ELECTRONIC powerhouse Crooked Colours and the "godfather of house" Hayden James will headline This That festival's long-awaited return to Newcastle following the coronavirus pandemic.
Other acts announced in the all-Australian line-up include punk scallywags Dune Rats and The Chats, electronic legends The Presets, indie-pop darlings San Cisco, Jack River and Mallrat, kitsch pop act Client Liaison, rapper Chillinit, ravers Confidence Man, Allday, Kota Banks, Wafia, What So Not, Enschway, Badrapper Vs Luude, Sippy and Sycco.
Music festivals remain banned in NSW under COVID-19 restrictions, but organisers have pushed ahead with plans for This That at Wickham Park on Saturday, February 20 in the hope restrictions will be eased over the summer.
This That is usually held in early November and last year attracted a crowd of 17,000.
If restrictions are not eased in time for This That, which includes preventing people from standing and dancing, the festival will be postponed to Saturday, November 6 2021.
All tickets purchased will automatically be transferred to the new date. Full refunds are available for people unable to attend This That in November.
"The team are hopeful and optimistic that we will be able to run with a similar capacity to previous years and are planning for the best outcome possible, however the festival has put in place a COVID ticketing strategy to address any capacity restrictions that may arise," a spokeswoman said.
This That will be the first music festival held in Newcastle or the Hunter since the outbreak of COVID-19.
The pandemic led to the cancellation of The Gum Ball and Groovin The Moo in Lower Belford and Maitland last autumn and forced This That to shift its annual festivities from November to February.
This That will also be held at the Sandstone Point Hotel in Queensland for the first time on February 13.
Pre-sale ticket sales open on Wednesday before the general sale begins on Thursday at 9am.
