'Pitch Music and Arts Review 2023' / Gabriella Wallace
Thousands were transported to a world of booze, bass-heavy beats, and beaming energy. Let me walk you through the perspective of an American’s first experience at an Australian music festival— Pitch Music & Arts.
Photo by Ash Caygill
The long weekend’s chaotic good energy kicked off with a young larrikin riding a mobility scooter while simultaneously honking, laughing, and charging at fellow attendees. The fellow attendees simply laughed with their so-called doof sticks in their hands and everyone was ready for the fun that was about to commence. I’ve heard a lot about how iconic Australian festivals are from all over the world and was eager to find out if the hype was real with Pitch.
Pitch had three main stages: Pitch One, Pitch Black, and Resident Advisor. Pitch One had sand on the floor for the audience to dance on, shade to protect them, and was said to hold the largest speaker setup in the southern hemisphere. Plenty of people—including myself—would describe Pitch Black as a two-story caged arena with an intense ambiance. Even though I didn’t see any moshing happening, this stage would have been perfect for it. My favourite stage was Resident Advisor. It was a rather simple stage with impressive visual effects, great performances, and it was the easiest stage to get in and out of.
Photo by duncographic
The festival’s line-up was top-notch. Everyone who performed earned their right to be on the stage. My three personal favourite sets were from local Naarm DJS: Crybaby, Zjoso, and Soju Gang. Crybaby was the first to play on day two at Resident Advisor. Her blend of tech house, hip-hop, and bubblegum pop was electrifying. The audience went from zero to a hundred real quick. Crybaby had me ready to shake a little something with the bops that kept coming. People moved their bodies in so many different ways, some were dancing on beat, some off. No one cared, everyone was purely just coexisting and having a good time. By the end of her set, a massive dust cloud from all the dancing blanketed the screaming and cheering audience.
After two days of partying, I didn’t know if my body could move anymore. My feet were sore, my legs tired, and my mind fuzzy. I wanted to check out the sound meditation at Pitch Pavilion to recharge for the day to come. However, the magnetic rhythm radiating from Pitch One was pulling me in. The bouncy soulful tunes playing sounded like the sound meditation that I needed. I went to check it out, but the next thing I know I’m amongst the other party-goers having a boogie.
Zjoso effortlessly played music from all over the music spectrum— from reggae to Detroit Style and everything in the middle. His morning set was a godsend that revived the once zombie-like punters to continue their festivities.
Photo by Will Hamilton Coates
If understanding an assignment was a person, it would be Soju Gang. She nonchalantly had the festival goers dancing as if it was day one when it was day three. The crowd gradually grew from a decent size into an enormous blob. Soju Gang remixed and mashed-up popular current and past hits that had the crowd going crazy. I loved the little razzle dazzles, the mix of house, Baile Funk, and Jersey drill she added to the songs. Her set was such a fun time.
Honorable mentions of other sets I enjoyed were Moderat and Four Tet. The crowds' vibes at each of those sets were immaculate. Everyone in the audience stood shoulder to shoulder at Four Tet, people filled every crook and cranny at Pitch One. The vibrations felt so vigorous and body-consuming that my body became one with them. I wanted to know if other people were feeling this too; I moved in what seemed like slow motion and saw lit-up doof sticks, people vibing, and lights changing: a sight I’ll never forget. Right after Four Tet’s performance, I walked to Resident Advisor to watch the Berlin trio, Moderat, do their thing.
Some spectators sang along while the visuals took me to another dimension. Moderat’s performance was grounding and exhilarating at the same time. My adrenaline was at an all-time high after watching Four Tet and Moderat perform back to back.
“If understanding an assignment was a person, it would be Soju Gang”
Photo by duncographic
The Pitch Precinct, otherwise nicknamed the renegade stages, was one of my favorite things at Pitch. The precinct was made up of two large tents: the On3 Studios x Kamp Kamp tent and Kayzar’s tent located next to the camping tents. They were designed to be comfortable and acted as a safe space to get away from the main stages. The volunteers would serve snacks and drinks from the beginning of the day to the end. They had performances from dancers, singers, DJS, and takeovers from other Naarm groups such as Dutty Worldwide and the Operatives.
A majority of the people who performed at these renegade stages were BIPOC, so it was lovely that they were able to showcase their talent in a calming atmosphere. I loved how wholesome and vibey the concept was, but not how the performers don’t receive recognition or promotion from Pitch. I understand keeping it on the down-low to ensure a safe space, but think there could have been some more appreciation for the people who put together the Pitch Precinct - perhaps a post-Pitch post highlighting the artists.
Above photo 1&2 by Duncographic, 3 by Brody Mould.
Other than that, I liked Pitch Music & Arts. The Art Programme was trippy and cool, even while being sober, specifically speaking on Tundra and Irueglar. The Pavilion and chill-out space were game changers and I’m so happy that was a place people could turn to.
Everyone I came across at Pitch was very warm and welcoming. I asked a couple of people what their thoughts were of Pitch and the word that each person had in common was community; I can see that.
The hype was real, Australians do know how to party.
Article by Gabriella Wallace
Photography by Duncographic, Brody Mould, Ash Caygill & Will Hamilton Coates.
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Here in ‘Australia’, Indigenous people are the most incarcerated population on Earth. Countless lives have been murdered by white police, white government policies and this country’s white history, institutionalised colonialism and ongoing racial oppression. Racial injustice continues today under the phoney, self-congratulatory politics of ‘Reconciliation’ and the notion that colonialism is something that must be denied and forgotten, an uncomfortable artefact of the past.
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