Although conceived and promoted as Australia's Woodstock, the Sunbury Pop Festivals signalled the end of the hippie peace movement of the late 1960s and the beginning of the reign of pub rock.
The early festivals were financially successful and featured performances by Australian and New Zealand bands including, Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, Max Merritt and the Meteors, Chain and Wild Cherries.
Late in the year, Deep Purple placed money into a fund so that unpaid artists were paid at the full musician's rate.
[7] According to Australian music writer, James Cockington, "The Woodstock spirit of peace and love and bad brown acid was largely replaced here by VB, Tooheys and West End, depending on the state".
[8] In a 2003 interview for Melbourne newspaper, The Age, on the 30th anniversary of the second festival, Chain guitarist Phil Manning, who performed there, commented: Sunbury—which has often been compared to Woodstock—has been accorded a legendary status in the history of Australian rock.
[4][5] The film, Sunbury (1972), was produced and directed by John Dixon, with Ray Wagstaff as coordinating director, and includes footage of Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, Max Merritt and the Meteors, Chain, Wild Cherries, Pirana and SCRA.
[5] The Meadows festival was not filmed nor recorded and has remained virtually unreported, it is not mentioned in any of the major print references on Australian rock music.
[12] Music entrepreneur Michael Gudinski was involved with the first Sunbury festival—as well as managing several major acts that appeared—he operated a lucrative concession selling watermelon to festival-goers.
In 1973, the festival included its first international act - Spirit featuring the Staehely Brothers, John (guitar) and Al (bass), with drummer Stu Perry.
In 1974, Queen arrived 2 hours late, and according to some, were initially booed during their set to screams of "go back to Pommyland, ya pooftahs".
"[3] In May 2009, on Spicks and Specks, Daddy Cool front man Ross Wilson disputed this as an urban legend and said Queen finished their set, even doing an encore.
[14][15] The early version of Skyhooks were also booed and, after watching a recording of their performance, lead singer Steve Hill quit and was replaced by Graeme "Shirley" Strachan.
[6] Although not included in the LP of video of he 1973 event, on the Sunday Morning St Paul's Cathedral provided a Rock Mass, convened by Rev David Sankey with music written and arranged by Royston Wilding, who also played guitars and clavinet and was joined by several other musicians.
The 1975 festival ran at a loss with head liners Deep Purple pocketing $60,000 while most local bands were unpaid when Odessa Promotions was liquidated soon after the event.
Duncan and his son, George Jr, volunteered to erect the site fences and, for subsequent festivals, gave permission for organisers to construct permanent toilets and rubbish bins.
Looking back in 1973, promoter John Fowler, who worked with property owner George Duncan, as site manager, said "The papers put it at anything from 25 to 60,000 people.
[5] EMI/HMV released a double-album of live performances, Sunbury by various artists: The La De Da's, Pirana, Spectrum, Indelible Murtceps, Max Merritt & the Meteors, SCRA and Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs.
with Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, Country Radio, Pilgrimage, Chain and Wild Cherries (credited to lead guitarist Lobby Loyde).
Although not included in the LP of video of he 1972 event, on the Sunday Morning (30th January) St Paul's Cathedral provided a Rock Mass, convened by Rev David Sankey with music written and arranged by Julian Cairns, who also played clavinet and was joined by several other musicians.
[25] Music entrepreneur Michael Gudinski was involved with the first Sunbury festival—as well as managing several major acts that appeared—he operated a lucrative concession selling watermelon to festival-goers.
[27] Guitarist, Lobby Loyde and his band, Coloured Balls were joined on-stage by Billy Thorpe and Leo de Castro (Friends) to record a live set, Summer Jam, which was issued in November.
[3] In May 2009, on Spicks and Specks, Daddy Cool front man Ross Wilson disputed this as an urban legend and said Queen finished their set, even doing an encore.
[6] The early version of Australian group Skyhooks were also booed and, after watching a TV broadcast of their performance, lead singer Steve Hill quit the band and was replaced by Graeme "Shirley" Strachan.
[16] According to Deep Purple's lead vocalist, David Coverdale, "Apparently, a young Aussie band had jumped onstage, plugged into our gear and started playing!
Chris Wilson recorded the track "Sunbury '73" on his 1998 release, The Long Weekend, that reminisces about a road trip south from Sydney to attend the concert.
[5] The television sitcom, All Together Now (1991-1993) features Jon English playing an ageing rocker trying to maintain a music career after his glory days as one of the performers at Sunbury.