Sydney’s White Bay Power Station is about to get a serious dose of house music. New electronic music event ZURI Festival makes its debut this December, taking over two of Australia’s most distinctive industrial venues for a weekend of international DJs, local talent and large-scale production.
The festival kicks off at Sydney’s White Bay Power Station on Saturday, December 19, before heading south to Melbourne’s PICA on Sunday, December 20. Taking its cues from Europe’s electronic festival circuit, ZURI is pitching itself as more than another DJ lineup, with immersive stage design, lighting and visuals central to the experience.
Leading the inaugural bill are Turkish DJ and producer Mahmut Orhan, American house favourite Francis Mercier and Germany’s Marten Lou. The international contingent is joined by Australian artists Maison Ware, Sophia, Kass and Rromarin, with further names still to be announced.
The venues are an interesting part of the equation. Sydney’s century-old White Bay Power Station provides a formidable industrial backdrop, with the festival running from 4pm until midnight. Melbourne’s PICA takes over the following afternoon, running from 3pm to 10pm and bringing the same warehouse-focused approach to the city’s electronic music crowd.
Beyond the music, ZURI is promising festival-scale sound, food and beverage precincts, VIP experiences and exclusive merchandise. Whether all that production translates into something genuinely distinctive remains to be seen, but the combination of international house talent and two striking venues gives the newcomer a promising starting point.
With Australia’s summer festival season getting underway, ZURI is making its first move across two cities in one weekend. Sydney gets the power station, Melbourne gets the warehouse, and both get a new contender on the electronic music calendar.
Sydney tickets HERE and Melbourne HERE.
