You want it darker? Dark Down South festival brings heavy-hitting line-up to Kirup

Western Australian metalheads are gearing up for the first ever Dark Down South Open Air Metal Festival in Kirup, set to occur over three days at Jim McDonald Oval, from Friday, November 22, to Sunday, November 24, 2024.

Organisers Kim Zehra and Ersh On (pictured above) have promised a heavy-hitting line-up for Dark Down South, featuring a mix of local and national talent. While the line-up remains under wraps, the headliner is set to be revealed on Sunday, September 1, with the rest to follow shortly after.

“We’ve signed a pretty big name band in the Australian metal scene who’ve toured extensively overseas,” said Kim Zehra. “We have a number of bands from Bunbury and Harvey alongside some Perth bands and another bigger great band from South Australia.”

“The addition of a big-name metal band to Dark Down South also means that our local WA artists will have the opportunity to play with a big name and have the flow-on effects of that marketing and ‘brand attachment’,” he said.

Despite the heavy music, Dark Down South aims for a family-friendly atmosphere, following in the footsteps of its sister festival, Kalbarri Open Air, for which Zehra was also an organiser. “We want everyone to come, relax, and make a good weekend out of it, and at the same time, we will ensure kids don’t enter the mosh pit for their own safety.”

The festival, which allows for free camping on one side of the oval, promises to group families in a designated area as much as possible but ultimately encourages campers to arrive early to secure the best spot. While toilets and running water will be available, Zehra encourages festivalgoers to “come prepared” and bring their own showering equipment, stating, “It will be a raw, real bush camping experience just like the festival itself—no glamping here, folks!”

In a show of community spirit, Dark Down South is working with local vendors and community groups from Kirup and nearby Donnybrook to supply food for the weekend. “We want the whole community to benefit from it, so we prefer to work with locals. We expect there to be a breakfast option and food vans, possibly a sausage sizzle, and coffee, drinks and snacks available,” Zehra added.

Additionally, the festival will be BYO, with festivalgoers encouraged to purchase supplies from Kirup Tavern or in Donnybrook.

Dark Down South will hit Kirup’s Jim McDonald Oval from Friday, November 22, to Sunday, November 24, 2024. For tickets and more info, head to tickets.oztix.com.au