Final Countdown Begins to Rhythm and Alps

Rhythm and Alps 28-29 December 2012

Final Countdown Begins

With less than 10 days to go before the 2nd annual Rhythm and Alps festival, younger sibling and South Island arm of big brother Rhythm and Vines, is gearing up to take Canterbury by storm.

Held in the picturesque plains of Terrace Down’s Alpine Resort at the base of Mt Hutt, the 2012 festival will present more than 50 prolific acts, both local and international across three zones as well as an array of interactive onsite activities. The music is set to impress and inspire with a killer line up of vanguard performers.

Exclusive to Rhythm and Alps and headlining this year’s event is the mysterious and masked SBTRKT LIVE (UK). They created a surge among hipsters world-wide after releasing ‘WildFire Feat. Little Dragon’ in May 2011. SBTRKT’s equally infectious second single, ‘Pharaohs feat. Roses Gabor’, was closely followed by trend-setting music blogs, music press and a torrent of new fans around the world. Their self-titled debut release on the YoungTurks label (who also signed The XX) brings the post dub-step sound to life, as SBTRKT weave a tapestry of contemporary bass music with astonishing ease.

The UK’s hottest new property, fresh from a hectic 2012 touring schedule, are garage-house duo DISCLOSURE, consisting of brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence. Their single ‘Latch’ launched them into the UK charts in early 2012, and more recently a free-download of ‘Please Don’t Turn Me On (Disclosure remix)’ by Artful Dodger arrived just in time to get Kiwis into a frenzy, anticipating their tour.

The one to watch this year is surprise, standout act Flume. Who recently toppled UK super group One Direction off the number 1 spot on the Aussie itunes chart, no small feat for a 21-year-old beatmaker from Sydney. Catch him headlining the Rhythm Room, December 28th.

Other top internationals have their itineraries locked for Canterbury, including; crowd favourite NETSKY LIVE, HIGH CONTRAST, CAMO & KROOKED, LOGISTICS, S.P.Y, MC WREC, CHALI 2NA. (Jurassic 5), GAS LAMP KILLER, DJ YODA, UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA, OPIUO, HERMITUDE, SPEKTRUM and TRIPSWITCH.

And a solid Kiwi line-up will keep things dynamic, including; ELECTRIC WIRE HUSTLE, AHORIBUZZ, RUBY FROST, THE NUDGE, FIORD, THE UPBEATS, CRUSHINGTON, DIE! DIE! DIE!, SHES SO RAD, TALI LIVE, REALITY CHANT JAH RED LION &MC SILVA, THANK YOU CITY, PIKACHUNES, DUB TERMINATOR, TIM RICHARDS, GLASS VAULTS, ALPHABETHEAD, DEPARTURE LOUNGE, AMIRIA GRENNEL, THE SHOCKING AND STUNNING, RAZORWYRE, THE TRANSISTORS, LOUIS BARKER, HEY LADY, KEV FRESH, DJ SPELL, DEEJAY DREDFORD, OG. THE MERCHANTS OF FLOW, SOULSYSTEM, DJ TIDO, WILL STYLES, MIKE T, CHICCORELI, SETH HAMILTON, SOUL TRADER, ST EDEN and CURE MOTEL

Setting the Rhythm Room alight in a matrix of light and sound will be The V-Motion Project, a 2-min multimedia, and futuristic performance piece showcasing impressive new technology. ‘Can’t Help Myself’ [the Piece] is the result of an exceptionally risky, and ambitious challenge posed by V Energy to music producer Joel Little (Goodnight Nurse, Kids Of 88): to create and perform a track using only the body’s movement.

R&A’s production manager, Simon Kong, says this performance “will significantly add to the production level of the Living Room Zone”

When not dancing, concert-goers can to relax, eat and play at an array of activities on site. Camp Central is the camper’s social haven.  Handy to everything at R&A, it will have cooking facilities and is the perfect place to meet with friends and absorb the surroundings.

The Hunger Hub will host 10 vendors with plenty of options, and a 30-meter water-slide will be set up next to Camp Central, providing some slippery good times! Campers are encouraged to bring their togs.

Who said that camping can’t be glamorous? Located in the heart of the R&A campsite, The Edge Style Lounge has been thoughtfully designed to keep the girls looking fabulous, smelling sweet, and feeling great during their R&A experience. Themed in classic vintage style and complete with full-length mirrors, chandeliers and lounges, it will have everything you need to feel a million bucks; hair straighteners, moisturisers, a nail bar, and a selection of perfumes, all 100% complementary and managed by the lovely Edge ladies.

If the Style Lounge is now for you, The Spotify Chill Out Room will keep you feeling fresh during your R&A experience. It offers a place to get ready to rave with mirrors, good lighting and power for your straighteners if you wish. And if you want to charge your phone there's comfy seating to relax in. You can even choose some tunes on Spotify while you wait.

Thanks to ACC, a 15m x 15m shade structure will provide plenty of shade right in front of the main stage with hay bails to lounge on to rest weary, dance-ravaged feet.  Its here water bottles can be filled with pure Canterbury alpine water on tap.

Like Sports? Volleyball nets will be placed next to the main stage so you can have a hit in between acts. And if you’ve still got energy to burn, organisers have arranged ‘Punters vs Police’ touch rugby tournament. Who’s the boss now hmm? Keep an eye on The R&A facebook for updates. 

And, if you need those creature comforts of home, relax and get refreshed at The Blue and Brown Pubs in Methven, the closet town to the festival. They are offering ‘shower, breakfast and coffee combos’ when you need it most. The shower includes a fresh towel and soap. More information here: www.rhythmandalps.co.nz/methveninfo

If getting to the festival is a worry, Methven Travel has the best options on how to get to Methven or right to the door of R&A. They are seasoned veterans on moving people with the largest bus fleets in the area responsible for taking people up and down the Mt Hutt Ski Area all winter. Call Dave at www.methventravel.co.nz for more information.

R&A crew will decked out in ‘Backflips Clothing’ tees. Backflips are a New Zealand clothing label and official tee sponsor of R&A 2012. Coming from a motocross background, they aim to bring balls and adventure back to clothing. Check them out online. www.facebook.com/backflipsclothing / www.backflips.co.nz

R&A is all about the community, and is showing this by bringing in local clubs to lend a helping hand in exchange for a donation. The Golden Oldies Hockey Club to help you get wrist-banded, and Methven swimming Club are helping with the clean up to ensure they leave without a trace.

Don’t miss the biggest festival to hit the South Island this holiday season with world-class resort facilities boasting fun summer vibes, free camping, smiling faces, and a truly incredible cutting-edge musical line up!

Tickets only $169.00 with camping included https://bw.minttix.com/public/tickets.asp

For more info go to www.rhythmandalps.co.nz

Press Images available on request

ENDS

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