Falls Festival - South Fremantle Oval, 4-5th January 2020
Words: Todd Lockley
The annual Fremantle Falls Festival rolled around once again, showing off a lot more skin but a lot less talent than years gone by. The heat was only a minor factor this year, however, judging by the amount of baggies floating around the ground of Fremantle Oval, the kids are not all right! Blame the Electronic music.
Or maybe it's the mumble rappers! In years past, Allday and 88 Rising were fucking awful! Fast forward to 2020 and the "worst act of the weekend" award goes to Playboi Carti and his shithouse set, with every single shithouse song finishing with a machine gun sample spraying across the crowd! Rubbish! If you want hip hop done right, try the local stuff! Baker Boy was much more enjoyable. With live band in tow, he bounced about the main stage with an effervescent smile and a set full of great tracks. Tight rhymes and even tighter dance routines kept the earlier birds entertained and his opener, Black Magic, with Dallas Woods, lit the way for rousing renditions of Mr La Di Da Di and a crowd singalong of Arrested Development's Everyday People - reminding everyone of the energy and talent that greeted the Hilltops at last year's Falls.
Bad//Dreems were solid, Wave Racer could have used a lead singer and Banks was awesome, but never looked like she was enjoying herself. Of the more entertaining acts filling out the midday slots was G Flip - an incredibly talented lady indeed. Flip bounced between vocals, drums and guitar duties, factoring a solid, if not better than the original, performance of Are You Gonna Be My Girl whilst smashing out the vocal and drums. Her elongated drum solo touched on tedious but was made all the more worthwhile with her Phil Collins In The Air Tonight crescendo.
On the rockier side of things were local psychedelic legends The Psychedelic Porn Crumpets. They thoroughly deserved a main stage slot, however made do with their up-for-it crowd at the back stages, wandering through Keen For Kick Ons and other bouncy gems. So much hair and talent, with a bass player who looks more like a roadie, PPC always deliver. Flame haired delight Vera Blue was outstanding! Opening with The Way That You Love Me, she held the audience in the palm of her hand throughout her set, then crushed them with soulful pop during All The Pretty Girls.
Milky Chance bopped away as the sun began to fade on Day 1, producing a real feel good set, polishing it off nicely with modern classic Stolen Dance. On the opposite day, the same could not be said for Dope Lemon. All dressed in mustard dinner suits (a poor choice on a hot Sunday) except for drawling Bob Dylanesque frontman (we don't need to say his name), they were the musical equivalent of a sleeping pill.
Now for the good part. Recently, Falls decided to mix things up and introduce the youngsters to some truly classic rock. In 2018, Daryl Braithwaite sang Horses; the crowd went wild. Last year, Toto smashed out Africa; once again, aforementioned crowd went wild. This year, Falls pulled off a stunner by getting John Farnham to join the tour and it paid dividends! Yep, you guessed, it; the crowd went wild! The chants of "Johnny Fucking Farnham" broke out as soon as Vera Blue exited stage left.
Or maybe it's the mumble rappers! In years past, Allday and 88 Rising were fucking awful! Fast forward to 2020 and the "worst act of the weekend" award goes to Playboi Carti and his shithouse set, with every single shithouse song finishing with a machine gun sample spraying across the crowd! Rubbish! If you want hip hop done right, try the local stuff! Baker Boy was much more enjoyable. With live band in tow, he bounced about the main stage with an effervescent smile and a set full of great tracks. Tight rhymes and even tighter dance routines kept the earlier birds entertained and his opener, Black Magic, with Dallas Woods, lit the way for rousing renditions of Mr La Di Da Di and a crowd singalong of Arrested Development's Everyday People - reminding everyone of the energy and talent that greeted the Hilltops at last year's Falls.
Bad//Dreems were solid, Wave Racer could have used a lead singer and Banks was awesome, but never looked like she was enjoying herself. Of the more entertaining acts filling out the midday slots was G Flip - an incredibly talented lady indeed. Flip bounced between vocals, drums and guitar duties, factoring a solid, if not better than the original, performance of Are You Gonna Be My Girl whilst smashing out the vocal and drums. Her elongated drum solo touched on tedious but was made all the more worthwhile with her Phil Collins In The Air Tonight crescendo.
On the rockier side of things were local psychedelic legends The Psychedelic Porn Crumpets. They thoroughly deserved a main stage slot, however made do with their up-for-it crowd at the back stages, wandering through Keen For Kick Ons and other bouncy gems. So much hair and talent, with a bass player who looks more like a roadie, PPC always deliver. Flame haired delight Vera Blue was outstanding! Opening with The Way That You Love Me, she held the audience in the palm of her hand throughout her set, then crushed them with soulful pop during All The Pretty Girls.
Milky Chance bopped away as the sun began to fade on Day 1, producing a real feel good set, polishing it off nicely with modern classic Stolen Dance. On the opposite day, the same could not be said for Dope Lemon. All dressed in mustard dinner suits (a poor choice on a hot Sunday) except for drawling Bob Dylanesque frontman (we don't need to say his name), they were the musical equivalent of a sleeping pill.
Now for the good part. Recently, Falls decided to mix things up and introduce the youngsters to some truly classic rock. In 2018, Daryl Braithwaite sang Horses; the crowd went wild. Last year, Toto smashed out Africa; once again, aforementioned crowd went wild. This year, Falls pulled off a stunner by getting John Farnham to join the tour and it paid dividends! Yep, you guessed, it; the crowd went wild! The chants of "Johnny Fucking Farnham" broke out as soon as Vera Blue exited stage left.
And The Voice did not disappoint. Kicking off with a cover of Queen's We Will Rock You that rolled into classic banger Age Of Reason, emotions were high within the young crowd, most of whom would not have been alive for the release of career reviving album Whispering Jack. Farnham joked with the crowd and shot finger guns at those lucky enough to catch his eye. The hits were thick and fast with Two Strong Hearts and Take The Pressure down coming in quick succession.
