Queenscliff Music Festival 
Queenscliff, Victoria
22 - 24 November 2013

The Melbourne Ska Orchestra - Photo by Tony Proudfoot.

Let me say this straight off the bat. I love Queenscliff Music Festival. I’ve been more years than not over the last decade and have attended with friends in their 30s, 40s and 50s; with teenagers; and friends who’ve brought their toddlers along. The festival always hosts such a wide variety of acts that there’s literally something for everyone with most genres represented. I’ve always found the festival to be a great place to see some bands I know and love, some acts I’ve never heard of, a few who’ve come out of the woodwork after years (or decades) away, others I’m keen on and haven’t yet seen live, and some acts of genres I don’t normally seek out (each year I seem to manage to see a really good blues band). There’s also a good mix of big stages and intimate settings, and (crucial to an enjoyable festival experience), you never miss an act because you’re waiting in a cue for food/drinks/toilets/merch.

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Zach Hamilton-Reeves (Northeast Party House) - Photo by Tony Proudfoot.

Day 1 Highlights - Chance Waters, Russell Morris, Northeast Party House

As I approached the Lighthouse Stage (the festival’s massive 4 king-pole tent), Sydney artist Chance Waters was knocking out a cover of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know”, which struck me as an odd choice, given how overplayed it’s been. That said, his set was really good. Elements of hip hop, pop hooks and a good vibe with violin and banjo thrown in on some songs. With the addition of a full drum kit this would have really ramped up a few notches.

Each year the festival seems to host an older statesmen/troubadour (Colin Hay was fantastic in 2010) and this year Russell Morris ably delivered. His bluesy rock songs were interspersed with good stories and the material from his recent album Sharkmouth was particularly strong. Some of his band members would have have been toddlers (if they were even born) when his 1969 hit “The Real Thing” was released but they played it beautifully and it was well received by the crowd.

Melbourne  6 piece Northeast Party House were the other highlight of Day 1. Singer Zach Hamilton-Reeves was on crutches but still managed to put on a great performance and they had the crowd jumping in the Lighthouse Stage by the time I got there. “Pascal Cavalier” was a highlight of their set. Their style of alternative dance rock is really catchy and they’re definitely one of my finds of the festival.

Day 1 – Notable Mentions 

The Frowning Clouds’ brand of jangly 60s guitar pop has an infectious quality to it on their recordings which didn’t quite come across live. Something about the mix stopped the vocals from sitting comfortably within the band's retro sound which they do on record. Despite that, I left their gig still convinced they’ve got a good thing going on.

The first of many sizeable bands I saw over the weekend, Blue King Brown were the last act I caught on Day 1 on the festival . Fronted by Natalie Pa’apa’a, the 9 or 10 piece outfit delivered a tight set of urban roots, unsurprising given their international tours in the last few years. 

 

Day 2 Highlights- The Brow Horn Orchestra, Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk 

Perth 5 piece The Brow Horn Orchestra were one of the highest energy acts I saw all weekend. The singer sweated profusely throughout the set and his passion was really contagious. Featuring trumpet, trombone, guitar, drums, keys and vocals (including some rapping), their show was really fun and I’d recommend catching them if you get the chance. 

 

Natalie Pa'apa'a of Blue King Brown - Photo by Tony Proudfoot.

The Brow Horn Orchestra - Photo by Tony Proudfoot

Avid readers of this site will know I loved the Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk album launch show in August and Chris and Diamond Dave certainly delivered in the Pelican Bar on Saturday. Chris jumped off the stage and climbed over the barrier to sidle up to audience members with his usual swagger and suggestive looks. The fact he had to hand his microphone to the stage tech and run around the side to get back on the stage (singing loudly all the while) just added to the atmosphere. 

Chris Russell (Chris Russell's Chicken Walk) - Photo by Tony Proudfoot

Nkechi Anele (Saskwatch). Photo by Tony Proudfoot

Kram from Spiderbait. Photo by Tony Proudfoot.

 

Day 2 Notable Mentions: Saskwatch, Sticky Fingers, Spiderbait, The Murlocs.

9 piece outfit Saskwatch’s set included covers of Little Red’s “Coca Cola” and “Kids” by Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue plus many other tracks from their “Leave It All Behind” release. With 9 members there’s plenty to take in and singer Nkechi Anele’s presence and dancing are enough to get anyone moving. 

Sticky Fingers’ audience was made up of teenagers and twenty-somethings who knew all the words. I only caught the last couple of songs and left wishing I’d seen more of their set.

