Stereosonic founder to launch new festivals

Stereosonic founder Richie McNeill has unveiled plans to launch two new festivals.

When asked by Mixmag what he was working on, for an upcoming feature on Australia's festival scene, McNeill revealed: "I am launching a new festival in December (and) have a camping festival launching next year. Heaps of tours. Heaps of new events. You'll just have to wait and see. Can't let too much out of the bag."

Since he and Stereosonic co-founder Frank Cotela sold Totem Onelove, the company they set up to run the festival, to SFX Entertainment in 2013, McNeill has worked in different roles within the company. However, he was not involved with Stereo in 2014 or 2015.

His Hardware Group just finished working on the first editions of Carl Cox's new one-day Australian event PURE in Sydney and Melbourne, and have already begun planning 2017.

McNeill added he would be open to teaming up with his old Stereosonic partner again.

"Sure (I would work with him). Frank is great. He has always been forward thinking and we share a passion for the music and putting on shows," McNeill told us.

Following SFX's bankruptcy, Totem Onelove announced Stereosonic would take a "hiatus" in 2016 in April, but said they would return "bigger and better" in 2017.

McNeill said he doubted the festival he started would return next year.

No further details of the new festivals have been announced yet. So stay tuned. And keep an eye out for our feature on the changing face of Australia's festival scene in the coming weeks.

Scott Carbines is Mixmag's Australian Digital Content Editor, follow him on Twitter