That moment most had waited for since the lineup announcement had finally come; You're The Voice was absolute magic with Farnham grinning from ear to ear as the crowd lapped it up. And as the bagpipes sounded, the crowd just lost their shit! It was a celebration for one of Australia's most iconic, and most deserved, hall of fame rockers. He finished with a nod to AC/DC, making sure that "little bastard" Bon Scott was spinning in his grave during It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock And Roll).
Now, from one of the best, to one who could be the best. Thelma Plum is a main stage performer, with songs that all should hear. However, her live show is a little nervous/anxious, perhaps even bordering on dull at times. In saying that though, opening with Not Angry Anymore and finishing with Better In Blak, Plum's set ranged from mesmerizing, magical, glorious (arguably the best voice in the country) and included stories about each song and even a dig at our horrible PM "The Maggot" Scomo. Kasey Chambers' The Captain is Plumb's favourite song of all time and she does a better job of it than KC. But it was Clumsy Love and, wielding an axe all alone onstage for Nick Cave, where Thelma really shone. Falls should be more about this talent then popping pills to PNAU and Peking Duck - however High was a massive highlight of Falls, seeing the crowd react as the strobing lights showered the kids reaching for the lasers. But seriously kids, put some clothes on and stop popping pills!
Parcels, around the corner on the small side stage, were dope, dropping a tight set with so much poppy goodness and beautiful red lights flashing over them in the blackness of the night sky. "Freo, put your hands in the air!" - Gotta love it when a band knows where they're playing! Unlike Allday, who thought he was in Perth. Fuck Allday! On the same side stage, Yungblud also impressed, with a high energy set filled with power, energy and his own brand of anarchy. With a huge crowd made up mostly of screaming girls, it was a surprise to have him ask for, and get, a moshpit halfway through his set.
Lewis Capaldi was entertaining, but knew exactly why he was there, signing off with "I'm a one hit wonder, and here's my fucking hit" before unleashing Someone You Loved for the biggest cheer of Falls 2020.
Lime Cordiale were fantastic, with familiar hit after familiar hit, backed by some of the finest horns throughout the weekend, perhaps even matching Methyl Ethyl's golden Twilight Driving saxophone part, again from Falls of past. Money sounded fresh and they showed how happy they were to be playing.
Rounding out the best headliners were Vampire Weekend (who the fuck is Halsey anyway?!). They were the perfect way to end Falls Day 1, with their blissful shoe gazer pop, Step, the unpredictable pogo of Cousins and sweet as sugar singalong of Diane Young. They rocked harder than those who don't rock (and there was many of the lineup).
A solid Falls, however the set up this year, putting the Main Stage colliding with the entrance and people staring into the sun most of the day, could be the tweaks needed to make it the best weekend of the summer.
Falls 2020 = 7/10; would definitely Fall again!
That moment most had waited for since the lineup announcement had finally come; You're The Voice was absolute magic with Farnham grinning from ear to ear as the crowd lapped it up. And as the bagpipes sounded, the crowd just lost their shit! It was a celebration for one of Australia's most iconic, and most deserved, hall of fame rockers. He finished with a nod to AC/DC, making sure that "little bastard" Bon Scott was spinning in his grave during It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock And Roll).
Now, from one of the best, to one who could be the best. Thelma Plum is a main stage performer, with songs that all should hear. However, her live show is a little nervous/anxious, perhaps even bordering on dull at times. In saying that though, opening with Not Angry Anymore and finishing with Better In Blak, Plum's set ranged from mesmerizing, magical, glorious (arguably the best voice in the country) and included stories about each song and even a dig at our horrible PM "The Maggot" Scomo. Kasey Chambers' The Captain is Plumb's favourite song of all time and she does a better job of it than KC. But it was Clumsy Love and, wielding an axe all alone onstage for Nick Cave, where Thelma really shone. Falls should be more about this talent then popping pills to PNAU and Peking Duck - however High was a massive highlight of Falls, seeing the crowd react as the strobing lights showered the kids reaching for the lasers. But seriously kids, put some clothes on and stop popping pills!
Parcels, around the corner on the small side stage, were dope, dropping a tight set with so much poppy goodness and beautiful red lights flashing over them in the blackness of the night sky. "Freo, put your hands in the air!" - Gotta love it when a band knows where they're playing! Unlike Allday, who thought he was in Perth. Fuck Allday! On the same side stage, Yungblud also impressed, with a high energy set filled with power, energy and his own brand of anarchy. With a huge crowd made up mostly of screaming girls, it was a surprise to have him ask for, and get, a moshpit halfway through his set.
Lewis Capaldi was entertaining, but knew exactly why he was there, signing off with "I'm a one hit wonder, and here's my fucking hit" before unleashing Someone You Loved for the biggest cheer of Falls 2020.
Lime Cordiale were fantastic, with familiar hit after familiar hit, backed by some of the finest horns throughout the weekend, perhaps even matching Methyl Ethyl's golden Twilight Driving saxophone part, again from Falls of past. Money sounded fresh and they showed how happy they were to be playing.
Rounding out the best headliners were Vampire Weekend (who the fuck is Halsey anyway?!). They were the perfect way to end Falls Day 1, with their blissful shoe gazer pop, Step, the unpredictable pogo of Cousins and sweet as sugar singalong of Diane Young. They rocked harder than those who don't rock (and there was many of the lineup).
A solid Falls, however the set up this year, putting the Main Stage colliding with the entrance and people staring into the sun most of the day, could be the tweaks needed to make it the best weekend of the summer.
Falls 2020 = 7/10; would definitely Fall again!
