Queenscliff announces first round of artists

Sleepy, seaside fishing village gets its loudest wakeup call yet as Pikelet helps launch the first of the line up and some exciting new developments for the 14th annual Queenscliff Music Festival.

The first round of artists for this year's Queenscliff Music Festival have been revealed as well as a number of exciting, new announcements at a special launch event on Tuesday 10th August, held at Melbourne's Transit Lounge, where the incomparable girl-with-the-loop-pedal, Evelyn Morris aka.Pikelet, dangled the musical carrot with a Festival preview performance.The 2010 festival line up when completed will deliver over 80 acts presenting 150 performances in 13 venues across Queenscliff on the weekend of 26-27-28 November.

Direct from 3 years of staging large scale concerts in Macau and 10 years at the USA's Telluride Blues and Brews Festival, New Festival Director, Michael Carrucan, has added a new stage called The Crossing Stage, and ensured everything kicks off on an ultra high note with The Lighthouse Stage opening a day earlier to encompass the Friday night.

In an epic summer weekend event that engulfs the whole of the town, Queenscliff Music Festival famously encompasses all types of music - blues, roots, rock, pop, soul/groove, classical, jazz, country, folk, world/reggae and acoustic - accommodating the tastes of young, old and everything in-between, in unexpected venues. This year's Festival will be no exception with a line up which includes the following artists and shows:

The cult TV show RocKwiz Live, Kate Miller-Heidke, John Williamson, Little Red, Colin Hay, Washington, The Black Sorrows, Ash Grunwald, Mark Seymour, Atlanta-based singer/songwriter Shawn Mullins, the only female ever named a "guitar god" by Rolling Stones Magazine - Kaki King also from Atlanta, Sally Seltmann, The Vasco Era, queen of the bayou Mary Gauthier, Vika & Linda, Gareth Liddiard, Katie Noonan & The Captains, Dan Kelly's Dream Band, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performing in the Grand Ballroom of the Vue Grand Hotel, Public Opinion Afro Orchestra, Mick Thomas & The Sure Thing and the wonderful Pikelet. Many more names will be added over the coming weeks.

As usual, one of the highlights of this year's 14th Queenscliff Music Festival is sure to be the QMF Express - the festival-on-a-train, departing from the grounds every hour with four artists performing in four different carriages. Enjoy a great, chilled-out experience as you travel up and down the coast of the peninsula to live tunes.

Whether you are enjoying some great music on the QMF Express, sipping on a bevvy at The Crossing Stage, watching the sun set over The Lighthouse Stage or saying 'hi' to the presenters in the Triple R tent, the ambience of this Festival will make the world feel like your oyster. When you've had enough of the music, you can always cruise down Hesse Street and wander through the markets or fill rumbling tummies at the many food stores designed to feed the soul as well as your hunger cravings.

Queenscliff Music Festival is a great excuse to pack your bags for the weekend - or just plan a day trip - for a festival experience in a historic, beachside town with unique performances spaces and a tremendous wall of eclectic sound.