REVIEW: Rhythm & Alps 2023/24

Hello, it’s your favourite amateur broadcaster here, Liam Donnelly.

Because they sponsor my show, and I love them dearly, I went along to the 2023/24 Rhythm & Alps Music Festival (RnA for short).

Located in the beautiful Cardrona Valley, Rhythm & Alps would have to be considered one of New Zealand’s premier music festivals.

Started in 2011, the festival has continually grown and improved to the point it’s now a total sensory experience for audiences, and attracts huge names to come and perform.

Because it’s consistently good (and it’s actually quite a nice drive to get there), RnA 2023/24 was my fifth attendance of the festival!

And yes, I’m gonna say it – it was the best one yet!

With 100% seriousness, I mean it. I am not just saying it for the sake of good marketing, this year’s festival was ELITE.

Granted I was in a pleasant ‘It’s summer, no work’ headspace, you KNOW I’m awfully judgy when I want to be.

But this year’s festival was excellent! The atmosphere was very friendly, audio and visuals were on point, and the lineup was scheduled in a way that there was always a good variety of acts to choose from.

Also, because I’m getting sliiiiiiiightly (just slightly) older, catering is also something I now value, and I was spoilt when it came to food options!

It filled me with joy that after all this time, Rhythm & Alps Music Festival is still killing it!

I would be remiss to not mention some of the current and former RDU talent who did amazing sets at the festival.

A brilliantly pink-haired Patella had an incredibly fun set, former Sugar & Spice host, Kravis, saw in the new year very appropriately, and current host, Tikka killed it with a thumping, animalistic set, going B2B with Trivial.

It will surprise no one that EMILIE executed a perfect, also Fleeced, of which one half used to host The Gamma Rave, put on an amazing 3am set for those brave enough.

Some other acts I personally enjoyed included, BICEP, Channel Tres, Synthony, Aunty El, Azure, and Ross From Friends.

Even then, I’m missing names. It was just banger after banger.

It was such a good time, that even accidentally peeing down my own leg, and a series of other self-inflicted inconveniences, didn’t put the slightest dampener on the experience.

Thank you, Rhythm & Alps.

Keep up the great work.

Forever.

Please.