East Arnhem Live

The most remote music festival in Australia. Located in Nhulunbuy in East Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, the East Arnhem Live is an annual music festival where musicians (both local and wider Australian) perform over an afternoon/evening. The surrounding communities in Arnhem Land come together to celebrate in this free music festival.

We were lucky enough to photograph and attend the event. Read our experience below:

East Arnhem Live: the setup

For us, we are in East Arnhem Land primarily to photograph this festival. We decided that we wanted to help out where we could, so we arrived a few days early to come down and help set up.

The day before festival, Kris (event organiser for East Arnhem Live) sent a message: “you girls up for making a tipi?” The catch: we have to source our own Bamboo. Of course, this is up our alley. He definitely asked the right people! Rocking up to the field/festival location we met Kris. He was organising a bunch of guys to set up the stage. Apparently, these guys are from the local prison and wanted to give a hand.

After a quick run-down, the guy who set up the tipi last year wasn’t coming this year. They don’t know where he got the bamboo from. It was our job to find some.

It felt like we were playing the amazing race. We were off, following tips and advice, first from Kris. This led us to the community garden…. No bamboo.  Next Erica (a local walking past the community garden), she made a call. Nope, no bamboo. “go to the school” the guy from last year worked there, they might know. In the admin building we walked. Nope no idea. Another teacher walked passed. He called Bobby. Turns out the tipi guy from last year was called Bobby. A quick chat to Bobby: there is no bamboo. He used saplings last year. Bobby’s directions: go walk in the bush behind the oval, he took down the tipi last year & dumped them back in there after the festival. If no-one has burnt the bush they should still be there.

So in the bush we wandered. No pile of sticks. We had two choices: cut down new trees (with no saw just a machette) or pick up some big fallen ones. We picked up the fallen and dragged them out of the bush to the oval. Amongst the work, playing around on abandoned bicycles.

Poles collected, next step: “how to make a tipi” was typed into YouTube. First video, click. We got this! First raise the three poles, lash them together. Bec pushed them up while Astrid pulled and anchored them. 1st attempt, fail. 2nd attempt, fail. 3rd time is a winner!

We managed to get our tripod style teepee up. Back to YouTube, one at a time, raise & place the next stick in place, lashing each one in as we go. 6 sticks up, and all lashed together. Success! Very proud of ourselves we started attaching the hessian to the outside. Thats until we ran out.

Right on que, Robbo on the bobcat arrived. He was going to lift us up on the bobcat so we could attach layers up higher. Out of hessian, he went in search and made phone calls. More hessian delivered and many lifts of the bobcat, not only was the hessian attached but so too was the lights. The teepee was complete.

The only thing left to do: park Pumba inside & get a photo.

Quite exhausted after our day in the sun we went back to camp for a nice hot shower and crash out.

East Arnhem Live

We have been excited to photograph this event. We are back up photographers, no pressure kind of vibes.

Mid-morning we received a text: the official photographer is sick; he can’t make it. Can we step us as official photographers of the festival? We will get paid for it. From back up photographers who got their camping for the week paid for to official photographers. Our first event festival as official photographers, HELL YES!

Batteries charged, camera’s ready we headed in early to make sure we were ready.

Slowly the people started to come in. Blankets laid on the lawns enjoying the music, families and couples littered the field. As the sun set, more people came in. We absolutely loved the dynamic and interactive nature of photographing the event.

The kids run the field, little Antoine eyed off Astrid “what you doing?” leaning in to look at the photos “keep photographing”. Clearly, she got his tick of approval. From then on the kids were never far off, or shy, wanting their photos taken with their “gangster fingers”.

The sun set and vibe and music levelled up, with the crowd now moving up to the fence to sing and dance with band. The pinnacle of the show, The Salt Lake Band. An all-Aboriginal band. The crowd loved them, so many community members came out to support them. They got everyone up and dancing. The finally, they got the crowd in a circle and those that wanted, jumped in for dance. These guys were amazing, their songs filled everyone with so much joy. It was such a pleasure to photograph both them and the crowd.

The follow up band was Matts band, Mr Chrisy Mertas. (Oh, explanation of who Matt is: he has been our contact for the festival) A punk band. Very different style of music to the easy-going Indigenous music that had been playing all day. The crowd changed. Not sure if it was due to the style of music change or they were done as who they came to support were done. Either way, Mr Chrisy Mertas was fun to photograph, with the punk style came more movement and jumping around stage.

A long night, 4pm-11pm of photographing. We went back to the shed, had a drink with group and headed back to camp. We loaded the photo: 7000. A few to go through to cull and edit over the next few days.

East Arnhem Live, you were an absolute blast! One that if we are in Australia next year, we could make it, we would love to come back!