Black Stump Music and Arts Festival
The Black Stump Music and Arts Festival(called 'Blackstump' or just 'Stump' for short ) is a four day Christian festival that is held in the Greater Sydney Metropolitan region over the labour day long weekend, often the first weekend in October.
Features
Although the format of the festival has changed slightly from year to year, there are some constant features including:
Big Top (or Main Stage pre-1994 and also in 2007)- The Primary venue used for Saturday morning, Sunday night and Monday Morning Bible Studies, Worship & Music. During the NiGHTS it is the venue used for headline and international acts.
Off Broadway - interaction and comedy venue.
The Palladium - theatre and dance venue.
Sacred Space - worship.
The Village - food and service venues and addition performance space.
The Supper Club - small stage for music with cafe style tables and food.
History
Black Stump has been held annually since 1985 with the exception of three years: 1987, 1995 and 2000.
For most of its existence Black Stump has been held at Cataract Scout Park (now called Sydney Scout Park), Appin NSW, Australia and before that at Cattai.
Early History
The first festival was held to coincide with International Youth Year and was inspired by Pebblebrook in New Zealand and the Greenbelt Festival in the UK. It was organised by individuals from Baptist, Church of Christ, Uniting and Anglican churches as well as other youth orientated Christian organizations.
The first and second festivals were held in 1985 and 1986 at Cattai (at the former Paradise Gardens site).
From 1988 it was then held at Cataract Scout Park until 2007.
Gap Years
The festival was not held in 1987 in order to plan to make it a regular festival, and to plan the relocation to Cataract Scout Park.
The intended 1995 festival was cancelled due to a significant financial Shortfall resulting from the 1994 festival.
The festival was not held in 2000 because the Sydney Olympics ended on the October Long weekend.
Locations, Themes and Contributors
Festival |
Date, Venue & Theme |
Contributors included: |
|---|---|---|
BS01 |
October 1985 |
Contributors |
Cattai |
||
BS02 |
October 1986 |
Surprise Surprise |
Cattai |
||
BS03 |
October 1988 |
Surprise Surprise |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
EDition No 3 |
||
BS04 |
October 1989 |
The Surprise, Danger UXB, Light Force |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
Beyond belief |
||
BS05 |
October 1990 |
Danger UXB |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
Toward Tomorrow |
||
BS06 |
October 1991 |
Quick and the Dead |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
A Spark in the Dark! |
||
BS07 |
October 1992 |
Quick and the Dead |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
Time to be shaken |
||
BS08 |
October 1993 |
Quick and the Dead, Tommy Emmanuel, John Smith, Steve Apirana Comedy debate: Australia Should Become a State of New Zealand (won by affirmative) |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
Out of This World |
||
BS09 |
October 1994 |
Quick and the Dead, Tommy Emmanuel, GROK Comedy Debate: Men Are Stupid (won by negative) |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
Big |
||
BS10 |
October 1996 |
Cameron Semmens, Eat the Menu, Outback Hippies, Godspell, Company of Sinners, GROK Comedy Debate: Music is the Devil's Tool (won by negative) |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
BS11 |
October 1997 |
Quick and the Dead, Outback Hippies, GROK Comedy Debate: Football Should Be Banned (won by negative) |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
BS12 |
October 1998 |
Quick and the Dead, Outback Hippies, Tim Costello, GROK Comedy Debate: The End of the World is Nigh (won by affirmative) |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
BS13 |
October 1999 |
Quick and the Dead, Outback Hippies, Cath McKinney, Michael Frost, GROK Comedy Debate: Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
Widen Your HORIZONS |
||
BS14 |
28 Sept - 1 Oct 2001 |
