Sunset Events operates out of a little shed in Fremantle. We like to think of it as minimalist – or perhaps deconstructionalist. The company employs a whole bunch of people who, after a couple of espressos, manage to come up with some pretty nifty ideas. When the caffeine jitters subside we then knock our collective heads together and set about implementing those nifty ideas. Some of those have included Southbound, the West Coast Blues ’n’ Roots Festival, One Movement For Music Perth and more. And the scary thing is we have plenty more ideas.
Sunset Events was conceived way back in 1997 out of an obsession of music, arts and the environment. The mission was simple but resolute: develop and introduce a completely new brand of events to Western Australia, that puts equal emphasis on both the cultural and educational experience as well as the music experience. Key to this strategy was the consideration of our impact as promoters and punters to the environment and our responsibility to go about our business with care. So, with the ideology nailed, the construction began.
What started as on outdoor cinema (Sunset Cinema, Kings Park) soon crossed into live music and then fully-fledged music festivals. And from there it continues to develop into multi-arts platforms, event management and even arts/lifestyle publishing.
In 2004 the inaugural West Coast Blues ’n’ Roots Festival came to King’s Park . It had always been Sunset Events’ plan to deliver a sophisticated yet casual festival to match the lifestyle focused demographic and ideal climate of Western Australia, and in Blues ‘n’ Roots in was attained.
The West Coast Blues ’n’ Roots Festival took a monumental turn in 2005 with its move to the inspired port city of Fremantle, where it remains today. 2005 was also the year that ignited the festival’s first sell out. The Sunset team had also been intensely drafting plans for another festival to be held in the south west of WA, moulded on the music and camping festival experiences of Europe, which embraced wider cultural and environmental themes.
The inaugural Southbound Festival was held in January 2005, in Busselton and quickly grew to include camping in 2006. In its 3rd year in 2007 the festival sold out in six weeks. Both the 2008 and 2009 festivals sold out quickly again and have truly established the Southbound Festival on the cultural landscape of Australia and the world.
Stereosonic, St Jerome’s Laneway and One Movement For Music Perth were next!
As Southbound and West Coast Blues ’n’ Roots developed momentum, it was time to turn our attention to something shiny and new. Stereosonic was our first proper attempt to import a well respected east coast festival to the west, and it went down a fine treat. Melbourne’s iconic St Jerome’s Laneway was always on our radar, and it just so happens the festival founders thought we weren’t too shabby. That partnership finally secured the WA leg of the national festival.
We like to keep ourselves out of trouble, and One Movement For Music Perth seemed a fitting distraction. The most important music industry event in the southern hemisphere, One Movement sees the world’s greatest new talent, scouts and music biz hacks descending on Perth.
In 2010, we added the regional touring festival Groovin’ the Moo, Bunbury to our event calendar, along with UK dance festival Creamfields, and MASS – a small scale event alongside the 6 star Drug Aware Pro surfing competition.
All of this, and constant new ideas that keep on coming, give us a fair few reasons to get out of bed each morning!
