Caloundra Music Festival to farewell Powderfinger

Exciting and sad news today as Powderfinger announce that their farewell tour will include a performance at this year's Caloundra Music Festival.

The annual festival of Sun, Surf and Soul, now in its fourth year, will be held 8-10 October at Kings Beach, with Powderfinger performing on Friday 8 October. To add to the fun, the band will be supported by JET and one lucky local band.

At a press conference in Sydney this morning, Powderfinger announced their most extensive Australian tour ever. In what has been an agonising decision for the band, they have also announced that the “Sunsets” tour around the nation will be their last. Powderfinger will disband as a touring and recording band following this tour.

In a statement read out by Bernard Fanning, the band said: “With the completion of our last album, Golden Rule, we feel that we have said all that we want to say as a musical group. We firmly believe that it is our most complete and satisfying album and can't think of a better way to farewell our fans than with music that we all believe in and also with, hopefully, our best tour to date.”

Powderfinger’s extensive career spans nearly two decades with sales in excess of 2.5 million albums in Australia alone. Winner of 16 ARIA Awards, the band holds an unprecedented three successive ARIA Awards for Album of the Year. Powderfinger has achieved six No. 1 ARIA Album Chart debuts and recently scored two entries in the Triple J Hottest 100 of all time (2009) – These Days (#21) and My Happiness (#27). Powderfinger’s 7th studio album, Golden Rule, was released to critical acclaim in November, 2009, debuting at No. 1 and spawning the radio and chart hits, All of the Dreamers and Burn Your Name. The third single from the album, Sail the Widest Stretch, will be serviced to Australian radio today, Friday 9 April.

With millions of albums sold worldwide and four Top 10 Modern Rock hits, JET recently returned to form with Shaka Rock, an album that parallels their smash, Get Born, which produced hits like Are You Gonna Be My Girl and Cold Hard Bitch. The new album closes the gap between the raw roots of Get Born and the grace and melody of Shine On (recorded just after the passing of Nic and Chris Cester's father), which together went on to make JET an international band of style and substance. The first single from Shaka Rock, She's a Genius, has recently reached gold sales as has the album. This will also be the first time JET have had the opportunity of performing in many regional areas throughout Australia.

"Powderfinger are one of Australia's favourite bands" said Festival Director Richie Eyles. "We are very excited to have them on the bill and will be sad to see them go”, he said.

The search will now begin to find a local band to support Powderfinger and Jet.

“This will be the chance of a lifetime for one lucky local band,” said Mr Eyles.

“The Caloundra Music Festival continues its path towards iconic status”, said Economic Development portfolio Councillor Lew Brennan.

“An act with the profile of Powderfinger will attract national visitors to the area and provide a significant boost to the local economy,” he said.

“Furthermore, the Caloundra Music Festival is a great showcase for our local culture and creative industries.”

Tickets will go on sale 9am Friday 30th April.

For more information visit the Caloundra Music festival website.