An insiders account of Phat New Years Eve Party 2009
Once a year, a unique spot of NZ Rainforest in the South Island is transformed into a special land of its own for one purpose, to party in the New Year.
The rain that pelted down upon Phat 09 at Inangahua, situated inland from Westport, had gumboots replacing jandels and turned hard earth to ankle deep mud.
From other New Years music festivals Phat is different due to its remoteness, its seclusion from the 'real world' and its ability to create a place, a 'Phat-land', where it seems time really does stand still. The majority of the music played over two stages is electronic - performed by NZ and International DJ's and MC's, with quality NZ roots and reggae thrown in the mix.
Due to my media role for the event I arrive a day earlier with my crew of 'Phat-landers' on the 29th Dec. We set up camp under a setting sun and soon discover the insect life is abundant at sunset, so on goes the bug repellent. By arriving earlier we enjoy a rare peaceful night with a gas cooked one-pot dinner and absorb the smells, sounds and sites of lush native rainforest.
30th Dec - Day One of the festival dawns upon Phat-land with a hot bright sun, and puffs of white cloud on the mountains. The gates open at 8am and in come the people. Our fellow Phat-landers fill the empty grassy areas with their tents, and soon a kind of tent city emerges in the clearings.
Each group of people create their own party within the party, as excitement, anticipation and a year of waiting fills the air. The - boom, boom, bass-drop, boom, 12 noon sees the first of the acts start the music which will play non-stop for the following four days.
The dance floor in front of the smaller stage quickly fills up with bright and vibrant people; drinks are downed quickly in the heat and dust. The only reason for keeping the time is to know who's playing, then who's up next. Headline acts of the evening are Drum and bass outfit Noisia from the Netherlands and Chemical X vs Organikismness from NZ.
31st Dec - Day Two begins for some and continues for others who are still awake, under an ominous covering of grey cloud. Now that the Phat-landers are settled, the party starts to gather momentum. Some of NZ's top acts such as Olmecha Supreme and Katchafire are on the line-up and we plan our attack for the day. We all agree recharging is vital with eating and sleeping on the cards. The cloud continues to get darker and with no cell phone connection to the outside word there is no ringing home to check the weather forecast. When it is time to hit the stages, light drizzle has started to fall, and steadily gets heavier. Brief breaks in the showers give way to a pale yellow sun that was cheered and encouraged by the crowds.
But as night falls so does the rain and my challenge of the evening is to keep camera equipment dry, not the easiest thing to do in the middle of nowhere on New Years Eve, with ones judgement slightly impaired. Still I work out a system and get to shooting.
The headline act of the night is The Upbeats live and Burlesque show, a NZ group performing original kiwi drum and bass. Figures dressed as skeletons emerge on the smoky stage and smash away at drum machines, while the MC flows rhymes and keeps the dance floor pumping.
Andy C and MC Lowqui a top international duo from the UK take over followed by MC Messinian and Dieselboy an American duo who push the drum and bass genre to its darkest limit. Walking has taken on a new meaning as the muddy ground, tries to swallow up our feet. Dazed, confused, wet and caked in dirt we leave the masses and stumble into the Pace tent.
Paul Cooke a local west-coaster and friend has run the Pace team at Phat for several years. A Phat management initiative developed with help from Nelson-based project Hype. It runs alongside St Johns to keep an eye on the partygoers who may party a little too hard.
"Cup of tea, cuddle and a lie down?" he says to me with a smile, It sounds so divine I almost take him up on the offer, but in true festival spirit we fill drink bottles, grab handfuls of lollies for sugary sustenance and trudge back up the hill to our tents to fall into dry clothes and warm sleeping bags.
Listening to the rain still pound Phat-land I drift off to sleep as day breaks.
1st Jan - Day Three, I awake to an eerie quiet, just the boom of the stages still going strong. The rain has stopped and the tent heats up. I peek out to be blinded by a sun that has returned to do its best in drying out Phat-land and its inhabitants. We attempt to add normality to the morning, with a breakfast of 2minute noodles for some and instant rice for others. A live comedy unfolds as people who have had enough or simply can't stay longer try to leave. The mistaken perception that their cars can slide uphill means many a car was pushed or towed out.
We head back down to the stages where the aftermath of New Years Eve is sweating under the newly risen sun. People are looking worse for wear, the ones who are yet to sleep, the ones who are yet to have some form of a wash and the ones who have maybe just come to the end of their partying lifetime. Still the majority, including my crew are still going strong. We've lost the footwear, with bare feet definitely being the best way to slosh through the mud.
The next main acts are top Dubstep producers Skream aka Oliver Jones and Benga from England. Dubstep is a genre of electronic music that has its roots in London in the early 2000's. It was Skream and Benga who I had really come to see. I met the two pleasant English boys backstage and both on their first visit to NZ, were surprised to know they have quite a following in this part of the world. Slightly fazed by the previous night's downpour they had taped plastic shopping bags around their shoes in a hope it would get them through the mud.
They drop their dubstep beats onto the tired but still dedicated crowd of Phat 09 at around 2am on the 2nd. Despite a half working turntable causing sound problems, the two English stars worked through and put on a truly memorable performance for all left in Phat-land. We dance and party with our last remaining energy, shaking the earth until daybreak.
Slowly we head back to the tent site and pack up our home for the last four days. My crew and I farewell Phat-land and with the collective understanding the experience has brought us closer together, enriched us as individuals and begun our 2009 with positive inspiration, and a new found inner strength. "Bring it on!" is all I can say.
Photos and text by Sam Baker (samgirlphotography@yahoo.co.nz)
