Review: Falls Festival Marion Bay – the Queenslander’s Guide
Words: Clare Kempnich
Photos: Kate Scantleton
Queensland’s got it all, right? Summer festival season is just that – hot days and great live bands to enjoy. But with some festivals not making an appearance this year (Sunset Sounds, anyone?) and some so-so lineups, we were left wondering how the rest of the country celebrate that beautiful stretch of time from December to February. How better way to find out than to go to one of the most remote festival locations in Australia! Yes – Newsunlimited celebrated New Years in the Apple Isle, at none other than Falls Festival, Marion Bay!
Awaking early on the 29th, we travelled the 2,500 km journey on no sleep, fueled only by our own adrenaline. Eight hours later (two planes, a shuttle bus and a long hike amidst a delay, breakfast beers and hours of waiting) we said goodbye to out phone reception and descended upon the stunning Marion Bay. I’m sorry to say it, but Queensland has jus got nothing on this. It’s a smaller festival site, with only two main stages, which means less traipsing between sets every hour. The main stage, The Valley Stage, is totally picturesque – set at the bottom of a slight hill with a backdrop of the amazing bay. Not exactly what you expect from a festival. After the quickest tent erection in history, followed by a well-deserved nap (note: a jumper-stuffed pillowcase is no substitute for a real pillow) we took some time to check out the site.
Not only is the Marion Bay location beautiful, it keeps it that way with an emphasis on conservation and sustainability. With pit-toilets (sounds worse than it is) saving over 91,000 L of water over the four days, and recycling bins that were actually utilized, the habits of Marion Bay have them identified as pioneers of environmental initiatives on an international scale. The festival also promotes the protection of endangered species, and this year the hooded plover became the Falls mascot for TAS. They say practice what you preach, and Falls Festival are certainly doing just that.
The food and beverage stalls also promoted locality, with many vendors form the local area. As a beer enthusiast, I think the biggest thing that I had to overcome that weekend was that Moo Brew was being served on tap at the Grand Theatre Stage. The delicious Gillespie’s Ginger Beer was brewed locally (we’re talking about 5 km from festival site), and Cascade Draught and Pale Ale available also – that’s right, all Tassie beers. What were better than the beer selection were the prices. I was used to paying an inordinate sum for a light beer, but $6 for a full strength seemed almost comical. Not only was this affordable, it stopped the punters trying to smuggle in their own. Clever.
After a long day, we settled in to enjoy the pre-festival entertainment. First, the incredible Richie 1250 at The Field Stage’s Boogie Nights showcase, and it was then on to catch the screening of the Breakfast Club at the main stage.
Awaking bright and early (7am for Kate, 10am for myself), we set off to experience the acclaimed bay. The walk there was a bloody pilgrimage. Hundreds of campers with the same idea traipsed single file for the entire half hour walk until we descended down the dunes to the beach. Despite the near-freezing water conditions (well, it’s next stop Antarctica, right?), the visit was a great start to the day – and we were ready for the music.
Alpine kicked things off for us at the main stage. Labeled by the UK Guardian as “the best Aussie band we’ve heard al year”, these guys bridge the gap between folk and electronica in a beautiful way. The combination of singers’ Lou and Phoebe’s vocals were absolutely perfect, and the set was just hit after hit. An obvious favourite was Hands, and they rounded out the set with crowd favourite Villages. At Day One, Set One, the bar had been set incredibly high.
We stayed on to catch local band The Scientists of Modern Music. The electronica due (Cal Young and Simon McIntosh) took to the stage dressed in their black and white jumpsuits, as is apparently their calling card. I mean, I have to admit that this kind of music isn’t exactly my thing, but my word, they have a following. They’ve been described as having elements of fellow Australian band The Presets, but I get more of a Kraftwerk vibe, especially on songs like Easy. An interesting set indeed.
Next up, New Zealand’s Kimbra. There’s something about featuring on one of the biggest songs of the year that really turns you into a household name, eh? She had a massive crowd for the very modest 2:30 timeslot. She’s definitely got one of the most amazing voices I’ve heard in a while (although it’s always hard to believe how a voice that big can come out of someone so tiny!), and man does she use it. Settle Down, a track that truly demonstrates her huge vocal range was just amazing.
After the comedic stylings of Anyone For Tennis, and Arj Barker, it was time for London band The Jim Jones Revue. I will say this. The coolest band I have seen in a long while. Playing rock’n’roll that wouldn’t have been out of place in the 50’s, the five-piece just put everything they’ve got into every track. Every song is just a blast of fast-paced guitar, piano and drums accompanied by that delicious voice of Mr. Jim Jones. Big Hunk O’ Luv? Bloody excellent. A weekend favourite for me.
From one extreme to the other, it was next on to Australian favourites, The Grates. They’ve definitely made the shift from indie-pop to more of a heavier rock sound in recent releases. Last time I saw Patience Hodgson perform she was propping herself up on crutches, so it was nice to see her gallivanting around the stage, as she is best known for. It was a high energy set, featuring new and old favourites. I have a bit of a soft spot for Gravity Won’t Get You High, and hearing Rock Boys was the highlight of the set for me.
