Listen Out is an annual Australian music festival held in Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane since September 2013. In 2018, an inaugural alternative version of Listen Out, titled Listen In took place in South Australia and New Zealand. The standard festival is held from late September to early October. Each Listen Out concert is a one-day event attracting both domestic and international hip-hop, indie, and electronic musicians. Listen Out uses three stages; Atari stage, 909 stage and Third base (formerly branded by Red Bull as Crate Diggers stage and Universal Store's Young Bloods stage).
Listen Out has been organised since inception by Fuzzy Operations. It attracted over 68,000 attendees during its 2016 festival tour. In parallel with the festival national youth radio Triple J runs an Unearthed competition, where the state winner performs at their capital's venue. The 2020 and 2021 festivals were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. It resumed in 2022 and continues to the present.
History Listen Out was created by Fuzzy after they had cancelled another music festival, Parklife. The new festival has an emphasis on "intelligent strains of dance music". Listen Out's inaugural tour commenced on 28 September 2013 in Sydney, before proceeding to Perth and then Melbourne and finishing in Brisbane. and continued as an annual event. It consists of three stages, two of which (Atari and 909’s) have identical artist line-ups. The Atari stage is the festival's main stage and features the head-liners of the festival. The 2013 and 2014 tour allocated only electronic music acts to perform on the Atari stage, with Indie and Hip-hop acts taking place on the 909 stage. theMusic.com.aus writer described the 2014 festival, "boutique national dance music event. bringing quality dance music to four spectacular inner city venues."
From 2015 onward, these roles were changed as Hip-Hop acts now exclusively occurred on the Atari stage and the 909 stage became exclusively electronic music. Unlike these stages, Third base stage is used to showcase local upcoming talent from each state, with different line-ups for each leg of the show. In more recent iterations of the event, these line-ups now contain acts that tour with the festival over multiple venues, however minor tweaks are made to each state's line-up to continue showcasing local talent for each. From 2013 to 2015 the festival's third stage was sponsored by Red Bull as the Crate Diggers stage. In 2016 after Fuzzy lost its Red Bull sponsorship, the stage was sponsored by Universal Store and re-branded the Young Bloods stage. In 2017 Fuzzy formally changed it to 3rd Base, without financial support of any sponsor.
Each year the winners of the annual Triple J Unearthed competition for each state were given a time slot for the related Listen Out concert. The winner performed on either the Atari or 909 stage depending on the year. In 2018 Fuzzy began a new, smaller version of Listen Out named Listen In to reach audiences in South Australia and New Zealand featuring a smaller selection of six acts from the longer Listen Out version of the tour. In 2019 the South Australian Listen In festival was announced but the New Zealand leg of the tour is yet to be announced. The 2020 and 2021 Listen Out festivals were all cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. They resumed in 2022 and continues to the present.
Artist line-up by year
2013 +2013Atari909Crate Diggers Softwar (Sydney only) El Dario (Perth only) Otologic (Melbourne only) Nick WoodWard (Brisbane only) Laura Jones Rüfüs Miguel Campbell Classixx Azealia Banks Duke Dumont Disclosure Cosmo's Midnight (Triple J Unearthed; Sydney only) Hayden James (Sydney only) Yahtzel (Sydney only) Sable (Triple J Unearthed; Perth only) Slumberjack (Perth only) Zeke (Perth only) Andee Frost (Melbourne only) Friendships (Triple J Unearthed; Melbourne only) Motez (Melbourne only) Gurps (Brisbane only) Rattraps (Triple J Unearthed; Brisbane only) Tyler Touché (Brisbane only) Alunageorge John Talabot Just blaze TNGHT Touch sensitive(Sydney)
