Gig Watch : Queenscliff Music Festival 2009

Queenscliff Music Festival 2009

There is something magical about the build up to and actual experience of a festival. When it comes to festivals, it’s a unique time where there’s just a special kind of electricity in the air that makes everything whimsical, fun and enjoyable. Now, I don’t know what exactly causes this phenomenon- you probably have to ask a quantum physicist, theologist, or perhaps even Andrew G - but I do however look forward to these feelings and experiences each year, during the lead up to festival season, and when I was at the Queenscliff Music Festival, it was no different.

Though the weather on the day was bleak, overcast and drizzly, that did not stop the crowds turning out for some good, old-fashioned family fun (and no, I'm not referring to the 1991 John Travolta movie Look Who’s Talking : that came later.)

Kicking off the afternoon’s entertainment for me was the powerhouse country trio of beautiful sisters The McClymonts, who delivered a great set, some good banter, and, on a personal level, made me appreciate country music for the first time in my life. They were a pleasant surprise, and a really great way to start the festival.

Next up was another first for me, as I partook in a concert on a train, on the Queenscliff Music Festival Express, which departed from the nearby station every hour, and had four artists performing in four different carriages. I was in the carriage with a talented young blues artist named Simon Phillips, who entertained his crowd with an acoustic set whilst we travelled up and down the coast of the peninsula; it was a great, chilled-out experience.

As twilight settled around the festival, the bar was set early for the evening's performances; for on the main stage; nicknamed the Lighthouse Stage, was the Australian reincarnation of Johnny Cash himself, Dan Sultan. Performing hits off his new album Get Out While You Can, which was recently featured on Triple J, Dan entertained the crowded with his high voltage country/blues/rock explosion of music, and very saucy dance moves; set highlights included the awesome current single Letter, and the ode to both his old and my current home, Old Fitzroy.

Little Birdy were next up on the Lighthouse stage and they gave a solid performance, fresh off the back of their hectic touring schedule, yet still delivering to the crowd a high calibre set filled with the popular sing-alongs off their first two albums (really, who doesn’t sing their heart out to Come On Come On and You're Beautiful?) as well as a taste of the southernblues-inspired style of current album, Confetti.

Over to the Fishnets Stage next for one of my highlights of the festival, local rock outfit Black Market Rhythm Co. After deciding to check them out on a hunch, I was quickly rewarded, for as soon as I arrived at the stage I was blown away by the quality of sound, stage presence, talent and personality of the band. Even though I had never heard of them before, all their songs had very familiar aspects to them, and the whole set felt like a giant party; if I can offer you one piece of advice in this article, then it's to check Black Market Rhythm Co. out for yourself.

Closing out the night on the Lighthouse stage was Reggae music royalty, The Original Wailers. Featuring members of Bob Marley’s legendary band The Wailers, Earl ‘Way’ Lindo on keyboards, Al Anderson on guitar and Junior Marvin, as lead vocalist and guitarist. Performing the classic Exodus album in full, The Wailers delivered an amazing performance, emitting a positive energy out into the crowd for the entire duration of their set, one which enraptured every member of the audience and brought us all just a little bit closer together, it really was a great way to finish the night.

The second day of the festival proved to be a much more weather-friendly day, with sunny skies and a pleasant warm breeze blowing in off the waters of Queenscliff, the perfect environment to enjoy the musical acts on display this fine day. First up for the morning was a very sleep-deprived Whitley, who, despite his weariness, gave what he could to the performance and had a lot of comedic material, which he used to entertain the crowd in-between songs, highlights for me in his set had to be the killer songs of his new album, Head First Down and Poison in our Pocket.

Rocking the Lighthouse stage next up was 2009’s award winning darling of the rock scene Bertie Blackman. Backed by a full band, Bertie was quick to get the punters up on their feet, nodding their headings and moving their legs, a pretty good effort for a midday on a Sunday; song-wise the stand outs for me in her set were the tribal-influenced tracks Thump, Birds of Prey and Black Cats.

Triple J’s Unearthed High 2009 winners Howl were next on the must-see list, performing on the Freeza stage, The Shed. I arrived in time to catch the end of Howl’s set, which included their winning track Blackout. I must say that as a band Howl impressed me, both in regards to their talent and musicianship.

Rushing back over to the Lighthouse stage I was getting really excited, for you see the band that I most want to see at this festival were just about to start, The Veils [pictured]. Fronted by the very talented Finn Andrews, The Veils are renowned for their emotional intensity and haunting stage presence, a reputation that they did not fail to uphold. Creating the kind of music that sweeps inside your soul and fills you up, Andrews looked like a possessed preacher up on stage, letting the music take him over and not relaxing until it was all let out, it was an amazing performance, and I enjoyed every second of it.

After a quick lunch break to sample Queenscliff’s award-winning meat pie, I made a beeline back to the Lighthouse stage one last time, for the closing act of the Festival, which was the legend that is Tim Finn. Just after I’d secured a prime position front centre of the stage, Tim came out to perform for the massive crowd, playing a mixture of hits from Split Endz, (Six Months on a Leaky Boat) Crowded House (Weather With You) and his own solo career, so it was needless to say that Tim had already won over the crowd before he began.

Throughout the set there was a great vibe in the audience as people from all different ages and walks of life came together to just have a good time, and the ambience was added to by a young kid with a bubble machine who was blowing bubbles out over the crowd and the stage, it truly was a fitting end to a great festival.

Brought To You By The Dwarf