Alternative rockers Spiderbait locked in for Carnivale 2020
PORT DOUGLAS CARNIVALE 2020
Port Douglas Carnivale 2020 has received an early shot in the arm with the news that alternative rockers Spiderbait will headline the Tropic Rock Concert at Rex Smeal Park on Saturday 23 May.
The narrative of the Spiderbait story is so ‘fantastical’ it could only be based in truth: three friends from a small country Australian town taking on the Australian music scene on their own terms and emerging triumphant 25 years later. The friendship is unscathed and they are one of the biggest and best on the national scene.
Considered Australian rock icons, Spiderbait are one of just a handful of artists that have enjoyed success across both mainstream and alternative rock music scenes.
As brash and confident as they are strange and uncompromising, the three founding members of Spiderbait – Janet (bass guitar, lead vocals), Whitt (guitar) and Kram (lead vocals, drums) – started humbly in the rural NSW township of Finley, the fervent music lovers taking inspiration from everything from Slayer to The Bangles and meshing into one intoxicating and unique brew.
Having learned their trade bashing out their idiosyncratic thrash-pop tunes in the shed on Janet’s family’s farm, they soon relocated down to Melbourne and immersed themselves in that rich and fertile scene, quickly becoming important cogs of that important musical machine.
They have consolidated their status as national treasures; their popularity spanning three decades and showing no signs of abating. They’ve released seven acclaimed albums, which have all racked up gold, platinum or double platinum status and have combined Australian sales of over one million units.
Spiderbait have also racked up pretty much every accolade there is to achieve on the Australian scene: numerous ARIA Awards, chalked up a number one single (their 2004 cover of Leadbelly’s Black Betty) and even topped the prestigious triple j Hottest 100 (for Buy Me A Pony , 1996).
Spiderbait’s discography:
• Shashavaglava (1993)
• The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake (1995)
• Ivy and the Big Apples (1996)
• Grand Slam (1999)
• The Flight of Wally Funk (2001)
• Tonight Alright (2004)
• Spiderbait (2013)
• B-Sides Collection (2017)
Douglas Shire Mayor Leu said this announcement helped round out the 2020 Carnivale program, which will see the return of the Wonderland Spiegeltent, The Longest Lunch, Seafood Extravaganza, Family Beach Day and crowd favourite The Macrossan Street Parade. Port Douglas Carnivale 2020 runs from 22-24 May.
“The theme for next year’s event is Exotic and Tropic, giving full licence to participants to explore their inner alluring, colourful, bizarre, enchanting and mysterious selves.
“The tropic and exotic theme will be a guide for the popular Friday night street parade down Macrossan Street as well as other events during Carnivale – and we are expecting plenty of tropical shirts and a lot of exotic flare,” said Mayor Leu.
Have an opinion or point of view on one of our stories or a community issue? Please submit a Letter to the Editor here.
* Readers are encouraged to use their full details to ensure letter legitimacy. Letters are the opinions of readers and do not represent the views of Newsport or its staff. Letters containing unlawful, obscene, defamatory, personal or abusive material will not be published.
Got a great news tip or video? We'd love to see it. Send news tips to editor@newsport.com.au
Comments are the opinions of readers and do not represent the views of Newsport or its staff.
Reader comments on this site are moderated before publication to promote valuable, civil, and healthy community debate. Our moderation takes into consideration these guidelines and rules before comments are approved for publication.