Paradise Lost Sosueme Slow Blow John Glover Beni(Perth)
Drifter & Pussymittens France China Black & Blunt Charlie Bucket Oli & James A Gracie & Sistym(Melbourne)
Scattermusic Fletch Simon TK Sleep D Plays Flip 3k & David Bass Post Percy Salvador & Les Level(Brisbane)
Aydos & Brat Camp OP thomas Prime & Charlie Hustle Benn Hopkins & Bruno Watt Cosmo Cater Stretch paper cranes & Audun
2014 +2014Atari909Crate Diggers UV boi (Triple J Unearthed) Just a Gent (Triple J Unearthed; Sydney only) Slumberjack (Triple J Unearthed; Perth only) Deja (Triple J Unearthed; Melbourne only) UV boi (Triple J Unearthed winner; Brisbane only) Bondax Chet faker Flume Golden features Kilter Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Yahtzel ZHU Four Tet Schoolboy Q Shlohmo Snakehips Ta-Ku Tkay Maidza Young Fathers(Sydney)
Ben Morris Joyride Kali Low Motion Motorik Playmode Wordlife(Perth)
Casual Connection Genga & Benny P Gracie + Sistym Micah Black Philly Blunt Shaddow Brothers Troy Division & Bunj(Melbourne)
Butters Edd Fisher Hans DC Jack Love & Jacob Malmo Matt Radovich Ollie Holmes Sweetland(Brisbane)
Approche & Elleyet Audun & Sessionkatz Mr Sparkles & Pete Smith Silvertouch & Nicky Doof Sweeney & Tucker Thomas Prime & Jazzy Jeff Varcity & Gurps
2015 +2015Atari909Crate Diggers Alison Wonderland Childish Gambino (USA) Client Liaison Halfway Crooks ILoveMakonnen (USA) Joey Badass (USA) Jordan Burns Odesza (USA) Rae Sremmurd (USA) B Wise (Triple J Unearthed; Sydney only) GRRL PAL (Triple J Unearthed; Perth only) Running Touch (Triple J Unearthed; Melbourne only) Feki (Triple J Unearthed; Brisbane only) Dusky (UK) George FitzGerald (UK) Golden Features Hayden James Lido (NOR) Roland Tings Ryan Hemsworth (CAN) Sbtrkt (UK)(Sydney)
Ariane Bad Ezzy Discovery Moriarty Motorik Tom Tilley Typhonic(Perth)
Black & Blunt Deadweight Discovery Genga & Oh Dear! Klean Kicks & Aslan Shadow Brothers Troy Division(Melbourne)
Ara Koufax Brooklyn Queenz Discovery Dizz 1 Jack love Jonno Haze Mat cant(Brisbane)
Charlie Hustle Discovery Jimmy D & MJ Monsta Jordan James & Kendall Banks Lachness & Lavitz Mark Maxwell Percy Miracles
2016 +2016Atari909Young Bloods Anderson Paak and Free Nationals (USA) ASAP Ferg (USA) Baauer (USA) Joy Ngaiire One Day Rüfüs Stormzy (UK) Sui Zhen Travis Scott (USA) Yung Lean (SWE) Wallace (Triple J Unearth; Sydney onlyed) Tobacco Rat (Triple J Unearthed; Perth only) Alice Ivy (Triple J Unearthed; Melbourne only) Midas.Gold (Triple J Unearthed; Brisbane only) Claptone (GER) Cosmo's Midnight Gorgon City (UK) Jauz (USA) LDRU Tash Sultana Tchami (FRA) Willow Beats(Sydney)
Colour Castle Elijah Scadden Flex Mami Gradz Honey DJs Made in Paris Turquoise Prince LTC(Perth)
Amber Akilla & D A W S Avance & Childish Antics Axen Bockman & Shobu CasueL Chino Gambino Command Q Time Pilot(Melbourne)
Airwolf Ara Koufax One Puf Pillow Pro SAL Smutlee MIMI(Brisbane)
Doe vs Nado Lastlings Macey Cherry vs Crvcks Mutual Friends DJs No vs Yvng Jalapeno Quix Turqoise Prince LTC
2017 +2017Atari9093rd Base Bryson Tiller (USA) Future (USA) (Melbourne, Perth only) Hermitude (Sydney and Brisbane only) Jai Wolf (USA) Little Simz UK) Mac Miller (USA) Mallrat Safia What So Not Mookhi (Triple J Unearthed; Sydney only) Feels (Triple J Unearthed; Perth only) King IV (Triple J Unearthed; Melbourne only) Miss Blanks (Triple J Unearthed; Brisbane only) Duke Dumont (UK) Getter (USA) Green Velvet (USA) Kučka Malaa (FRA) Pnau Touch sensitive Vallis Alps(Sydney)
Alice Ivy Annie Bass Clyspo Kayex Ninajirachi Nyxen Willaris K(Perth)
Alice Ivy Elise Keddie Ninajirachi Nyxen Palais Spire Tobacco Rat(Melbourne)
Alice Ivy CC:Disco! Muto Ninajirachi Nyxen One Puf(Brisbane)
Alice Ivy Lowdown Kid Fiction Ninajirachi Nyxen Skorpio Varcity
Notes A Future withdrew from Sydney and Brisbane and returned to USA for personal reasons. Hermitude were announced as replacements. Future returned back to Sydney and Brisbane for replacement shows in February 2018.
