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BASS IN THE GRASS 2016

21 MAY 2016 DARWIN AMPITHEATRE | By: Steve Habibi Kelk

A banging lineup at this year’s Bass In The Grass saw a sellout crowd as the event becomes ever more popular. Foldback Magazine’s photographic team was once again granted pit access to document the Territory’s biggest music festival.

This year’s Bass was bloody hot and the bands playing in the middle of the day and afternoon had some sweaty work to do but that did not faze the crowd of die-hard Bassers, who seemed for the most part oblivious to the turgid humidity (the bar being shut until 5pm didn’t help though). Support for the local bands (who were shamefully once again relegated to the very early slots) was still high however – it seems that good Territory bands will pull good Territory crowds regardless.

BITG2016_2compBITG2016_3Gates were at 11am with Tapestry metalling things up early, their first BITG experience and deservedly so, although there is no reason we can think of why this much loved local band could not have played further up the list – they certainly would have got a bigger crowd jeered up for the national acts that followed later in the day. The same could be said for Darwin standouts At The Dakota, who have supported Triple J’s Hottest 100 winners The Rubens at a packed Discovery and have been wowing audiences in the big Southern cities recently. Someone has to open we suppose, but perhaps the 12 hour event could be cut down to start in the early afternoon to encourage bigger crowds for the openers – they have earned their place at the gig and the organisers could do more to ensure they get the exposure they deserve (perhaps they could be staggered in between some national acts? We understand that has happened in the past).

BITG2016_5compYoung Isaac Smalley and the estimable Gaia were the last of the local contingent, both being winners of the NT Battle of the School Bands in the solo and band category respectively. Isaac did himself proud while Gaia produced another spellbinding performance fronted by the amazing talent that is Stevie Jean Kyriacou, a teenager with striking vocals and a commanding stage presence well beyond her years.

BITG2016_4The big guns started rolling out after midday, with Tkay Maidza, Safia and Hermitude cranking things up a notch before Perth rapper Drapht tore up the stage with an energetic performance belying the heat of the day belting down upon the stage. Siblings Angus & Julia Stone juxtaposed a chill yet intense set into the afternoon which was truly the calm before the storm that is Violent Soho, who smashed onto the stage with a hair-filled artillery barrage of sound – they could have easily headlined this gig. Boy and Bear then brought a measure of understated intensity to the day (great musicianship and excellent songwriting) as a prelude to the inspired and sublime RÜFÜS with their special brand of dance-electronica.

BITG2016_EsoSydney Multi Platinum ARIA award winning rappers Bliss n Eso took the top spot this year and the physicality of their show had our photographer run off his feet. Bliss, Eso and DJ Izm know their stuff and took us all to the end of the day with powerful and dazzling rhymes as we have all come to expect.

We once again thank NT Major Events for allowing us the opportunity to capture the event and we look forward to BITG 2017.

Check out our photographic albums of the day on our Facebook page:

VIOLENT SOHO – BASS IN THE GRASS 2016

RUFUS – BASS IN THE GRASS 2016

LOCAL ACTS – BASS IN THE GRASS 2016

BLISS n ESO – BASS IN THE GRASS 2016

BOY AND BEAR – BASS IN THE GRASS 2016

BASS IN THE GRASS 2016 – CROWD SHOTS

DRAPHT – BASS IN THE GRASS 2016

ANGUS & JULIA STONE – BASS IN THE GRASS 2016

BITG2016_1

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