Perfect weather greeted hordes of excited festival-goers on Saturday (7 March) for Future Music Festival which, as always, was an absolute mecca of EDM in all its hedonistic glory.
From classic house and techno, to Euro-style beats, hip hop and modern dubstep, there was a little something for all lovers of electronic music.
Click here for more photos from the festival.
BlasterJaxx
The afternoon started around 4pm in the Sunset Club, a so-called ‘exclusive’ area which, in reality, was a cordoned off section of grass that did not fulfil advertised expectations and offered nothing that wasn’t available in the general admission areas. It was from here I watched Dutch DJ/ producer duo Blasterjaxx pump out a bass-heavy set which included a sample of Bon Jovi’s ‘It’s My Life’ being given the Eurobeat treatment. Their performance was somewhat overshadowed by a young woman in the drinks line dropping like a sack of potatoes, but it did give us all the chance to see the quick response, efficiency and skill of on-site medics. Well done and thank you to all those support staff and personnel who helped keep everyone safe and hydrated.Sigma
At the Future Live main stage, British drum & bass duo Sigma shook the audience senseless with real London sub-bass beats spliced with both classic and modern samples, including an upbeat version of Rihanna’s ‘Diamonds’. Along with a live drummer, DJ and keyboardist they whipped the crowd into a lather and had me hooked with ‘Nobody To Love’, a song that proves there is still soul in EDM.Timmy Trumpet
I can’t say I know any of his songs but what I can say about this truly talented Sydney musician/ producer’s show is this: saw him, loved him and I would definitely see him again. If a good time and upbeat modern dance with a trumpety-twist is your thing, Timmy Trumpet is your man.
Timmy Trumpet - Image © Lachlan Douglas
Hilltop Hoods
Having seen the kings of Aussie hip hop on their last jaunt to Brisbane it initially seemed redundant to double-up but then again, it’s Hilltop Hoods and I’m pretty sure passing on them live may actually count as treason here. If it doesn’t, it damn well should because these guys are just awesome and right in their element on stage, bringing all the fun of a house party to a massive arena. Accompanied by a live horns section and Plutonic Lab (of Muph & Plutonic) on drums, MCs Suffa and Pressure and DJ Debris kicked things into high gear straight up with ‘Chase That Feeling’ and ‘I Love It’. Compared to their headline show earlier this year, Suffa and Pressure were much more playful onstage, engaging in funny banter and chatting with the crowd. They may be Aussie hip hop royalty but dressed in camo shorts, plain t-shirts and low-cut Adidas, the Hilltops still come across as down-home boys from the ‘burbs. Instead of polluting the air with egotistical rants like some rappers are wont to, they fill it with love and an all-encompassing good-time atmosphere. Also on the setlist was ‘The Nosebleed Section’, a song which Suffa says they get death threats if they don’t play it, as well as tracks from their latest album, including ‘Cosby Sweater’. It’s always a pleasure to party with Hilltop Hoods.
Hilltop Hoods - Image © Lachlan Douglas
Carnage
Unfortunately, I arrived at the industrial wasteland-themed Futuredome tent just in time to hear Carnage yell, “thank you Brisbane, good night” before jets of smoke burst from the stage and the sweaty crowd dispersed. From the adrenalised looks on exhausted faces, I could tell the Guatemalan DJ had put on one hell of a show; bummer.Martin Garrix
This Dutch DJ/ producer, previously unknown to me, put on an explosive dance set. Seriously, he had flames and fireworks and it was freaking awesome. With big, bass sounds and modulated melodies he created an almost religious experience with the crowd his obedient apostles who danced, screamed and jumped at his every command. When huge, orange flames leapt into the sky I could feel their heat all the way back at the front-of-house mixing desk. There wasn’t much to do except enjoy the party as the last of the sun dipped and darkness crept over the racecourse, pre-empting a massive evening of EDM.
Martin Garrix - Image © Lachlan Douglas
Nero
This was a big show as the crowd packed into the hot marquee for an electrifying performance from one of the biggest names in dub-rock. As the duo bobbed in the shadows and delivered a non-stop mix of thumping mash-ups and classics, the mass of rabid ravers showed the London natives why Australian dance audiences are considered some of the hardest in the world. I thought the party was in full-swing until they let dancefloor favourite ‘Promises’ off the leash, at which point their fans erupted and there was no choice except to join in or get out of the way.Example
The UK rapper was actually a really refreshing surprise at a festival like Future. Combining EDM with hip hop, R&B and a dash of rock, Example puts on a top-notch performance that is more akin to an old-fashioned dancehall show than an all-day rave on a race track. With a live band that included guitar, bass, drums and keys he generated a great live-vibe which was a lot like being brought into a warm, electronic hug. There was more than a little love in the air as he crooned and rapped tracks like ‘All The Wrong Places’ and ‘Perfect Replacement’, rounded out with dirty, driving basslines that kept the crowd dancing into the evening. Calling Brisbane his second home, Example’s also a great showman, chatting to the crowd and psyching them up to fever pitch before cooling them down with a call for a group hug. Awww.
