Falls Festival 2007

I was making my fourth pilgrimage down to Falls Festival this year and every year when I arrive it really seems I’ve come home again - except I have never remembered it ever being this hot before, not even at night did it cool down at all.

The Saturday night line up wasn’t that spectacular but the one band that did stand out was Jackson Jackson, Harry Angus' of (Cat Empire fame) new band. Their amalgamation of rock, beats, and funky grooves were something to behold. At one stage they had about five dancers on stage and the whole stage was exploding.

The headlining act on the Saturday was Groove Armada who I wasn’t that impressed with - a bit too polished for my liking, don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed pieces of the set, the guest singers they had did a bang up job, but on a whole there was something lacking.

Sunday morning kicked off with a laid back set from blues guitar virtuoso Jeff Lang, his solid grooves had the crowd chilled out and ready for another big day of mayhem that only Falls Festival can conjure up.

Later that afternoon The Herd made their virgin appearance at Falls and they knocked the crowd on the arses! With their political rants and good time beats they had the kids in the palm of their hands.

At this point I have to tip my hat to the security down the front of the main stage. I’ve never witnessed security enjoying the music as much as the fans, they were helpful, with water on hand for the seriously dehydrated crowd and they were dancing and singing just as much as the audience.

My number one pick best act of the festival would have to be Neville Staples Special Beat.

Its only been a few years since Neville resurrected the Specials but he hasn’t lost any of his energy or enthusiasm , he was skankin' dancing and loving every bit of it. He played all the Special classics, 'Message To You Rudy', 'Pressure Drop' and too many others to mention, but about half way through the set he brought out Rankin Roger the original singer of the British Beat, and they sang together the classic 'Mirror In The Bathroom', I’m going to go out on a limb and say on hearing that song would have to be one the best musical highlights of my gig going life.

I don’t know what it was that made that song so good, it's hard to say or describe a perfect moment at a concert, was it the atmosphere? Was it the band or a combination of both, but whatever it was I had one of those moments during Neville’s set.

I was lucky enough to bump into Rankin Roger backstage and try and tell him about the awesome moment I had experienced, but it was late in the afternoon and the beer had kicked in by that stage and I probably came across like some drunken crazed fan.

Another very special highlight of Sunday line up were the serenely beautiful Kev Carmody - he sang about our country, in a way that very few local performers can, invoking a sense of character and honesty. The people in his songs are people of the land, the troubadour’s - the kind of men you would see wandering along the Birdsville track with his heeler on one side and book of poetry in his back pocket. I had only recently been introduced to Kev’s music, but when I did I wondered how is this amazing body of work is not more recognized. He finished his set with the Australian classic 'From Little Things Big things Grow', an amazing song he wrote with Paul Kelly, this song is a perfect example of Kev’s master poetry.

Later on Sunday night Paul Kelly opened his set with the exact same song., Paul Kelly transcends audiences, having been in the business for over 25 years, he appeals to all ages. Mainly due to the universality of his music - he sings about common themes and everyday people in such a simplistic way but with romantic depth that everybody can relate to.

From beginning to end he had the whole crowd singing and at some points, crowd surfing, something I had never witnessed at Paul Kelly gig before. He closed his set with the all time favourite Christmas song 'How To Make Gravy'.

Sunday night finished off with a massive set from the Go Team!, I didn’t really know what to expect, because I hadn’t really heard much of their music before, but from what I heard I really enjoyed, they had a mash up of rock beats and global sounds.

One thing I forgot to mention about the Sunday ‘s set was the magnificent Panics, they played in the sweltering heat to an almost dead crowd, but the ones who did choose to hang around were treated to an a amazing laid back set. Their style has been compared to classic bands like the Go Betweens and the Triffids and the way the Panics are going they are going to be just as revered as those two bands.

Also countrified rockers Whiskey Go Go’s but on a blazing set, with comparisons to Kings Of Leon, the Whiskey’s play to the beat of their own drum. On stage drama’s between the band members didn’t do much to deter away from the killer mix of old school country and modern day rock grooves.

Monday was going to be another killer day in the heat, I could tell when it was about 30 degrees by 10 in the morning but it cooled down slightly in the afternoon.

Regurgatator are the ultimate festival band, they whipped the strung out crowd into a frenzy with their classic hits like 'Blubber Boy' and the all time favourite 'I Sucked A lot Of Cock', a beautiful romantic ballad about corporate whores who will do anything to succeed.

Built To Spill were put a pedestal before they even arrived, but in my opinion they were good, but I think the hype detracted me from the set.

Everybody was waiting fro the headlining act Kings Of Leon, they were playing the coveted midnight slot.

I have never been a big fan of the Kings but tonight they won me over, I always found the lead singer voice a bit on the whiney side, but tonight they kicked it, full band sound with great grooves.

After the Kings of Leon set I wandered off to the Village which was situated about 1km away from the main camp site, anything and everything could happen at he village, there was bizarre performance art to weird burlesque dancers and perfect nightcap to end an awesome day.

I woke up early on the Tuesday morning surprising refreshed, and I headed off early to avoid the crowds.

Another Falls was over for the year, I left sore and hungover and it wouldn’t be Falls festival if I didn’t.

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