It feels like a lifetime ago Novocastrians could freely enjoy a music festival on home soil. But alas! No longer is this a distant memory, Lucy Egan investigates what This That looks like in a post-lockdown landscape.

Crowd favourite This That festival returned to Newcastle last weekend, over two years since it was here. The disruption of the music industry and festival scene is yet another thing we can thank Covid for; the requirements for social distancing, caps on numbers and dancing/singing restrictions. This That delivered a huge line-up combined with fun activities and delicious food and drink. It also featured performances from Triple J Unearthed winner, Mason Dane, who hails from Newcastle.

Pictured: Client Liason, Photo: Ash Naylor Photography

With Australian festival heavyweights like Client Liaison, Confidence Man, Jack River and many more, This That came out swinging with an absolutely stacked lineup. Featuring the classic two stages, This That bought another front to the party called, the Other. The Other stage focussed on “…an interactive, tangible entertainment-based experience” and a “mystical and immersive cultural whirl of a wonderland.”

This That 2022 saw its largest-ever lineup, “biggest stages and [most] ambitious production.” Triple J favourites like Spacey Jane, Sycco, Mallrat, The Chats and Dune Rats went up against Australian music royalty like Crooked Colours, Haydn James, Wafia and WAAX. Also worth mentioning is Novocastrian Mason Dane, whose sick beats have caught the ears of the likes of Triple J and T Pain.

Pictured: This That Festival 2022, Photo by Ash Naylor Photography

This That last visited Newcastle in 2019 and has since suffered through a slew of delays since Covid arrived on Australian shores. This year’s event is especially hard-won after being rescheduled multiple times. Enthusiasm for the event was apparent with all VIP tickets being sold and general sales not far behind. This That organisers thank the stakeholders involved in bringing this event to life after so many stops and starts with, “a sincere thank you.. to ticketholders, artists, Newcastle Council, event crew and all stakeholders….”

_______________________________________________________

Feature Image: Mitch Lowe Photography via This That