LIFE AT THE TOP
The BACK TO THE TOP TOUR has arguably redefined alpine entertainment. Discover why this year’s 2009 tour will hook another year of snow tourists on to the ice-cold white powder.

If you’ve visited an Australian mountain over the last decade then it’s most likely that you’ve stumbled across one of Nausz Music’s Back to the Top events. If you’ve spent a lot of time on the mountain every winter, the Back to the Top Tour is almost certainly one of the highlights of your year (though some say they’re like the ‘60s – if you can remember them, you weren’t really there).

An enterprising young Melbourne gent, Will McLean formed Nausz Music over 10 years ago with the idea to bring the infamous Melbourne party spirit to the mountains. He aimed at nothing less than the best alpine night of the year. The now established annual Back to the Top tour incorporates the very best in slope-side entertainment, live music, and urban street culture. The travelling festival – which reaches over 15,000 each year – has become a season staple at areas such as Mt Buller, Mt Hotham, Falls Creek and Jindabyne.

Nausz Music continues to redefine the Back to the Top Tour each season by adding bigger and better entertainment. Previous internationally recognised hip hop, breaks and house acts include The Rogue Traders, Kid Kenobi, John Course, The Galvatrons, NFA (1200 Techniques), Grant Smilie, Luke Bowditch, Dirty Laundry, Hyiak and Torcha, Bliss & Eso, Little Rascals and Scribe.

In recent years Back to the Top have also brought urban street culture to the snow via street art exhibitions featuring Reka, Monkey and Bonsai, and have also coordinated the first ever snowboard art exhibition. The infamous Snow Bunnies have also carved their place on stage throughout the years and have given their fair share of cabin fever to Back to the Top crowds.

This year their hip-hop breaks, rock and house schedule is proud to welcome One Love’s national club tour on to their winter event schedule. Extreme junkies at NSW’s The Station Jindabyne will let loose to the likes of Kid Kenobi and MC Shureshock alongside a stack of night-long giveaways.

The Crew at Back to the Top are working towards the tour hitting Queenstown in New Zealand and Whistler in Canada in 2010. To find out more about all things alpine entertainment, we shone the interrogation spotlight on Nausz Music Executive Director Will McLean.

Tell us a little more about the history of Nausz Music and Back to the Top.

Nausz Music started in 1999 and its objective was to create the best off-snow alpine events in Australia. After years of refining, Nausz Music launched Back to the Top which has now become one of the most popular and reputable Tour Circuits on the Australian alpine calendar. Each Back to the Top tour incorporates the best that Australian and international music, fashion and lifestyle elements have to offer.

Mountain resort entertainment has come along way in the last decade. When did it start changing and where is it at today?

Anyone who has been around the resorts for the last 25 years will tell you that great entertainment has always been around, however sometimes it was just a little bit difficult to find.

Over the last 15 years there has been a greater emphasis placed onto the entertainment that is showcased at the major venues. Thankfully, fantastic entertainment is now commonplace at venues such as the, The Man, Swindlers and The Station Resort.

Do you think there has been an injection of younger mountain goers generally over the last decade with snowboarding and other snow sports developments?

Snowboarding has certainly opened the eyes of the people regarding what else could be achieved whilst cruisin' down the slopes. There is no doubt that snowboarding has been instrumental in the development and direction that skiing has taken over the last five years. As for the injection of younger mountain goers - that just goes with the territory.

Often people are only up at the snow for a short period and want to make the most of their time up there and really party. Does that figure in how you structure the Back to the Top Tour Events?

The most important aspect is the people. Our focus is to try and bring the mountains something out of the ordinary. We combine the best that music has to offer and incorporate guest make-overs, give-away of skis, boards, clothes, CDs, magazines, lift tickets - the list goes on and on. We try and make our events the best night of the year at each of the resorts.

There seems to be two schools of young music loving mountain goers: rock and electronic. Do you try to construct parties that will cross those boundaries?

Don't forget hip hop! Nausz Music constructs each Back to the Top event so that each genre is covered. Different rooms or carefully constructed timing schedules and fusion acts provide seamless transfers from acoustic to rock, to hip hop.

Why do think street art and boardsports/action sports have become so closely aligned?

In the past you’ve brought urban culture and art to the snow. Why do think street art and boardsports/action sports have become so closely aligned?

”This was a first by us and is a result of the merging of the many entities. It must be said that this association is a natural continuation of the alpine culture. Extreme art meets extreme sport - the synergy mirrors society.

What are the best festivals you’ve ever thrown?

The ABOM, August 2004 - 1200 Techniques, Downsyde and DJ Selekt on the one bill equals Mt.Buller's biggest night of 2004.

Lake Jindabyne Hotel, August 2004 - Scribe, Rogue Traders and Gerard assisted to make one of the biggest nights at the LJH.

Kooroora, September 2003 - They said it couldn't be done - we proved them wrong!”

What’s the best lesson you’ve learned?

The bible says: 'Do upon others as you would have done unto you.' Not everyone lives by this rule. Inspired by Nfa - 1200 Techniques - Karma will come and get ya!”

Favourite Australian ski run?

NSW - Thredbo back country is the BomB!

VIC - Moonlight Ridge.