The Superjesus to Cut Footloose at Carnival of Cups in Wagga

14 October 2025

In a year where they’ve released new music for the first time in two decades, rejuvenated rock juggernaut The Superjesus will reach further into their bag of tricks with an on-stage career-first when they perform at next month’s Carnival of Cups meeting in Wagga.

They will launch the third season of the Carnival of Cups series on 14 November with this year’s anthem track, putting their own rock edge on the Kenny Loggins pop classic Footloose.

The Superjesus return to the Riverina after their memorable set in front of 8000 racegoers at the Carnival of Cups in Albury earlier this year.

“We had such a wonderful time in Albury so we’re stoked to be invited back to be part of the first time this great racing and live music concept is held in Wagga,” The Superjesus bass player and founding member Stu Rudd said.

The Superjesus will bring power and punch to an all-star line-up, headlined by Australian rock icon Ian Moss and the timeless 1927. Local favourites Nathan Lamont and The Mighty Yak will also take to the stage across more than six hours of non-stop live music and racing.

It is appropriate that this year’s anthem should be first-performed by The Superjesus, given their role in choosing it for Season 3 in the first place. It follows the Bruce Springsteen classic Born to Run in Season 1 and Pat Benatar’s All Fired Up last year.

“Those are two hard acts to follow. Both classics that really put energy into the venue and seem to resonate with the crowd no matter where we are, so I spent a bit of time trying to find a song that would work as an anthem, would be something the crowds would get around and crucially be one that our headline artists would be keen to take on,” HRNSW Marketing Manager Paul Cochrane said.

“I’d already booked The Superjesus for the first event in Wagga so I reached out to their lead singer Sarah McLeod, who is just a delight to work with and someone who has been so supportive of the Carnival of Cups concept, with a few ideas and we landed on Footloose.”

“And the tagline – everybody cut loose at the Carnival of Cups – that was Sarah’s idea too and I thought it worked perfectly as a marketing slogan. So Footloose was officially it from then on!”

“It has become a real highlight of the Carnival of Cups in each event. A pop-up song being planted in among the trackside entertainment and a band or solo artist taking it on and putting their own spin on it. It’s only heard once per event and who takes it on is chosen by me. Now it’s become a bit of a thing that is synonymous with the Carnival of Cups which we are quite proud of.”

Some of Australia’s most well-known artists will be taking on Footloose as the Carnival of Cups series moves around the state.

Tickets to the Carnival of Cups are free but you do need to go online and register your details. To secure your ticket head to www.carnivalofcups.com.au