Now in its 31st year, Surfest is one of Australia’s best established surf competitions and the event is set to make another return to Newcastle’s beaches in February 2016. In celebration of the surfing spectacular, Newcastle’s Cambridge Hotel will be hosting a live show following the 10 day surf competition.
Taking place on Saturday 27th February 2016 at The Cambridge Hotel in Newcastle, the special gig will showcase a headline performance from punk rock legends The Celibate Rifles.
Establishing themselves through their distinctive sound and high energy performance, the Celibate Rifles quickly came to the forefront of the vibrant alternative music scene in the early 80s. In 1983 they released their debut EP But Jacques, the Fish?, followed in 1984 by their album Sideroxylon, still considered as one of the best ever debut albums by an Australian band. Four albums and many singles followed, as well as virtually non-stop touring around the Australian coast as reputation and demand continued to grow.
In 1986 the band left for an exploratory tour of the US and Europe where they were variously described as “The best live band in the world,” by the Village Voice; “The most Australian sounding band in the world,” by The Boston Globe, and “Masters of the twin devilled guitar attack,” by Paris Match.
“Constantly touring Europe and America was the experience of a lifetime. Playing with bands like The Ramones, Radio Birdman, Nirvana, Björk, and The Sugarcubes were really the salad days of the Celibate Rifles,” says singer Damien Lovelock.
Joining the line-up will be Newcastle favourites James Thomson and The Strange Pilgrims as well as William John Jr and The Love Dinosaurs to help celebrate another successful year of Surfest in Newcastle.
THE CELEBRATE RIFLES/SURFEST CELEBRATION
Saturday February 27 – The Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle NSW