Bringing a complete review together of a music festival is a tough job at the best times. Mix in a whole lot of alcohol and some very hazy memories, and the job becomes a tad more difficult. And with that in mind here it is, my attempt to review an epic day that was Groovin the Moo 2011, or parts of it at least.
Boasting a line-up to rival any other day festival over the past year, Bendigo turned on an absolutely beautiful day for the first of the five GTM stops around the country. With the 'no vacancy' signs illuminating around town thousands of people flocked to the Bendigo Showgrounds, essentially a glorified paddock, in the hope of catching some great live music from one of the many super acts on the bill.
And so it was that after tucking away a traditional champagne breakfast, we made our way over for what would turn out to be quite a large day. With no signs of the lines that marred last year's debacle (credit to the organisers), we arrived with plenty of time to see one of Australia's fastest growing bands in The Jezabels. Choosing the rather distant vantage point of the bar would turn out to be a fatal decision, but more on that later. Opener A Little Piece was sensational. Lead singer Hayley Mary has a voice to behold, and it was on full display as she effortlessly wowed the appreciative audience through all their hits to date (okay, so I really don't remember what else was played). Judging by the huge crowd however that turned out early to see them, and the raptuous applause at the end, it seems huge things beckon for this band in 2011 and beyond.
Next up for me were Norwegian lads Datarock. Not many bands in the world can pull off matching red jumpsuits, but these guys do it with style. And boy do they know how to produce a stirring set mixed with some great indie electro tunes and a whole lot of fun. Fa Fa Fa is so ridiculous you can't help but sing and dance along, and in between was a heap of great material including the excellent Give it Up and True Stories. But these guys are seasoned professionals, and alas they knew what everyone wanted to here. "Do any of you guys wanna hear a song about Computer Camp Love?". Enter hysterical screams, and possibly one of the best sing-a-longs of the entire festival. A great way to end a super set from these guys and a lot of smiling faces walking away afterwards.
So it's 4pm, and naturally, after producing one of the standout records of 2011 to date, thousands are flocking to the Moolin Rouge tent to catch a glimpse of Aussie festival veterans Architecture in Helsinki. With the anticipation amongst one of the biggest crowds of the festival reaching soaring point, a huge echoing roar greets the band as they enter the stage for what promises to be something special. Unfortunately, I can't tell you what happened next. Not because it was some big secret, but because I honestly can't remember a thing. And that's where the early drinking comes back to haunt you. Apparently it was amazing as to be expected, so I sure as hell hope that drunk me appreciated it.
Is there any real point reviewing Art vs Science? Surely by now everyone knows what to expect. Thousands of thrashing bodies, people on shoulders, and screaming fans yelling the words to every one of their dance anthems that were obviously written specifically for the purpose of music festivals. Yep, that pretty much sums it up. It's still pretty cool to see how far they've come since entering a triple j unearthed comp for Splendour only 3 or so years back. A.I.M. Fire! was a surprising highlight for anyone who cares.
After a quick kip on the grass, it was time to head over and secure a vantage point for festival headliners The Wombats. In true GTM style, the closest we got was about 70m from stage, but heck it didn't even matter. With so many good songs from their past two releases we knew we were in for one hell of a show. And they didn't disappoint. From opener Jump Into the Fog they had the crowd won over with their undeniably infectious brand of indie pop, and when Tokyo (Vampires and Wolves) was drowned out with audience screams and singing, one knew we were witnessing something special. Moving to New York was equally well received, but the astute punter knew they weren't done with yet. From memory it took about the first two chords of Let's Dance to Joy Division for the crowd to absolutely lose it. And I mean lose it. It must have been a sight to behold from up on stage, and you could tell that when the English group looked out at a sea of thousands dancing along and singing every word of their hit song they were truly taken aback. A highlight of the festival no doubt, and a fitting conclusion to a near perfect set.
The honours of closing the Moolin Rouge tent was given Perth MC Drapht, and he more than did it justice. Opening with Sing It (The Life Of Riley) he had the crowd bopping and singing along all the way to a high quality finale consisting of Repunzel and Jimmy Recard. A solid set, and even though I've never been a massive hip-hop fan this bloke sure as hell knows what he is doing.
So there it is. 12 hours of awesome live music condensed into a few measly paragraphs. A bit disappointed to have missed out on Gotye, who by all reports suffered from being up against Art vs Science, but that's the problem with having too many good bands on the one bill. Credit to the organisers who proved last year's doubters wrong (i.e. me), yet you can't help but question whether the festival has the vibe and buzz to keep people coming back year after year. Oh well, judging by the 10,000 satisfied faces wandering the streets of Bendigo, you know they must be doing something right.
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