Why It’s All About NYD Downunder

The hopes that are pinned on New Year’s Eve across the world reach epic proportions. From the iconic Big Ben donging at the stroke of midnight backlit with an explosion of colours strewn across the London sky, to the ball dropping in New York’s neon Times Square – the world’s capitals certainly know how to welcome the New Year. Did you know that in Brazil they all wear white like Candomble priestesses and throw flowers into the sea for the African sea Goddess Yemanji?

New Year’s Eve may just be another night to some, but to many of the world the shift from year to year represents a time for celebration, change and renewal, but in most corners of the world where the emphasis is on celebration – January 1st often results in extreme nausea, a blinding headache and an inability to raise oneself from the dead. Not in Australia though. No. Downunder, the 1st January is a time to celebrate and put off today’s hangover until tomorrow… after all what the hell else would you possibly be doing on 2nd January?!

Here’s what to expect this New Year’s Day

With the Australian summer in full swing over Christmas and New Year, you’re of course a million miles away from cold, crisp days giving the festive period a complete makeover in to a festival filled frenzy. Whilst Europe revell all summer long from May to September, the Southern Hemisphere comes alive from November to March – meaning if you play your cards right you don’t really ever have to deal with the post summertime blues.

This New Year’s Day, Melbourne’s Let Them Eat Cake festival looks to be stealing the crown in celebrating the first day of 2017. The festival, which started in 2012 looked to provide a mature audience an electronic music outing with a difference to more mainstream New Year’s Day events. As founder, Matt Bonner says of LTEC, “ [It’s] somewhere people could get lost in the construct of the festival and the beautiful mansion grounds to start a new year.” Describing the overall aesthetic of the festival, Bonner coins it as “Architectural Abstract: it’s informed by the beauty of the grounds and the existing sculpture gardens.”

When quizzed on what the 2017 edition of Let Them Eat Cake has to offer, Bonner coyly states, “…not going to say too much detail but there’s a big emphasis on interactive art and a push to take our food and beverage (particularly cocktail) offerings to an even higher level. As usual the site has been moved around to incorporate new/different parts of the grounds.” So even if you’re an LTEC veteran you can expect something new and different this year!

This year’s event will be continuing the hedonistic festival vibe for its fifth year beckoning the likes of Dusky, Tokimonsta, Alex Niggemann, Maribou State and more to Melbourne. Having attracted some of the biggest names in electronic music over the past half a decade, organiser, Matt Bonner reminisces about the festival’s most epic moments in his eyes “For me it’s the sets that really stand out: Kerri Chandler, James Holden, Jon Hopkins. Getting the Australian launch for Funktion One’s new Vero system last year was spectacular. There was a moment just before sunset last year looking out over our first venue capacity crowd, it was so calm and peaceful. I hadn’t heard an angry voice all day, its was just about perfect.”

Get your tickets to Let Them Eat Cake this January 1st at letthemeatcakenyd.com.au

Listen to our LTEC 2017 Playlist