RTRFM‘s popular local music festival In The Pines will be postponed until Spring this year. It is the second time the event has been postponed in two years, with the 2020 event also moved to later in the year due to COVID concerns.
In The Pines is the station’s flagship fundraising event and one of the biggest days on the WA music calendar. However, With COVID circulating in the community, and the possibility of restrictions stretching into the next month, RTRFM has decided to move the event from its originally planned date of Easter Sunday, April 17 to Sunday, September 4.
The move to September gives the station the confidence to put on “the best possible version of Pines.” Organisers anticipate the event can go ahead with full capacity and without the risk of close contacts or cases keeping attendees, staff or band members at home.
“In the Pines is our single biggest live music fundraiser. In fact, the money raised at Pines helps us to keep running RTRFM for another year. So we want to make sure that, when we host it, we put on the best show possible, without the risk of capacity restrictions or last-minute cancellations. It’s what our attendees will want, and, frankly, it’s what the station needs to survive,” says RTRFM’s General Manager, Simon Miraudo.
“Moving to September allows us to hold In the Pines for the 29th consecutive year at UWA’s Somerville Auditorium, with as many people as possible in attendance and an incredible line-up of local acts.”
Although In The Pines will not happen at its usual time, the station is not stopping its celebration of 45 years on the air. The station’s free and family-friendly Neon Picnic will still be taking place this Saturday, March 19 at Hyde Park, with local bands, a live broadcast, local food vendors and a licensed bar all operating in a COVID-safe way.
And on Friday, April 1, the community radio station will countdown the 45 Greatest WA Songs, from 2pm to 7pm.
“Though it’s heartbreaking to not be able to celebrate Pines with our community in April, we’ll instead throw a 45th birthday party for RTRFM over the airwaves on Friday 1 April, with a countdown of the 45 Greatest WA Songs,” adds Miraudo. “Fans can vote now for their 10 favourite local songs from our shortlist of 250, and even write in a bonus song that we somehow forgot. Voting closes this Sunday.”
RTRFM’s In the Pines has been moved from its original date in April to a new date of Sunday, September 4. For more info about upcoming RTRFM events, including Neon Picnic, head to rtrfm.com.au/events
