As boutique rock festivals go, this one must have been close to peerless.
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If you were not at the 11th Kidgeeridge Music Festival on the weekend, you missed out on something unusually intimate for the rock industry, something very special.
A mix of 15 local and big name acts were close enough to reach out and touch.
Or you could stand unruffled by security against the bass speaker on the ground at the front of the stage, feel your innards vibrate and the bass beat up through your feet (with earplugs in of course).
Or just bask with a drink or something to eat in golden autumn weather, even though Friday evening looked a bit threatening.
On this second occasion Kidgeeridge has been staged at Milton Showground, there was no back row, where you couldn’t see or hear the performers.
The musical acoustics were crystal clear, ringing out over adjacent paddocks with no distortion or booming, bearing out organiser Graham White’s assessment that the venue made the festival more accessible to locals and families.
Mr White was “ecstatic with how well it went”.
“It ran to time, there were no major issues, a small police and security presence and they were happy, families and kids had a great time,” he said.
The only time the audience pressed up against the stage was late on Saturday evening, when one of the lead acts, Dan Sultan, drew the raffle in a funny episode and won applause for his humour and charm.
The raffle grossed $7000.
Young Sydneysider Edwina Pickles thought all her Kidgeeridges had come at once when she won the main prize, a Gibson Epiphone guitar, autographed by all the performers.
Local security men Rob Hewitt and Reece Klides conceded they had pretty well nothing to do except enjoy the show, “it was quiet, everybody behaved”.
“It ran to time, there were no major issues, a small police and security presence and they were happy, families and kids had a great time.”
- Graham White
There was however a tiny tinge of disappointment.
From out of town, out of season, two thirds of the limited tickets went to visitors from Sydney and Wollongong - an excellent achievement for tourism, Mr White said.
Yet 1250 total pre-sold tickets on Saturday when the goal was 1500 left the potential gross through the gate between $27 thousand and $35 thousand short.
The total through the full day and a half, starting Friday afternoon did reach the limit of 1500 with walk-up late gate sales, according to Will Repanellis, who ran the event marketing and media liaison.
Mr Repanellis estimated the boost to the local economy by visitors paying for accommodation, restaurants and incidental spending was around $350 thousand.
Hoping for greater support from local ticket buyers at any future event, Mr White observed “the majority of acts like Dan Sultan would have packed Milton Theatre out at $60 a head”.
Fifteen seconds of maths said pre-purchased tickets for six acts on Friday for $45, nine on Saturday for $99 or a weekend ticket for all 15 acts at $129 was a good deal. Plus transaction fees.
“The majority of acts like Dan Sultan would have packed Milton Theatre out at $60 a head.”
- Graham White
“In addition to the headline acts, performers who grew up in the Shoalhaven or have made it their home, including Cameron Little, Paul Greene and Kevin Bennett offered their best,” Mr White said.
“The legendary Kevin Bennett... moved to Callala in recent years and we’ve named a tent after him,” he smiled.
The Kevin Bennett Pavilion, set diagonally off to the right of the stage with a sunset backdrop came replete with comfortable couches. The aptly named Milton Show Bar Pavilion 20 metres straight back from the stage - less distance to walk for food or drink while you listened - drew the most patrons. The Budawangs Pavilion was popular with families with kids playing on the arena’s grass.
More than 100 volunteers from 10 local community and sporting groups did their bit to help the festival run smoothly, overseeing everything from parking and the shuttle buses through to the bar and amenities.
In return, Kidgeeridge commits much needed funding each year that substantially helps the beneficiaries.
Community and sporting groups will receive shares of a guaranteed minimum $25 thousand donation as forecast by the organising committee. The more people come through the gate, the more it is possible to donate, Mr Repanellis said.
Cows 200 metres away browsed and snoozed unperturbed through to midnight Saturday. Why wouldn’t they? It was (no cow joke intended) an utterly brilliant show. Late at the Milton Show Bar Pavilion a patron reported one bovine had danced on its hind legs, believing it was being sketched into a Gary Larson cartoon.
