Mountain Sounds Festival 2015 Review

Mountain Sounds has everything you could possibly want from a music festival, served with the most perfect of proportions.

With headliner Alison Wonderland and smaller, yet just as incredible acts like Unearthed High finalists Lupa J, amazing sound quality, delicious burrito stands, a party bus decked out with the coolest of DJs, and oh yeah, a stand selling Zooper Doopers, what more could you ask!?

Click here for photos from Mountain Sounds Festival.

Generally speaking, I’m not one for festivals. When I want to see an act, I’ll find out when they’re playing nearby so I can get up close and personal and have 24/7 eye contact with the lead singer… And the guitarist… And the drummer. The point is, I need to feel that shit in my soul. You can only obtain those feeling with intimacy.

That’s why I was so surprised when Mountain Sounds ticked all my boxes. Intimate, yet not so intimate it’s awkward; I would compare the overall crowd like one, big, extended family, moving as a herd from one tent to another. We’d sweat it up in the Nuvo Dance tent, then cool down at the Unicorn Stage where the breeze and the perfect drizzle of rain made us all smell a little less disgusting.

First up at the Unicorn Stage was Ivy (formerly Stolen Memories), a three-piece alternative, rock, blues band from the Central Coast, NSW. I took a seat in what was titled 'Couch Land', made myself ridiculously comfortable, lit a ciggie, and was pleasantly surprised by the talent that awaited – voted the number one unsigned band in Australia via Unsigned Bands recently, Ivy is definitely a band to watch more in the coming months.

I then meandered to the Nuvo Dance stage. Still early in the day, I was one of about 30 in the crowd at this point; if only everyone who came later knew what they were missing when Lupa J aka Imogen Jones performed. Absolutely mindblowing. At 17-years old, Lupa J is a classical violinist turned indie-electronic, singer-songwriter and producer. 2014 saw her selected as a finalist in Triple J's Unearthed High and it made complete sense why. Her tunes were ethereal, her angelic voice combined with synth and violin to create such an exciting beat. God I’m a sucker for a brilliant, female vocalist.

Speaking of brilliant, female vocalists. Next on the Nuvo Dance stage was badass gal East. Another talent emerging from the Central Coast, the 18-year old ripped up the stage with her hit ‘Old Age’ as well as a sick cover of ‘Sober’ by Childish Gambino – with a voice like that this is only the beginning of her career.

LDRU - Image Matt Viesis

The three acts that followed in the Nuvo Tent were what really got the party started, the crowd pouring in and sweating it out to some sweeeeeet drops. Odd Mod ripped up the stage with their cool and nerdy presence with hits like ‘Is it A Banger?’. LDRU kept the arvo alive with beats such as their dirty mix of ‘Bridges’ by Broods; then the one and only, cute-as-hell Tkay Maidza absolutely owned the stage, as always, with all her incredible tracks from ‘Switch Lanes’ to her newly released ‘M.O.B’.

Northeast Party House - Image © Matt Viesis

Ten minutes prior to Northeast Party House playing at the Unicorn Stage I wandered over to be front and centre where I had prime position for maximum droolage over the beautiful men of Northeast. Honestly though, from frontman Zach, to guitarist Jack, or Sean, Mitch or Malcolm… I would have happily taken any one of them home. Shut up... you were all thinking it.


Besides a few, minor technical difficulties and Zach’s rapidly dying voice, the boys still managed to kick ass. The fun they have on stage is infectious – from Zach’s cheeky smile to Jack’s awful, yet stupidly-attractive dance moves, you simply can’t not love them.

Next up was the band I was hanging out all day to see. After poor sound destroyed their set at Byron Bay Falls Festival, I was SO keen to see DZ Deathrays do their thang in a much more intimate setting. And did they do me proud. Hit after hit, I continued to lose myself, yelling along to the band's hits from ‘Reflective Skull’ to 'Dollar Chills' and of course ‘Gina Works At Heart’. The whole crowd was losing their collective minds at this point. While the rain began to pour it was an atmosphere that was one of a kind, never to be replicated.

DZ Deathrays - Image © Matt Viesis

The Griswolds and The Jungle Giants were the next two bands to keep the crowd groovin’. They both showcased incredible sets. The Griswolds played their classic jams as well as a lot of newbies from their debut album, ‘Be Impressive'.

The Griswolds - Image © Matt Viesis

The Jungle Giants were one, giant ball of fun; their songs making us all groove under the moonlight, feeling uninhibited among a family of sweaty, smelly bodies and makeup-less faces.

The Jungle Giants - Image © Matt Viesis

Alison Wonderland was the ULTIMATE finish to the night. As one of her last shows before heading off to Coachella, it’s safe to say we felt privileged to be graced with her presence. She made it worth digging deep for the final hour, finding the energy required to get the most out of her songs.


Smoke machines, confetti explosions, and a pint-sized blonde DJ fuelled by a bottle of Alize was a lethal combination. Her dirty beats had the whole crowd grinding on each other for a full hour till unwillingly we had to call it quits as Mountain Sounds 2015 came to a close.

Alison Wonderland - Image © Matt Viesis

Click here for more photos from the festival.

Written by Jessie Attwood