FIRST LOOK: See the best moments from Bass the Grass so far
BASSINTHEGRASS has taken over Mindil Beach, with thousands of festival goers taking in the vibes. See all the photos of the mega event here.
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The bass took over the beach as almost 14,000 festival goers headed to the Territory’s longest running and biggest music event.
BASSINTHEGRASS celebrated its 20th year with Territory acts Baker Boy, Prayer Corby and Bella Maree sharing the stage with acts from around Australia.
Major Events Minister Paul Kirby said of the turnout – which was more than a 1000 down on last year – about a quarter were interstate visitors.
“Darwin really turned it on over the weekend, weather-wise and festival-wise,” he said.
“It really does kick off our major event and dry season and it really does bring a lot of people to town.”
Chloe Jensen was one of the thousands of people attending the Saturday festival, which she said had become a tradition among her friends.
“It’s always an amazing experience,” Ms Jensen said.
“I love coming here every year.”
But first-timer Shaylee Roberts was experiencing the massive Top End festival with fresh eyes.
“Our whole friend group was going,” she said.
“It’s been really fun.”
Festival fashions dominated the Mindil Beach lawns, with many music lovers braving the 31C heat with little more than fishnets, sheer tops and a whole lot of glitter.
But you can’t take the Territory spin out of the 20-year-old music festival, with a fair share of cowboy boots, Akubras and fishing shirts among the crowd.
With acts from every corner of the country, it was no surprise to see non-Territorians making their pilgrimage to the Top End festival.
Queenslander Rachel Edwards said she bought tickets for her friend Claire’s 21st birthday.
“It was a last minute decision,” Ms Edwards said.
“Our friends hyped it up so much and it’s a great line-up.”
She said the dash across the border for BASSINTHEGRASS was possible because of all the credit they had after Covid cancelled their past holiday plans.
Mr Kirby said many interstate visitors would stay in the Top End a bit longer.
“We know that people do hand around, particularly this time of the year they will come up for the weekend and stay a few days,” he said.
“Last year was up and around that $14m-15m mark (of generated stimulus) so we know it’ll be a little bit lower than that, but it’ll still be well over $10m (this year).
Mr Kirby confirmed BASSINTHEGRASS would return in 2024, with the date to be announced later this year.
BASS IN THE GRASS 2023 GALLERY
WANT A BLAST FROM THE PAST? CHECK OUT THESE OLD BASS IN THE GRASS GALLERIES
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MEET THE BASS IN THE GRASS OPENING ACT
From audience member to opening act, singer-songwriter Bella Maree is excited to share her “full circle” dream gig with 10,000 festival-goers at BASSINTHEGRASS 2023.
The 25-year-old started performing when she was 10 and has been reaching for the stars for as long as she can remember.
She’ll be performing alongside music heavyweights such as Tones and I, Amy Shark, Angus and Julia Stone, and The Presets.
“It’s so crazy that I’m on the same line-up as all these larger artists, I can’t believe it,” Ms Maree said.
“I was at the festival as an audience member myself a few years ago and now I find myself on the same stage and it’s so exciting and mind-blowing.
“It just makes me so happy to be able to network and be on the stage.”
Ms Maree said she’d performed at smaller festivals over the years, including the recent Seabreeze Festival.
But BASSINTHEGRASS will be her first “big one”.
“It’s part of my goals that I was trying to reach, so it makes me really happy that I’ve finally achieved one of those,” she said.
“I’m a little bit nervous, but I’m mostly excited.
“It just makes me so happy to be able to be performing my original music, my electronic music, be on a big stage, be with my new trio.”
Her 20-minute set will include five originals – including an unreleased single – and a mix of contemporary, R&B and electro-pop songs.
It comes as this year’s BASSINTHEGRASS set times dropped and countdown begins for the Top End’s big ticket event.
Major Events Minister Paul Kirby said the music festival would “set the stage” for the rest of the dry season’s tourism and events.
“We know that it brings over 10,000 people down here, that it brings millions of dollars – over $15m – into the economy and over 30 per cent of that will be from outside of the Northern Territory,” he said.
Mr Kirby said he was particularly looking forward to watching local acts such as Bella Maree perform.
“I think Baker Boy will be when a lot of people really kick into gear and it will really kick up a notch then, it’s wonderful to see him back here,” he said.
“To highlight the show, the last four acts that we’ve got (are) Angus and Julia Stone, we’ve got Tones and I, we’ve got Amy Shark – who unfortunately got rained out when she was last up here – and The Presets.”
Final tickets for the festival on May 20 are up for grabs at $140 a ticket from bassinthegrass.com.au
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