{
  "id": 8343752,
  "title": "Why Laneway and other major music festivals are bypassing WA",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/why-laneway-and-other-major-music-festivals-are-bypassing-wa",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-19T00:26:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-19/music-festivals-bypass-perth-sparking-local-bands-new-plan/107165636"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Major music festivals such as Laneway, Strummingbird and Froth and Fury Fest have cancelled their dates for Perth in 2027, leaving the city without major touring events. This has prompted a local Perth band, Free Aviary, to create their own Perth-only music festival, Lift Off. The decision to bypass Perth comes with many challenges for large music festivals, including logistics, extra costs, and ticket sales. Free Aviary's lead singer, Tom Stokes, noted that Perth audiences tend to buy tickets later due to festivals being less likely to sell out, making it a risky proposition for promoters. West Australian Music CEO Owen Whittle stated that the local music scene in WA cannot rely on touring festivals and must take ownership of creating its own events. Festival co-founder Danny Rogers of Laneway expressed disappointment at missing out on the Perth dates, citing the extra costs involved in bringing artists to Perth. Ticket sales in Perth for Laneway were significantly lower compared to Melbourne and Sydney, indicating a lack of enthusiasm from the local audience. Despite these challenges, the local music scene in Perth is resilient, with fans eagerly anticipating music events and seeking innovative ways to host them.",
  "summary": "Perth's relatively small population - and its relative remoteness - are driving major touring music festivals away, especially as costs rise.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}