By Ryan Callaghan // Head image by Steve Wall
What day is it? Why are we talking about New Year’s already? Chinese zodiac tells us that 2017 will be the year of the rooster, but as things are going, we’re thinking it could well be the year of augmented reality iPhone games, Donald Trump and North Kardashian West.
That said, what’s to look forward to next year? For wannabe’ punters of the 2017 installment of Field Day, it’s shaping up to be a good one from day dot. And with the lineup announcement coming in hot tomorrow, we thought it would be a good idea to compile our top picks of artists we suspect (and pray,) to be on the bill. Check out our predictions below and stay tuned to LWA for the official announcement tomorrow afternoon. You can also see our pictures from Field Day 2016 right here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jcu1AHaTchM
Rhetorical: If Flight Facilities isn’t on the lineup, is it really an Australian music festival? The electronic duo has recently been promoted by Field Day organisers, Fuzzy, as they’re set to play at the Red Bull Music Academy weekender in Sydney next month alongside the Symphony Orchestra for a massive show at the domain. We’re wondering if they’ll stick around to welcome us into the New Year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM_7P6T107Y
After initially confirming that he would be coming to our shores via a Reddit AMA (ask me anything) session, the Chicago rapper is now fixed to play both at the Origin NYE in Perth as well as Rhythms & Vines across the ditch in New Zealand; both of which are about the same flight time from the Field Day stage in Sydney. This just in: Chance The Rapper has hinted on the VMA red carpet that he and DJ Khaled might be working on a record together “in the near future” – huge if true! Hopefully Chance brings Khaled or Kanye West, either will do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmiygZRFtvo
Young guns Kllo are the Melbourne duo making waves on the Australian music scene at the moment off the back of their Well Worn EP, a clean 5-track release which they are sure to be showing off at Lost Paradise, which is also being held over New Year’s just north of Sydney. Could they can top this off by landing a spot on the Field Day lineup?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rivFCwwvoh8
There seems to be a lot of English Grime emcees feeling the love at the moment, and Hackney-born artist JME is no exception. You can catch him spitting lyrics about uni degrees and his love of Pokémon, and with brother Skepta having such success Down Under at Field Day last year, JME’s tour is arriving in prime time. He’s set to play Origin NYE, and with fellow skyrocketing Grime artists like Stormzy being brought out by Fuzzy for this years Listen Out festival, it stands to reason that JME might fit the bill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOEofD1pkhg
So this one might be a long shot. After a notable set at Splendour In The Grass, the man behind the gold mask let everyone know via his Facebook that he was “taking the rest of the year” to finish his album. Which is almost too timely, considering that Field Day is slated for Jan the 1st. Since it’s technically within the time-frame he’s given us, we don’t feel guilty about asking if we will see Golden Features on the Field Day bill for the second year in a row.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASZD6xNvZU0
Young Franco is another 20-something currently making power moves on the Australian electronic scene. The Brisbane-born producer is also on the nearby Lost Paradise lineup, and Fuzzy has him slated to play at the Listen Out festival next month. Considering he also just wrapped up his nation wide Drop Your Love tour, a follow-up to kickstart the new year definitely wouldn’t go astray.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPgMzp39JMM
After dropping his debut album GENERATIONWHY earlier this year, ZHU set to play at the Beyond The Valley festival which is being held in Victoria over New Year’s. Could this mean that he will be around to zip on over for a set at Field Day? It wouldn’t be a surprise considering he headlined Fuzzy’s Curve Ball even earlier this year. He also brought a saxaphone player and it was dope. PSA: Get around the recently released, monochromatic animation for his track ‘Palm Of My Hand.’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp-lWgUDcKk
Aussie favourites RÜFÜS may well be the ones to round off this years Field Day lineup announcement. They’re already slated to be headline at Fuzzy’s Listen Out, and the timing also looks right: They’ll be on the back end of a massive American tour. Add this to the fact that they are playing a DJ set at the Rhythms & Vines festival in New Zealand; they fit the ticket for a live set in Sydney.