The Ballarat Courier reports that the Blueprint Festival organizers have gone to ground after incurring massive debts and failing to pay some bands for their performances.

The bill topped by Jebediah, The Panics, Blue King Brown, Tim Rogers, Clare Bowditch and Bertie Blackman failed to make enough money to cover costs. A week prior to the festival around 3000 tickets – priced between $100 (early bird) and $110 (regular) – had been sold. However the festivals organisers, Tristan and Aaron Gray, are now reportedly almost $500,000 in debt and have been unable to fully pay bands or the contractors who worked on preparing the festival site.

FasterLouder’s reviewer Goat questioned Brueprint’s organisation in his review of the festival : “Blueprint festival – a shambles or a success? To take the debut festival on face value, some punters may have leant toward the former; really, who organises a festival on a swamp? Blueprint festival had the plan, it was set out very clearly on their website, and promised some great ideas to reinvent the festival setting… Promises that weren’t kept.”

According to sources close to the festival “the head chef quit two days before the festival, telling everyone that would listen that ‘The Blueprint organisers were bankrupt’. He told all the suppliers this, which was why there was very limited food on site and why the ‘restaurant’ didn’t open till the second day of the festival.

“The site coordinator who worked tirelessly for eight months on the Blueprint Festival didn’t see a cent and is planning to launch a class action suit to try and recover something for all parties involved that haven’t been paid what they are rightly owed. Private investigators may also be involved.”

Tristan and Aaron Gray have apparently disappeared since the festival. Aaron has disconnected his mobile phone, while Tristan’ has simply switched his off.

In an email missive to the festivals publicists Tristan claimed they will not be able to pay off their debts: ‘’Unfortunately, the festival lost nearly $500,000 and all attempts to recover money and find investors has failed… This means that the company is preparing to go into liquidation and you will be contacted shortly. Feel free to seek legal advice as Aaron and I have no assets and there is nothing worth pursuing.’’

Ominously when the festival was announced the promoters described themselves a “just a group of young guys who love music and don’t care about the money” – perhaps they should have cared a little more.