First line-up for Rhythm & Vines revealed

Some of the worlds biggest music industry heavyweights will be once again returning to Gisborne this December to bring in the new decade at New Zealand’s longest-running music festival, Rhythm and Vines.

With over 100 acts scheduled to perform across 5 stages, the first 32 confirmed acts coming to Gisborne are:

Disclosure, Alison Wonderland, RL Grime, Wilkinson (DJ Set), Jauz, Andy C, Green Velvet, Chris Lake, Calyx And Teebee, Culture Shock, Cyantific, Denis Sulta, Dom Dolla, Drax Project, GLXY, HAAi, Heidi, Home Brew, Leisure, Running Touch, Ziggy Alberts, Church & AP, Daffodils, Eno X Dirty, Flowidus, Jack Berry, Maala, Mako Road, Openside, Peach Milk, Summer Thieves, Vayne

Iconic British producer duo Disclosure will return to New Zealand tasked with bringing 20,000 people to the Vines dancefloor on the opening night of Rhythm and Vines (December 29). With numerous Grammy nominations and a decade of commercial hits and collaborations with the likes of Sam Smith (“Latch”), Khalid (“Talk”), Aluna George (“White Noise”) and our very own Lorde (“Magnets”), festival-goers are set for the perfect soundtrack to the night of their lives and will be brimming with smiles and high fives.

Sydney born, Los Angeles based singer, producer, songwriter and DJ Alison Wonderland has been confirmed as the headliner for New Year’s Eve. Her futuristic dance tracks will be the first music heard in the new era, confirmed to play the coveted Vines Stage slot after midnight on January 1 2020. With now nearly half a billion streams, Alison has captured the attention of dance music fans across the globe translating into her high-energy, action-packed live sets. Performing a dynamic high octane show and with numerous accolades under her belt including 2 x #1 Billboard Top Electronic Album chart-topper and “highest female DJ billing ever at Coachella” label, expect this to be one of the highlight performances of Rhythm and Vines for years to come.

Another fan favourite joining the bill will be the return of New York-born, Los Angeles native RL Grime. His self-produced albums, instrumental projects and loud hip-hop remixes make for a live show with an absolute punch. When his debut album ‘VOID’ debuted at #1 on the electronic charts in 2014, it was clearly Grime was destined for big things. One year later he made his debut performance at R&V 2015 and now with 150 million plays, countless remixes, world-class collaborations and a new project out, RL Grime’s return will be popular amongst R&V fans.

If Drum and Bass in your face is what you seek, look no further than the fields of Waiohika. The international serving of drum and bass includes the head honcho of legendary English electronic label RAM Records, Andy C. Countless remixes, record-breaking club residencies and more tours than you can imagine makes Andy C one of the most prestigious acts at this year's festival. Fan favourite Wilkinson can’t keep his mitts off the Vines stage controllers, bringing back his catalogue of festival anthems. He will be joined by fellow Europeans D&B masters such as Culture Shock, Calyx & TeeBee, GLXY and Cyantific. Our very own D&B rising stars Flowidus will be making their debut at R&V after selling out shows across the nation over the past two years.

House heads will be licking their dancing wounds this summer. Age is just a number for Chicagoan DJ Green Velvet as the 52-year-old makes his way down to Aotearoa to showcase his timeless skills on the turntables. Chris Lake has been behind some of the biggest hits of the past few years but also making a mark with his solo works, Lake is a multi-versed producer, to say the least. At just 25 years old, Jauz has been around the world and back showcasing off all the skills he honed back in San Francisco. Everything from future house, dubstep, trap and 80s/90s dance music, Jauz has been able to bring together elements from all to craft his own style. Add to the mix Denis Sulta, Dom Dolla, BBC Radio One DJ Heidi, and HAAi taking up big slots across various stages this year.

And of course, the home ground advantage still sits with the local favourites. Saxophone wielding four-piece Drax Project return after a blockbuster sundown performance during last year’s festival and excitement levels are high for indie darlings Leisure who debut at Rhythm after releasing their sophomore album ‘Twister’. Other bands making their debut include indie synth-pop group Daffodils, Jack Berry, Summer Thieves and Mako Road.

New Zealand hip hop is always a staple for the Rhythm experience, and expect hip hop royalty Home Brew to drive it home with their return to the festival. While lyricist and old school production specialists Eno x Dirty will be back again this year, R&V 2019 will also mark the debut of two acts who have been turning heads this past year. Church & AP and Vayne, who have had a busy 2019 crafting their own unique style and forging promising careers worth celebrating.

“The festival experience and incredible trust in the brand to deliver year and year out has seen over 80% of tickets sold for this year’s festival already, and that is before we have even announced an act,” says Festival Co-Founder and Programming Director Hamish Pinkham. “The team is passionate and focussed on delivering a world-class festival, and this lineup sets the tone for what to expect. We got a few more surprises up our sleeve.”

Final camping passes are expected to be sold out within a few weeks, and 3 Day Passes by September. The popular Vintage Club VIP tickets have already sold out, and only a few accommodation packages remain in Glamping, Tepee, Pre-Setup camping options as well as Hotel and Motel packages. A small allocation of single-day tickets are released for sale on Thursday, August 15 at 9am.

All information at Rhythm & Vines

A second and final release of acts is scheduled to be released towards the end of October.