BIGSOUND day two was a flurry of variety and fun, with crowds packing out the showcases from the very beginning of the night.
Kuzco kicked off the party at the Black Bear Lodge with her signature genre-blending fusion of jazzy alt-pop with reflections of her Maori heritage. Smooth basslines and groovy keys combined to create a futuristic take on vintage funk, an undeniably cool sound proved in the fact that people were already up and dancing.Kuzco ended the set with a tearful tribute to her late grandmother, particularly emotional as her parents were in the room – the rawness of her feelings was met with sincere sentiment from the audience, and showed a real bonding moment between Kuzco and her fans.
Over at The Outpost, JUNGAJI opened his set with a slow, smooth performance which highlighted his immensely impressive vocal talents.
A First Nations Gu Gu Yalanji songman, JUNGAJI has brought his cultural roots to soul and R&B, creating a very grounded and authentic style with catchy hooks.
CAMINO GOLD played The Prince Consort with engaging authenticity and a sense of refined energy. The four-piece from Newcastle won over the crowd with their fun, boppy surf-rock vibe, with light guitar lines adding dream-pop elements.
Following the recent release of new single 'Champagne & Wine' from their upcoming debut EP of the same name, this gig was a major opportunity for CAMINO GOLD to showcase themselves, and they exceeded expectations.
Coldwave - image © KealiJoan Studios
At The Zoo, post-punk six-piece Coldwave stunned. Their sound is brooding and full-bodied, with noise guitars, blaring horns, rumbling bass, and aggressive drumming – Coldwave are on the right side of 'too much', highlighting all the diversity of true post-punk.
Frontman Harry Evans commanded the crowd with his unbroken stare and captivating stillness, breaking into fits of intense movement resemblant of Ian Curtis. Coldwave would do well in any headlining slot; they will surely be there soon.
Noise-rock band Twine fitted well into the grungy aesthetic of Tomcat, filling the small space with huge walls of sound. The delicate violin lines provided a compelling contrast to the shock of guitars and anguished vocals, and Twine had all the abrasiveness of Sonic Youth with an element of beauty.
In Wonderland, Arrernte four-piece Southeast Desert Metal managed to create all the vitality and energy of a pyro-loaded Metallica set while stood stock-still.
Their songs spoke for them, and needed no embellishment – Southeast Desert Metal killed it, taking metal to its core with thrashing drums, huge riffs, and crazy solos.
Southeast Desert Metal - image © KealiJoan Studios
By contrast, Oscar the Wild rocked The Outpost with their light, frothy, powerhouse indie. They danced between thrashy surf riffs reminiscent of the best of Daddy Issues to gentle harmonies, playing well to the crowd and building hype; the room was filled with boos when they announced their last song.
Back at The Zoo, Ūla's set was a personal highlight, showcasing her individuality, versatility, and authenticity. A lot heavier than her studio sound, she meshed pop vocals with thumping drums and punky guitar.
Her glittery pink outfit and matching hair was amusingly different to her band's casual skater fashion, representing the juxtapositions of her music well.
With beautifully dreamy yet strong vocals, her sweet personality glowed between songs as she offered a heartfelt thanks to the big audience that had gathered and encouraged everyone to dance with her.
Melbourne art-punk group Gut Health shone at Wonderland, their uniquely danceable yet intense sound hugely successful with the packed crowd. Every member of the six-piece brought something different to the jumble of noise, fitting together like a bizarrely shaped funky puzzle.
Oscar the Wild - image © KealiJoan Studios
Things couldn't have been more different upstairs in The Loft, where Elizabeth showcased her signature soft, shimmery, dream-pop sound. Her intimate, moving vocals spoke of love and heartbreak, and her elaborate fashion well represented the glamour of her lyricism.
You don't hear a name like Porpoise Spit very often, and I did the unthinkable and judged the book by its cover by going to see them based on name alone, a gamble which paid off.
Made up of ballad-like singing and thrashing indie, Porpoise Spit put on a fun, engaging performance in Black Bear Lodge, moving the crowd into high spirits and stepping beyond the expected.
Downstairs at Blute's Bar, Foley impressed with vibey, rhythmic pop which had everyone bopping. Their energy was infectious and spread quickly to the crowd, their instrumentation displaying a compelling depth to their sound.
Beckah Amani's set at The Brightside Outdoors was a must-see moment, and she didn't disappoint. Groovy R&B basslines backed Beckah's immense vocal talent, and her enthusiasm and positivity beamed as she had the audience copying her moves: "I just love music!"
Her set shifted from uplifting dancey soul to emotional acoustic tracks, which explored her experiences as a victim of racism as well as preaching self-love, leaving the crowd with a personal insight into her life.
Indoors, Lola Scott slunk across the stage with her grunge-inspired pop, a gripping combination which works extremely well. Acoustic and electric guitars offset each other nicely to create balance, and provided a rich soundscape over which her varied lyricism shone.
Lola Scott - image © KealiJoan Studios
By this point, the Valley was filled with frantic festival goers facing the impassable dilemma of who to go and watch when all the headline slots were booked with class acts, an issue divorcing friendship groups all over.
Sydney trio STUMPS closed The Loft with a raucous set filled with all the fun and variation of classic Britpop; poppy guitar lines, thumping bass and infectiously rhythmic drums.
Running on the spot and committing entirely to the moment, the band's enthusiasm bled into the crowd as they commanded everyone's attention with tracks that opened quietly and introspectively, building into an explosion of noise and lively alt-pop choruses.
Following a tip, I hurried to catch Tjaka's set before the night ended – an unmissable experience. Made up of two Fabila brothers, Geoff and Jake, and their friend Felix from The Dandys, their music is a truly fresh and inspiring blend of hip hop and Indigenous influences.
Felix played guitar with impressively swift fingers, spinning mind-blowing solos over the catchy bass and unique sound of the Didjeribone. The crowd, which had crammed into Tomcat, was indisputably the most lively of the festival so far, following Tjaka's lead and crouching to the floor to spring up and groove on the beat.
The band's tongue in cheek humour and rousing energy left the audience hanging off their every word and wanting for more, reluctant to leave the venue even after the set had run late.
BIGSOUND day two was nothing if not different, with sets from just about every genre hitting hard. Most notable was the range of artists of Indigenous heritage, truly showcasing the freshest acts from all sonic and cultural backgrounds.
