“We started as a magazine then we did a little car show on the side and now we’re a festival, and it’s all been an organic growth,” he says. “We never planned for this, but at the same time we still love what we do so we’re rolling with it. We bust our arses to make sure we put on the best show that we can. We’re 18 months deep in this one; we’re already six months deep in next year’s one, working on lineups and things like that to try and make it as good as possible.”
Chopped operates just the one music stage, which means the lineup isn’t over the top, but there are always loads of quality bands. This year they welcome a couple of international acts –Reverend Horton Heat and Guantanamo Baywatch – as well as a whole bunch from Melbourne, Sydney and elsewhere around the country.
“We like it to be predominantly Australian,” says Ford. “This year our headliner’s an international act, but in the past it’s always been an Australian headliner. It’s an interesting process because [there’s] a bit of a cross-genre of people that come to the event. You’ve got your hot rodders, you’ve got your rock’n’roll people, you’ve got music people, car people – trying to keep everyone happy is always a challenge.”
There’s notable stylistic distinction between Dallas psychobilly revivalists Reverend Horton Heat and Portland surf rockers Guantanamo Baywatch, and this continues across the rest of the lineup. Although it revolves around guitar-based rock music, the lineup encompasses punk (The Meanies, Flour), ‘60s garage rock (The Cherry Dolls, The Pinheads), blues (Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk), mariachi (Puta Madre Brothers) and plenty more.
“You generally don’t want a band rolling into another band that sounds the same,” Ford says. “There’s a type of music that people expect from Chopped now and we’ve got to follow on that trend. The Meanies are an iconic Australian punk band. It’s [about] supporting that Australian thing. Guantanamo Baywatch is amazing as well, but they’re a great support for a fantastic Australian act.
“We try to rotate our headline acts from year to year to keep all these different groups happy, but it’s always a juggling act to get it all to flow and make it feel right. This year I’m the happiest I’ve been with any of our lineups.”
The entertainment options extend well beyond the main stage, something best exemplified by the 80m dirt drag strip. Anyone who shows up to the festival with a car or motorcycle that satisfies the specified criterion can get involved and race their friends in the safe and controlled environment.
“It’s pre-1965 traditional rods and customs and traditional style bobber and chopper motorcycles,” Ford says. “So you either pre-register, which a good portion of people have already done, or if you’re just coming for a day you can still get through scrutineering. Once you’ve been given the sticker on your window that say you pass all those rules then you’re open to jump on the drag strip if you want to have fun.
“It’s a dirt drag strip, it’s all barrier’d off, safety checks are done on the way through and it’s just two cars/two bikes having a race and having a bit of fun. It’s not a crazy full length drag strip, but it’s a fun drag strip. All the safety elements are still there – we’ve got fire, we’ve got ambulance in case something happens, because anything’s possible.”
Cars are a defining feature of Chopped, which is made apparent by the abundantly populated Show and Shine arena. Across the weekend hundreds of pre-‘65 style hot rods, customs, and motorcycles will decorate the Newstead Racecourse paddock.
“We’ve already got over 300 pre-registered. It could be anywhere from 5-700 different vehicles and motorcycles over the weekend. You still get a lot of people that just swing through for one day. That paddock is constantly full and it’s one of the best selections of traditional style vehicles and motorcycles that you’ll see in Australia in one spot ever.”
The Show and Shine arena is a massive high point for Ford and his fellow organisers, making all their hard work worthwhile. “That’s where the passion came from originally. Chopped magazine covered those bikes and those cars. [Show and Shine] is a celebration of exactly that.
“Credit goes to anyone who’s ever come to Chopped. People that drive from West Australia, South Australia, Queensland with their cars or motorbikes, or even the guy who lives two blocks away. They’re the people that make Chopped. But now that it’s half a car festival, half a music festival, there’s this great combination of everyone. Everyone’s welcome. You find people walk away with a smile because something unexpected happened.”
WORDS BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
IMAGE BY CHRIS COOPER
