NASS Festival is very different to the normal music festival, as not only is it host to some great artist, but also the BMX and Skateboarding Championships. You can bring
your bike, scooter, skateboard, or skates to the festival. There are public ramps for people to practice new tricks. I was excited by the massive motocross jumps, however due to weather the riders could not perform.
When it comes to the music, NASS seems to focus on 2 genres Rock and Drum and Base. The Drum and Base side of things wasn’t really our kind thing here at RAM, but we watched some great bands.
Only a few Rock bands played in the tent that was the main stage, most notably Sum 41. SUM 41 are clearly a band that everybody likes not matter what genera you like the most, you will still know all the words to Fatlip and In to Deep. It is odd tho when you see the DnB fans attempting to mosh, it kind of looks like an Irish jigg. The Right arm in the air that stays completely stiff, and then constant jumping up and down. The SUM 41 set was good they ovcourse played the classics and did a brilliant cover of We Will Rock You. However the encore was a little disappointing as the We Will Rock You cover and the classics were so big with the crowd, and then they came back with the smaller tracks of Pain for Pleasure, The Hell Song, and Still Waiting.
After SUM 41 we ran threw the mud and the rain to catch the last few tracks of While She Sleeps on The Front Magazine stage. We got there just in time, Lead singer Lawrence Taylor was attempting to climb the oddly placed pole, which was placed in the middle of the front of the stage. Next thing we know a security guard is pulling him off stage! The crowd chanted ‘one more song’ for a good 20 minutes before admitting defeat.
NASS is a great festival, and it was a shame about the mud and the rain. It seems that what was missing was Rock and Metal fans. Great bands played, but all the night time entertainment was strictly Dnb. Maybe next year they will add some rock DJs to the line-up or admit defeat and become a drum and base/ action sports festival. This however doesn’t seem to make sense to me, remember when you used to play Tony Hawks on PS2, and all the rad music such as Papa Roach, Rage Against the Machine. The question is do the action sports crowd enjoy Drum and Base? Have I missed something? Have the times changed? Let us know your opinions – @ram_zine.
