A Western Australian music festival is debuting a new kind of COVID-safe festival layout that features a rotating stage.
Good Day Sunshine, which is set to take place in Busselton on 31 October, will adopt the “in-the-round” format usually reserved for large international stadiums, splitting the event site into four equal areas.
Each area is named after a famous surf spot in the south-west; Cobblestones, the Point, Windmills and Injidup with a revolving stage, named the Turntable, in the centre.
According to the festival’s website, each area will operate as an individual venue, with its own entry, exit and amenities so wait times for food, drinks and toilets will be shorter, limiting audience interaction.
Macro Music, the company behind the new format, is hoping other events will follow suit and adopt the layout.
“I would be flattered if this format was to be used by other events in Australia and across the world,” Ross Macpherson, CEO of Macro Music, told Triple J.
“The sooner we can get large scale live events back up and running, the better for everyone.”
The festival line up boasts the likes of John Butler, Xavier Rudd, Eskimo Joe and Dulcie, who will be among the first to test out the Turntable stage.
“Hopefully it all goes smoothly and opens up the possibility of more festivals going ahead safely and effectively with these new ideas,” Dulcie told Triple J.
“We have been having a bit of a giggle about everyone having to look at our bums! We’ll be working really hard to make sure everyone’s feeling engaged and having fun.”
You can check out how the layout will work in this handy video explainer:
