With the announcement that this year will be the final Adelaide Beer and BBQ Festival in this format, there was a mixture of celebration and sadness. Despite the wintry weather outside, there were numerous undercover spaces, warmed by copious open wood fires. There were plenty of stallholders, from beer producers to scented candles and all in between. The main Kevin Bacon stage is out under the atrium, whilst the Secret Pickle Saloon is hidden away behind the Pirate Life Bar and The Last Resort bar is tucked under the grandstand. The outdoor bbq offerings included burgers, shaslicks, roast pork bao buns and much more.
Apart from the main music stages, there was entertainment including BMX riders and the ever-popular Silent Disco. On the main stage, acts included Cosmo Thundercat, The Tarantinos and Rocket Science. It was easy to forget about the cold wintry weather outside, with a beer in hand (in a souvenir glass mug) and a belly full of bbq meat.
The Secret Pickle Saloon had acts including Haystacks Calhoon and Henry Wagons, who have become a beloved staple of the festival. Apart from the whiskey and pickle juice drink choice, there was a capacity crowd for the line dancing sessions. A real wild west feeling in the heart of Adelaide.
The Last Resort bar had coffee and tequila shots on offer as well as spiced rum specials. The bands were squeezed at the end of the narrow bar. They all put on energetic performances, with Freegolf a standout and JPH and the Dangerous Animals rocking the furry masks.
Back at the main stage, music icons Custard brought the Friday vibes, with their indie rock tunes. Their energy transferred to the crowd, with plenty of people singing along with “Girls Like That.” This was followed by the expectant performance of Wolfmother. Lead singer Andrew Stockdale pranced and posed in front of a massive bank of Marshall amps, throwing out hits such as “Woman” and “Joker and the Thief” to a crowd that couldn’t get enough.
Before long, though, it was the end of the evening, and the crowd filed out of the showgrounds, many ready to repeat the experience on Saturday and Sunday.
To see more about the Beer and BBQ Festival check out their webpage here
