The Station’s much-anticipated grand opening will bring a slew of major Aussie acts to the Sunshine Coast over three days from March 1 to March 3.

Massive indi-rock act The Temper Trap (main photo), who has a staggering 8.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify, will headline Friday night’s all-ages event.

They will be supported by local all-female act Betty Taylor.

Saturday’s show is for the over-18s and will see DJ Havana Brown (pictured) supported by electronic act Jonny Sonic, from The Potbelleez, and DJ Brooklyn.

Local dance sensation Raw Ordio and funk-fusion band Ampersand will round out the event with another family-friendly show on Sunday.

A live music venue with skate park

Formerly The Nightquarter, the place was shut down amid Covid’s economic squeeze.

Re-opening as The Station, the live music venue is now under the direction of Chris and Lauren Hignett, who run nearby indoor skatepark Alley-Oops.

The couple (pictured) secured a five year lease of the vibrant shipping container playground at Birtinya.

The Station will be a multi-purpose, family-friendly entertainment precinct, featuring retail shops, a bar area, and street-style food vendors.

It will even boast its own scooter and skate park, which makes sense – hello Alley Oops!

Lauren says she wants a space where adults can have fun and their children as well.

Food vendors who previously operated at the 6,400m2 site are welcome back. 

The newly-proposed mass transit system will run adjacent to the live music venue, and aims to connect patrons and residents, including those visiting and working at the nearby Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH), to Maroochydore and Caloundra.

Tickets at The Station.

Ampersand’s exciting news

Ampersand pianoman and manager Jarrod Tutbury is pumped to be playing at The Station’s opening weekend.

“We hope that this venue will open up more opportunities and invigorate the locals to get out there and support their musos,” Jarrod says.

“It’s really important for the community and the livelihoods of artists that these large venues succeed.”

His Noosa band recently released new single, “Originality”, at Solbar.

The song has already had 18,000 streams across 70 countries, and been played on 15 radio stations. 

Ampersand’s second single, “Birthday Blues”, has a vibrant, striking and self-determining feel.

Built around the distinctive synchronised stabs on bass, electric piano and drums, the song has a funky groove, making it one of the band’s favourite tracks. 

Jarrod says the song tells listeners to just be content in their lives. 

“Don’t put your happiness in someone else’s hands and blame yourself when they let you down. You’re in charge of your own destiny.”

“Birthday Blues” is available to stream on February 29.