Bassinthedust is an Australian music festival. It is the second largest music festival in the Northern Territory, and has been held annually since 2004 in Alice Springs. The festival is an offshoot of Bassinthegrass and is operated by the Northern Territory Government through the Northern Territory Major Events Company, part of a project of the previous Martin government to bring prominent bands to the territory and showcase local talent. Bassinthedust has grown rapidly since its inception. It is a sister festival of Bassinthegrass, replacing an Alice Springs leg of Bassinthegrass which had been held at the first festival in 2003.
History
Bassinthegrass 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."It's music to ALP". Northern Territory News, 15 July 2003 It was held in both Darwin and Alice Springs in its inaugural year, with the Alice Springs leg later becoming the Bassinthedust festival.Burton, Alice. "Local acts signed for big day out". Northern Territory News, 4 July 2003. 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."It's music to ALP". Northern Territory News, 15 July 2003."Crowe quietly flies in". Northern Territory News, 11 July 2003. It was widely hailed as a success in the territory media, and became an annual event.Carter, Chris. "Darwin ready as Alice swings". Northern Territory News, 12 July 2003.
The Alice-only Bassinthedust festival was first held in 2004 at the Memo Club on 11 September 2004 to an audience of around 1200.Aussie Hip Hop The 2005 festival, featuring Spiderbait, Frenzal Rhomb, The Flairz, Screaming Jets, and Dallas Crane, was held at Anzac Oval (where all but the first festival have been held) on Saturday 10 September.BASSINTHEDUST To Rock For 11-Hours The 2006 festival, featuring End of Fashion, Pete Murray and The Living End, was held on Saturday 23 September with an audience of around 2300.Record Crowd Rocks Bassinthedust Hilltop Hoods were meant to play but were unable to make it to Alice Springs for the show. They later put on a show to make up for missing the festival. Jet headlined the 2007 festival on Saturday 22 September.Jet to Headline Bassinthedust
Bassinthedust 2008 will be held on 4 October at Anzac Oval.
Artist line-up by year 2008
Paul Kelly Jebediah The Getaway Plan Bliss n Eso Kid Kenobi and MC Shureshock Local NT Acts: Miazma Unbroken Expanse Glasgow Smile
2007
Jet The Waifs TZU Lowrider Behind Crimson Eyes Mammal Exit Earth Bloom Tara Stewart Nights Plague Through Bullets and Bravery
2006
End of Fashion Pete Murray The Living End Blistered Nights Plague Sweet Surrender Zenith ASP The Moxie Eternal Crusaders
2005
Spiderbait Frenzal Rhomb The Flairz Screaming Jets Dallas Crane Letterstick Band Tashka Urban Exit Earth Zenith ASP Robotik Coq Teknikal Onslaught Super Raelene Bros Wild Weekend's Samah n Grab RnB DJ Lenno and MC Jaz
2004
The Superjesus Hilltop Hoods Christine Anu Resin Dogs TZU C-Kalibration Tecoma Blacktide Cinco Locos
References
External links Official BASSINTHEDUST site