The Basin Music Festival ran from Friday 24 March until Sunday 26 March, featuring a wide variety of acts and talent across multiple stages throughout venues and locations in the town.
At the main stage on Friday 24 March, located at The Basin Triangle, volunteers were busy getting ready for the opening act at 6pm.
Committee member John Mortimore opened the festival and said it has seen it become a much more professional production over the years.
“It’s initially it was done by borrowing gear, all the gear, all the sound gear, and everything we needed was borrowed,” he said
“This is all about community. It’s not about big production. It’s not about the industry that thrives on, masses of information about people and that kind of thing. This is just music.”
He said he was looking forward to being introduced to some new performers and bands he’d never heard of before.
“Thank you very much also to anybody who’s associated with the formation of this festival, which was done as I said on a shoestring and it’s grown from that for what we see it now here tonight,” Mr Mortimore said.
Held since 2005, TBMF hosts free performances on a stage in the town centre, known as The Basin Triangle, and other gigs at nearby venues The Acorn Bar and Hotel and The Oak Tree Tavern.
One attendee, named Jim, said it was the first time he and his wife had come to the Basin Music Festival.
“We were just passing by and decided to call in, after seeing it last year,” he said.
“We are going to come tomorrow as well, we know one of the guys in the bands so we’ll come down to support him.”
2023 is the 18th year the three-day festival has been held and is only four months since the 2022 TBMF.
TBMS committee president Mark Grondman said the aim is to provide a platform for the musicians to perform that is worthy of their time.
“We are trying to showcase what they’re doing, so by simply improving the production all the time and getting professional sound guys involved as well,” he said.
“Getting funding for it is the hardest part, and it’s a huge effort required because we’ve got a very small committee putting it together.”
He said he would like to see further collaboration with local Indigenous groups and performers to showcase their talent in the future.
“It’s all about trying to promote the culture, but it’s all about making everyone in the community feel welcome,” Mr Grondman said
“Whether that be indigenous people, whether it be people with mental health issues or gender identity differences, we’re just trying to create an artistic and inclusive platform.”
