2018 Groovin The Moo Bunbury Review

It’s a glorious day in Bunbury (12 May) with a slight, cool whisper and a hot blast of merciless riffage… but more about those British meteors later.

I’ve missed a few of the sets I wanted to catch, like rising hip hop star Baker Boy (click here to read our review of Baker Boy's recent Perth show) and Vera Blue (click here to read our March interview with Vera).


But there’s a sweet pop lad’s voice echoing across the way as I approach the ticketing gates and I recognise his last song ‘Waves’ – it’s the beautiful melodies of Dean Lewis.

At the Moo Town tent, local beat-seamstress Elise Keddie is stitching together some hefty grooves. Fancy all these homogeneous ‘rebels’ actually following instructions when sampled lyrics tell them to do things with their hands. I bet cops don’t get the same respect.

Surprisingly related to that comment, next I saw N.W.A’s DJ Yella harp on about how “now I’m livin’ in correctional facilities”. There ya go, Gen X, a take home for ya. Now, take your rubbish with you. (I’d like to note that this track, ‘Express Yourself’, does have a great, positive message - until the gun part).

I see a few people carrying their empty cans out through the crowd: oh humanity, my faith is restored for a moment. I realise later it was probably because of the in-built $1 deposit with each can purchased from the bar, that gets refunded with the next purchase.

I wonder what exactly it is I’m hearing on stage to read Portugal. The Man on the programme, looking real keen on sun protection. I guess our delightful Australian weather isn’t for everyone, but their music seems to be (click here to read our review of their Sydney show).

Zambian soul queen Sampa The Great was pretty much as the name implies. Here is a little female empowerment with decency. The Amity Affliction, back over on the Cattleyard stage, with their flamethrowers were suitably on fire. Forgive me for just enjoying guitars for a while, until the reminder later about their bloody superfluousness in a rock outfit.


It’s really clever the way GTM have set up their alternating main stages, so that one is all-ages and the other is in the pig pen, sorry, licensed area, with a huge screen at the back of each showing what’s going on on the other. It also allows for the sound guys and their equipment to be central while in the safety of the all-ages area, with access to both.

The intensity is allowed to ease just a little as we’re weaned off hardcore via the rock of Grinspoon and viral bounce of UK’s Lady Leshurr (pronounced more like ‘leisure’ in the ocker way than any way I imagined Zsa Zsa Gabor emphasising it) and then we’re ready to receive Paul Kelly.


A full band complete with Vika and Linda Bull made it a great thing to behold, from the very beginning of ‘Before Too Long’ to those other big two. You know the ones I mean. My highlight was the Bull ladies busting out in ‘Sweet Guy’.


I scoot over to Moolin Rouge one more time before my plan to assume the position for the drum and bass showdown happening on the mainstage a little later on.

I’m there to catch Aminé, (not anime, dear punter) whose vibrant-coloured but not-obviously-branded merch makes sense once you’ve seen his set, and tour posters. He busts out something about a ‘REDMERCEDES’, and the whole tent is singing along. It’s a new movement, like the vegan brownie I just had.

While he’s still going on about Spice Girls, I head to Moo Town where I amuse myself for a time by stepping on a big freezer bag to see what’s in it, but it’s just full of air like one giant bubble wrap solo project. Casual Connection is on the decks making a similarly-dated reference, sampling ‘Return Of The Mack’. I can’t stay long, buddy, I gotta get a regal transfusion, and I muster myself back across the paddock.


Can females just wear actual clothes from now on? And can we leave people alone about the shoey? Duckwrth came here from LA to duck n weave, with his weave leapin’ round like an Amazon frog in a blender. Can that count as a superfood? He finishes with a brand new banger ‘Fall Back’. He’s got loads of energy and a contagious vibe and does not need to drink out of a shoe, dudes.

After catching Royal Blood’s headline tour in Brisbane days earlier (click here to read the review), I made sure I got a good spot, three from the barrier half an hour before show time.

Their set is the perfect condensation of their headline tour show. This time with leaf-blower antics and Mike building the most tension I’ve ever witnessed about the plugging in of an instrument cable. These two guys on one bass (at a time) and a drum kit are one sensational, sanguineous organism.


Flight Facilities play their boarding announcement and take off for the last main stage duties, as Ball Park Music are in the other hangar, to close out. “Are you waiting… for some kind of meaning?” (from ‘End Times’) invites me to this crowded space of contemplation for all things depressive, loveless and self-servicing (not a typo).

A chick walks past with a bum bag on labelled Tinder; I’ve barely heard anyone talk between songs without profanity; just when I think “I’m out”, they start ‘Exactly How You Are’ (with a casual C-bomb in the first line) and then the strangest thing happens: their set turns into encouragement. What?


In their closing number, ‘Trippin’ The Light Fantastic’, they bang on about being “ready for whatever… I feel a hundred per cent”. Is life just one, big contradiction? I’m so confused: good thing I’m already sitting down.

The park is a mess, there’s a giant ball being tossed around and the music is uplifting. I was ready to say there seems to be more whiney mooing then grooving, but I can’t shake both feelings: I’m disgusted and encouraged. What the actual… I’m out.

Sounds like I gotta re-evaluate myself: how did you do this, Groovin The Moo? What a rodeo.

Flight Facilities are still cracking on for half a song: to infinity and beyond I suppose, to see how many Avengers are left.