121 Festival - A Dance Odyssey Dream
121 Festival
/wʌn//tuː//wʌn//ˈfɛstɪvl/
noun
A magical 3 day dance odyssey filled with thumping beats, old friends, new friends, tuuuuuneeeesss, and yummy food.
"I two stepped so hard at 121 festival - I got a wedgie"
Photography by Rosa Nevison & Flynn Robson
121 Festival was the first sip of water after a two year festival drought for many, and boy oh boy, was it a good sip. It was everything, and more. A collision of music, art, food, drinks, camping, fashion, market stalls, yoga, and relaxed people. Everything good in the world was gathered at Tauherenikau Racecourse in the Wairarapa, and it was created to be experienced by thousands of people for three days in March to wrap up Summer.
Thousands of people pilgrimage across Aotearoa to the Wairarapa for 121’s outstanding curation of bands, artists, techno, and house DJs. However, there is so much more to 121 Festival than just the music - it’s a sensory playground. The eyes always had something to feast upon - from sculptures, bespoke stage designs, to fun festival fits- all against the backdrop of lush native bush. The taste buds and olfactory system were not disappointed either with Wellington’s favourite food trucks and stalls transported to the festival. There were options of sandwiches, tacos, dumplings, crepes, and more. A food highlight was Swimsuit setting up a makeshift cafe with no running water. It’s rare to munch on cafe-quality food and coffee at a festival.
The days at 121 were chill, it felt like a summer camp. People were sunbathing on towels, playing card games, brushing teeth, enjoying a warm shower, and sipping cool beers on fold-out camping chairs. The music during the day was also chill and started at midday. The organisers understood that people needed a sleep-in, and not hard techno. Catchy guitar riffs wafted from the Karoi Stage, funk and reggae house from the Odyssey stage. The option for a doof was also available from 3pm in the Dance Tunnel. Daytime acts such as Wet Denim, Avantdale Bowling Club, Wiri Donna, Hurricane Emily, Benny Salvador, and Frank Booker had everybody grooving. A memorable day-time activity was watching a fashion show held by New Life Studios. We witnessed the first ever multimedia fashion show at a dance music festival! Another favourite moment was devouring a breakfast sandwich (from Cuba Street’s best sandwich shop - Fred’s Sandwiches) on a swaying hammock under the shade in the Wellness Area. One thing was clear - everybody was recharging their energy to spend on a long night of dancing.
As dusk settled over the festival, there was a vibe shift.
Though the sun was retired for the day, sunglasses remained on. Ballroom (a 1920s Victorian ballroom) and Committee Room (an old committee room) opened their doors to invite DJs to spin tunes. Projectors were set up in these rooms, immersing festival-goers in an AV rave. The once empty Dance Tunnel is now packed - thumping breakbeats reverberated off the bunker’s concrete walls. Funky disco tracks morphed into something faster, synth lines bolder, bass drops harder and more frequent. Taringa turned on, and minds turned off, the beat bypassed brains and took control of feet, hands, hips, and heads. Thousands of people nodded and bopped in unison to new-age tribal beats. Mind control at its finest.
This year, we decided to ditch the festival stress of rushing around trying to see everybody. This meant less stress, but now as I am writing, I fear I have missed out on some choice acts. You really can’t win. Of the acts we did catch, here are the highlights:
FRIDAY 4PM: Sitting on the grassy slope enjoying a cool beverage by the Koroi Stage. People watching is so fun at 121 Festival - it was fab to see friends greet each other with big hugs and kisses on the cheek to the soundtrack of Wet Denim. I think to myself: “thank goodness I am not at work right now.”
FRIDAY 7PM: Watching Avantdale Bowling Club blending fluid rhymes and jerky dance moves, while an “unknown substance” runs through his body. It was picture perfect.
FRIDAY 10.30PM: Overmono’s live set under a blanket of stars. A surprisingly ambient and hypnotic set - wholesome vibes.
