Australia's All Time Favourite Festival - Beyond the Valley 2023: A Review
Photographs by Ishani Buff
The festival goes above and beyond every year. Beyond The Valley 2023 had come at last to bring together one of Australia’s crowd all-time favourite festivals of the year. Filled with visionary artists including Central Cee, Peggy Gou and Asap Ferg to name a few, this year’s lineup was one for the books.
Set among great farmland in the heart of Barunah Plains, the infamous doof sticks had risen to the occasion with a vibrancy of colours and lights displayed among the crowd and the stages themselves. It was the time to whip out those Y2K sunnies paired with denim shorts and a tassel or coloured chalk to highlight your hair. I was stunned to see how many people had gathered for four days of impeccable performances, being one of Beyond The Valley’s biggest attendance so far.
Tents of all shapes and sizes had been gathered around the festival precinct since the very first day. You could feel the heat of warmth and excitement among the crowd’s arrival as they walked amongst the acres of farmland. Beyond The Valley continues to not only thrive in its music scene but caters for some incredibly delicious food, and soul-seeking places to relax and shop some of the most groovy market stalls to shop til you drop.
Stages of all depths had been built around this festival. Dance Dome is a mentionable favourite among techno music lovers and for majority of the general public. If you were within a 1km radius of this everlasting and upbeat stage, you were bound to be dancing left, right and centre to the rhythm of the music and beats. Surprise performances made their debut here including Dom Dolla and Rüfüs Du Sol which left the crowd wanting more as they swivelled their way back and forth around the coloured marquees.
As the sun glistened on each day of the festival, the endless cheer and laughter among friends and loved ones continued to echo in the distance. The atmosphere filled an abundance of love and joy among the crowd, leaving them connected to this serene and vibrant place. Arms around each other’s shoulders to artists like Flight Facilities, The Jungle Giants, Overmono, G Flip, Lastlings and more. Covering genres of all types of techno, pop and hip-hop legends in this space.
It is hard to explain how Beyond The Valley is until you experience it. Long days and sleepless nights with mud covered among your shoes and the slightest of tan marks left on your shoulders. I can understand why people rave about this festival, and I sure will for years to come.