Crowds enjoy BASSINTHEGRASS 2022
It was a sea of colour and glitter when Darwin played host to BASSINTHEGRASS 2022. See all the action from the day.
Entertainment
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CROWDS of people spilled onto the Mindil Beach grasslands on Saturday to revel in the spoils of live entertainment at the Territory’s favourite music festival.
Sweaty punters at BASSINTHEGRASS donned thongs, shorts, shirts, skirts, and hand-sewn outfits to maximise breathability and of course, glitter.
Revellers came from as far as Armidale, Adelaide, Orange, Brisbane and Mackay.
Of the 16,000 festival tickets sold, 40 per cent were bought by interstate festival goers.
Travelling around Australia in their vans Megan Frost and Lilli Johns,, both from Armidale, combatted the heat by hand sewing the “coolest” outfits they could.
“We hand sewed our outfits (on Friday), we just bought hand sewing needles and threads, it took a while but it came off good, we’re nice and cool at least,” Ms Frost said.
“It’s so hot, not what we’re used to. I think it’s 13C at home – we thought we should make the coolest outfit we could find.”
Adelaide resident Jacinta Oster made the trip up to the Top End for the second year in a row. “It was so good last year, we weren’t missing out this year,” Ms Oster said.
“The music is, the climate, Darwin is absolutely amazing – it’s the atmosphere which brings me back.”
As people passed through the grounds, ‘It’s a marathon, not a sprint’ would flash on the stage screens to remind revellers not to get too ahead of themselves early in the day.
Water cannons, hydration stations and large fans were dotted across the event to keep everyone partying and enjoying themselves for longer.
Fans of the The Dreggs stood under the early afternoon sky to soak up the melodic acoustic sounds of the Sunshine Coast Indie-folk duo.
Outside of the festival, sniffer dogs trotted around the main entrance as arrivals funnelled through the front gates.
By 3.45pm, more than 7600 people had arrived and entered the festival and braved the heat.
Faces in the crowd reached for the water guns that sprayed from the stage in an attempt to give revellers respite from the tropical atmosphere.
The Teskey Brothers popped their BASSINTHEGRASS cherry when they walked on stage at 9.10pm for a “moderately paced” and romantic “slow dancing” show.
Band members Brandon Love and Liam Gough said they had played in Darwin before and were excited to feel the buzz of the Territory crowd again. “We’ve been here several times and we always enjoy it, we’re really excited,” Love said.
“Last time we were in Darwin, it was a really great show and people really enjoyed themselves.”
Peking Duk headlines the Territory’s biggest music festival
PEKING Duk are bringing their infamous DJ set back to thousands of music lovers as they headline at the Territory’s biggest music festival this year.
After two years of a live performing hiatus due to the pandemic, one half of Peking Duk, Reuben Styles said he’s excited to be back playing in the Territory.
“BASSINTHEGRASS, it’s kind of the long standing reason that we’ve really built up a name in Northern Territory,” he said.
“It’s the first festival we played here.
“After two years of playing nowhere, really except BASSINTHEGRASS, it’s the only gig we’ve kind of got away with in the pandemic.
“The old DJ set, the thing that brought the start of Peking Duk, we’re finally bringing that back to Northern Territory.”
Alcoholic Fernet-Branca manufactured by Fratelli Branca is a staple of Peking Duk in more ways than one.
The electronic music group have adopted the drink as part of their identity with multiple posters of the drink on the walls of Styles home and a logo that is oddly similar to Peking Duk’s.
“If you look up the Fernet-Branca logo, you’ll see that Peking Duk completely ripped it off that,” Styles said.
“Our duck and even the font like we have we’ve basically bottled our whole careers up Fernet-Branca.
“It was made in Italy in Milan and it’s a very good concoction.
“Before every show we have to have one neat little 30 mil shot.”
The drink has cemented the symbolic bond between both Styles and musical partner Adam Hyde as he told The NT News that “Fratelli means brother”.
Swedish singer, Elliphant was a standout collaboration for Styles with popular Peking Duk song Stranger.
“All the collaborations are very fun, very memorable, but nothing will come close to the memories of Elliphant,” he said.
“She’s just such a unique person, such an incredibly talented and raw person.
“She’s someone which I genuinely can’t say I’ve ever met anyone like.”
There wasn’t any clear mention of whether Peking Duk will release any new music soon, but anything is possible.
“Given Peking Duk’s track record, which is like one song per year and we’ve already put out Honest this year featuring Slayyyter.
“I reckon if we just keep that in our minds that they’ve already done this song this year, then if we do one in a few months then damn that’s a massive bonus right?”
Styles reflected fondly on the time he was able to meet music icon Chris Chaney from The Living End at BASSINTHEGRASS in Darwin.
“I was so nervous to talk to Chris Chaney backstage,” he said.
“I remember the day was so hot that there was like a big portable fridge on wheels and after the set, I stood in that fridge for like 10 minutes.
“It was incredible,” Styles said.
“I got to meet Chris Chaney and that was one of the highlights of my career.
“It’s one of those massive milestones, meeting someone you’ve admired for so long.”
