To mark the 10th Caloundra Music Festival,. organisers have put together a list of 10 facts
* Aggregate attendance year one was 5500, anticipated aggregate attendance in 2016 is anticipated to be 36,000-plus.
* Almost 180,000 music lovers have enjoyed nine festivals
* Year one featured 22 bands on two stages, year 10 will feature 80 bands on five stages.
* 460 bands performed in the past 10 years
* 54 have performed at two or more festivals
* Daryl Braithwaite, Blue King Brown, Lisa Hunt and Melbourne Ska Orchestra have all graced the stage at four festivals
* Headline acts from year one included Jimmy Barnes, Richard Clapton and Mental as Anything.
* Headline acts in 2016 include Michael Franti and Spearhead, Guy Sebastian, The Cat Empire, Icehouse and Kate Miller-Heidke
* In 2010 the festival secured Powderfinger on their farewell tour and they performed in near cyclonic conditions
* CMF has featured some of Australia';s biggest and best acts over the past 10 years including Powderfinger, John Butler Trio, Wolfmother, Empire of the Sun, Xavier Rudd, Boy and Bear, Angus and Julia Stone, The Cat Empire, The Living End, Eskimo Joe, Missy Higgins, Paul Kelly, Jimmy Barnes and many more..
* Over the past 10 years CMF has developed a relationship with the city of New Orleans and has featured many of her most famous musicians including Alan Toussaint, Jon Cleary, Dumpstphunk, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Trombone Shorty, Royal Southern Brotherhood, George Porter and Galactic just to name a few.
* Other International Acts have included Tower Of Power, Earth, Wind and Fire, JJ Grey and Mofro, Roy Ayers, The Baseballs, Katchafire, Donovan Frankenreiter, Sierra Leonie Refugee Allstars, Babylon Circus, Andrew Strong and many others.
* In 2016, CMF is expected to contribute $10 million to the local economy.
* The volunteer team has grown from a tiny group of 50 in 2007 to more than 550 in 2016.
Nathan Hawes hatches a secret plot
Nathan Hawes is staying tight lipped about his upcoming 'secret project', but said fans can expect a completely different sound.
"It is different from what I usually do", he said.
"It will be interesting to see how people react once it finally reaches the world.
"I can't say anything yet… [but] there will be sneak peaks [being released] of what I'm working on."
Hawes said he jumped at the chance to be apart of the Caloundra Music Festival this year.
"I've never been… but it has a really good reputation and always has good acts", he said.
The young artist said he loves performing live to an audience.
"The energy you get from the crowd is a completely different experience than you get in the studio", he said.
"I love seeing people's reactions… [and] seeing them sing along."
Hawes said audiences can expect a few surprises from his set on Monday, October 3.
"There will be a few different songs that I've been playing around with from my EP", he said.
"I get a lot of inspiration from listening to other artists and bouncing around ideas and sounds with producers in the studio.
"I try and listen to a wide range of music [and] keep an open mind when I'm writing."
Festival vibe what keeps Kim Churchill coming back
It's six years since Kim Churchill first appeared at Caloundra Music Festival, and he credits the vibe as the inspiration for keeping him going.
"I do what I do because of festivals like the Caloundra Music Festival", he said.
"There is such a broad range of audiences from all walks of life… it's incredible."
Churchill described his music as 'psychedelic folk pop'.
"The first will be a big bang show, with some special guests", he said.
"The second will be more intimate… and I'll be playing songs off my up and coming album.
"It will be the first time most of these songs will be played for a live audience."
He'll be playing Friday September 30 and October 1.
AYLA puts EP sounds into live format
Sunshine Coast local and indie pop artist, AYLA says her band has been in intensive rehearsals in the lead up to Caloundra Music Festival.
"We have translated the produced sounds [from my last EP] into a live band sound," she said.
"We are really excited to perform them."
The humble young star says she tries to take every day as it comes as her success grows.
"I have no expectations so when something happens it's just a surprise and fun", she said.
AYLA and her band will play on the final day of the festival, October 3.
More mature Thirsty Merc on its way
Thirsty Merc guitarist, Matt Smith says live performances are the best thing about being a musician, albeit a with a more mature approach these days.
"We love it."
Smith said audiences can expect to hear all the hits, and some songs off their newest record Shifting Gears when they hit the stage on Monday, October 3.
Shifting Gears is the band's fourth studio album.
Smith said the album had a more mature sound this time round.
"It has more life in it", he said.
"Rai writes most of the songs… and they are usually about what is going on in his life at the time.
"We just try and make the best music we can, and really focus on the small details."
Matt said their last performance at Caloundra was amazing, and hopes to see another huge crowd this year.
Back to topDaryl Braithwaite back doing what he loves
After 20 years in the music wilderness, Daryl Braithwaite is back - with a label, a new songwriting partner, and an unwavering penchant for live performance.
The Australian icon will take to the stage with his band for the Caloundra Music Festival again this year.