Responsible for one of the catchiest and well-known songs of 2010 is Californian Aloe Blacc. His hit I Need a Dollar is absolutely everywhere – and while the rest of his albums might have been somewhat foreign to the majority of the crowd, they packed the stage to hear that one song. The rest of his tracks have more of a soul influence than his single, but were still very well received. Sometimes there is nothing better than seeing a bands biggest hit being performed live, because – whether or not you like it – the atmosphere will be amazing. This was one of those times.
With the closure of the Field Stage, the entire festival swarmed to the Valley Stage to stick out the rest of the night. With modest 10,000 or so patrons, there was amazingly still room to move – no comparison to the sardine tin-like conditions of Splendour in the Grass or Sunset Sounds. New Zealand’s The Naked and Famous. They’ve made a name for themselves during the last year with huge singles Punching In a Dream and Young Blood. They really have become one of the ultimate dance acts, and they were a treat to see live.
There’s a reason that Regurgitator’s album Unit was voted the tenth best Australian album of all time – it’s just that good. Their set at Falls was a front to back rendition of the 1997 hit. Opening with the classic I Like Your Old Stuff Better than Your New Stuff, and containing some classic favourites (! (The Song Formerly Known As), and Polyester Girl), it was a rare opportunity to catch the full album in one. I’ll never get tired of seeing Regurgitator live, and this was quite possibly their best set yet.
It was next time for everybody to don their best cockney accent to sing along with Sheffield boys, The Arctic Monkeys. They’ve recently released another studio album Suck It and See to back up their previous three stellar albums, which included the fastest-selling debut album of any UK band, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not. Their set contained tracks from the past five years, including Fake Tales of San Francisco, Fluorescent Adolescent and Black Treacle. Best known for their witty lyrics, the set was a fine example of how far they have come. It was always going to be a great set, but they really lived up to expectations. The surprising (but very welcome) closer was 505 – from the band’s second album.
Starting the second day were Foster Band Initiative winners – The Dirty Love. Inspired by the Deep South, the Tasmanian band now has a debut album under their wing, entitledBlack and White. Their sound was pretty heavy for 1:00pm in the afternoon, but the crowd was into it. Seems like these guys are going to go a long way. Following this we caught the last few songs of Lanie Lane’s set – which was dripping with her sweet country charm. I haven’t seen her play live before, and I must say I would definitely see her again. It would have been good to catch the full set, but I was impressed with what I did see.
One of the acts I was most looking forward to, was CANT, the band featuring the bassist of Grizzly Bear on vocals. It’s a world away from the harmonic stylings of the aforementioned band, with a grungier, more rock influenced sound. It was nice to see singer Chris Taylor in a new role, and I was intrigued to see how differently his persona was on stage compared to instances where I have seen Grizzly Bear live. I can’t wait to see what else will come from the Seattle band.
The moment I had been waiting for was fast approaching. Beirut, fast becoming one of my favourite bands was bringing their world-band sounds to Tasmania. Zach Condon has to be one of the most humble performers I have ever witnessed – seeming genuinely taken aback by the huge crowd that gathered to see them play. Latest album, The Rip Tide was absolutely stunning – super short, but only leaving me excited to hear more in the future. Featuring a harpsichord, and a brass section, any song by Beirut is an adventure to a distant place. I admit I let out a squeal when I heard the first chords of East Harlem, to sum it up: perfect. Absolutely perfect. Another favourite, also form the last album was Santa Fe, written about Condon’s hometown in New Mexico. As predicted, this was my favourite set of the weekend, and promptly me to research all and any sideshows post-Falls.
It seemed like this one would be hard to back up – but Fleet Foxes were next on the bill. A six-piece with a similarly epic instrumental section, we were in for a delightful set. They started off with a niche following, which has grown to cult-like proportions after the release of their self-titled debut album in 2008. On stage, they were musically perfect – the harmonies were as beautiful as we have come to know from their recordings; White Winter Hymnal was perfect. I did, however, notice a distinct lack of interaction between the band members, which unfortunately lead me to believe that they weren’t as into it as the crowd were. This aside, it was a set that had been a long time coming for me – pretty amazing, to say the least.
It was next time for one of the greats of singing/songwriting; yes Tim Finn, of Crowded House, Split Enz, and solo fame. It really is always an honour to see the man perform live; he does, after all, have forty years of musical history under his belt! It was a set full of favourites – a little bit of nostalgia to ring in the New Year. Continuing on with the nostalgia was one of Australia’s long-time favourite bands, The John Butler Trio. They’ve had a slew of hits over the years, and performed a bunch of classics – Better Than, Zebra, Treat Yo Mama – for the ever-growing crowd.
Finally, it was time for the band that would see us into 2012, The Kooks. It’s hard not to love the Brighton four-piece; their adorable accents make their songs seem all that more catchy – for me they are the band from which all other English bands should be derived. The band got into some of the older stuff first with Naïve and Sofa Song, as the minutes continued to tick down. The boys barely got a verse in before cutting it short as we hit the New Year. After some (very minor) celebrations it was straight back into it, giving us Always Where I Need to Be, and Do You Wanna. It seemed to be all over too soon as The Kooks finished it off with Junk Of the Heart (Happy), and with that, my Falls experience came to a close. Seeing upwards of twenty bands over just two days is probably the most jam-packed festival I’ve ever been to, but truly one of my favourite. The verdict? Tasmania has the weather, the scenery, and the bands in one, under-crowded location – my suggestion is to book now! Thank you, Falls Festival, for an awesome new experience – we look forward to seeing you again!