Synchronicity 2024 is coming up next weekend, and you know what that means - festival season is finally upon us! We decided to interview the legendary main organiser of Sync herself, Grace Jones, to get the scoop on what’s in store for this year's epic party. We talked about the history of Sync, the hardest and most rewarding parts of running events, and what the magic is that makes underground festivals in Aotearoa so special… 

Synchronicity is essentially the opening festival for the summer circuit here in Aotearoa It's the best parts from different events across the south island all rolled into one epic multi-day, multi-stage event. 

The first Synchronicity in 2017 was set in an isolated spot of native bush in North Canterbury at the base of Mt. Grey. It was very small, with only about 150 people attending, and the line up was just a bunch of my friends playing. The festival didn't really come to fruition until a few years into my adventure with event management when I realised how important putting on these events was, how you can carve spaces that facilitate beautiful and sometimes life changing moments for people. It is such an honour to create the sound tracks to core memories for other humans. 

Since then, Synchronicity has naturally grown into a full scale event with a lot to offer. There's a bit of bass, there's a bit of psy, there's live bands, circus, flow arts, visual effects, market stalls, food vendors, interactive zones, chill zones... and the setting is absolutely unreal! We are perched up alongside a gorgeous flowing river at the base of the southern alps. It’s something straight off a postcard - breathtaking picturesque scenery!

The line up is strictly Aotearoa-based artists ranging from grass roots DJs and live bands right through to catalyst producers who have been spearheading the industry for decades. Sync is also a semi-private event where crew and guests get to create the extended guest list. This style of invitation inevitably creates this family tree effect where everyone knows each other through someone else. This sets a very safe and wholesome community overtone to the whole event.

Most of the crew that work in various roles at Sync also run their own events. The crew changes every year but there are a few heads that have stuck around since day one. Sync is a classic example of how symbiotic the relationship between underground gigs across Aotearoa is. We all help each other build and grow our events.

Each year has been so vastly different and full of so much raw, authentic growth that I'm left feeling very humbled after every event. My proudest moments would be implementing more te ao Māori across the board and really embracing my own culture more through these events. I also always feel proud seeing my friends play their original music for the first time on the big rigs and watching it be received by the crowd. That is truly such an intimate moment to witness. I think just being a platform in general for up-and-coming Aotearoa based artists is such a huge honour. What we are doing here in the underground is potentially changing the course and future of an entire country's music and the way people gather socially. 

One of the hardest parts of running events is spending 6-8 months of my year hyper-fixating on Sync, which can become a touch overwhelming, especially with the amount of screen time that it takes to organise a large event. I’m a nature girl at heart and if I dont remind myself to stay balanced between my personal life and working in events, inspiration and motivation can wear thin. Also, the majority of my social life also revolves around music-oriented events so I have to be staunch in those scenarios and remind myself that I can take the working hat off and just spectate and have fun!

That being said, it’s always worth the effort - it’s so rewarding seeing everyone falling in love on the dance floor each year. The tears, the hugs, the revelations, the connections made between strangers and old friends. I tend to bawl my eyes out at closing ceremonies at the end of Sync. The energy present is absolutely unreal in those moments and it's beautiful to see everyone in attendance drop their walls and embrace one another.

We have such a unique festival scene here in Aotearoa, and I think that what makes it so special are the settings themselves. The whenua here is so breathtaking and alive - to be able to gather in some of these locations is an absolute blessing in itself. Also, I think there is a distinct NZ sound being made from our music producers here. Aotearoa produces a notable sound and vibe across multiple genres and I think that is largely inspired by the whenua and the life we are able to live over here. Our dubstep has a very distinct sound, as does our hip hop, reggae, drum and bass - the list goes on, but there is something deeply embedded in the essence of our music culture here. I'm yet to pinpoint what gives us that quality but I largely believe it is the land itself and the type of life it enables us to live here.

A few shout outs to cap it all off:

Shout out to the Twisted whanau of course, you guys are still such a huge source of inspiration for me and Sync!

Shout out to the Rolling Hertz lads coming up. I love watching the next generation stepping up!

Shout out to the Ambient Headquarters crew who will be running the second stage at Sync this year! You guys have done such a phenomenal job.

I’d love to shout out every individual separately for the Sync crew this year but the list would be just about endless, shout out to everyone helping out this year! It’s been a huge labour of love.

Huge shoutout from us back to Grace and the Sync team for holding it down! Grace and many more of her amazing team have also been a core part of the inner workings of Twisted over the years and we are deeply thankful for their incredible mahi. We are constantly impressed with the production and execution of this truly special event and have so much love and respect for this crew. We couldn't be more excited to witness the upcoming edition. Show these legends some love and see what it’s all about, grab yourself a ticket and get down there - Synchronicity 2024 is happening Friday 25th-Sunday 27th October!

https://www.cosmicticketing.co.nz/event/6970