"It's a great venue to play at, a great gig, I feel really honoured to be asked and to be playing again," Mr Braithwaite said.
"It truly is one of the more idyllic centres to play – you look out and you've got the ocean right there."
After more than a decade devoted to touring his classics across the country, the artist was inspired to return to the studio.
"I enjoy performing live more than the recording aspect of the music industry, but when I get into it, it becomes paramount," he said.
"Oliver Jones [brother of Savage Garden's Daniel Jones] and I had been writing and so we started recording and I sent some demos off to Sony."
In 2013 Mr Braithwaite resigned with Sony Music and CEO Denis Handlin said they were delighted to 'welcome him home'.
"I'd been out there for about 20 years without a record company and then all of a sudden I'm back with Sony," Mr Braithwaite said.
"It's been really, really good.
"It'll be for better or for worse."
Reminiscing on what's kept his career alive for so long, Mr Braithwaite said he's incredibly lucky.
"Having been a part of Sherbet many years ago, the success we had with that, I look back at that with fond memories," he said.
"Then making a so called 'comeback' in 1987 when As The Days Go By was released – that to me is a highlight."
Daryl Braithwaite will be performing at the Caloundra Music Festival on Sunday, October 2.
He said to expect a few songs from his most recent album Forever The Tourist, and of course plenty of classics.
Caloundra Festival lures New Orleans' sounds for 10th birthday
The Sunshine Coast is now juicing up its very strong music links with the New Orleans' sound as the Caloundra Music Festival draws closer.
New Orleans soul and funk singer Erica Falls – who has recorded with greats John Fogerty, Jennifer Hudson, Sting, Dr John and Allen Touissant – plays three shows with her own band this year on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights; September 30 to October 2.
She has twice been judged best female vocalist by New Orleans music bible Offbeat Magazine and says she was heavily influenced by the greats of New Orleans and Motown when her career began.
The sound of New Orleans has inspired a song written about September's Caloundra Music Festival called the Kings Beach Boogie to mark the festival's 10th anniversary.
The Kings Beach Boogie – essentially a soul/blues jam – will be performed by bands at the festival.
Written by Brendan Hogan and Caloundra Music Festival director Richie Eyles it has New Orleans legend Dr John on piano and Cyril Neville on lead vocals.
Some of Harry Connick Jnr's band members lay down the swing/blues beat you can hear here, with bassist Tony Hall producing the soul/blues groove.
"New Orleans has been a great friend of the Caloundra Music Festival over many the years," Mr Eyles said.
"Tony Hall jumped at the chance to bring together some of his city's finest musicians to record the song.
"Grammy Award-winning artists Cyril Neville and Dr John feature on the recording, along with a host of other New Orleans musicians including members of Harry Connick Jr's band."
For more information, a list of artists and ticket sales, visit http://www.caloundramusicfestival.com/
Hot Potato Band all about smiles
The 11 piece brass Hot Potato Band is all about putting a smile of your face.
Drummer, Simon Ghali said if "happy" was a genre that would be the Hot Potato Band!
"The idea of the band came from brass bands of New Orleans," Ghali said.
"We like reggae and electronic tunes and tried to adapt that to a brass band setting."
The band will be releasing a new song on the first day of the festival and there's a surprise in store for the audience.
"There's another act involved, that's all I can say!"
With an album on the way and a swag of Australian tour dates for 2017 to be released in December, the boys are sure to be busy.
Hot Potato Band plays the Caloundra Music Festival on Friday, September 30 and Saturday, October 1.
The Iva Davies interview
Icehouse frontman and creator Iva Davies remembers a swathe of strangeness when the band he forged, with David Bowie and Peter Gabriel front of mind, toured Europe with Bowie himself.
Bowie – the man who recorded the single Fashion and who appeared to change his appearance with every single, album, photograph and interview – was quietly getting his lunch with his crew wearing simple jeans.
It was 1983, the Icehouse single Hey Little Girl was massive in Europe and Icehouse were invited to tour with both Bowie and Gabriel.
"David Bowie, the artist who had given the world Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane and the Thin White Duke, had finally broken through in North America and had a No.1 hit throughout the world with Let's Dance," Davies remembered.
10 artists in 10 days: Day 10
With a list of music career achievements almost too long to name, including 22 ARIA Award Nominations in addition to 11 top 10 singles and three top 15 singles, Guy Sebastian has one of Australia's best success stories.
Since capturing the hearts of Australians and being crowned the first winner of Australian Idol in 2003, Sebastian has become one of the nation's best artists producing a number of hit favourites including Like It Like That, Who's That Girl, Get Along, Battle Scars, and more recently, Like A Drum and Black and Blue.
His first solo single Angels Brought Me Here became the fastest selling Australian single in ARIA chart history, also reaching number one in New Zealand and four Asian countries.
The weekend of sun, surf, and soul will be held at Kings Beach, Caloundra on the September 30-October 3 long weekend.
See website for ticketing details.
