Sweet Relief! Is Brisbane's New Music Festival Headlined by Groove Armada, The Avalanches and Ladyhawke

What happens when a touring showcase of music throughout Queensland joins forces with an annual citywide celebration of arts and culture in Brisbane? Sweet Relief!, the latest event from both Qld Music Trails and Brisbane Festival. A collaboration between both fests, but taking place in Brissie in September, this one-day-only excuse to get dancing will make its debut in 2023 with a helluva electronic-focused lineup, starting with Groove Armada, The Avalanches and Ladyhawke.

Sweet Relief! also involves the folks at Untitled Group, the team behind festivals such as Beyond The Valley, Grapevine Gathering and Wildlands — and they've helped bring in quite the names. Groove Armada and The Avalanches will both play Australian-exclusive gigs, in fact, with the former doing a DJ set and the latter performing live.

Grant Spanier

We see you, festival-loving babies. The day to block out in your diary: Saturday, September 16. The place to head: the Maritime Green at Northshore Brisbane.

As well as New Zealander Ladyhawke, the bill also spans Cut Copy doing a DJ set, plus Nina Las Vegas, Latifa Tee and YO! Mafia. Poof Doof Pride Patrol featuring Jimi the Kween is on the lineup as well, and additional Brisbane acts are still to be announced.

Kath Gould

"We're so excited to be heading up to Brisbane to play at Maritime Green at Northshore Brisbane. It's such a cool looking spot — we've got a feeling it's gonna be a very special one," said The Avalanches.

"Brisbane's history is littered with iconic festival moments such as Livid, Boundary Street Festival and Valley Fiesta that gave the Brisbane community an opportunity to bring their weirdest and wildest selves out to create an electric atmosphere of togetherness, diversity and inclusion," added Joel Edmondson, CEO of Qld Music Trails, announcing Sweet Relief!.

"We hope that Sweet Relief! can establish itself as a place where people travel from around the country to experience Brisbane's local flavour and global appeal."

SWEET RELIEF! 2023 LINEUP:

Groove Armada (DJ set)
The Avalanches (live)
Ladyhawke
Cut Copy (DJ set)
Nina Las Vegas
Latifa Tee
YO! Mafia
Poof Doof Pride Patrol featuring Jimi the Kween
+ more Brisbane acts to be announced

Sweet Relief! will take over the Maritime Green, Northshore Brisbane, on Saturday, September 16. For more information and images — and to register for ticket presales from 6pm on Wednesday, July 5, with general sales from 12pm on Thursday, July 6 — head to the event website.