Swampfest facts for kids
Swampfest is a yearly music festival in Palmerston North, New Zealand. It's a big event that shows off the musical talent of local bands.
Originally, Swampfest happened in May to line up with New Zealand Music Month. But in 2009, it moved to September. This was to celebrate the 21st birthday of The Stomach, a cool place in the city where musicians can practice and perform.
The festival is a stage for both new and well-known artists who create their own original music. You can hear all kinds of music at Swampfest! Over the years, the festival has featured rock, punk, ska, electronic, hip hop, metal, pop, and even solo acoustic performers.
The name "Swampfest" is a fun nod to the history of Palmerston North. Long ago, the area was a natural swamp before the city was built.
Contents
Where does Swampfest happen?
Swampfest has moved around to different venues over the years.
- In 2004 and 2005, it was held at The Guv'nors Tavern.
- In 2006 and 2007, the festival moved to The Globe Theatre in Palmerston North.
- There was no Swampfest in 2008 because The Stomach's building was being renovated.
- In 2009, the festival was held right at the newly updated Stomach.
- Due to money issues, there was no festival in 2010.
- Swampfest came back in 2011 and was held at The Stomach, The Regent Theatre, and other spots.
- The festival continued to use multiple venues in 2012 and 2013, including The Regent Theatre, The Stomach, and even The Square.
Who organizes the festival?
The main organizers of Swampfest are a group called Creative Sounds and the team at The Stomach. Sometimes, the festival gets help from Radio Control 99.4 FM, which is the campus radio station for Massey University.
The history of Swampfest
The idea for Swampfest came from a local musician named Murray Shaw. He imagined a festival with many local bands playing their own music over several nights. He came up with the name and concept but didn't organize it himself. Instead, two other local musicians, Craig Black and Hayden Sinclair, ran the first two festivals.
Swampfest started in 2004 with eight bands playing over two nights. It was a big success! The next year, Swampfest'05 grew to include 12 bands over three nights.
Starting in 2006, Creative Sounds and The Stomach took over organizing the event. This allowed the festival to get bigger and include more artists. They moved it to the Globe Theatre so that people of all ages could attend.
The festival took a break in 2008 while The Stomach was being fixed up. In 2009, Swampfest was combined with The Stomach's 21st birthday party. After another break in 2010, Swampfest returned in 2011 with help from a fund for the Rugby World Cup.
For a few years, the festival was filmed, and a special DVD was made with two songs from each band. In 2011, the shows at The Stomach were even broadcast live on the internet.
Past festival lineups
Here is a list of some of the bands that have played at Swampfest over the years.
| Edition | Year | Dates | Acts | Venues |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2004 | ~ | 7.62 Short, Collapse, Faker, Hellborne, Hoopla!, Reflector, Stitchface, Wall Of Silents | The Guv'nors Tavern |
| 2 | 2005 | ~ | *The Bing Turkby Ensemble, Black Chrome, Cathedra, Collapse, Dub Arkestra, Hellborne, Hoopla!, Impish, Reflector, Scourge Of Tussin, Stitchface, Velvetine Black, Missing Link | The Guv'nors Tavern |
| 3 | 2006 | ~ | Bing Turkby Ensemble, Black Chrome, Collapse, Emmilies Illusion, Grayson Gilmour, Hellborne, The Livids, Reflector, Stiletto, Stitchface, Twice Daily, Wall Of Silents | The Globe Theatre |
| 4 | 2007 | 11–13 May | Bing Turkby Ensemble, Black Chrome, The B-Side Electro Funk Disaster, Cathedra, Cord Willis, The Godfrees, Hoopla!, Little Room, The Livids, The Particulars, Us As Robots, Wall Of Silents | The Globe Theatre |
| 5 | 2009 | ~ | ... the Weak, Ricky Bobby, Joe Hill, Scarkiss, Solfonic, Black Chrome, The Kleptics, The Nerines, National Office, David Stevens, The Excludents, Haluciagea, Nutella Monk, Bing Turkby Ensemble, The Postures, Ruski, Us As Robots | The Stomach |
