The Birdsville Big Red Bash outback music festival is up and running for 2021 with a bill of Aussie rock legends playing to a packed audience, living proof a major festival can defy the Covid odds.
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Despite lockdowns causing havoc across the county, rural renegades, city slickers and everyone in between have gathered in the Simpson Desert and Day 1 on Tuesday has seen the biggest crowd in the event's history, with close to 10,000 festival goers rocking the desert in a massive 1.3 million square metre site, and a concert arena the size of nine footy fields.
Big Red Bash founder/organiser and Managing Director of the Outback Music Festival Group Greg Donovan said the buzz out there was is absolutely incredible.
"There is relief and jubilation - and we're living proof that a major festival can be staged in Covid times with the right procedures and safety protocols in place," Mr Donovan said.
It's a new way of doing things, but we're showing it can be done. It's been an absolute roller coaster ride to cross the line on Day 1 - but seeing the excitement and happiness of performers and patrons alike it's been totally worth it."
The enormous size of the concert and plaza area allows 6.3 square metres for each ticket holder - with widened walkways and large 90 square metre campsites also part of the plans that allow the event organisers to easily accommodate Covid safe rules and social distancing.
Day one saw crowds gather to limber up with sunrise yoga as a bag piper played out from atop the 40 metre high Big Red sand dune that provides a spectacular backdrop for the event.
There was fun with the Crack-Up sisters before artists took the main stage.
The Chantoozies kicked off with their signature pop vocals, followed by The Eurogliders and their post-punk new wave stylings and blues and roots duo Busby Marou, a Big Red Bash crowd favourite.
Songstress Sarah McLeod performed her own hits as well as smashing an ACDC set that left the crowd wanting more.
Leading into the black of the outback night Aussie fan favourites The Black Sorrows echoed into the desert finishing with a closing set from Aussie rock legends Chocolate Starfish.
2021 will see Festival headliner and Aussie singer songwriter extraordinaire Paul Kelly bring the heat to the desert amphitheatre while preforming some of his classic hits in an epic two-hour set tomorrow night.
Kelly may be the headliner but the main stage will also be graced by a plethora of other legendary Aussie recording artists over the next two days including Ian Moss, John Williamson, Daryl Braithwaite, Russell Morris, Thirsty Merc and Ross Wilson to name but a few.
Other outback entertainment at the event includes a Nutbush City Limits Dance World Record attempt, Bashville Drags charity fun run for the Royal Flying Doctors and Fashions in the Desert, Dunny Door Painting, Scenic helicopter rides, Outback Air Guitar Championships, whip cracking, desert camel rides, Big Screen Movies, desert volleyball, drama workshops.
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
