Summer Daze Festival

Warrnambool Standard 2nd Feb. 2006 - ©Copyright Warrnambool Standard  2006.

FEBRUARY is shaping up to be a big month of music in Warrnambool and the late arrival of the Summer Daze Festival makes it even bigger. Fifteen local and national acts have been named on the bill for the two-day event to be staged at Shipwreck Bay Caravan Park (aka Surfside One) on February 24 and 25. Organisers are expecting more than 3000 people to attend the festival, which will cram 21 hours of music into the Friday and Saturday. While more acts are still to be announced, the line-up already features roots acts Bomba, Carus And The True Believers and Rob Sawyer. Aussie blues guitar guru Jeff Lang is also confirmed, as are popular folk festival-regulars Tiffany Eckhardt and Dave Steel and Melbourne-based Irish trio Triskel. Jeff Raglus of Fog will bring his other band The Beachniks to the suitably beachy setting and up-and-comers The Periscopes round out the list of confirmed national acts. The local contingent is led by Steve ‘‘Gonz’’ Garner’s all-star combo The Chosen Few, rockabilly trio Sky Rockats and zydeco festival favourites Hog Stompin’ Zydegators. Rock will be provided by Warrnambool pub-rock veterans The Monaros and altrock quartet The Extreme Sprinklers. Celtic group Aniar and Terang-based one-man-rootsband Rhys Crimmin are also set to play. Co-organiser Brendan Dowd said more south-west and national artists would be announced in the weeks leading up to the event. The festival will be a fundraiser for the Australian Volunteer Coastguard, the Blue Ribbon Foundation and other local charities including bushfire relief.