Organisers have announced that there will be no Homebake festivus this year. According to the announcement today, organisers of the Australian-only event have not been able to have the "planets align" to the standard they feel is appropriate.

From the site:

We've decided to go against the grain and as such - after much deliberation (& some procrastination) - we here at Homebake festival HQ have decided to take a break and postpone Homebake Music, Film & Arts Festival for this year only, 2010.

As we've not been able to have the 'planets align' to a standard we feel appropriate to the long standing reputation of Australia's largest 'locals only' event, we'd rather focus on a positive future and are instead planning for a unique return version of Homebake to take place during the first week of December 2011.

The intention is for Homebake to return proverbially 'bigger and better' than ever, incorporating even more facets of the antipodean arts industries & with special incentives in
place for the few generations of thousands of loyal Homebake devotees whom have attended over the past 15 years.

We ask you to stay tuned for now as we commence preparations for what will be the 16th Edition - Homebake Music, Film & Arts Festival, 2011

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It raises an interesting question, in this day and age of giant festivals stacking their line-ups with (blogworthy) bands. With the influence - and thus control - of major labels on the decline, and with briefly hyped international bands coming through at a cracking pace, who CAN headline Homebake these days and ensure attendance is healthy?

Recent headliners Powderfinger are packing it in. Jet and Wolfmother are on the other side of their the hot flush. Arguably the Presets could bring it home; Empire of the Sun less so, what with their over saturated schedule already taking the edge off. Hilltop Hoods have the numbers but the festival has always prided itself on celebrating the guitar. Crowded House and Nick Cave have both represented in recent times but their stock too has fallen. A reunited Midnight Oil would do the trick, but beyond that...the abyss beckons.

Which is perhaps why organisers are rebranding. According to the website, the 2011 edition of Homebake will be called the HOMEBAKE Music, Film & Arts Festival, suggesting that the state of Australian music - as it stands - fails to sustain local interest on its own.

Have we been too spoiled Australia? Are we resting on our artistic laurels? Can "films" save us? Are we creatively lazy, or has the Tall Poppy syndrome cut us down once and for all?

HOMEBAKE Music, Film & Arts Festival - 2011
The Sixteenth Edition
Coming December, 2011
The Domain, Royal Botanic Gardens
Sydney City, NSW, Australia
COMING SOON

(Pic of Homebake 2008 crowd: Dallas Kilponen)