A Huge Obstacle Course Inspired by Retro Video Games Is Taking Over Surfers Paradise This Spring 

Take Takeshi's Castle, Super Mario World, Masters of the Universe and Dragonball Z, mix them all together, then make that glorious combination happen IRL: that's Quest of Chaos, which is set to pop up on the Gold Coast this spring. Taking its cues from retro video games, Japanese game shows and old-school animation, it's an obstacle course that's also a huge interactive art installation, and it's a just-announced highlight of this years' SPRINGTIME.

The free Surfers Paradise music festival was initially announced in 2021, then made its debut in 2022 with tunes, a skate park, live art and performance installations. Earlier in 2023, the event revealed that it was returning for three days of entertainment by the beach, with BENEE, Matt Corby and Bag Raiders headlining across Friday, September 1–Sunday, September 3. Now, it has started unveiling its just-as-impressive arts lineup.

Doing the honours with Quest of Chaos is Shock Therapy Arts, who also led the festival's arts contingent in 2022 with The Cleaners. The group is swapping flinging paint-filled balloons with a giant slingshot for its brand-new participatory piece, which has been commissioned just for SPRINGTIME. Players will work through obstacle-course challenges to attempt to defeat King Chaos and his crew — aka "interdimensional troublemakers" — on Surfers' famous sand.

"It has been a fun, creative experiment to see what the fusion of these things look like as an installation on the beach," said Shock Therapy Arts' Hayden Jones.

"At the end of the day, it's all about facilitating a fun experience and making people laugh. We're honoured for Quest of Chaos to be the first ever newly commissioned installation by SPRINGTIME, following on from the success of our work The Cleaners at last year's festival."

Also on the arts lineup: Korean Australian artist YEAHYEAHCHLOE, who'll create art in real time for SPRINGTIME's audience, plus Malara Rise, aka Britney and Stefanie Noffke, who'll create a unique mural about their connection to the festival's location just for the event.

As previously announced, the live music bill will take over both beachside and streetside spaces around Surfers. There'll be two stages, also hosting Babe Rainbow, Boo Seeka, Eliza & The Delusionals, grentperez, Sunshine & Faith Disco Choir, Sycco and more, while the Vans skate team will be back to get rolling.

SPRINGTIME MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023 LINEUP:

Bag Raiders
BENEE
Matt Corby
Babe Rainbow
Boo Seeka
Eliza & The Delusionals
grentperez
Sunshine & Faith Disco Choir
Sycco
Austin Mackay
Bella Amor
Betty Taylor
Big Fuzz
Bill Durry
Chutney
Dizzy Days
Daste.
Girl & Girl
Greatest Hits
Jason Van Miert
Lemaire
Matonii
Sabio
Mitch Santiago
N'Jaane
Pure Milk
Radolescent
The Vultures
Taleena
Tomorrow's Forecast
YB.

SPRINGTIME Music Festival will take place across the weekend of Friday, September 1–Sunday, September 3. For further information, head to the festival website.

SPRINGTIME 20222 images: Bianca Holderness.

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