Rodeos have long been considered one of the toughest and most thrilling sports in the world, and with Rodeo Rockfest, presenter X-Stream Sports Global is revolutionising this ultimate sport by creating an interactive stage spectacular bringing together the thrills and spills of traditional rodeo with the hottest musical talent in Australia.
Seated under a state-of-the-art big top large enough to hold 4,000 people, fans will be up close to all the breathtaking rodeo action. The excitement doesn’t stop there as fans move to the music tent with standing room for 5,000 people.
The line-up of bands features Australia’s best rock acts taking their musical power to the first locations lucky enough to experience the Rodeo Rockfest onslaught. The tour takes in the Queensland towns of Ipswich, Rockhampton, Cairns, Townsville and Mackay from late July through to September, before heading down to NSW in October and November with shows in Newcastle, Gosford and Penrith.
With different line-ups performing at each venue and different acts scheduled for most nights, fans have a great choice of rock to go with their rodeo. The only issue is how to decide between the powerhouse trio Spiderbait; roots rockers The Beautiful Girls; Bluejuice’s aggressive mix of pop, rock, hip hop, electro and disco; iconic legends You Am I; the raucous and explosive Gyroscope; and melodic hitmakers Thirsty Merc.
The awesome selection of talent doesn’t stop there. Also playing across the Rodeo Rockfest tour are Salmonella Dub, 28 Days, Children Collide, Shihad, Jebediah, The Fumes, Josh Rawiri, Ernest Ellis and Mojo Webb, with bands for NSW still to be announced.
And that’s just the music. Before each night’s rock concert is a sports event like no other. Rodeo Rockfest has created a brand new rodeo format based on a head-to-head knock-out competition with a champion in every event decided each night. Competitors will fight it out in five categories: bull riding, (young gun and top gun) barrel racing, bareback bronc and saddle bronc. While some of the traditional rules still apply, this is rodeo like you have never seen before.
The animals are real, the competitors are real and the competition is real. Rodeo Rockfest showcases 40 of Australia’s toughest cowboys and cowgirls who will battle it out to be crowned Rodeo Rockfest Champion. Interacting through a world-first audience response system, audience members can participate in the excitement by using their seat mounted electronic voting pad to pick a winner.
X-Stream Sports CEO and the mastermind behind Rodeo Rockfest, Lindsay Clarke, says there is no other rodeo or music festival like this in the world. ‘’Rodeo Rockfest will showcase the best rodeo action in a new head-to-head competition format, and bring fans up close to the hottest musical talent of Australian.”
Mr Clarke emphasises that safety is an important factor and new innovations have been incorporated to minimise the risk of injury. ‘’Safety of the riders and animals is our number one priority which is why we have introduced new safety features such as a rope arena and pull-away, shot-gun chutes.”