Example - Image © Lachlan Douglas
Die Antwoord
In a Scenestr article back in December, I wrote about the controversy surrounding whether or not Die Antwoord is a ‘real band’ and how most fans don’t care and simply choose to enjoy their music; after seeing them live, I definitely fall into this category. The South African rave-rappers are simply phenomenal to witness in person and lived up to every bit of hype that preceded their appearance. The show opened with a grim man’s face broadcast on screens behind and to both sides of stage, imagery reminiscent of Michael Radford’s film adaptation of ‘1984’. DJ Hi-Tek came on stage for a quick mix, followed by Ninja and Yo-Landi, all three dressed in oversize, orange-hooded tracksuits for opener ‘Fok Julle Naaiers’, the infamous song which caused their spilt from Interscope Records. The tracksuits came off and the next hour was non-stop Zef-style, in-your-face attitude as they belted out ‘Cookie Thumper’, ‘Ugly boy’, ‘Fatty Boom Boom’ and ‘Pitbull’. Yo-Landi exuded her unique pixie sex appeal, strutting her stuff in a range of Zef-inspired fashion, including high-waisted red short shorts, shiny gold leggings and skimpy halter tops. Ninja was also in top form, gyrating and dancing in a selection of boxer shorts with his characteristic sneer and swagger. They really seemed to enjoy their time in Australia, evidenced by Yo-Landi’s rallying national cry of ‘Aussie, Aussie, Aussie’ and how each of them donned Aussie-themed clothes: Yo-Landi chose a hooded ‘AUS’ sports jumper while Ninja opted for Southern Cross boxers where the Federation Star was replaced by a pot leaf. Tongue-in-cheek? Definitely; offensive? Hardly, and if you’re going to be that sensitive, best you avoid Die Antwoord completely. As Interscope Records found out the hard way, Die Antwoord are not a band to mess with and easily my number one pick for Future 15; bloody tops.
Die Antwoord - Image © Lachlan Douglas
Sven Vath
Tucked in a corner towards the front of Doomben Racecourse, away from the bright lights and big sounds of the main stages, something truly amazing was happening for fans of the classic Ibiza sound. Frankfurt’s legendary techno DJ and world-leading master of his art, Sven Vath was hosting an intimate Cocoon set for a small but dense crowd packed tightly around the stage. Mixing live and hand-selecting records, Vath was spinning a fairly chilled set when I got there, bringing a little slice of Ibiza down under. The entranced crowd moved and swayed in unison to the pulsing rhythms while a select few were chosen to dance among the rainforest-themed set onstage, complete with palm trees and misty groundcover. It was a nice, surreal experience before getting back to the Supernova main stage for one of the big drawcards for this year’s festival.Avicii
The crowd seemed pretty evenly split at this point between the two main stages for Avicii and Drake who played simultaneously; choices had to be made and Avicii won the toss. A triumphant gospel-inflected string and choir introduced the Swedish DJ to the stage, followed by an elegant piano phrase. On the massive screens around the stage, a spectacular POV shot of flying over snow-capped mountains appeared and the piano segued into ‘A Better Day’. It was a mammoth set from the Swede who put on a true EDM spectacular which included hits: ‘You Make Me’, ‘The Days’ and ‘The Nights’, along with perfectly-timed pyrotechnics which shot fireworks, confetti and streamers in synchronicity with the hectic beats.The Prodigy
The Prodigy have become a staple act for Future Music but are still such an incredible joy to see onstage, especially since I hadn’t had the chance to see them up until now. Prior to them coming on, we were informed Maxim was unable to attend due to an unspecified personal tragedy so first of all, all the best to Maxim at this time. Co-vocalist and certified wild man, Keith Flint bravely took the reins solo and along with drummer and guitarist, put on the same high-calibre performance we’ve come to expect from The Prodigy. It was a shame not to witness them in their full glory with both frontmen at the helm but still the show was second-to-none. Opening with ‘Nasty’, the single from their new album ‘The Day Is My Enemy’, they quickly jumped back to their '90s heyday with ‘Breathe’ and ‘Firestarter’, as well as ‘Omen’ from their 2009 ‘Invaders Must Die’ record. They played both old and new stuff but it didn’t matter either way as the raging crowd loved every minute of their wild and animalistic performance. Really, there could have been no better way to top off a day of world-class EDM than partying down with the best in the business.
The Prodigy - Image © Lachlan Douglas
Click here for more photos from the festival.
Aside from the main stages there were lots of other great things to see, hear and do. Dotted around the site near the rides and food stalls were smaller stages such as The Island and The Met which hosted various DJs and MCs throughout the afternoon and into the evening, such as Oh-J vs Della, Coolhand Luke and GLDNSMK.
There was also the ever-popular Foam-a-Rama where punters in need of a cooling break from the larger stages came to dance to popular live mixes from artists like Vigilanti, Flash, Insinnity and CTRL ALT DEL while being doused in sudsy foam shot from cannons; there was music, dancing and bubbles, what’s not to enjoy about that?
Image © Lachlan Douglas
When all else failed, all you had to do was find a nice patch of grass and enjoy watching a colourful and diverse cross-section of subcultures having the time of their lives. All in all, it was another great round of world-class electronic music and hip hop from the good folks at Future Music who never fail to bring some of the biggest names together for an out-of-this-world, one-day EDM extravaganza.
Image © Lachlan Douglas
It will be exciting to see what they have planned for us next year.
