Vanessa Lam
23 May 2017: The sun beamed down on a glitter-clad crowd, who enjoyed more than 12 hours of live music at the Groovin the Moo (GTM) music festival at the University of Canberra.
Returning to The Meadows for its eighth year, the show held on 7 May, was the biggest yet, with 15,000 tickets selling out in record time. This year’s line-up featured over 25 artists from home and around the world including Tash Sultana, Hayden James, The Smith Street Band, PNAU, Dillon Francis, The Wombats, Snakehips, The Darkness and more.
Those who arrived early enjoyed listening to emerging homegrown artists, B Wise, Bec Sandridge, Polographia and Canberra indie four-piece, Slow Turismo, who were the winners of this year’s Triple J Unearthed competition. The band did not let their hometown crowd down and had everyone swaying hypnotised to their groove-based indie rock tracks ‘Falter’, ‘Trying To Be Subtle’ and their latest single ‘You Were Dead’.
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Punters enjoyed more than 12 hours of live music at the Groovin the Moo music festival at the University of Canberra. Photo: Kim Pham.
Meanwhile, across on the Cattleyard stage, Perth band Methyl Ethel treated the growing crowd to songs from their debut LP Everything Is Forgotten including ‘No. 28’, ‘L'Heure des Sorcières’ and their smash hit ‘Ubu’, which had everyone singing along asking “Why you’d you have to go and cut your hair?”
In the Moolin Rogue tent, singer-songwriter Amy Shark hit the stage in a black Adidas tracksuit and had the crowd reminiscing of what it’s like to be young and in love, with her new single ‘Weekends’. She ended her set with her hit ‘Adore’, which reached no. 2 in the 2016 Triple J Hottest 100 with the crowd singing along to every word in perfect harmony, filling the tent with the feeling of complete adoration.
Fashions of the day included Coachella inspired looks and 70s chic, to the ever-popular denim and classic cow onesie with this year’s must have accessory a good dose of glitter.
The free water and market stalls selling ponchos, jackets, accessories and wide brim hats helped festival-goers keep warm and hydrated as the day started to cool down. The Headspace tent also gave people a place to relax, charge their phone, apply sunscreen or print out Instagram photos.
The first international act of the day was raven-haired American singer-songwriter K.Flay, who took to the stage with her music which she describes as “a version of indie hip-hop, mixed with electronics, mixed with me head banging”. Her dark ballads ‘High Enough’, ‘Blood in the Cut’ and ‘FML’ were infectious and had the crowd buzzing for more.
Then it was time for punk rock band Against Me! to turn the rock up playing under a giant pair of black lips. Lead singer and guitarist Laura Jane Grace led the crowd with her head banging skills to songs from their 2016 record Shape Shift With Me.
As the afternoon neared, Sydney songstress Montaigne had everyone entranced with her vocals and energy in Canberra, despite having to cancel yesterday’s set in Bendigo after falling ill. She crooned through her songs including, ‘What You Mean to Me’ and ‘Because I Love You’. The crowd loved her and she loved the crowd, describing the gig as “one of her best sets year”.
The all-ages crowd erupted in cheers as loopologist extraordinaire, Tash Sultana made it on stage, after also pulling out of the Bendigo leg due to illness. Performing on the large stage solo, she was armed with only her guitars, loop pedals and a killer voice. Sultana delivered a breathtaking performance that showed off her multi-tasking talent, weaving her beat boxing and vocalisations together with loops and riffs, resulting in stunning tracks. Hitting all the right notes and high notes, the singer-songwriter drove the crowd wild with her hit tracks ‘Jungle’ and ‘Notion’.
As the sun went down and the cold set in, Brisbane band, The Jungle Giants got the crowd grooving with their indie pop tunes ‘Feel the Way I Do’ and ‘She’s a Riot’, while Germany’s Milky Chance captured the audience with their unique mix of folk, pop and reggae. They performed songs from their ARIA top ten album, Blossom, including ‘Ego’ and crowd favourites ‘Cocoon’ and their 2013 hit song ‘Stolen Dance’.
Despite being four years since PNAU released new music, the Sydney electro duo looked right at home on the Triple J stage and were ready to start the party. The band kicked off their set with a trip back in time with their 2007 tune ‘Wild Strawberries’ and went on to deliver one of the best sets of the day. Frontman Nick Littlemore’s stage presence was infectious, and the light show was a visual delight, mixing an array of gorgeous colours and imagery. The band was then joined on stage by vocalist Kira Divine, for an epic extended version of their summer smash hit ‘Chameleon’. Groovers cut shapes, danced, fist pumped, bounced and sung along to every song like there was no tomorrow. They ended with ‘Embrace’, leaving the crowd was ready for the home stretch.
Over under the big top, George Maple’s attire – a neon bodysuit, silver trench coat and matching boots complimented her smooth vocals and had the crowd hanging on her every word. Next British duo Snakehips took to the stage and had everyone jumping with their electro pop melodies and dusty R&B beats. As the band’s name flickered across the stage in bright blue, they smashed out their hits ‘Cruel’ and ‘Don’t Leave’ and remixes of Bondax and The Weeknd, along with throwbacks to early 2000 hip-hop hits. Duo James Carter and Oliver Lee had the audience captivated by the thudding basslines and swirling synths.
Although the song is about “years of bad nights out”, the biggest cheer of the night was reserved for their closing number and global hit, ‘All My Friends’. Featuring the vocals of Tinashe and Chance the Rapper, the track has become an anthem for partygoers and a sign of a good night. The distinct crooning introduction and classic R&B beats immediately had the crowd wanting more.
The Wombats made a much-anticipated return to the GTM stage, since last appearing at the festival in 2011. They delivered a hugely entertaining set, playing a selection of tracks from their three albums, including ‘Tokyo (Vampires and Wolves)’, ‘Moving to New York’ and ‘Your Body is a Weapon’. The Liverpool trio said they love playing at festivals like GTM as it gives them the chance to visit new places like Canberra and play to people who haven’t heard them before. They ended the set with the song that started it all, ‘Let’s Dance to Joy Division’ proving that “yeah, we’re so happy” with lead singer Matthew Murphy holding up a toy wombat thrown from the crowd Lion King style.
The night ended with music lovers packed in and dancing up a storm with American DJ, Dillon Francis. It was hard not to keep still during his electrifying and contagious set, filled with his hits ‘Anywhere, I Can’t Take It’ and ‘Candy’ and a diverse range remixes from R&B classics including TLC’s ‘No Scrubs’, J-Kwon’s ‘Tipsy’ and Missy Elliott’s ‘Pass That Dutch’ to emo rock with My Chemical Romance’s ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’.
Francis closed the night with Daryl Braithwaite’s Australian classic ‘The Horses’, which sent the crowd wild. Throwing their arms around each other, swaying and singing along to every word, they ended the non-stop day of music on a high.
