Reggae outfit The Strides have returned to the Murrah Hall again and again over the years, becoming somewhat of an institution for those who like to let loose and have a boogie with a bush backdrop.
REVIVE was held on Saturday, presenting an impressive line-up of local South Coast talent supporting the enticing Sydney-based headliners.
The last time The Strides played the Murrah was more than two years ago, during the thin snippet of time between the Black Summer bushfires and the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, after which the Far South Coast community was effectively plunged into a protracted period of isolation.
But by Saturday, March 26, revellers were more than ready and willing to return to their stomping ground, and came together to reconnect, celebrate, dance, drink, enjoy some good vibes, tunes and delicious Murrah curries.
Organised by the Bermagui Seasiders predominantly as a youth festival, REVIVE was mostly aimed at 18-40 year olds - but that didn't deter an all-ages audience from attending.
From intergenerational families with babes in arms, to 20 and 30-somethings primed for an big night, right through to the more senior end of the scale, all glad to be among their music-loving community again.
Organiser Sats Kramer said the program had included something different in the hope of pleasing more than one demographic.
"Everybody got a little bit of everything, I think we had a really nice balance of genres," Sats said.
After Uncle Warren Ngarrae Foster's Welcome to Country, the line-up slowly moved from the melodious and soulful sounds of the likes of Lillian McVeity and Nikea & Dre, to hip hop and bolder beats, and an energetic crowd took to the dance-floor when Tom Francis (KUNDA), took to the stage, and kept it up for the rest of the night.
The outdoor stage allowed for a larger audience and more of a festival vibe, as well as sticking to COVID-safe guidelines.
The rain started during Prodikal-1's set and became heavy while The Scaramouche were on, but didn't deter the majority of the crowd, estimated to be somewhere between 350 and 400.
The Strides didn't disappoint, and let their fans know how happy they were to back at the Murrah one again.
The outfit delivered their signature roots, reggae and hip hop sounds, interacting plenty with the lively, soggy crowd.
Sats said REVIVE was fantastic overall and he hoped it could be held again in the future.
"It ran to time and ran smoothly, the tech crew were on top of the rain and the crowd behaved really well," Sats said.
"I'm really happy with how it went and we'll probably do it again if we can find the support."
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Leah Szanto
Regional journalist covering the Far South Coast of NSW.
Regional journalist covering the Far South Coast of NSW.
