The Flemington Racecourse was once again the venue for this years sojourn into the future of music and although that unrelenting summer sky we've all grown to love so much left a couple of punters a little beaten, overall the crowds mood was up for an awesome night.
Walking in to the sounds of The Temper Trap proved to be the perfect introduction to the evening. Although it maybe a few years old (a veritable toddler in indie years) 'Sweet Disposition's' soaring emotion still felt like a perfect moment in time, capturing the spirit of this extended Melbourne summer.
Then it was off to see Dizzee Rascal, now such an Australian festival staple it's surprising he hasn't hit Carl Cox up for the spare couch at his place and just migrated here. Few modern performers own the stage as he does; who else, after working so hard to build the crowd up, would stop mid-song to admonish security's apparent manhandling of a punter?
This got a rousing reception, though it was a little hard to understand how anyone bar those in the very front could actually see what was going on. But as my new best Trev (the friendship solely based on my possession of a lighter at a crucial time) put it:
“I mean, we like Dizzee. If Dizzee says it's not cool, then it's not cool.”
Which neatly summed up the whole set, with the masses dance-running into the crowd so as not to miss the fun of hits like 'Dance Wit Me' and 'Bonkers'. Then it was off again to the nights' main course.
There are a few things I never thought I would get a chance to see in person. The Stone Roses — like an Abyssinian Wolf or the famed Snow Leopard of the Himalayas — was one such thing. That was until tonight. But boy, was the wait worth it. With lead man Ian Brown looking fresh and healthy they stepped right to it with 'I Wanna Be Adored' and we loved them for it. They worked through most of their old stuff, but for me their 11 minute and 49 second treatment of 'Fools Gold' was the best.
Last year, Future Music Festival excelled, bringing in New Order and Die Antwoord. But as great as last year was, this year knocked it out of the park.
