Bassinthegrass

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BassintheGrass
Shannon Knoll performing at BassintheGrass 2007
Location(s)	Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Years active	2003 - present
Founded by
Date(s)	Mid to Late May
Genre(s)	Rock, Hip hop, Electronic, Indie
Website	http://bassinthegrass.com.au

Bassinthegrass^[1] is an Australian music festival. It is the largest music festival in the Northern Territory, and has been held annually since 2003 at the Darwin Amphitheatre in the territory capital. The festival is operated by the Northern Territory Government through the Northern Territory Major Events Company^[1], part of a project of the previous Martin government to bring prominent bands to the territory and showcase local talent. Bassinthegrass has grown rapidly since its inception, resulting in the imposition of cap on ticket numbers in 2007. A sister festival, Bassinthedust, has been held in Alice Springs since 2004, replacing an Alice Springs leg of Bassinthegrass which had been held at the first festival in 2003.

Contents 1 History 2 Tickets 3 Beverages and Food 3.1 Beverages 3.1.1 Water 3.1.2 Alcohol 3.1.3 Dry Area 3.2 Food 4 Security and First Aid 4.1 Security 4.2 First Aid 5 Traffic and Transport 5.1 Road Blockages 5.2 Transport 6 Local Media 7 Artist lineup by year 7.1 2008 7.2 2007 7.3 2006 7.4 2005 7.5 2004 7.6 2003 8 References 9 External links

[edit] History

The festival was first held in 2003, to fulfill a campaign promise by the Martin government to hold a Big Day Out-style youth concert in the territory.^[2] It was held in both Darwin and Alice Springs in its inaugural year, with the Alice Springs leg later becoming the Bassinthedust festival.^[3] 5000 people attended the Darwin leg, with a further 1500 in Alice Springs, listening to headline acts The Living End, 30 Odd Foot of Grunts, and NoKTuRNL.^[4][5][6] It was widely hailed as a success in the territory media, and became an annual event.^[7]

It became a Darwin-only festival in 2004, with the creation of Bassinthedust, and a crowd of 6000 turned out to a hear a larger lineup, including Grinspoon, Frenzal Rhomb, The Dissociatives, The Superjesus, Jebediah, Even, Shannon Noll, Human Nature and Sophie Koh.^[8][9] Radio personality Jackie O had been meant to MC the event, but arrived nine hours late, and stormed off stage after being booed by the crowd and played over by Frenzal Rhomb in an incident that received national media coverage.^[10] You Am I, Little Birdy, Evermore, Regurgitator and Anthony Callea headlined the festival in 2005.^[11][12]

The festival switched to a two-stage format in 2006, with The Living End, Hilltop Hoods, Pete Murray, Something for Kate, The Herd, 28 Days, Slinkee Minx and Gerling appearing at the festival.^[13][14] Ticket sales increased dramatically, with all presale tickets selling out, and a total turnout of 9000 - a 40% increase on previous years.^[15] The high turnout resulted in a cap of 7000 tickets being introduced for the 2007 festival because of safety concerns.^[16] Presale tickets sold out a week before the event, with a capacity crowd turning out to hear Jet, Eskimo Joe, Hilltop Hoods, TZU and the Young Divas.^[17]

Bassinthegrass 2008, will be held on May 24, 2008 at the Darwin Amphitheatre. Tickets for this event went on sale on April 11, 2008.

[edit] Tickets

Tickets for the event are found on sale throughout the Darwin suburbs roughly a month before the event each year.

A unique thing about BassintheGrass is the type of tickets which are used. Rather than a conventional event paper ticket as seen with most music festivals, logo branded caps are given out as a proof of purchase. This helps organizers to distinguish any unpaid entries and to ensure efficient entrance to all patrons.

[edit] Beverages and Food

[edit] Beverages

[edit] Water

Patrons receive free Cool Ridge bottled water which is available throughout the day.

