Dark Down South Open Air Metal Festival reveals royal headliner

Renowned Melbourne metal rockers King Parrot have been announced as the headliner for the upcoming Dark Down South Open Air Metal Festival, taking over Jim McDonald Oval, Kirup, from Friday, November 22, to Sunday, November 24.

Known for their aggressive grindcore thrash style, King Parrot have become one of Australia’s leading metal acts, sharing stages with bands like Pantera, Obituary, Exodus, Lamb of God and Soulfly. This festival performance will be the final show of King Parrot’s Australian tour.

“King Parrot are the perfect headliner for the inaugural Dark Down South—they are Aussie metal to the (grind) core and set the scene very nicely for the rest of the line-up,” said festival organisers Jamart Sound Lounge upon revealing the news.

The full line-up will be unveiled gradually over the coming weeks and is set to feature a mix of well-known acts from Perth and regional WA, as well as up-and-coming artists.

“This is Australia’s newest heavy metal festival on the circuit, and it’s rapidly gaining traction and a lot of excitement through the metal community,” Jamart Sound Lounge added. “With many festivals closing down recently, this event has never been more needed and in-demand. We’ve done everything we can to keep ticket prices down and cater for a wide demographic, so that as many people can enjoy this festival as possible.”

The festival is designed as a family-friendly, all-ages event, featuring free camping, food, and drink options available for purchase, as well as a BYO policy, with the exception of glass containers.

Jamart Sound Lounge have previously organised other events in WA, such as the Kalbarri Open Air Festival and Mosh in a Sanatorium All Ages—a monthly metal gig series for underage punters.

Dark Down South Open Air Metal Festival will hit Kirup’s Jim McDonald Oval from Friday, November 22, to Sunday, November 24, 2024. For more info and to buy tickets, head to darkdownsouth.tilda