Aussie rock legends Noiseworks reunited last night for their first performance in more than seven years for a surprise gig at the Birdsville Big Red Bash – the world’s most remote music festival in outback Queensland. Storming the stage before a record crowd of 11,000 revellers in front of the spectacular 40-metre-high Big Red sand dune in the Simpson Desert, the pub rock icons performed a rousing rendition of their legendary hit Take Me Back, with Jon Stevens’ unmistakable voice booming across the outback. Closing the first night of the three-day camping festival, the performance also marked the first time Noiseworks has performed since the passing of founding guitarist, Stuart Fraser, from lung cancer in 2019. The reformed band line-up at the Birdsville Big Red Bash featured Jon Stevens on lead vocals, Steve Balbi on bass guitar and Kevin Nicol on drums, while Jack Jones also joined the band on guitar. The band paid tribute to Fraser before the performance, with Jon Stevens saying: “we are performing in memory of our great brother Stuart Fraser.” Stevens also told the crowd that Noiseworks will be touring later in the year, as well as releasing their first studio album since 1991, with a new single to set to drop next month. Stevens said the long overdue album had been recorded over a decade ago with Fraser and had initially been planned for release back in 2019.
Before his performance with Noiseworks, Jon Stevens took the stage for an electrifying solo set, following national music treasure Kate Ceberano who belted out classics from her illustrious three-decade career and new Sweet Inspiration studio album. Also featuring on the festival’s opening day were The Rolling Stones Revue Starring Adalita, Tex Perkins & Tim Rogers, Dragon, Mi-Sex, Jack Jones and Bachelor Girl.
Off stage – campers, and music lovers of all ages revelled in a stacked program of wild and wacky outback activities – from sunrise yoga sessions, dunny door painting and sand dune surfing, to dune volleyball, an Australian Record beer can-crushing challenge and the REDARC Outback Air Guitar Championships. Running from July 5-7, 2022, the family and dog-friendly Big Red Bash is conservatively estimated to bring $15 million in economic benefit to regional and outback Queensland. In Birdsville, the renowned Bakery is reporting daily sales of close to 1,500 curried camel pies and 900 coffees as festivalgoers travel through to the iconic event. The outback town is usually home to a population of around 150 people.
Today, the Big Red Bash will continue with performances by festival co-headliner Missy Higgins, along with Sarah McLeod, Steve Balbi, Chocolate Starfish, Bjorn Again, Melanie Dyer and more. A new Queen or King of the Desert will also be crowned, as the RFDS Bashville Drags and Fashions in the Desert competitions take place to raise much-needed funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Nominated for ‘Festival of the Year’ at the 2022 Queensland Music Awards, The Big Red Bash is produced by the Outback Music Festival Group, which also stages the Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash in outback NSW.
Tickets are still available for the August Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash that will be headlined by Midnight Oil, Jimmy Barnes, Missy Higgins, Jon Stevens, Kasey Chambers, Daryl Braithwaite and many more.
For more information, visit www.mundimundibash.com.au.