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10 artists in 10 days: Day 9
The New Zealand singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Ladyhawke, has returned to the music scene after a four-year break with her sparkly new album, Wild Things, set to bring the synth-pop tunes to this year's festival.
The album combines honest and revealing lyrics that tell the story of her journey through love, heartbreak and life, with experimental percussion and some 70s inspired disco style beats.
Her first album debut in 2008 peaked at number one in both Australia and New Zealand's album charts winning the ARIA music award (among six other New Zealand music awards) for Best Breakthrough album and best Breakthrough Single for My Delirium.
Ladyhawke (Pip Brown) was also nominated for The Brits' highly coveted Best International Artist award, cementing her reputation as a successful international artist that is sure to be hugely popular this long weekend.
10 artists in 10 days: Day 8
With more than 30 years in the biz, Icehouse's music has been heard by millions, renowned for their unique rock sound that has resonated across generations in both Australia and worldwide.
The Australian band has achieved historic success with 28 platinum albums, eight top 10 albums and more than thirty Top 40 singles, lead by band front-man and musical creative force Iva Davies.
The success of their Man of Colours and Ghost of Time albums saw the band inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2006 as well as achieving major international success, particularly in the US, where their hit singles Crazy and Electric Blue topped both the airplay and sales charts.
10 artists in 10 days: Day 7
Selling more than 200,000 records since their debut in 2002, Australia's own Thirsty Merc will be bringing their honest rock/pop melodic tunes to the Caloundra Music Festival stage yet again.
The fan favourites 20 Good Reasons, Mousetrap Heart and Someday Someday are sure to be on the playlist for the long weekend.
The trio have recently announced a new Acoustic Anniversary Album that will feature a collection of acoustic interpretations of their classics, showcasing the band's world class abilities.
With three critically acclaimed studio albums under their belt, lead vocalist and songwriter Rai Thistlethwayte says the band is eager to draw on their experience and energy to continue touring and making good music.
10 artists in 10 days: Day 6
Guitarist, Songwriter and Multi-instrumentalist.
Ex-busker Kim Churchill is a one man band, known for dynamic live performances combining fierce vocals with guitar-work while simultaneously playing bass drum, percussion, tambourine and harmonica.
His professional music career kicked off after Churchill won the Byron Bay Bluesfest Busker Competition in 2009 and he has since returned to the festival's main stage annually.
Identifying as a guitarist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Churchill's short professional career has been occupied by headline shows and festivals worldwide, earning him a following around the world.
His melodic, contemporary, blues and folk style saw his 2015 single Window to the Sky become an anthem for summer adventures and is set to be a festival favourite.
10 artists in 10 days: Day 5
Byron Bay local Bobby Alu will bring his signature uplifting hammock music and high vibes backed by his slick band, the Palm Royale, with their collection of diverse instrumentals and soulful lyrics.
Renowned for his smooth and silky voice, the singer and ukulele strummer is also one of the nation's best drummers, touring the globe with Xavier Rudd since 2013.
The Bob Marley style island/reggae/soul music with an infectious rhythm will have you groovin' as a slave to the beat this long weekend.
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10 artists in 10 days: Day 4
After starting out as an all instrumental band street performing in southern Sydney, the addition of a vocalist added another dimension to Hot Potato Band's sound and opened doors for the group to perform at even bigger events.
After the release of their single This Is How It Should Be, the band took to the stage in a series of fun, energetic interactive shows throughout Australia, including a major performance at Queensland's Woodford Folk Festival last year.
Their unique sound is made up of a mixture of three drummers, a large lung busting Sousaphone, two baritone saxophones and an assortment of horns.
10 artists in 10 days: Day 3
Kate Miller-Heidke has four studio albums to her name, which feature hits that have been topping charts since mid 2007.
After breaking away from a major record company, she released her latest album, O Vertigo! independently and broke Australian crowd funding records in the process.
Despite exploring new creative industries such as starring in award winning operas and acting in a musical television mini-series, the multi-platinum artist is still performing her internationally recognised indie pop music for Australian crowds.
10 artists in 10 days: Day 2
After rising to fame as the front man for popular band Something for Kate, Paul Dempsey has had no problem holding his own since stepping out as a solo artist in 2009.
His fist album reached gold status and earned him a number of notable titles, including an ARIA award.
Performing at several sold out national tours and a large selection of festivals, he also toured in the US, Germany and the UK before returning to Australia to release another album with the band in 2012.
The singer has just released his second studio album which is expected to find the same success as its predecessor as he wrote all of the material and plays most of the instruments featured.
10 artists in 10 days: Day 1
Over the next 10 days, The Caloundra Music Festival is revealing an artist a day who will take to the stage.
We have already featured the first headline act - The Cat Empire.
The Cat Empire drawcard
One of the world's best live acts, Melbourne's The Cat Empire, will headline the opening Friday night show at this year's Caloundra Music Festival on September 30.
It is the first big act to make its presence known in the Queensland music festival, which is quickly growing as a real Queensland music drawcard.
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