We’re right in the thick of summer now, with rising temperatures and sweltering days accompanying that strange, almost timeless, period of the year in which the only thing that matters is the pursuit of a good time. Warmer evenings, longer days, and lazy weekends spent with friends in the sun, sand, and surf all combine to serve as the backdrop against which some of our most enduring memories are made.
Of course, if there’s one thing that summer brings with it, it’s the annual summer festival season. After a long year, it’s that restless time in which punters from around the country want to come together to let loose. Thankfully, they’re in prime position for such a thing in Australia, with live music, festivals, local gigs, and more in abundance. No matter how you slice it, Australia truly is the lucky country when it comes to its fruitful music scene.
To celebrate the current summer festival season, McCafé have teamed up with Rolling Stone Australia to craft the ultimate summer festival guide, powered by their McCafé Iced Coffee range, which – like the music festivals that accompany summer – are crafted for those who live life to the fullest.
Though McCafé might not always be the first thought that lovers of the brew have when they think of their beloved coffee, the ubiquitous chain has become one to rival even the most talented and respected of baristas when it comes to the enduring cuppa.
Having first launched their McCafé 30 years ago, McCafé have since managed to craft a foothold as one of the most consistent and respected when it comes to good coffee, and as they’ve expanded their range over the years, they’ve more than deserved to be considered the first word when it comes to the drink. Though it might be hard to convince some of the rusted-on coffee connoisseurs, there’s even a growing consensus that McCafé coffee is even better than many of the local independent cafés.
But if you needed an example of this, one only needs to consider MAY-A, who pairs her appearance as part of McCafé summer festival guide with a stop at the drive through to pick up a McCafé Iced Coffee.
The musical moniker of Maya Cumming, MAY-A has been carving up the local scene for a few years now, scoring major airplay across the airwaves, nabbing the Rolling Stone Australia Award for Best New Artist last year, and even scoring the nomination for Breakthrough Artist at the 2021 ARIA Awards.
Having released her Don’t Kiss Ur Friends EP in 2021, MAY-A kicked off 2022 in a big way by teaming up with Flume on his acclaimed single, ‘Say Nothing’, which soon saw the rising artist on stage with the electro-extraordinaire.
“It was awesome,” she recalled. “I got to rock up at the peak of his set and just sort of come out on such a high. Everyone is just so ready to see another person up there with him.”
With a McCafé Iced Long Black on hand, MAY-A took the time to reflect on the year that had been, and the immediate upcoming events in her life, including a tour of the UK in support of Wallows, and some headline dates – all of which evoke a feeling of trying new things.
“I can get weirder, and do what makes [me] feel comfortable,” she explains. “And since it’s all back-to-back shows, it’s like [I can say] ‘I’m going to try wearing this’.
“And if I hate it, at least I can redeem myself at the next show and be like, ‘We’ll pretend that didn’t happen’.”
Of course, with 2023 set to be a year of prioritising health and happiness for MAY-A, we can all look toward someone like her for plenty of advice when it comes to ensuring that we’re well prepared for the summer festival season.
“You bring a fan, a little paper fan,” she begins. “Do not bring a bag; never bring a bag, unless you’re camping, but leave it at the campsite. Don’t bring a bag – no bags. Do the fanny-pack situation and you’re good.
“Don’t bring a jumper, but if you know it’s going to get cold, instead of carrying that with you all the time, pick your favourite artist and be like, ‘I’m going to buy their merch’ when it gets cold,” she adds. “So you can support an Aussie artist, and I don’t have to carry things around with me.”
With MAY-A showing an incredible rise to fame in recent years, it’s clear that the next few are going to be full of even more incredible accomplishments and major highlights. As such, MAY-A is well aware of what it takes to tackle the big tasks and lofty goals with the trusty brew by her side.
Now, as we’ve seen, with the summer months well underway, festival season in full swing, and a need for an energy boost with a refreshing twist, MAY-A is surely set to be picking up the handy McCafé Iced Coffee to ensure he gets it all done, coffee in hand.
Whether you’re on your way to musical stardom, heading to a summer festival, or simply in need of the morning coffee to get you through the day, be sure to head along to McCafé to grab their refreshing McCafé Iced Coffee.
McCafé’ McCafé range, including their McCafé Iced Coffee, is available now from all McCafé outlets, including via the drive through and in the My Macca’s App.
