Rodeo Rockfest a non-starter

FESTIVAL CANNED: Gyroscope and others are no longer performing in Rockhampton for Rodeo Rockfest.

WARNER MUSIC

TWO weeks out from one of the most exhilarating festivals – combining music and rodeo – to tour regional Queensland, Rodeo Rockfest has been canned in mysterious circumstances.

The festival, which would have brought a top list of rodeo riders as well as bands The Beautiful Girls, The Fumes, 28 Days and Gyroscope to Rockhampton’s Showgrounds, has been axed, but no official statement had been released yesterday.

Promoters yesterday refused to say why it had been cancelled, only stating it was “no longer going ahead at this stage due to unforseen circumstances”.

However, The Morning Bulletin understands it could be due to the withdrawal of a major sponsor.

There was no mention of the cancellation of the event on the Rodeo Rockfest website late yesterday, despite the tour’s scheduled beginning in Ipswich this weekend incorporating bands Bluejuice, Spiderbait, Ernest Ellis, Salmonella Dubb and Mojo Webb.

The festival would have seen a state-of-the-art big-top tent large enough to hold 4000 people at the Rockhampton Showgrounds, as well as a music tent with standing room for 5000 people.

Tickets for the event were sold through Ticketek and the Rodeo Rockfest website.

A spokesman from Ticketek would not confirm how many tickets were sold for the event in Rockhampton, but did say if cancelled, Ticketek would offer a refund.