SATURDAY 12.30AM: Serendipitously bumping into a guy we met at X CLUB’s set in Auckland. He was wearing a KETTAMA shirt at the time, so we dubbed him ‘Ket Guy’ and hoped we would bump into him again. The KETTAMA shirt was also on this time, but the shoes were off. He convinced me to dance barefoot on the squelchy mud at the Odyssey Stage - felt very feral, but loved it. Thankful for 121’s no glass policy.
SATURDAY 1PM: Feeling slightly dusty. Benny Salvador provided reggae house tunes for our game of Uno Flip by the lawn at Odyssey Stage. BIG SHOUTOUT to Uno Flip. It’s like Uno, but on steroids.
SATURDAY 7.30PM UNTIL MY LEGS STOPPED WORKING: In the Dance Tunnel with AW B, Interplanetary Criminal, Main Phase, X CLUB, and Miley Serious. The Dance Tunnel was an echo chamber of infectious vocal samples, 2-step beats, building synths and drums, propulsive rhythms, perfectly timed beat drops, and that ringtone sample in garage tracks - you know the one.
SUNDAY 3PM: At the Odyssey Stage - final boogie with Eden Burns who did not disappoint. “The Roof is on Fire” song - what a track! However, not Shazamable. Eden, if you read this, track ID please!
The trendsetters of 121 demonstrated a fearless approach to fashion - mixing and matching unexpected pieces to curate eye-catching looks. Jorts were paired with black bikini tops and Kiko Asics. Crocs in every colour were matched with cargo shorts, dainty rings, and trucker caps. Personally, I was grateful for my hydration pack that I got on sale from Macpac - it kept me constantly hydrated, and left my hands free for dancing. Other festival necessities were: walkie talkies, mini hand sanitisers, Fenty lip gloss, and Sets earplugs on a carabiner embossed with “not for climbing, only for clubbing.” Available online for only $5.50! (This article is not sponsored by Sets, I just love it and don’t want to gatekeep).
121 Festival was many things, but noticeably, it was a festival with short lines to the portaloos, drinks, and to top up bands - it was very well organised. This is an extremely rare experience, and it does not go unappreciated.
There is a huge team behind 121 Festival, and leading the team are Cameron Morris and Olly de Sails. The Kings of 121. Without them, 121 would not exist. The world would be a less happy place. Less boogie, less music. Thank goodness they exist! Olly loves playing golf, which he picked up during lockdown. He loves going to the sauna. He loves rugby. He loves dogs. His favourite breed of dog is a Labrador, and he is counting down the days of getting his own. Cam loves snowboarding. For his annual break, he goes down south for a month to be in the mountains. He has been doing this for the past four years. It is obvious that Cam and Olly both love music and a good time - the foundations of Club 121 and 121 Festival.
Pinning 121 down is difficult as it is ever evolving and constantly taking new forms. It started off with house parties in Olly’s humble family abode in Wellington. The house number was ‘121’, hence the name. Then, it was car park raves, a nightclub, larger gigs at Carlucci Land (a zany mini golf course), warehouse raves, followed by more raves in “bizarre” locations, and now a 3-day festival.
Cam and Olly believe that 121 has a certain type of sound and vibe that differentiates them from other house and techno festivals.
“Somebody described it to me after the first year [of the festival] as similar to walking down Cuba St. You’re just walking down and bumping into people you know, and you’ve got shops which you’re familiar with. It’s like taking the essence of Wellington and putting it into a new environment,” says Olly.
“The first festival was literally the most laid back rave, where people could go hard if they wanted to (and they were going hard), but there were also people just out there chilling, enjoying being on site, hanging out with their friends. It just had that energy of ‘you’ve got space to move’,” echoes Cam.
They both agree that the 121 community is what makes the festival so special.
“What’s really resonating is just watching this community kind of rebuild itself after three years of us not actually doing a large scale show. We’ve been really noticing a lot of the community coming back into the fold, and I think at this moment that’s definitely the most special thing to us at 121,” says Cam.