After last years festival, Styles was able to spend time exploring the Territory.
“I went with my partner to Kakadu for a few days and it was great, because neither of us had Telstra,” he said.
“We’re actually had an off the grid experience where we got to look at a physical map and use that as our means of getting around.
“It was beautiful,” Styles said.
“We got to do a tour of the wetlands in a boat and see like, probably 100 crocodiles and it was the best time ever.
“If there’s an opportunity after BASSINTHEGRASS this year, I’ll definitely be going straight to Kakadu.”
Why Bassinthegrass is more inclusive this year
AN experience which most take for granted, has only recently become a reality for a Top End man who lives with cerebral palsy and loves live music.
Living in a society full of obstructions and unfriendly walkways, music festivals can be an exclusive and disabling environment for Darwin local Jim Simpson.
But since last year’s Bassinthegrass festival, it’s been a whole lot easier for Mr Simpson due to the tireless collaboration between NT Major Events and local disability support services company Carpentaria.
With the aim of becoming a fully inclusive festival, Carpentaria chief executive Annie Rily said the Mindil Beach event would be transformed into a completely accessible venue.
“Bassinthegrass has transformed over the past few years to become a fully inclusive event that enables spectators of all abilities to be involved and to participate in all aspects of the festival,” Ms Rily said.
This year’s festival will have improved features like increased wheelchair access to all areas including the two stages, faster check-in lanes to reduce wait times, viewing platforms that are part of the crowd, chill out zones and ambassadors to support people to navigate the event.
Last year’s festival was the first time music-lovers like 40-year-old Mr Simpson, were able to attend the iconic Territory event with such ease.
Communicating with the support of his independent Living Coach, Jim expressed that he was excited about going to Bassinthegrass again.
Jim said he had a lot of fun last year and enjoyed watching the bands and dancing on the viewing platform.
The Territory’s golden girl
JESSICA Mauboy will be returning to the Territory to perform in front of her home crowd at the BASSINTHEGRASS music festival at Mindil Beach.
The star, who grew up in the suburb of Wulagi, told The NT News she’s a bit nervous performing.
“I think it’s always the most serious because it’s people that know you so well, and have seen you grow up and become who you are,” she said.
“It’s also an achievement.
“It’s a place where that’s given me power, that’s given me the attitude and the opportunity to be who I am,” Ms Mauboy said.
“I can come home and feel like I never left.”
Ms Mauboy recently released a new single called Automatic early this month which will be played as part of her set list.
“I’m always excited to be able to release music,” she said.
“When I think of Automatic, it’s something physical.
“(It) stems from growing up at home and the energy of being a boss kid and roaming with freedom and driving with my head outside the window bush bashing in Dads ute.
“It’s those kinds of things,” Ms Mauboy said.
“I’ve been rehearsing it with the band and with all my other music lovers.
“It’s all about celebrating music and the fact we’re back on stage and we’ve got these major platforms that are giving us this opportunity to just play freely.
“I can bring mob that have never been to the territory and have never played in Darwin have never had the experience of smelling the air and witnessing first-hand what the energy is like.”
While BASSINTHEGRASS coincides with the Federal election, Ms Mauboy and her team will hit the pre-polls to vote early.
“We arrive on the same day as the show day, so we are straight into rehearsals,” she said.
BASSINTHEGRASS set times announced
FESTIVAL goers are finally able to plan out their BASSINTHEGRASS experience with the set list announced less than a week out from the event, the NT News can reveal.
About 16,000 music goers are expected to attend the massive music festival at Mindil Beach after tickets sold out this year.
The highly anticipated set list, which will be released today, will spread 12 hours of music across two stages.
Peking Duk is set to headline the Palm stage at 10.50pm and Hot Dub Time Machine headlining the Topical Stage at 10.30pm.
NT Major Events chief executive Tim Watsford is excited about the festivals return after 14,000 music fans sold out last years show.
“BASSINTHEGRASS returns to Darwin’s iconic Mindil Beach next week, with thousands of Territorians ready to party and thousands of interstate music fans set to descend on the Top End keen to experience everything we have to offer.
“The set times are always eagerly awaited and, now they’ve been released, festival goers can start planning their BASSINTHEGRASS experience, alongside a range of other fun things to do while in town.
“As a sold-out event, BASSINTHEGRASS has a massive impact on the Territory’s economy, with flow-on effects felt through many sectors.”
The Territory’s very own Jessica Mauboy will be performing along with Hockey Dad, Vera Blue, Dope Lemon, G Flip and the Hilltop Hoods.
The festival will include a silent disco, an Illumanation station, and Sunset Disco Beach Club which will have more live music, drag performances, hula hoop shows and more.
A new BASS Beauty Bar will also be a highlight of the festival which will feature a barber, makeup, festival eyelashes, massages, hair braids, feathers and champagne for adults.
Although a sold out event, there are still a limited number of Travello Big BASS Weekend packages available which includes a general admission ticket to the event.
Gates will open BASSINTHEGRASS at 11.30am at Mindil Beach on May 21.
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