Even if you weren’t fortunate enough to attend one of the four Sunbury Festivals, there’s a good chance you’ve reminisced with footage and recordings of the historic events. 3 on the Go-Set Top 20 Albums.

Michael Gudinski made a profit selling watermelons at the festival. Music entrepreneur Michael Gudinski was involved with the first Sunbury festival—as well as managing several major acts that appeared—he operated a lucrative concession selling watermelon to festival-goers. [11] This event attracted almost 30,000 people, and featured many of the same Australian acts, as well three imported acts: singers Mary Hopkin, Tom Paxton and pop band Edison Lighthouse. The attendance was approximately 35,000 and the entry fee was $6.00 (3 days), $5.00 (2 days), $1.00 (1 day). Duncan and his son, George Jr, volunteered to erect the site fences and, for subsequent festivals, gave permission for organisers to construct permanent toilets and rubbish bins. A fracas developed on-stage between Deep Purple's roadies and AC/DC's roadies and members. 6. Due to poor weather and high ticket prices the attendance was down to 16,000. [url=https://www.setlist.fm/edit?setlist=bdf295e&step=song]Edit this setlist[/url] | [url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/queen-43d6e37f.html]More Queen setlists[/url].

[17] Despite the Bulla Shire Council (merged with the Hume City Council in 1994) opposing the original festival, Hume Council now holds the site to be of national heritage significance for its connection to the Festival and Mushroom Records. [4] Festival publicist Jim McKay recalled, "It was a good idea over coffee at the Channel Nine canteen... We were a bit bored, wondering what to do next... Why don't we do a pop festival, like Woodstock?

The second performance was cancelled due to Freddie's health issues. [6], In 1993, festival organiser, John Fowler donated his collection of Sunbury memorabilia to the Performing Arts Museum of the Victoria Arts Centre. [2][5] Claims persist that it marked a turning point because it featured an all-Australian line-up, but this is misleading, as there had already been several "All-Australian" festivals by the time of Sunbury '72 and some of the performers there were New Zealanders. When asked about the event by Milesago, Madder … [7] In a 2003 interview for Melbourne newspaper, The Age, on the 30th anniversary of the second festival, Chain guitarist Phil Manning, who performed there, commented: Sunbury—which has often been compared to Woodstock—has been accorded a legendary status in the history of Australian rock. 30 May 09, 23:27, Posted: The site of Sunbury Music Festival was so much closer to Diggers Rest that many patrons who travelled by train to the festivals would get off at Diggers Rest station. The truth is that the Queen gigs were originally scheduled for Friday 25.01. and Saturday 26.01. but for some reason their concert was rescheduled to Sunday January 27.01. Sunbury Pop Festival or Sunbury Rock Festival was an annual Australian rock music festival held on a 620-acre (2.5 km 2) private farm between Sunbury and Diggers Rest, Victoria, which was staged on the Australia Day (26 January) long weekend from 1972 to 1975. Gudinski's new record company, Mushroom Records, established later in 1972, became associated with Sunbury thanks to its inaugural release, a three-disc set of live recordings from the 1973 festival. [5], The MC was former The Masters Apprentices lead singer Jim Keays. [23] It became associated with Sunbury thanks to its inaugural album, a three-disc set of live recordings from the 1973 festival, Sunbury 1973 - The Great Australian Rock Festival. Rumour has it he made a tidy profit from the sales, and the intelligent move was an early insight into the future influence Gudinski would go on to have in the Australian music industry.

