EXCLUSIVE - The Big Pineapple Music Festival 2021 in review

Wasn’t 2020 that absolute worst for live music events? Well, thankfully, we’re all still here, and music festivals are coming back.

One of the Sunshine Coast’s biggest live music events is The Big Pineapple Music Festival (now in its 8th year - but technically the 7th generation of the festival) persevered and went full steam ahead on May 22. We sent photographer Chris Clow to take it aaaallll in.

Set up to be COVID compliant, three stages were set up, distanced from each other. While this did mean some set times would clash, it did also mean socially distancing would be easier to maintain.

With the general consensus of the day from the punters being ‘HOW GOOD does this feel?’, it was a belief that was also shared by the multiple performers of the day - for many it was their first proper gig in over a year.

Energy levels high, and the excitement and buzz being the only thing contagious (pardon the pun), there was so much rock n roll, so many smiles, and it was evident the artists were feeding off this.

Highlights being locals Forrest Run playing an awesome, solid sounding (and looking) set, Peking Duk’s mental pyrotechnics, The Amity Affliction being that hard and THAT loud they could be heard another town away, Dune Rats being, well, what Dune Rats be - loose, and Winston Surfshirt bringing an intimate set with mood lighting to match.

Limitations or not, everyone was just so happy to be out.

Well done, BPMF. You survived.

Peking Duk