The replacements for Lewis Capaldi, Slowthai and Rainbow Kitten Surprise at this year’s Splendour in the Grass have been revealed: Thelma Plum, Danny Brown and Ocean Alley will be performing at the Byron Bay festival next month. See the updated line-up in full below.
This follows Capaldi’s cancellation of all touring plans on Tuesday (June 27) in light of his Tourette Syndrome, and subsequent withdrawal from Splendour and his Australia/New Zealand headline tour. The Scottish singer-songwriter was due to perform at Splendour on Friday (July 21), billed just below headliner Lizzo. Festival organisers said they would announce a replacement act for Capaldi, as well as rapper Slowthai and US rock band Rainbow Kitten Surprise, later in the week.
Slowthai had live appearances in Australia and the UK cancelled without notice following the news in May that he had been charged in British court with two charges of rape. The rapper denied any wrongdoing in a statement released upon the news of the charges and later pled not guilty. A trial is scheduled for 2024.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise, on the other hand, announced in May they were cancelling all touring plans for the rest of the year due to one of their members being in a “medical crisis”.
On Thursday (June 29) Splendour in the Grass announced the acts that would be replacing them on the line-up, as well as the set times for this year’s festival. Aussie surf rockers Ocean Alley will perform on Friday at the Amphitheatre stage, while Detroit rapper Danny Brown will take the Mix Up Stage on Friday for an Australia-exclusive performance. Gamilaraay artist and Brisbane native Thelma Plum will perform on the GW McLennan Stage on Sunday.
On social media, Plum noted that the last time played Splendour in the Grass was the week that her acclaimed, award-winning debut album ‘Better In Blak’ was released in 2019. “I can’t wait to come back and show you what I have been up to since then! See you on the Sunday!” she wrote.
2019 was also the last time Ocean Alley played the Byron Bay festival. On social media they hinted that they might perform songs they haven’t played live in a while, and wished Capaldi well: “[Lewis Capaldi] leaves massive shoes for us to fill but we’ll give it everything we’ve got! We wish Lewis the best and send our love.”
Other artists performing at Splendour in the Grass this year are headliners Lizzo, Flume and Mumford and Sons, as well as J Balvin, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Sam Fender, Little Simz, IDLES and Tove Lo. Australian artists playing the festival include Ball Park Music, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Peach PRC, Tkay Maidza, Hilltop Hoods and many more.
Stay tuned to NME for more Australia music festival news
The Splendour in the Grass 2023 line-up is:
Lizzo
Flume (Aus Exclusive: 10 Years of Flume)
Mumford & Sons (Aus Exclusive)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Hilltop Hoods
J Balvin
Sam Fender
Idles
Ocean Alley
Little Simz
Danny Brown (Aus Exclusive)
Tove Lo
100 Gecs (Aus Exclusive)
Arlo Parks
Ball Park Music
Iann Dior
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
070 Shake
Pnau
Ruel
Loyle Carner
Benee
Marlon Williams
Thelma Plum
Hooligan Hefs
Peach PRC
Pussy Riot
Palace
Dune Rats
Tkay Maidza
Noah Cyrus
Skegss
Sudan Archives
Cub Sport
Meg Mac
X Club.
Claire Rosinkranz
Jack River
The Smith Street Band
Lastlings
Jeremy Zucker
Young Franco
Sly Withers
MAY-A
The Vanns
Telenova
Vallis Alps
Jamesjamesjames
Kaycyy
RVG
Teenage Dads
Balming Tiger
Automatic
Harvey Sutherland
Gali
Del Water Gap
Royel Otis
Plus Mix Up Dj’s
Tseba
Crybaby
Latifa Tee
Foura
Caucasianopportunities
Luen
Mowgli
Dj Macaroni
Crescendoll