121 is leading a new era of festivals in New Zealand by weaving Eastern European festival influences into a Kiwi festival. Olly and Cam are proud of our Kiwi festival culture, but believe that bringing aspects of festivals from around the globe will help to accelerate it. From Cam and Olly’s “market research”, they found that festivals in Poland, Romania, and Croatia were the bee’s knees.
These festivals have a “very strong DIY, creative feel to it,” they say. When attending they gravitated towards the workshops as it offered a break from partying. Let’s face it, dancing 3 days straight is a true test of stamina, and 121 Festival hosted an array of alternative activities to provide much needed R&R. I tried attending the 9am yoga on Saturday, but it was so popular that there were no spots left! There was also an aromatherapy workshop where festival goers could create their own aroma and take a bottle away with them. Throughout the festival, I saw people spritzing away at their friends. Other activities included: stargazing with an ex-NASA employee, making your very own doof stick, mindfulness workshops, and more. These activities encouraged festival goers to nourish their minds, bodies, and souls. The activities also brought more culture and ambiance to the festival than what a traditional festival would typically offer.
Providing the safest environment for people to enjoy themselves was top priority for Cam and Olly. I noticed that no one was pushy and the atmosphere was chill. To create this Olly explains; “I guess it’s just been the messaging from the start which has had a strong impact. We always knew that when we went into the nightclub, we were displeased with what we’d seen previously in other venues around the country {…} We wanted to try our best to bring that energy to the club, where it doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from, what your gender is, whatever your vibe is.”
“I think [this idea] comes from the top as well, we push that message as directors really hard, which then in turn our staff think the same way, and everybody is trying to create a safe friendly environment {…} I feel really blessed we’ve been born into a generation where safety is really important, and we can all push it. I feel like everybody’s level of pastoral care and willingness to help out is so high in our community.” This was evident in many aspects of the festival including multiple wellness and chill areas, security guard legends and medical care for anyone if they needed it.
When I first saw the festival lineup, my jaw dropped. How could 121 bring in so many big international acts? Olly and Cam attribute the growth of 121 to word of mouth, and the club as a base to host big local and international names. Cam and Olly were not planning on opening a club, but when the opportunity presented itself they took it and realised “fuck, this is actually such a cool thing.” Their first international act was Ross From Friends.
Cam says; “That was really cool cause at the time Ross From Friends were like our age as well, or only a couple years older so it was a trip. We were 21 and 22 running this nightclub and they were like “what the fuck, you guys are really young, we’re really young, let’s go skating.” We were just hanging out as if we were mates. To have that experience hosting our first International act set a precedent of being like ‘they’re not aliens you know, they’re just people that want to come party’ and just being able to give that classic Kiwi hospitality really sets the tone for them, and they just love it.”
Olly explains further, “You would find that one artist who we’d bring over from Manchester for example, has a collective of 15 people, and he goes back home and is like ‘you guys need to go New Zealand and play at this club’ and it snowballs from there which is really cool.”
The duo also enticed international acts with the “New Zealand brand” and “Kiwi charm”.
“They’re playing at the end of the world,” Cam says, “If they can reach New Zealand and get an audience, for them it’s like ‘wow, I’m playing in the furthest country away in the world.’ So as weird as that is for us having them here, they’re also tripping out, being like ‘what the hell I’m playing in New Zealand, this is so crazy.’”
Most of all, they attribute the 121 community for being able to pull such large international lineups.
“Five years ago, 121 wouldn’t have been able to do it because there wasn’t enough community, the knowledge wasn’t there,” Cam explains. “It’s been years and years of me and Olly bringing through acts, taking wins and taking losses to get to this point where we’re like ‘holy shit, we’re actually now bringing sizable and notable international lineups to New Zealand.’ It’s a massive privilege to be able to get to that point and actually put this on for other people in New Zealand and give them that little experience and taste of things.”
Now, the duo have moved on from running the club they are able to spend more time supporting other local acts, as well as immersing themselves in “market research” so that they can bring new elements into their parties. The duo promise big parties and “really great artists” in their next chapter. And reassure me by saying, “do not worry.”
