The first stop for the speeding locomotive known as Groovin The Moo was a ridiculous success. Despite two late international withdrawals – Vic Mensa and Mutemath – the show rolled on and into the odd little rural town of Maitland with two impressive local replacements in What So Not and Jarryd James. The overcast day threw a concoction of elemental surprises our way, but the Groovin goers didn’t seem to mind, beaming with a young tenacity and commitment unlike any other festival crowd. Of course, there were also way too many peaking shirtless men fist-pumping like champs, crowd-surfers and cheeky scaffolding-climbers to keep security extra busy. 2016 was thankfully no such outlier, and we wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Boo Seeka And DZ Deathrays Are Undeniably Legit
During early proceedings, fans and unsuspecting earlier arrivers were treated to a quick one-two punch of Australia’s premium young talents from either end of the musical spectrum – Boo Seeka’s progressive electronic pop offerings and DZ Deathray’s ear-shattering indie punk. Boo Seeka’s unassuming two-mans set-up filled the stage and hearts of a rapidly expanding crowd, bopping and swaying to every warm vocal delivery and contagious synth swell. Crescendoing with their signature track “Deception Bay”, it became immediately clear that this was going to be one of the clear highlights of the day, as an inescapable joy washed over a deliriously belting crowd – “Floating around in Deception Bay / Hold me down / Hold me down“. And like the sure to be impending hangover for a majority of Groovers, DZ Deathray’s exploded onto the stage quickly after, jarring the air with wave after wave of screeching guitars and angry percussion. It was to be the only time death circles were formed all day, and the speed and dexterity at which they were assembled and engaged in was a testament to both the crowds respect for the DZ Deathrays and their ability to orchestrate a little bit of raucous chaos. The future of the local music scene is in very good hands.
Jarryd James Is Still Finding His Feet
“Sell It To Me“, James crooned, his falsetto cracking under the weight of his pleading lyrics. The truth is, Jarryd James is a masterful lyricist and one of Australia’s best singer-songwriters, but his enamouring, self-deprecating stage presence was a little bit of a strange fit for a festival crowd craving energy and confidence. It seems that he’s still finding his feet amidst the live setting, filling in breaks with shy quips noting his own luck to be performing – “I’m sorry if you bought tickets to see Vic Mensa and Mutemath and you got me“. However, when his break out “Do You Remember” arrived, James floated beautifully over the band with his stunning vocal range, and for a moment everyone seemed to forget about the cautious lead-up and fully embraced a truly remarkable display of musicianship. Here’s to hoping James can believe in himself the way his thousands of adoring fans do down the track.
The Rubens Justify Their Hottest 100 Victory
If you picked The Rubens beating out Kendrick Lamar, Drake, or Major Lazer for the number one spot in this year’s Triple J Hottest 100 countdown, you’re probably a witch or warlock. The fact of the matter is, “Hoops” was a surprise sleeper song that everyone quietly appreciated, and their underdog victory serves as a summation of The Rubens continual success – they’re just straight-up great at what they do. The family band stalked the stage with a profuse confidence and swagger, with frontman Sam Margin literally and suitably declaring “The night is on my side“. As they loaded up and fired out hit after hit, it quickly became apparent just how many hits these boys already have up their sleeves; golden single “Hoops” even appeared well before their set ended to an out-of-this-world response. With their underrated anthem “Hallelujah” drawing their night in the spotlight to a close, we were reminded that The Rubens are wholly deserving of every accolade they’ve already tucked under their belts.
We Need Golden Feature’s Debut Album ASAP
Golden Features cemented his ever-growing stature in the electronic music world more than ever last year with a string of sold-out solo performances and blistering festival sets (I’m looking at you, Listen Out). The golden masked maestro blew everyone’s minds with crowd favourites and otherworldly reworks of iconic Aussie dance acts (The Presets), resulting in physical movements previously considered impossible. Aside from his personal bangers, “No One” (featuring Thelma Plum) never disappoints; it was a moment of remix bliss that ignited spiritual reactions from a seriously turned-up tent. Reworking the iconic “Say A Prayer” by Rüfüs and “White Iverson” by Post Malone is no mean feat, but Mr. Features took the core of both, amped up the tempo and weaved original infectious vocals through a volatile environment of synth swells and drum pads. Essentially, Golden Features took us to the throbbing depths of EDM hell and back again.
Alison Wonderland Always Gives 110%
“I’m gonna start early so I can play more shit!“
Alison Wonderland certainly wasn’t mincing her words, kicking off her set almost ten minutes early. It’s within that simple earnest sentiment that Alison Wonderland’s true stage presence and ability as a performer reveals itself. Wonderland was seriously pumped, launching into didactic monologues about creativity in between tracks as she bounced around the stage and on top of her now-signature custom decks. Even with the late evening chill rolling in, Alison kept hearts pumping and hands to the sky with remix after remix, bookending an adept vocal display during “Run” that evolved into a colossal remix of Duke Dumont’s hit “Ocean Drive”. Bursting with staggered, howling synth breakdowns, her “Ocean Drive” re-work came fully alive, eventually ringing in bursts of confetti and smoke. As her sprawling ‘AW’ installation faded to black, a satisying sense of completion fell over Maitland; Alison had managed to squeeze out the last ounce of everyone’s energy. It was a seriously lit way to end one hell of a day.
Here’s our full gallery (photos by Jordan Munns):