With the 21st edition of Splendour in the Grass announced to go down from 21-23 July, we thought it was about damn time to get both the magic 8 ball and crystal ball out and begin to speculate as to whom might be playing the North Byron Parkland this July. With a strong history of booking the cream of the crop both domestic and international, let us begin the process of putting together the clues on who we think will playing the main stages in a few short months.
Confirmed
Lizzo – Formally announced by the festival as a headliner, Lizzo will be hitting the main ampitheatre stage with an extensive catalogue in tow including “About Damn Time”, “Juice”, “Truth Hurts” and new single “Special”. It’s bound to be a festival highlight and a worthy headline slot.
Possible
The Kid Laroi – Surely it’s time the Australian act plays the festival? With a plethora of number 1 mixtapes and singles in his back pocket, the Sydney native is shaping up to release his debut album. Could the SITG stage be the place for it to occur?
Foo Fighters – A year on from the death of their drummer Taylor Hawkins, the band is back playing festivals in their native USA and throughout Europe in the first half of 2023. With a slot announced at Fuji Rock the week after Splendour, it would be a shame to make it that far south without at least contemplating a side trip to the Northern Rivers of NSW.
The National – Having headlined the festival exactly a decade ago (the first time the North Byron Parklands site was used), could Matt Berninger and co be headed to the top of the bill again? They do have a suspicious gap in their schedule and could play an exclusive set before returning later in the year for a headline tour of their recently announced new album First Two Pages of Frankenstein.
Maggie Rogers – Having played the festival in 2017, Maggie Rogers was last in the country for Vivid Live 2019. With another album under the belt and a loyal following in tow, Maggie looks primed to be rewarded with the second-to-last slot in the ampitheatre one night.
Lewis Capaldi – His Australia/ New Zealand tour wraps up on July 19. While he’d have to come back to the country to perform, he has played the festival before (albeit to a much smaller crowd). Could the Scot sneak in a cheeky headline set?
Caroline Polacheck – It’s been a massive couple of years for the former Chairlift singer. With a new album in the can already this year, Polachek could well be bringing her best dance moves and “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings” to the Mix Up tent one late evening.
Yachty – Announced on multiple massive European and American festivals already for this year, Yachty brings more than enough songs to play late night sets on either the Ampitheatre stage or Mix Up tent.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cancelling their appearance last year after originally being announced for the 2020 iteration of the festival, Karen O and co are due for a return to Australian shores. Heads Will Roll if they aren’t announced (kidding).
Fred Again.. – Honestly, I haven’t seen this much buzz for an artist in the longest of times. Recently in the country for Laneway Festival and a run of small theatre shows, I’d be surprised if Splendour’s bookers don’t throw plenty of coin at the British producer to return to the country for the second time in six months.
Boygenius – With their debut album, The Record, due out at the end of March this year, could the supergroup of Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus make their first appearance in Australia as a trio? Having all toured here individually in the past (Bridgers was here for Laneway recently), there’s bound to be an appetite for their moody sad-bangers over at the GW McLennan stage or equally over in the ampitheatre.
Benee – With new single, “Green Honda”, already smashing the airwaves and streaming services, the Kiwi owes us a visit. Benee’s sass and comedic timing is definitely welcomed on any of the stages for an early evening set.
Arlo Parks – While Arlo Parks brought their Collapsed in Sunbeams album tour to our shores in 2022, Parks has released a couple singles recently and has a Splendour sized hole in their schedule. It’s a long way to come twice in the space of 12 months, but it’s definitely been done before.
Less Likely
Jamie T – Releasing his new album The Theory of Whatever in 2022, Jamie T has been hesitant to tour with only a handful of shows played in support of the album since its release. But with a history playing the festival and a love for Australia, the Englishman could very well be gearing up to make a return Down Under.
Mumford and Sons/ Marcus Mumford – Having played the festival a couple times prior, including headline duties in 2013, the band has been quiet in recent years but have slowly been announcing shows over the past few months. Frontman Marcus Mumford has also been playing solo sets with songs off his self-titled 2022 release. Is it due for the folk-rock vibes to grace the Splendour stage once more?
Australian contingent
Alex Lahey – Lahey opened the festival many years ago now, and with a new album, the answer is always yes, headed our way in May, Lahey will have plenty of time to come back to Aus for a festival slot after playing an exhaustive US tour.
Ball Park Music – Australia’s loveliest band is heading out on a near enough to sold out national tour in May in support of their Weirder & Weirder album. Having played the festival plenty of times before (who could forget when they covered “Bohemian Rhapsody” in 2014 or frontman Sam Cromack’s solo performance of “It’s Nice to be Alive” a couple years later), surely the band could venture a couple hours south from their Brisbane abodes for what would go down as a festival highlight.
Budjerah – After crushing his support slot for Ed Sheeran earlier this year, Budjerah is in tour mode currently and if recent singles “Ready For The Sky” and “Therapy” are anything to go by, a Sunday afternoon slot in the GW Mclennan tent could be a great way to round out the festival weekend.
Mallrat – Releasing the undeniable hit Butterfly Blue was no mean feat. The only meaner feat would be performing at SITG. If on the lineup, expect Mallrat to pop up in others sets throughout the weekend.
Holy Holy – With a new single in tow, and album last released in 2021, Holy Holy are due to play some festivals this year. Splendour could very well be one of them.
Speed – Taking 2022 by storm, there’d be nothing better than seeing the heavy vibes of Speed absolute annihilate the ampitheatre stage at lunch time on the Friday.
You can only hope
TISM – this is more of a personal wish, but just image the scenes if “Greg! The Stop Sign” into “(He’ll Never Be An) Ol’ Man River” were performed just as the sun sets on the Friday. Surely it couldn’t be beaten. Having returned for Good Things festival in late 2022, they have recent form in wooing and winning over fans old and new.
Splendour in the Grass is taking place at the North Byron Parklands, Yelgun from 21-23 July 2023. For more information, head here.
Header image credit: Arlo Parks – Waytao Shing
