They say you haven’t lived until you’ve bush doofed, well, that’s if you’re an Australian who digs EDM.
Just quickly for those unfamiliar with the term, a bush doof can be anything from a guerrilla rave in a forest thrown by a large group of party-going pals, to a fully-fledged electronic-based festival like Strawberry Fields.
The whole idea can seem like a scary and twisted place, who the fuck wants to get wasted hours away from civilisation with a bunch of randoms listening to intense, pounding music?
This was the question that Sydney filmmaker Ivan Lentell was desperate to answer. A virgin to the doof, he and a tiny camera crew drove for five hours to locate a small psy-trance party they’d been told about, keen to uncover what’s so damn special about one of Australia’s favourite subcultures, as Factmag reports.
“A hit of potassium and I’m stumbling into the 150 beats-per-minute universe” are Lentell’s first words as he warily enters the doof. As it’s very early Sunday morning, the crew witness punters fluidly dancing, getting super “weird” and talking a lot of gacked drunk nonsense but of course, having a great time.
Lentell quickly realises bush doofs are merely the coming together of open-minded people who have a passion for EDM, good times and a shitload of stamina.
Watch the vid below, does it get you in the mood to doof?
Despite such a growing popularity, these gatherings are nothing new. Electronic-based music fans took their parties from clubs to the bush at the turn of the century when rave culture declined due to a multitude of problems, including drink and venue restrictions, and as the government tightens its grip on Sydney’s nightlife, could result in a further spike of bush doofs outside the NSW capital.
The mini documentary is a part of Lentell’s collaboration project with FBi Radio entitled Sceno’s Subcultural Safari and the “bush doof exposé” is the first of many episodes to follow.