[edit] Alcohol

On arrival all bags, containers are fully checked for alcohol. Wristbands are issued to people over the age of 18 yrs near the entrance. Government issued ID such as Drivers Licence, Proof of Age and Passport must be presented by people over 18 wanting to consume alcohol. Secondary and Tertiary Education ID's are not be accepted.

Alcohol are only sold to people with the wristbands at alcohol booths.

Designated security patrol all of the wet areas at random to ensure youth are not consuming alcohol.

All alcohol booths are operate for the restricted times, from 5.00pm to 11.00pm, only four drinks to be served to any person at a time and all drinks will be opened at point of sale.

[edit] Dry Area

An area of approximately 25 per cent of the venue is a designated ‘dry area’. This area is clearly marked and shaded with temporary shade structures in the middle of the venue.

[edit] Food

Local food vans provide food and extra beveraged throughout the day.

[edit] Security and First Aid

[edit] Security

BassintheGrass is surrounded by a two metre high barbed wire fence along its perimeter. Local Police forces are present in relatively large numbers to ensure a safe day for all patrons. No glass bottles, no sharp objects, no aerosol cans, no Alcohol, and no illegal substances are to be taken into the event.

Crash barriers are also in place with security at the front of the stage.

[edit] First Aid

St John Ambulance Officers are present in a tent throughout the day to provide first aid where needed. In the case of serious injury, an ambulance is on stand by to take the patron to the local hospital.

[edit] Traffic and Transport

[edit] Road Blockages

Road blockages are held around the venue through most of the day to ensure the safety of patrons upon leaving the venue.

[edit] Transport

Buses are available from certain stops around the city and suburbs (this changes by the year).

[edit] Local Media

BassintheGrass is advertised in many forms of media within the Northern Territory including the NT News newspaper, and Southern Cross (The local distrubution of Australia's Seven Network, the Nine Network, along with posters around Darwin.

[edit] Artist lineup by year

[edit] 2008

Saturday May 24, 2008:

The current lineup for BassintheGrass 2008 includes Powderfinger, Hilltop Hoods, Potbelleez, Wolfmother, Gyroscope, Mammal, The Audrey's and Hercules of NY with local acts not yet released.

[edit] 2007

   *Jet
   *Eskimo Joe
   *Hilltop Hoods
   *Shannon Noll
   *Young Divas
   *Little Birdy
   *Behind Crimson Eyes
   *TZU
   *Mammal
   *Lowrider
   *The Strikes
   *The Weathermen
   *The Moxie
   *Enth Degree

[edit] 2006

   * Stokes Hill
   * Neo
   * Zenith
   * Flesh Petal
   * 28 Days
   * Gerling
   * Faker
   * [[Lee Harding]
   * Worldfly
   * The Herd
   * Something for Kate
   * Pete Murray
   * Hilltop Hoods
   * The Living End

[edit] 2005

   * You Am I
   * Regurgitator
   * Anthony Callea
   * Little Birdy
   * The Flairz
   * Thirsty Merc
   * Nabarlek
   * Evermore
   * Vanessa Amorosi
   * The Spazzys
   * Black Chapel
   * Test Theory
   * Pop Fantastic
   * Storm Riders
   * Vassy 

[edit] 2004

   * Grinspoon
   * Frenzal Rhomb
   * The Dissociatives
   * The Superjesus
   * Jebediah
   * Human Nature
   * Shannon Noll
   * Even
   * Hairy Lemon
   * Sophie Koh
   * World Fly
   * Lifted Mace
   * Plonker
   * Roy Mackonkey
   * Elusium 

[edit] 2003

   * The Living End
   * Machine Gun Fellatio
   * 30 Odd Foot of Grunts
   * Sophie Monk
   * 28 Days
   * Selwyn
   * Endorphin
   * Mercury 4
   * Nocturnal
   * Three on a Tree
   * Plan B
   * performer, Leon Spurling
   * Culture Connect
   * Cinco Loco
   * Nocturnall
   * Llypente Apurte
   * Shelley Morris
   * Public Holdup 

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official BASSINTHEGRASS site