As revellers set up their campsites next to the idyllic Lorne forest on Saturday afternoon (28 December), the buzz of pre-festival excitement was almost palpable in the air.
It’s likely that no one attending the event expected what would occur within the next 24 hours.After pitching the tent, I arrived in time to catch the last half of A. Swayze & the Ghosts’ set. Although the crowd at the Grand Theatre stage was still relatively small, audience members bobbed along appreciatively to the four-piece’s energetic garage tunes.
During Psychedelic Porn Crumpets’ poppy, fuzzed-out set, the crowd almost quadrupled in size. Audience members rowdily sang along to the chorus of ‘Bill’s Mandolin’, while ‘Keen For Kick Ons?’ featured an impeccable jam of Lenny Kravitz’ iconic riff from ‘Are You Gonna Go My Way’.
I had my reservations about John Farnham being booked for a festival predominantly comprising Gen Z and young millennial punters, thinking the set would be considered an ironic novelty for most attendees.
John Farnham - image © Ian Laidlaw
I was proven wrong within moments of Farnham appearing onstage with his band – the Aussie icon was met with rapturous applause, which only escalated when he launched into an explosive cover of Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’.
The singer’s immense vocal chops haven’t deteriorated the slightest with age. He hit every note effortlessly and showcased his versatile vocal range in classics like ‘Age Of Reason’, ‘Pressure Down’, ‘Every Time You Cry’, ‘Two Strong Hearts’ and ‘That’s Freedom’.
His band were all formidable musicians in their own right and provided a flawless foundation for Farnham’s vocals. Farnsy’s true-blue Aussie charm also appears to be as strong as ever, with the singer throwing plenty of tongue-in-cheek banter between songs.
When the intro to ‘You’re The Voice’ rang out across the jam-packed tent, the response was thunderous. The crowd proceeded to eagerly sing-along to every word, fervently pumping their fists in the air during the chorus. Despite officially being the oldest artist to ever play at Falls Festival, Farnsy can still put on a hell of a show.
By the time Byron Bay electropop expats Parcels took to the stage, evening had fallen and the party was in full swing. The silky smooth sounds of the group ebbed over the audience, who were happily dancing as the band bopped onstage.
Parcels - image © Ian Laidlaw
A highlight of the set was the infectious crowd sing-along to the chorus of the band’s hit single ‘Tieduprightnow’.
Bringing the night’s acts to a close was pop powerhouse Vera Blue. An excellent choice for a nightcap, the crowd swayed to the sounds of her soaring vocals and moody electronic beats. Despite some technical difficulties with both the sound and lighting rigs, the musician’s hypnotic stage presence had the audience engaged for the duration of her set.
The next morning, I lazily woke up around 9:30am to a message from a friend asking me what I was going to do now Falls was cancelled — news to me! Supposedly there had been a wave of furious car horns blaring earlier that morning upon receiving the update.
But where I was positioned, people were quietly packing down tents and marquees and stuffing four days worth of belongings into cars. Interestingly, there wasn’t any communication from organisers at the campsites. People seemed to have found out via word of mouth, the Falls app and social media.
The atmosphere was subdued and utterly bizarre. A large festival cancellation one night after it kicked-off seemed unprecedented, almost unbelievable.
Traffic control on the way out was commendable. Controllers were positioned at the exits and roadside every few kilometres, directing the relentless flow of cars and offering route recommendations. Despite the obvious delays and a slightly nerve-wracking drive down a dusty inland road with low visibility, the traffic wasn’t anywhere near as unbearable as it was entering the site.
The cancellation was a disappointing end to what could’ve been a fantastic four days, based on the success of the first night. However, I commend Falls Festival for prioritising the safety of attendees and handling the evacuation in a well-organised and timely manner.
Several acts – Halsey, Peking Duk and Yungblud among a slew of others – hosted last-minute fundraiser events in Melbourne with all proceeds going to various firefighting organisations. I opted to attend the Bad//Dreems, These New South Whales, Totally Unicorn and Eaglemont benefit show on New Year’s Eve.
In the face of national tragedy, it’s heartening to see musos banding together to support our burning nation.
