even internationally pre-COVID just to attend the festival.
Although we’re only running for three days, visitors are always encouraged to stay a little longer and enjoy everything the Gold Coast has to offer.
Anything else you'd like to add?
I just look forward to creating a place for us all to gather and enjoy live music in our home town this November. Hope to see you there.
Groundwater Country Music Festival (Gold Coast) takes place 12-14 November.
Groundwater Country Music Festival 2021 Line-up
Aaron D'ArcyAdam Brand
Adam Harvey
Andrew Farriss
Arlington
Blake O'Connor
Brad Butcher
Brook Chivell
Casey Barnes
Catherine Britt
Cass Hopetoun
Darlinghurst
Felicity Urquhart and Josh Cunningham
Gina Jeffreys
Halfway
Haystack Mountain Hermits
Hinterland
Jayne Denham
Kaylee Bell
Lachlan Bryan and The Wildes
Lily Grace
Matt Ward
Melanie Dyer
Melody Moko
Michael Carpenter and The Banks Brothers
Mick Thomas' Roving Commission
Natalie Pearson
Raechel Whitchurch
Roo Arcus
Round Mountain Girls
SaltbushSix
Sammy White
Sara Storer
Southbound
Sunny Cowgirls
Tami Neilson
The Audreys
The Bakersfield Glee Club
The Colonel's Country Cottage Disco
The Mason Boys
The New Graces
These Idle Hands
The Wolfe Brothers
