5 Quick Questions with Chris O’Brien – Good Things Festival Promoter
HAPPY ON SALE DAY!
Good Things Festival‘s eclectic 2023 lineup has just gone on sale for what is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing and exciting festival lineups to ever hit our shores. In one handy location, alternative music fans can see the likes of Slaughter To Prevail, Slowly Slowly, Boom Crash Opera, Short Stack, Behemoth and Ocean Sleeper then round the day off by checking out Devo, Limp Bizkit and Fall Out Boy – absolute madness, right!?
The initial response on launch day sent shockwaves across the scene with literal generations of music fans collectively losing their minds over the fourth instalment of the ever-growing festival run.
As tickets go on sale, we’re stoked to share our interview conducted with the one and only Chris O’Brien (Good Things‘ promoter) who sheds light on the thought process behind booking such a vast array of musical acts, and the importance of standing out from the crowd by paving a wave of new memories for music fans – both young and old…
Chris, Congratulations on the Class of 2023 – what was the mentality going into booking this one compared to previous entries?
Keep challenging to keep building on the variety of the Festival and creating bucket list moments for fans. I want people to be excited, confused, inspired, and disappointed – the whole gamut of emotions. No one is going to like every band on there. I want them to go to the 4 or 5 bands on there they love and then start discovering!
That’s the beauty of music festivals, discovering bands you never thought you’d see. It’s great to see Fall Out Boy FINALLY headlining a festival. What was it about them that screamed now is their time?
It’s Fall Out Boy.
The glaringly obvious name on the lineup is Devo, who are playing the festival for their ONLY Australian shows on their 50 Year Farewell Tour. In previous years we’ve seen BABYMETAL, The Veronicas and TISM stand out from the rest – where did the decision come from to book Devo for this – knowing they’ll probably have the most memorable set of the entire day?
I think it comes back to challenging people’s perceptions about music festivals.
I don’t really care if some people don’t love who we book, I just don’t want Good Things to be a copy and paste festival where you keep seeing the same names repeated over and over and over again.
Devo are one of the most iconic bands in history and cannot be pigeonholed; they inspired a generation of artists. They deserve to be up in lights playing to not just fans that love them but a legion of new fans for what will be their farewell tour in Australia.
Good Things’ evolvement from the first 2018 outing has seen it become a festival for ALL generations, catering to a vast array of alt-music fascets. How important is it to cater to a wider audience as you have since day one?
That was always the concept for Good Things and I never want to shy away from that or get lazy with it.
One of my favourite comments [on launch day] was:
“It’s literally like someone vomited on a vision board and went ‘That’ll do!!!’ And I’m here for it guys, I’m so here for it! The lineup makes no sense….yet all the sense….so hell yeah. Boom Crash Opera with some Sepultura and some Enter Shikari with some Devo and some Pennywise with some Behemoth…”
Of course, I didn’t quite vomit on a mood board to programme Good Things but you get the gist!
You literally can’t explain it better than that hahaha As a heavy music fan yourself, which three acts from the lineup do you personally want to see? (if you’ll get any time in your busy schedule on site)
Devo no doubt as it’s their farewell shows, so that will be incredibly special. I have been a Fall Out Boy fan from Take This To Your Grave so seeing them headline GT will be monumental. I’m not sure people are ready for what Slaughter To Prevail are going to bring but that should be fun to watch!
I don’t think anyone is ready for Slaughter To Prevail’s first Aussie shows, but we’re all in.
Interview by Paul ‘Browny’ Brown @brownypaul
Good Things Festival 2023 is ON SALE NOW – Tickets Here
For all the latest updates and news, check out our Rolling Coverage!
GOOD THINGS FESTIVAL 2023
Fall Out Boy | Limp Bizkit
Devo | I Prevail | Bullet For My Valentine | Corey Taylor | Pennywise | Spiderbait | Slowly Slowly | Enter Shikari | Behemoth | Sepultura | Taking Back Sunday | PVRIS
+ In Alphabetical Order
Bloom | Boom Crash Opera | Eskimo Joe | Frenzal Rhomb | Hanabie | Jebediah | Luca Brasi | Magnolia Park | Make Them Suffer | Ocean Sleeper | Royal & The Serpent | Short Stack | Slaughter To Prevail | Stand Atlantic | Tapestry | The Plot In You | While She Sleeps
Friday December 1st – Flemington Racecourse, Melb (LIC AA 15+)
Saturday December 2nd – Centennial Park, Syd (18+)
Sunday December 3rd – RNA Showgrounds, Bris (LIC AA 15+)
