Big Red Bash Birdsville and Beyond 2017: 5th July

Up early and up to top of Big Red with Mary and Phil for the sunrise.

Sunrising over the sandhill behind Bashville - the litte white tents, seem to belong to KFC or vendors I think, then you can see the many and varied camps in the background.

Sun rising

Looking over the Plaza area

Watering the concert and plaza areas.

Here she comes.

The chopper was in action at 7.30 for sun rise flights.

There is the chopper, looking out towards Simpson Desert over the back of Big Red.

Just peeking over the hill with Bashville in foreground.

Chopper, above, looking along Big red.

Lots of people up here for sun rise.

Sun a little higher

The colour of the Red Sand is highlighted with the early and late light.

Looking out into the Simpson, the first of 1400 plus sandhills of the Simpson Desert.

Mary and Phil

Now you can see them in this shot

Just some with the grass in front.

Mary in pursuit of a beetle, he left an amazing track in the sand.

Coming down Big Red, view over Bashville camp.

Busy morning back at camp, lots of charging of things with solar and generator. I figured I really needed to wash hair. I could manage the body with wet wipes. Dad has a little shower that works of cigarette lighter, so I boiled some water for the bucket and then washed hair over the dishes bucket, then washed body and some clothes after the hair. It felt awesome.

The big kid with her remote control car, off to attempt to climb Big Red with it.

Phil cleaning off hi boots... with an axe.

Dad wanted to have a look at the TVans on display and ask some questions. We also took some knives to be sharpened. Checked out a new TVan launched here yesterday - Mark V available for $83k. They also had a Track Topaz van at $96k.

KFC set up in daylight, they had a big slide for the kids.

Dad on the plaza.

We then wandered around the plaza and back to camp checking out other set ups along the way. Saw a Hire TVan with an awning mounted which sheltered the kitchen and doorway. Would be a great idea for Dad.

Even standard vehicles can get here, in the good weather.

Back at camp we had a visit from the Fulton's and Hodgson's and then it was time to think about lunch and packing ready for our big night at the BRB day two lineup. 1.30-9.05pm.

Chilling out back at camp, I think it's lunchtime.

Yep, Dad having his lunch.

Michael and J.

Carmel and Sarah.

Before settling in to the concert, I went to collect the knives. Interestingly, the security check to get in to the concert area was checking for glass and I walked back in with 4 unconcealed VERY sharp knives.

Stef was bored, so off he went to climb Big Red during the concert.

The line up today was brilliant

Ray Rider

Russell Morris

Kate Ceberano

Ian Moss

James Reyne

Mark Seymour.

Not sure who this was, Ray Rider maybe.

Steffy a little sleepy in the sunshine.

Here we all are, ready for day 2

The Crack Up Sisters, were pretty corny, but they had a wide range of talents, including acrobatics, whip cracking, joke telling.

Cloud formation

Nice for sunset viewing.

They moved the container the graffiti artist was working on. Here is the finished product in the plaza.

Lighting.

James and Mark played together for a fair part of their gig. Highlight was the original drummer on April Sun in Cuba - Kerry ? Had played earlier with Ian Moss - so unplanned he joined James and Mark for the song. Obviously James was pretty chuffed to perform with an original band member.

Most of the artists did some covers as well as their own music.