Streamlined Northern Bass going big

Northern Bass returns to Worsfold Farm in Kaiwaka/Mangawhai for its 14th edition on December 30 and 31 with a more focused format.

Even its name this summer is more succinct – NB JNGL25.

It marks a turning point for festival, which started in 2011, with a shift from its three-day format of the last decade or so to a two-night festival that will still culminate with a New Year’s Eve celebration that’s second-to-none.

Festival director Gareth Popham says last summer was a high point.

“But behind the scenes, the squeeze was real. Attendance didn’t quite hit the mark, and with the continued rise in production costs, it became clear that something had to change.”

Organisers say Northern Bass returns with a fresh format and renewed energy.

“NB JNGL25 puts the focus on two massive nights of music and celebration, centred around the beloved Jungle Stage. With a more streamlined set-up and capacity capped at just 6000 people, it’s a tighter, more immersive Northern Bass experience, designed to go big as we close out 2025.”

So it’s more of a pirouette than a step back.

The core elements that have always defined Northern Bass still remain: bass-heavy electronic music across drum and bass, dubstep, hip hop and house; high-energy sets; immersive production; and like-minded people up for a party.

And with fewer numbers the festival promises to be more intimate, the site easier to navigate, and the queues shorter than in recent years. Plus newcomers can dive into NB without being overwhelmed by the scale.

All performances will run through the iconic Jungle Stage, concentrating production resources into a single environment, rather than splitting them across multiple areas.

The line-up reinforces Northern Bass’s commitment to electronic and bass-heavy music, especially drum and bass, but it also broadens its edges.

Mancunian rapper Aitch, known for his quick delivery and chart-ready tracks that blend sharp lyricism with mainstream appeal, brings his brand of British hip hop that has proven popular with younger audiences and older fans of the genre alike.

His fellow countryman, pioneering rapper MC Dizzee Rascal returns Down Under, a key figure in the development of UK grime and one of the genre’s foundational figures. He’s visited NZ numerous times over the years, first playing here in 2004 to promote his award-winning debut Boy in da Corner (2003). Dizzee offers an uncompromising strain of grime with a catalogue that still gets festival crowds bouncing.

Aboriginal Australian rapper and hip-hop artist Barkaa crosses the ditch to spit lyrics that combine her storytelling with social commentary over contemporary beats, while Londoner Catching Cairo is a shapeshifting singer/producer who blends R&B, soul and electronic production for melodic, vibe-driven tracks and another must-see.

On the drum and bass front, The Upbeats, longstanding favourites of NZ’s D&B scene, return with the kind of precision-engineered sets that have become part of the festival’s identity.

Belgian-born, UK-based MC and drum and bass producer Alix Perez introduces a more atmospheric dimension, weaving melodic textures through heavy basslines.

Meanwhile the team-up of DJ Hype and DJ Hazard brings a classic jungle sound paired with drum and bass that connects the festival’s present with the older traditions of the genre dating back to the early and mid-90s.

The line-up extends far beyond these names, drawing in new producers, established local talent and international acts whose sounds range across dubstep, drum-and-bass, jungle, grime, UK garage and experimental electronica.

The Kaiwaka site retains its familiar layout of camping, food vendors, showers, convenience stores and charging stations, and will again offer both general camping and glamping options.

Buses and shuttle services are operating from key hubs and pick-up points to ease transport into the rural location.

One-day tickets for December 31 are sold out but one-day tickets for December 30 and two-day passes for both nights are still available. https://northernbass.flicket.co.nz/

Location: 420 Settlement Road, Kaiwaka/Mangawhai.

For more info visit: https://northernbass.co.nz/