The All Piece Band, The Amazing Joel Hockey Movement, Antiskeptic, Band Panel, Steve Barrington, Bent, Steve Bevis, Birdwood Snape, Blind, bobkat, Bodyworx, Sandy Boyce, Breakthru' Artz, Scott Burford, Call Me Ishmael, Catalyst, Catapult, CC Groove, CCC Youth, Chasing Happy, Company of Sinners, Compliments of Gus, Contact, Contemporary Worship, Melanie Cooke, Cry Mercy, Paul Davis, Deluxe, Driftwood, Dumpster, eightyM, Elaine Hornsby, Elementary Penguin, Brad Emery, Empty Tomb, Epidemic, Ether, Family Service, Martin Fawkes, Fearscape, Fido, Flawless Evidence, For Arguments Sake, Michael Frost, The Frugals, Funky Dory, Julie Furner, Gerald, gher, Glister, Graham Barker, Nick Green, Greg Powell and the HH band, Ground Effect, Half Way Out, Halogen, hand-me downs, Hardly Normal, Tim Hein, Steve Henderson, Colin Hockey, InCarnate, Infringement, Iris, Jeff Crabtree, Jehoshafat, Jintan, The Jolly Beggars, Jonathan & Kim Cornford, Joshua Kelsey, Dave Kendall, Carolyn Kitto, Fuzz Kitto, Kungi, The Lads, The Lamingtons, Anna Larsen - Queen of the Air, The Last Resort, Lightly Salted Peanuts, Lisa Couper, Steve Longu, Luke, Annie Marootians, Mike McGarrity, Jim McKeon, Cath McKinney, Mel Chizedek & the High Priests, Ray Minniecon, Di Morgan, Moron Tabernacle Choir, Chris Mundy, Nagasaki, [...] Heart, Nerida, Never Pay Retail, Noah, Oracle, Shirley Osborne, Outback Hippies, Perimeter, Phillippa Oakden-Patch and Wesley Institute Dancers, Mark Pierson, Pink FACES, Daniel Placido, Glen Powell, Ruth & Glen Powell, Propane, Psycoma, Real Food, Mike Riddell, Ringo the Clown, Rivertribe, Linda Salem, James Scott, The Sellouts, Cameron Semmens, Seratonin, Serotonin, Seven Ten Split, Seventh Dawn, seventhirty, smirk, Smulpn, Sorija, Soulframe, Sounds Like Chicken, Speaking of Sarah, Staff Discount, Stealing Second, Steve Bell, STR, Strength in Adversity, Tatterdemalion, Roger Meddows-Taylor, telafonica, teramaze, theholysmoke, This Is, Dave Tomlinson, Transistor, Troupefish, Fraser Tustian, Upfront, Luke Vassella, Water Closet Productions, Trisha Watts, The Way of the Ninja, Brett White, Mark Wilkes, Wishful Thinking, Martin Woods, wordsofwisdom, Zany Yare,Zero-G Outback Hippies, Stephen Hilaire Comedy Debate: TV or Not TV (won by affirmative) |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
The Odyssey Continues |
||
BS15 |
4 - 7 Oct 2002 |
The Amazing Joel Hockey Movement, Antiskeptic, Catapult, Company of Sinners, Compliments of Gus, Contact, Tim Costello, Fearscape, Michael Frost, Dave Fuller, Stephen Hilaire, The Idea of North, Mortification, Shirley Osborne, Outback Hippies, Andrew Palmer, Cameron Semmens, Sounds Like Chicken, Fraser Tustian, Water Closet Productions Comedy Debate: Don't Worry Be Happy |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
Rumours of Hope |
||
BS16 |
October 2003 |
Outback Hippies, Company of Sinners Comedy Debate: There's No Sport in Heaven (won by negative) |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
Thirst |
||
BS17 |
October 2004 |
Outback Hippies, Tony Campolo, Jason Pestell, Cadence Poetica Comedy Debate: Reality TV Should Be Voted Off (won by negative) |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
Passion |
||
BS18 |
1 - 4 Oct 2005 |
Outback Hippies, Alison Gerber, The Amazing Joel Hockey Movement, Jason Pestell Comedy Debate: The Geek Shall Inherit the Earth |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
Beyond |
||
BS19 |
29 Sept - 2 Oct 2006 |
Music - Scat Planet Of The Stereos Previously known as "The View", Jason Pestell, Mark Gladman Outback Hippies Comedy Debate: Celebrities Make Great Role Models |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
iGod |
||
BS20 |
28 Sept - 1 Oct 2007 |
Music - Scat Playjerise Planet Of The Stereos Previously known as "The View" Revive Antiskeptic Rueben Morgan Fearscape Mortification The Falls End Losing Tuesday Grave Forsaken Freedom1 Outback Hippies Speakers -Tony Campolo Tim Costello Ann Van Leerdam Mike Frost Alan Jamieson Hugh Evans Arts - The Four Hoarsemen of the Apocalypse Comedy Debate: Technology Makes Our Lives Easier (won by affirmative) |
Cataract Scout Camp |
||
Liquid |
||
BS21 |
3 - 6 Oct 2008 |
Contributors |
Sydney International Equestrian Center |
||
TBA |
Blackstump 2008
Blackstump 2008 will be held at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre in Horsley Park, instead of the traditional Cataract Scout Camp
Notable Artists
Many artists have appeared at Black Stump and then gone onto wide popularity in the Christian or secular world. These include the Newsboys, Rebecca St James, David Butts (Hooley Dooleys), Tim Harding (Hi-5), Sarah Blasko, Butterfly Boucher and Paul Colman.