NT hip hop band Pott Street had a great regional tour of the Northern Territory in July 2010!

In 2009 they won ‘Best Emerging Artist’ Award at the 2009 Indigenous Music Awards (IMAs). Part of that prize was  a $10 000 touring grant courtesy of Artback NT.

On their website Artback NT said that “the touring sponsorship for the NT Indigenous Music Award “BEST EMERGING ARTIST” is facilitated by Artback NT in partnership with Newmont Tanami Operations and HWE Mining. The aim of this touring sponsorship support is to offer skills and industry development to the winner in the form of a guaranteed tour of the Northern Territory in the year after the Indigenous Music Awards.”

The tour coincided with the release of Pott Street’s debut album, High North, and included gigs, workshops, media interviews and special performances for day and night shift workers at the Granite Mines.

The tour kicked off Saturday July 3rd at Annie’s Place, Alice Springs, followed by a performance at CAAMA Radio on July 4  that had a ‘live feed’ aired to the surrounding communities.

Monday July 5 saw Pott Street at the Incite Youth Arts Workshop, Hidden Valley Town Camp/Gap Youth Centre.

July 6 &  7 they flew to Granite Mines for their 2 shift-worker shows and Friday July 9 they played in Yuendemu at PAW Media and gave a workshop.

The big tour closer gig was in Darwin on July 10, at Studio 93, Darwin Entertainment Centre at 9pm!

At the time, Zac from Pott Street said, “everybody at Pott Street is over the moon to be heading out on tour – we can’t thank Artback enough for the opportunity! This is a first for us… They make you feel like a bit of a star so we’ll be giving it all we’ve got to prove them right.”

Since the group came together in the mid-1990s growing up on the same street in Darwin, Pott Street has been pushing Hip Hop forward in the Northern Territory.

Comprising of four members – Fliz, ‘O’ Zee, Gusto and Dizzle – their four distinct styles has created a sound that they describe “simply as unique within the Australian hip hop community.”

About their CD, Zac said, “High North is a culmination of a dream us mob had a long time ago and it’s an amazing feeling to know it’s coming out very soon. It’s been a lot of hard work, a labor of true love, and when I listen to the album I get goose bumps because it just means so much to me. High North is who we are; it’s our life on these songs, Darwin life, real life, and I think a lot of folks in the NT and other states and countries will be able to relate to our music and our message. As a young bloke this was never deemed possible, but we’ve done it. This is NT Hip Hop right here!!”

He continued, “The whole crew is really looking forward to performing in front of great crowds, spreading our music and getting to experience more of our amazing Territory. The opportunity to do workshops with kids is going to be mad fun too. We’re bringing a mobile recording studio so we’ll be putting songs together with the kids and bangin’ out beats n’ rhymes with them and having a ball with it.”

Visit the Pott Street website.

You can also read a feature story about the band on the Music NT Forum and more about their album High North on the Music NT website.

And check out the June 2010 issue of Australian Musician magazine in which Pott Street feature.

Words: Megan Spencer