It signalled the end of the hippie era, and the beginning of our fascination with pub rock. [26] A rock opera, Australia – The Sunbury Symphony was commissioned. Odessa Promotions was liquidated after paying out Deep Purple but most local acts were not paid by Odessa. Add setlist, 10 activities (last edit by allenz, 22 Jun 2018, 16:37 Etc/UTC). Skyhooks were also booed, but returned the following year. Having multiple festivals to choose from is something we take for granted these days, but in the seventies, options weren’t so plentiful. But rather than continuing the ‘60s counter-culture, the festival acted as a bridge between two eras as Australia moved into the much-loved period of pub rock. While the Sunbury Music Festivals did much for the Aussie music scene, featuring an all-Australian line-up in '72's first festival, it also attracted well-known acts from overseas in the later festivals with British bands Queen appearing in '74 and Deep Purple taking the stage in the festival of '75. 5. I was trying to be openminded, but wasn't very impressed. [4] The property was owned by 50-year-old farmer and local identity George Duncan who offered the use of his land at no cost to the organisers. A new concept of a second performing stage was added to include alternative performances such as jazz recitals, theatre, dance, mime, poetry and acoustic music. Sunbury '74 ran from 25 to 28 January. 31 May 09, 02:44, Posted: Queen performed in ’74, but weren’t exactly well received. Often suggested to be Australia’s version of Woodstock, Sunbury certainly arrived at a time when the hippie movement was still seeing widespread popularity. In 2015, the Sunbury Pop Festival was inducted into the Music Victoria Hall of Fame.[1]. He was replaced by Graham “Shirley” Strachan, who helped Skyhooks go on to achieve enormous success – and a much better reception when they returned to perform at Sunbury ’75. 2014 live album by Queen Live at the Rainbow '74 Live album by Queen Released8 September 2014 Recorded31 March; 19–20 November 1974 in London GenreHard rock, heavy metal Length144:10 Label Virgin EMI Hollywood ProducerJustin Shirley-Smith Josh Macrae Kris Fredriksson Queen chronology Hungarian Rhapsody: Queen Live in Budapest Live at the Rainbow '74 A Night at the Odeon Live at the Rainbow '74 … There is footage on YouTube about the Sunbury Rock festival . The 69'ersreleased, Franc… British-owned record company EMI released a double-album of live performances from the 1972 festival. "[2] Queen returned to Australia to perform again in 1976 at the height of their fame. Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano, tambourine). United Kingdom artists, Queen performed in 1974. Keays and his band were reportedly the only act to have been paid for their appearance, having arranged an outside sponsorship.

How can you tell for sure? 8. [22][25], Sunbury '74 ran from 25 to 28 January. Following their all-Australasian lineup in 1972, Sunbury soon expanded to welcome international acts like a little band called Queen who performed at the festival in 1974. Sunbury Pop Festival or Sunbury Rock Festival was an annual Australian rock music festival held on a 620-acre (2.5 km2) private farm between Sunbury and Diggers Rest, Victoria, which was staged on the Australia Day (26 January) long weekend from 1972 to 1975. Posted: Well, all hell broke loose, from what I was told. Professional recording is rumoured to exist in archives of a local TV station. Sunbury, the rock happening of 1972. [16], Residential subdivision in the area has since altered the landscape and restricted public access to the site. [21] MCed by Gerry Humphrys, one-time lead singer of 1960s group, The Loved Ones. "[5] From late 1971, Odessa Promotions touted the forthcoming festival as "41 hours of non-stop entertainment. Along with the last festival being rained out and causing such a low attendance that future festivals never followed, there was also a steady decline by that time from the initial nature of the festivals. Deep Purple, AC/DC, and their roadies allegedly fought on stage. They arrived late, As many as 40,000 people attended Sunbury in 1972, although figures vary considerably depending on the source, and more conservative estimates place the figure between 30,000 and 35,000.

Chaos and frolics ensued". (after Madder Lake) at the last moment. [19][22], Sunbury '75 ran from 25 to 27 January. MyCity is the place to make your own. Assumedly, the "Diggers Rest Pop Festival"just didn't have the same zing to it. We were told there were technical problems but after a while the slow handclapping and jeers started. [2] Carson released their own live album, On the Air in April but had disbanded by that time. The truth is that the Queen gigs were originally scheduled for Friday 25.01. and Saturday 26.01. but for some reason their concert was rescheduled to Sunday January 27.01. The financial losses coupled with poor attendance due to bad weather spelled the end for Sunbury. Impossible Occurrences: Melbourne's Exclusive Magic Show. The attendance was 25,000 - 30,000 and the entry fee was $8.00 (3 days), $7.00 (2 days), $5.00 (1 day). 31 May 09, 20:40, Posted: In Australia, Sunbury signalled the end of the hippie peace movement of the late 1960s and the beginning of the reign of pub rock. Queen made the bold promise that they’d return as one of the biggest bands in the world; needless to say, they kept their word. Although conceived and promoted as Australia's Woodstock, the Sunbury Pop Festivals signalled the end of the hippie peace movement of the late 1960s and the beginning of the reign of pub rock.