In a year where Australia’s festival scene feels like it’s hanging by a thread, Good Things has emerged as the stubborn outlier.
The festival’s promoter, Chris O’Brien of Destroy All Lines, has unequivocally guaranteed that Good Things will return in 2025. This announcement comes amid a wave of cancellations sweeping the country’s music scene.
With Splendour in the Grass and Groovin the Moo both announcing they won’t return this year, the local festival circuit is looking grim. Splendour cited the need “to recharge,” while Groovin the Moo is rethinking its model for sustainability. O’Brien, however, isn’t mincing words about the state of play.
“I’ve never seen a more challenging festival environment in my life,” he previously told Rolling Stone AU/NZ. “So many festivals have collapsed in such a short time. Costs have skyrocketed across the board—from artist fees to operational expenses. But we’ve managed to stay ahead of the curve.”
Good Things, which launched in 2018, has quickly cemented itself as one of the country’s premier alternative festivals. With a history of hosting heavyweights like Bring Me the Horizon, Parkway Drive, and The Offspring, it’s filled the void left by Soundwave—another festival O’Brien helped steer before its demise.
While the festival has had its hiccups—like Fall Out Boy’s weather-cursed Sydney set in 2023 and Sum 41 pulling out last minute in 2024 due to Deryck Whibley’s illness—it’s continued to grow against the odds.
“2024 was another incredible year for us,” O’Brien said. “Our market proves that if we deliver quality line-ups and a great day out, people will keep showing up. But we don’t take that support for granted. We know we have to maintain the rage and keep things exciting.”
Despite the doom and gloom surrounding the Australian festival landscape, O’Brien is confident Good Things is here to stay. “I can guarantee that Good Things will be back in 2025,” he affirmed. “We’re not going anywhere.”
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