Can you believe that Bass in the Grass has been running for 22 years? This year’s edition at Darwin’s Mindil Beach on Saturday 17th May has a packed lineup of cracker Australian artists. The list includes Hilltop Hoods, The Amity Affliction, Meg Mac, The Jungle Giants, 3%, Hot Dub Time Machine, Old Mervs, and so much more.
Old-school Aussie kings of hip-hop, Hilltops Hoods have just released a new single “The Gift”, featuring Larrakia/Darwin artist Marlon. These guys know how to put on an electric show and it doesn’t matter if its the first time or fiftieth time, you’ll love it. Their performance is sure to have the crowd jumping well into the evening. Killa.
Meg Mac has been a staple of the Australian music scene for the past ten years. Her 2014 breakout single, “Roll Up Your Sleeves”, was written in her sister’s lounge and went on to become an anthem of hope and resilience. The soul-infused track gained international attention and featured on HBO’s GIRLS, introducing her to a global audience. Her recent album Matter of Time debuted at number #1 on the ARIA charts in 2022. Despite her humble and introverted off-stage presence, the captivates and commands on the live stage.
If we’re going to talk Aussie royalty, then The Jungle Giants wear the indie-dance crown. They’ve had a billion streams worldwide and their latest album Love Signs is also #1 ARIA charted release. The band formed in high school in Brisbane, with lead singer Sam Hales and guitarist Cesira Aitken close friends since their teens. The Jungle Giants are always experimenting with their sound and are not afraid to push the boundaries.
Award-winning First Nations artists Nooky, Dallas Woods, and Angus Field make up the band 3%, which was born from a random studio session back in 2022. They have diverse backgrounds and even today live in different parts of Australia. The name 3% represents the proportion of Indigenous people who make up the Australian population. Nooky is well known for championing Blak Excellence on Triple J’s Blak Out radio show. Noongar rapper and songwriter Dallas Woods is co-writer of Baker Boy’s 2021 ARIA-winning debut album Gela. We’re looking forward to their album release tackling important themes such as Indigenous deaths in custody, closing the gap, and reclaiming stolen land.
It wouldn’t be a party if we didn’t have Hot Dub Time Machine (aka Tom Lowndes) spinning banging tunes all the way from 1950 to today. His immersive one-man show merges found footage and triggering visuals with tracks and samples from the gamut of modern music. With his theatre background, Tom knows how to read a crowd and build emotional connection, keeping the performance fresh and unpredictable.
Drawing artists from all over our vast land, the Old Mervs consist of two lifelong friends David House and Henry Carrington-Jones, growing up in the small farming town of Kojonup, three hours south of Perth. Juggling farming life with music, they’ve achieved success with this year’s Triple J’s Hottest 100, charting #38 with single, “What You’ve Lost”. Expect an energetic live performance with infectious melodies and anthemic choruses.
This is just the tip of the incredible talent on offer for Bass in the Grass, 2025. There are also performances from The Amity Affliction, The Dreggs, Cyril, Baby J, Hope D, Jax Jones, Jaded, jasmine Nikitta, Kah-Lo, Latifa Tee, Luude, and The Rions. Check out the full line up below.
If you’re in Darwin on May 17th, head down to Bass in the Grass at Mindil Beach for a day of incredible Aussie music. Buy tickets here. You can thank us later.
Header image credit: Bruce Baker – other images care of “Bass in the Grass”, except where credited
