Unless you’re new to the coast or you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably well familiar with Bleach* Festival. For those who aren’t, well, allow us. Bleach* Festival is proudly and passionately Gold Coast and pays tribute to local legends past and present. In 2019, the program delivers an incredible line-up of genre-defying events, spanning intimate gatherings in locals’ homes to some of the festival’s most ambitious (and possibly a little bit crazy) projects to date.

For twelve days from April 17 to 28, Bleach* Festival will stage 28 unique productions and 132 performances including four world premieres, and three Queensland premieres. Some of this years highglights include ‘Verdi’s Requiem’, a blockbuster music concert featuring more than 150 musicians and singers, performed under the stars at HOTA’s outdoor stage. Also in the packed program is ‘Throttle’, a drive-in live-action movie performed by Gold Coast-based dance theatre company, The Farm. Another performance set to wow is ‘Landing’, the response of Perth artist Tanya Lee to Australia’s detention policies and is conducted over 24 hours in the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre with participants trying to swim the distance from Australia to Manus Island in a continuous relay.

Returning in 2019 is the oceanfront Bleach* at Burleigh entertainment precinct, a dedicated festival hub hosting free live music and entertainment across the 12 days including a concert headlined by ARIA-winning songstress Montaigne, a pub choir at the pop-up Burleigh Bleach* Club (a bar on the beach – yes please) and sets by Mama Kin Spender and Kira Puru. To check out the full program of events, skip over to Bleach* Festival’s website.

Image one: Bleach* Festival
Image two: Bleach* Festival
Image three:  Art Work Agency
Image four: David Collins
Image five: Thoeun Veassna