Spiderbait’s set mostly consisted of tracks from their new self titled album, with a bunch of old favourites thrown in, their widely adored cover of the 20th century African-American work song, “Black Betty” included. One of my faves from their new album “It’s Beautiful” was a highlight of the newer material.

 

The Murlocs’ singer and harmonica player, Ambrose Smith (son of The Dingoes’ founding member Broderick Smith) opened their set by saying “this is the first time we’ve played sober in a while, at least for me anyway” at which point I started wondering how much drinking he could possibly have fitted into his seemingly few years. They may look young, but The Murlocs create the kind of bluesy rock usually made by older, seasoned musos, and they do it well. Smith’s harmonica playing and unusual voice give the band a point of difference. Have a listen to my favourite tracks “Space Cadet” and “Rattle the Chain” and you’ll see what I mean. 

Day 3
Highlights: Pez, Melody Pool, Underground Lovers.

Hip Hop artist Pez was one of the first acts I saw on the Sunday and his show was a great way to kick things off. He was joined by vocalist Hailey Cramer and Benny B2 on the decks and backing vocals. Pez had loads of presence as he chatted to the audience between songs. Highlights were “The Festival Song”, “The Game” and his take on the Arrested Development version of “Everyday People”. 

 

The only gig I managed to catch outside the festival site for the whole weekend was Melody Pool’s set in the sunny courtyard at Lombardy’s on Hesse. Playing acoustic guitar and singing, she was much more captivating than a number of the bigger bands I saw over the weekend. Her sound is reminiscent of Once I Was An Eagle era Laura Marling, with some Blue era Joni Mitchell guitar work thrown in. Like Marling and Mitchell she also has astounding insight for someone so young. I came home with a copy of her album The Hurting Scene which she recorded in Nashville last year and it doesn’t disappoint. 

I revisited my love of Underground Lovers earlier this year when they released their stellar reformation album Weekend and I caught their album launch at The Corner Hotel. Undies’ singer Vincent Giarrusso opened the show at the Hippos Stage by saying there was too much space on the stage so anyone who joined them up there and danced for at least 5 songs would take home a copy of Weekend on vinyl.  By the end of the gig the stage was filled with dancers earning their vinyl. It was a great ploy – a number of the band members are pretty introverted as far as performers go – and it set the tone for the rest of the audience to immerse themselves in the music. Highlights for me were “Au Pair” and “Haunted (Acedia)” from  Weekend and old favourites “Dream it Down” and “Las Vegas”.  Underground Lovers’ show was the highlight of the festival for me and left me feeling elated with a high that lasted the rest of the day.

Melody Pool. Photo by Tony Proudfoot.

 

 

Vincent Giarrusso (Underground Lovers) and audience members. Photo by Tony Proudfoot

Noteable mentions: The Basics, King of the North, Eagle and the Worm

The Basics (yes, this is Wally “Gotye” De Backer’s other band) punched out a mixture of big rock numbers and more mellow songs with a couple of covers thrown in. The trio all sang and their sound struck me as inherently Australian. There was something a little goofy about them – they’d played a wedding the night before and I sort of felt like I was watching my mates play and they were having a ball. 

Having caught King of the North deliver a blistering rendition of Midnight Oils’ “King of the Mountain” on Saturday, I was curious enough to catch part of their set (even though it clashed with my beloved Underground Lovers). The guitarist had one of the chunkiest guitar sounds I think I’ve ever heard and the hard rock duo played a seriously loud set which had grandmothers dancing, middle aged parents encouraging their pre-teen kids to get into it, and a whole lot of people just watching, gobsmacked.  

The last song I caught of the festival was the rollicking retro folk number “Futureman” by Eagle and the Worm. Despite enjoying my first laze on the grass in the sun for the weekend (the weather hadn’t been kind), I couldn’t resist getting up for a dance to this track and it was the perfect way to end the weekend. 

All in all, my takeaway of the festival this year was that I spent too much time in the big venues and didn’t catch enough intimate shows. There were just so many acts I wanted to see on the larger stages that there never seemed to be a gap in the schedule to go into the venues in the main street of Queenscliff. There’s a pretty big upside to that though – I saw heaps of different acts including some I know and love and others I was very glad to come across. I’ll definitely be back next year. 

Lex Cran

 

Wally De Backer (The Basics). Photo by Tony Proudfoot.

Danny Leo (King of the North). Photo by Tony Proudfoot.