2018 +2018Atari9093rd Base ASAP Rocky (USA) Brockhampton (USA) Haiku Hands Kira Puru Lil Skies (USA) Noname (USA) Poloshirt Skepta (UK) Skrillex (USA) Triple One (Triple J Unearthed; Sydney only) Reija Lee (Triple J Unearthed; Perth only) Eilish Gilligan (Triple J Unearthed; Melbourne only) Yu Yi (Triple J Unearthed; Brisbane only) CamelPhat (UK) Col3trane (UK) Confidence Man Enschway Fisher Glades Kllo Petit Biscuit (FRA) Snakehips (UK)(Sydney)
Ariane Flexmami Godlands Imbi the Girl Made in Paris Marlie Milan Ring Moonbase Purple Sneakers DJ(Perth)
Flexmami Godlands Hyclass Imbi the Girl Made in Paris Moonbase WYN Your Girl Pho(Melbourne)
Daws Flexmami Godlands Imbi the Girl Made in Paris Mimi Moonbase Soju Gang(Brisbane)
Beatrice Flexmami Godlands Imbi the Girl Made in Paris Moonbase
2019 +2019Atari909Juno6Lack (USA) Denzel Curry (USA) Diplo (USA) Ebony Boadu Flume Miss Blanks Schoolboy Q (USA) Triple One WafiaA.Girl (Triple J Unearthed winner; Sydney only) Hoodzy (Triple J Unearthed winner; Perth only) Jamo (Triple J Unearthed winner; Melbourne only) Nerve (Triple J Unearthed winner; Brisbane only) Cosmo's Midnight Doja Cat (USA) Dom Dolla Hannah Wants (UK) Jeffe JPEGMafia (USA) Leikeli47 (USA) Malaa (FRA) Set Mo Slowthai (UK)Enschway (Sydney only) Twerl (Perth only) Whethan (USA) (Melbourne & Brisbane only) Biscits (UK) Coda Conduct Flava D (UK) Kinder Luude Perto Riton (UK) Young Franco
2022 Sources:
24kGoldn (USA) AJ Tracey (UK) Barkaa bbno$ (CAN) Blanke Bru-C (UK) Central Cee (UK) Chris Lake (UK) Culture Shock (UK) Dameeeela Dave Winnel Disclosure (UK) Doechii (USA) Electric Fields James Hype (UK) JID (USA) JessB (NZ) (Melbourne and Perth only) The Jungle Giants Kito (USA) Louis the Child (USA) LP Giobbi (USA) Meduza (ITA) Memphis LK Miiesha Nia Archives (UK) Pania Pirra Polo G (USA) Pretty Girl Qrion (JPN/USA) Stace Cadet and KLP Roddy Ricch (USA) Tove Lo (SWE) Trippie Redd (USA) Young Thug (USA)
2023 Sources:
1tbsp ArrDee (UK) Ayebatonye Coi Leray (USA) Donatachi Flowidus Four Tet (UK) Friction (UK) Handsome Hannah Laing (UK) Ice Spice (USA) JBEE (UK) JPEGMafia (USA) Jyoty (UK) Kenny Beats (USA) Kobie Dee Lil Uzi Vert (USA) Mallrat Marc Rebillet (USA) Metro Boomin (USA) Onefour Piri (UK) Skrillex (USA) Spinall (NGA) venbee (UK) Vv Pete Willo Wongo b2b Little Fritter Young Franco Yunè Pinku (UK)
2024
21 Savage (USA) AK Sports (UK) Ben Gerrans The Blessed Madonna (USA) Cassian (USA) Conducta (UK) Disco Lines (USA) Djanaba EarthGang (USA) Flo Milli (USA) Folamour (FRA) Foura b2b Tom Santa Gold Fang (Brisbane and Sydney only) Jazzy (IRL) Jessie Reyez (CAN) John Summit (USA) Koven (UK) Lil Tjay (USA) Lithe A Little Sound (UK) Miss Kaninna Sampa the Great (ZAM) Skepta (UK) Soju Gang Sub Focus- Evolve (UK) Teezo Touchdown (USA) Tyla (RSA) YNG Martyr
Footnotes
+CityVenueYears HeldSydneyBrazilian Fields, Centennial Park2013–PresentMelbourneObservatory Precinct, Royal Botanic Gardens2013–2014Catani Gardens, St Kilda2015–PresentPerthOzone Reserve2013–2015Western Parklands, HBF Arena Joondalup2016–PresentBrisbaneCultural Forecourt, Southbank2013The Avenues & Expo Place, Brisbane Showgrounds2014–2015The Sporting Fields, Victoria Park2016–2018Brisbane Showgrounds2019–Present
Controversies