Speculation has followed the announcement of a two-day music event that has seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The inaugural Stone Music Festival was announced today to take place on Saturday, April 20 and Sunday, April 21 at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.
The bill is headlined by Van Halen and Billy Joel.
Other acts include Buckcherry, Lifehouse, Richie Ramone, Illumination Road and a supergroup called Kings of Chaos that includes Matt Sorum, Gilby Clarke, Duff McKagan, Joe Elliot, Glenn Hughes, Sebastian Bach and Steve Stevens.
According to the event's website www.stonemusicfest.com the event is promoted by Platinum Entertainment and Ardline Media Group - the latter have offices in Sydney and Los Angeles.
But veteran Australian music promoter Andrew McManus, who is bringing Guns N' Roses and ZZ Top to Newcastle on March 13, commented on an independently created Stone Music event page this morning to cast doubt on the genuineness of the festival.
"Smells very fishy? Unknown promoters... be very careful punters... you have been warned here!" McManus posted.
When pressed to comment further, on his own Facebook page McManus clarified: "[The promoters have] been saying they have my acts which we are announcing next week... all I can say is be very, very careful and stand by for 60 minutes expose next weekend."
McManus is yet to confirm which acts on the Stone Music Festival bill he is referring to.
However Van Halen are scheduled to perform in Tokyo, Japan, on June 21 and Osaka on June 24 and 26.
A music website in January reported that an Australian promoter was chasing Van Halen for Australian shows to coincide with those Japanese dates, as it is financially more viable for American acts to play the two countries in succession.
Van Halen released their 12th studio record A Different Kind of Truth in February last year.
Co-founder of Platinum Entertainment, Stone Movie Ltd and Stone Music Festival promoter, Richard Cartwright, has themed his two-day event around the 1974 cult Australian classic movie Stone.
On September 2, 2010, Cartwright stated on a Harley Davidson forum, HD Forums Australia, that he had the rights to create a remake of Stone.
Cartwright is said to have written a draft screenplay for the new Stone and will direct.
"Well I have the rights and I am writing and producing a new STONE, paying homage to the original, but not mimicking," Cartwright posted on the HD Forum.
He went on to appeal for investment from members of the Sydney HOG Chapter.
On the website Screen Hub, on March 31, 2010, it was reported that Stone Movie Ltd was hoping to raise $700,000 through the Australian Small Scale Offerings Board to develop the project.
In June 19, 2011, Cartwright talked further about his Stone remake in an interview posted on Fromthebarrelhouse.com: "I am actually using the word recreation or reinvention.
"I think some pieces of art you just don't touch.
"And I think I will refer to Mr Quentin Tarantino's line, which is that 'Stone is just too good to remake'.
"This will be more of a homage".
Cartwright is also the writer of the novel Platinum: Rock 'N' Roll Is a Tough Business Sometimes It's Murder.
Stone Music Festival will include The Stone Run, a motorbike ride to recreate the gathering of 34,000 bikers who rode to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the original movie.
Tickets to Stone Music Festival are available tomorrow through Showbiz and Ticketek and range between $179 and $429.
Platinum Entertainment have been contacted for comment.