121 Festival is leading a new generation of festivals, and emerged strong after the pandemic. The slogan of 121 is a ‘three day dance odyssey’, and after attending the festival, I totally get it. It is a journey guided by music and travelled with friends. It is a celebration of culture, and as cheesy as it sounds, it is a celebration of life. This article does not do 121 Festival justice. The only way to experience the goodness of 121 Festival is to attend yourself. We’ll catch you there next year!
Comments from the 121 Community
It’s the most fun I’ve ever had - Bradley Ross (festivalgoer)
The word is: beautiful - Cameron Morris (Co-founder of 121), caught him bopping in the crowd at Eden Burns
It’s revitalising that so many people have so much energy for this festival - Tait Burge (Swimsuit owner / operator)
I’m enjoying seeing everyone running into people from high school, running into your grandma and your grandma’s dog - Christine (Crusty) [artist]
Best festival by far - Hurricane Emily (DJ)
It exceeded my expectations - Mike Swafford (festivalgoer)
Energy here is different, super exciting, it rivals the UK - Interplanetary Criminal (DJ), also literally the nicest guy I have met.
It’s surreal - Olly De Sails (Co-founder of 121) - Olly pondered his answer while peeing. The best time to ponder. I was waiting outside of the bathroom - in the least creepiest way possible.
Oh my god, I just love the vibe. Everybody is so hyped up and good, and everyone’s in a good place. Love it! - Matt (festivalgoer)
It’s fab, it’s awesome. It’s a good vibe, everybody is friendly, and it’s fun! - Dior (festivalgoer)
The music keeps everyone moving, the vibes keep everyone present, jah bless ⁃ Billyskuxx (stage manager)
This is my last show of the tour. Everybody is super welcoming - Miley Serious (DJ)
So good, I love it. The crowd is what makes it so good - Miren Arianas (festivalgoer)
All I needed - William Wallace (festivalgoer)
It was so much fun. It’s difficult to run a cafe without running water haha - Lily Jakicevich (Swimsuit staff)
I love the set up, everybody seems to be on the same energy and it’s so fun - Nick Goodwin (Wet Denim)
It’s hard to sum up, it’s like everything - Will Firth (Duty Manager for Junction Bar)
I think the crowd was really good, there were no kind of weird dick heads - Kate B (festivalgoer)
I love the diversity, there’s an international act playing at 8:30 and onwards - Nat O’Neill (festivalgoer)
It’s amazing. Shoutout Cam and Olly - Rhys Rich (DJ)
No comment - Security
I two-stepped so hard last night, I got a wedgie - tent neighbour (overheard this on Saturday morning)
And the most wholesome comment: SORRY GUYS!!!!! - another tent neighbour shouts this at 3am and proceeds to pump up his air mattress
Top Tips for Bedroom DJs:
Olly: The thing which we’ve resonated with most as club owners and festival operators, is people who just get amongst the community, and are there every weekend until 4am hanging out and being a really positive good energy. That’s how a lot of the DJs we’re really close with now came about and we actually went from them just being on the dance floor, to us being friends, to them being DJs. I think that’s one of the most important things.
Cam: Really highlighting what Olly said, if you’re wanting to get out and DJ, you’ve got to go to the clubs, go to the venues, go support. Obviously don’t throw yourself at promoters and DJs, cause it does happen and it can be quite an intense thing if you’re just at your job working. Show your presence, clubs are small places.Cam: If you’re not able to get out to the clubs and do that, it’s trying to create yourself some good online mixes and sharing them with friends.
Cam: Friendship and word of mouth is honestly the number one thing … It’s sharing, getting more people into DJing with you, and building a crew and collective yourself. A lot of big DJs in the scene have a little crew, or a little collective, or a party… Even if it’s super grass roots, it does really help build that networking connection to be able to get access into nightclubs and venues.
We want to say a huge thank you to Olly, Cam and the 121 Festival team for having us, we had such a blast!