Another festival season, another batch of drug references, satisfyingly filthy lingo and celebrity headshots making their way onto doof sticks over the New Year’s period. To quote our least favourite Prime Minister of this century, “how good is Australia?”.
For those still suffering the effects of a big New Year’s Eve, a doof stick is essentially a DIY sign made from cardboard, a wooden pole and a set of repurposed bedroom fairy lights.
Imagine year seven visual art class but instead, you’re balls deep in a bag of booger sugar while bopping up and down to an EDM track in the middle of regional Australia.
Thanks to TikTok, we’ve been able to scratch together a pretty satisfying mix of cultural iconography, meme callbacks and drug references that made it onto this 2022/23’s festival season doof sticks.
My pick of this first vid has gotta be “Chief Wiggin” (sic) sign. Gimme a Simpsons reference any day of the week.
Notable mention goes to the pink feathery “Hello Ketty” sign. Inspired.
@moshpitcam The doof sticks at BTV were too funny @Beyond The Valley #btv #beyondthevalley #doof #doofsticks
In this second selection, we’d have to go for the Gordon Ramsey “time to cook” sign with flashing red eyes. A true work of art.
I’d pretend to be an idiot sandwich any day just to hold that sign.
https://www.tiktok.com/@missmb113/video/7183593938601774338?_r=1&_t=8Yf4LHY3kXa&is_from_webapp=v1&item_id=7183593938601774338
The third set features the immaculate “BTV Live Gack Rankings” which is both functional and fashionable.
A testament to both structural design and festival aesthetics.
@rohanedwardss Best doof stick ever? #beyondthevalley #btv
For the fourth highlights reel, we’d have to nominate “Scooby-doobie-doof!” stick.
Yet another childhood classic ruined in the best possible way.
@yagirlimi Just a couple that made me giggle #btv #doofsticks
This final set contains perhaps our favourite of the lot.
Hats off to the people who brought the full-size “learn your times tables” chart attached to a metres-long pole.
Truly MVP shenanigans.
https://www.tiktok.com/@kelsiegraceee/video/7183447970585644289?_t=8Yf4Wya8Qny&_r=1
And that about wraps up our list.
If you’re heading out to a music festival over the next few months, be sure to suss our festivals 101 survival guide especially if you’re a tad out of practice after the last three years of flood, fire and COVID fuckery.
See you on the d-floor, ya filthy animals.
