Southbound to sizzle

Grab your shades, grab your shorts, the sun is shining and festival season has arrived.

Heralding in the new year, Southbound returns to Busselton on January 1 along with thousands of music lovers attracted by the allure of 60acts over three days.

Featuring a line-up of new indie favourites and living music legends, the biggest music fest to hit the SouthW est will offer a tasty selection of Aussie chart-toppers.

Awarded Album of the Year at this Year’s ARIA awards for their album Down the Way, celebrated brother-and-sister duo Angus and Julia Stone are expected to draw an ever-growing crowd of adoring fans with a selection of mellow melodies.

Named Best Female Artist after releasing her acclaimed debut album I Believe You Liar, indie-pop sweetheart Megan Washington will swell the ranks of rising Aussie artists to make the line-up.

Taking the world by storm, Perth psychedelic rockers Tame Impala will take to the Southbound stage for the first time, their acclaimed debut record Inner Speaker earning them a loyal following.

Lending experience to the festival, old favourites Joan Jett and the Blackhearts return to our shores to show the country just how much she really does love rock ‘n’ roll.

The legendary Paul Kelly will also grace the Southbound stage for the first time as well as lyrical legends of rhyme, Public Enemy, who will perform their classic album Fear of a Black Planet in full.

For the first time, a comedy element has been added to the program and will be incorporated into the artist festival program on the Sunday and Monday.

Tom Gleeson will be joined by the creator of the recent ode to Melbourne indie kids, Northcote (So Hungover) the Bedroom Philosopher, aka Justin Heazlewood.

Joining them will be fellow funnymen Michael Chamberlain, Josh Earl, David Thornton and Nazeem Hussain, one half of the duo Fear of a Brown Planet.

Southbound runs from January 1to3at Sir Stewart Bovell Park, Busselton.