| 6 | 2011 | ~ | nutellamonk, HUF, researchintospeed, -52, Highfield Weekend, Us As Robots, Fowl Friends, Brooklyn State Hospital, The Bing Turkby Ensemble, Thief, Robin, Cephalopod, Losses, Discorpse, Project Blood, Ricky Bobby, iRyoko, Outside the Beat, Stanley Pedigree, Dirtbox Charlie, Grayson Gilmour, The Nerines, Jemmamarie, Amelia Shadbolt, Te Ra Moriarty | The Stomach, The Regent Theatre, JBHiFi, others |
| 7 | 2012 | 1 - 29 September | nutellamonk, Busta Dimes, Given Names, researchintospeed, Alpha Beta Gamma, iRyoko, Grysn Glmr, The Methadonnas, Mountain Eater, Pom Pom, -52, The Bing Turkby Ensemble, Black Chrome, The Impediments, Reclusia, Dirtbox Charlie, Amphora, Cephalopod, Nausea, Project Blood, Diamond Sutra, BottleKids, Beneath The Heavens, Black Wings, Forsaken, huf, Stanley Pedigree, Abi Symes, Benny Tipene, Hydro Raspberry, Kelsey Lawn, The Nerines, Robin | The Regent Theatre, The Stomach, The Royal, others |
| 8 | 2013 | 1 - 27 September | Abi Symes, Amelia & the Other Stuff, Bridget and Dylan, Sam Morgan, Shayla, Te Ra Moriarty and Tim Jurgens, Benny Tipene, Dick Tracy, The Jefferys, The Nerines, Beneath the Heavens, Carrion, Cats Eat Dogs, Gains, Valerie Solanas, Hot Property, Indecisive, Man in Rug, No Shells, 66Queens, Alpha Beta Gamma, Commander Dimes, Given Names, Journey of Chaos, DJ Samir, Rave Dobbyn, Big Friendlies | Regent Theatre, The Stomach, The Dark Room and The Square |
| 9 | 2014 | 23 - 26 October | DJ Dee Steez & HUFF, Alpha Beta Gamma, Anna Madeleine, Big Friendlies, bBuska Dimes, Journey of Chaos, Man in Rug, Pixie Dust, P90s, Topaz rooster, Abi Symes, Alt Simulacra, Arcadian Kites, Gains, Given Names, No Shells, Slower Motion, SODA BOYZ, Fay Morris, Jakeland, JemmaMarie, Risky Kittens | The Square, The Globe Theatre, Great Job, Village Inn Kitchen |
| 10 | 2015 | 29 - 31 October | Benny Tipene, Jakeland, Foreshadows, Dentist Apprentice, Pixie Dust, PNC, Splitting Atoms, Stanley Pedigree, Mikey Dam, Buska Dimes | The Stomach |
| 11 | 2016 | 19 - 23 October | 1964, Acid Animals From Outerspace, Andy Anderson and Band, Churlington, Crackpot Theory, Diamond Sutra, Buska, DimesDimes, Foreshadows, fruit juice parade, Fusion NZ / Punk Rock Band., Goto, Jemma Marie, Kelsey Jo Music, Kokoa Nashi, Liam Cody, Miss, nerlin, Parafin, researchintospeed, Robin, Bing Turkby Ensemble, Tommy Deluge, Tū Tonu | The Fish Cocktail Bar, The Stomach, Snails: Artist Run Spaces, The Square |
| 12 | 2017 | 5 - 21 October | Anandonion, Bearded Theory, Bing Turkby Ensemble, Black Chrome, Dusk Till Dawn, Felix & Jack, Fruit Juice Parade, Fusion, Ge0-citiez, Goto, Government Pest, Humming, Intellivisions, Jakeland, Jaywalker, Katie, Kokoa Nashi, Kolkhoz, Lewis Kingston, Miss, Realtors of Rave, Shannen, Soda Boyz, The Gorge, The Hellebores, Tū Tonu | The Stomach, Us Studio, Massey University Concourse, Square Edge, Halcyon Cafe on Cuba Street, The Square |
| 12 | 2018 | 16 - 21 October | Alpha Beta Gamma, Asbestos Man, Bottlekids, Churlington, Defetus, Democracy Manifest, DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR, Distance, First Move, fruit juice parade, GeoCities, Goto, Government Pest, Heavy Blarney, KOLKHOZ, Ladders, Mirror Stage, Parafin, Ripple Effect, Robin, Skitz Hydro, SODA BOYZ, Sweater, Takaro Techno Club, The Makos | The Stomach, The Square, Snails: Artists Run Spaces, Cafe Royale / Square Edge |
| 13 | 2019 | 11 - 19 October | researchintospeed, Asbestos Man$, hannengeorgiapetersen, Feildings Best Dancers, Strange Brew, Abi Symes-Edmonds, Amelia Shadbolt, Dave Boyack, Bambin, Marcus Hermit, Synthetic Children, ghost of ris, Distance, Felix, GeoCities, M.O.C, Department of Labour, Tim*J, Parafin, Kybele, Polaroids of Polarbears, fruit juice parade, The Wake Up, Government Pest, Focus, GeoCities, Rave Dobbyn, Tū | The Stomach, Snails: Artists Run Spaces, |
| 17 | 2023 | 19–29 October | Sports Dreams, Bad Schematics, Bush Lawyer, Carb on Carb, Coffee Breaks, Dahlia, Daniel Foster, Epidemic, Fusion, Hine Raiona Bigbada Boom Sound System, Illusive, Khaki Department, Kokoa Nashi, Libby Offord, Lies and Lullabies, Lucid, Meanowls, Milo Lou, Molly Pawson, Nic Mason, Old Man Pine, Our Beloved Ditch, Persimmon, Philip Yeo, Renee Therese, Rusty Frame, Ruul 34, Showponi, Sports Dreams, Stellar Talauta, Swampwitch, Teams Meetings, The Fairlight Choir, WintyrQueen | The Stomach, Square Edge |
