I had been keen for many a year to check out the hoo-ha that is The Falls Festival, so thanks to FasterLouder, off I headed down to Lorne, Victoria - along the picturesque Great Ocean Road – Victoria. Departing Sydney in the early hours of the morning and leaving the rain and grizzly weather behind me, to arrive (thankfully!) to beautiful sunshine and the predicted weather of clear skies and warmth.
 
Meeting up with the FasterLouder official photographer, our first objective of the day was to negotiate our way up into the hills and find the best camping spot. After meeting our first challenge – pitching the damn tent - it was off to follow the sound of the music streaming through the trees.

The site is set in an amazing place, a rather small area with two main stages, one being in a natural amphitheatre called The Valley Stage, while the other – on top of the hill – The Big Top. The seven camping areas surrounding the site, makes you the feel quite really homely.

Armed with my list of bands to see - a rather gruelling schedule – I headed off to check out Kiwi-bred Betchadupa. The four-piece came on loud, sparkly and had the fresh punters dancing around. I was quite surprised at how much I actually knew of their material.

It also happened to be beer o’clock, so the search for sustenance was on. This proved to be much more of a task than first expected, as they were still setting up the VIP area and I was stuck waiting in the very long snaked queue for tokens for us!

Finally, with beverage in hand, I meandered past Dakota Star at the Valley Stage, which – according to my partner-in-crime - sounded like a band in a rehearsal room. The Beautiful Girls proved a lovely way to start off the afternoon with their foxy blend of roots, reggae and blues. The charming local three-piece, who asked if we minded if they played a little reggae, created a very happy vibe, each song starting with the crowd’s hands in the air.

It was time to move on to some high energy rock, so a visit to The Big Top to watch The Cops who provided just that. Tight, rockin’ fun and full of energy, the band played to the sunburnt punters… and main-man, Cartel, sure loves his cowbell. Wandering around The Falls it was plain to see that the crowd was a generally happy, relaxed one. The crowd was also pretty young, which was great to see – lots of top local music support happening there!

After a quick glance at my roster it was time for Butterfingers at The Big Top, a welcome break from the mid afternoon sun. Everyone’s favourite Yo Mama had the crowd singing and jumping around. I dig the way the group are unashamed to bring an Aussie accent into their mix of hip-hop, dub, rock and pink, from one hit to the other – Snatch and Grab! - and encouraged crowd participation to fill in the words of Everytime Keeping with the eclectic line-up. 

Billy Bragg was my next stop, with a much smaller however loyal crowd, though it seemed he was relatively unknown to the younger members of the crowd. It had clouded over for a moment, and Billy bragged that he’d ”brought some English shade”, and that we shouldn’t worry, that the sun will come out again soon. It did, along with some of his best known material, and his ever-present political slant. The events in Asia and the plight of refugees was a hot topic for many artists and especially for Billy Bragg, his T-shirt blazoned with ‘Justice for Refugees- Your Human Rights Record is What You Are Judged By’. He pulled out some well known tunes such as Sexuality and Accident Waiting to Happen, which he dedicated to John Howard.

Next was one of the many treks up to The Big Top, on the top of the hill, for a rockin’ set from Rocket Science, complete with their trademark keyboards, Theremin and unique moves of lead Roman Tucker. I just can’t seem to get enough of these guys live! Eternal Holiday even had kids up and dancing. 

Following a short break for food, we came out of the Big Top to find a sea of hands in the air in the Valley, getting down to The Cat Empire complete with a horn section. After the dinner stop, it was to see Melbourne pop rock lads Even playing some new stuff from their upcoming album. It was easy to see why these guys have been going strong for 10 years, with their well defined sound. Even were easily one of my favourite bands of the festival.

Next, I watched one of the other international acts, Chicago-based Veruca Salt with their heavily produced sound, power riffs. Seether added more punters to the moshpit! I didn’t find the band very engaging, but many others didn’t share my view. The crowd was certainly up for it, as were the band whom have had a long break from the touring circuit.
 
For some Aussie action, You Am I came next on the list. They played one of the better sets of the day, and it was easy to see why this band is at the top of the Australian rock acts. After not having seen them in a long while, I was eager to catch them here, and although these guys have been going for years, they still know how to rock! Radio had the crowd bumping along, with Berlin Chair an obvious crowd favourite to sing along to. It appeared that many others shared our sentiment, because it seemed that everyone at Falls was watching You Am I!

John Butler Trio ushered us into the evening…wow, did they draw a massive crowd. The bright young things called out John’s name, making it easy to see who they had come to see. Treat Your Mama, Peaches and Cream and Better Man had everyone singing along. It was a sight to see and hear.

The last act for the first day before the weary head of this reviewer hit the hay, was The Living End. The second song in, West End Riot, almost caused its own riot, the hill being a sea of people. From a band that doesn’t know how to rest, they whipped the crowd into a frenzy with favourites such as Save the Day, Tabloid Magazine and All Torn Down. The band looking very smart in their black suits, put in an energetic show which left me to wander up to the Chillout Cinema to watch a little of Donnie Darko, rather fittingly.

It wasn’t long before I couldn’t stop yawning and it was a quick mini bus ride to our surprisingly still standing tent, complete with many blankets to soften the blow.

Due to the lack of showers, a reality trip into the beach side town of Lorne was in order. After a tasty coffee and hearty breakfast it was time to throw myself into the ocean to cleanse. More used to a temperate climate of Sydney and Northern NSW, I wasn’t in the water long before a chill set in. Feeling thoroughly clean and refreshed we headed back to the Festival, and so began the second day.

I had been waiting eagerly all morning to see The Spazzys. These chicks ROCK. Even though Lucy Spazzy, on bass guitar, had an injured hand, it didn’t hamper or put a dampener on the set. Temporary Spazzy member Squiz stepped up to the plate, with Lucy cranking out her usual vocals. The band sent the Falls wild with their well known numbers Gabba Gabba, Paco Doesn’t Love Me and Hey Hey Baby. It wasn’t long before the hose was out and cooling off the crowd as well as Lucy, when she jumped off stage to get some of that action. That’s what I love about the band – they always seem so stoked to play, and have heaps of fun.
 
All that excitement over, it was a bit of a relax before the lads from Western Australia, The Panics came on at The Valley Stage. I loved their set - it was cruisey and just what I needed. After a brisk walk up the hill to The Big Top I could hear laughter, which could only mean that Greg Fleet was in full flight. He’d packed the place out – a far cry from the first time I saw him with only 20 or so other people!

The next five hours until countdown to the New Year, was going to be bands back to back. The Thrills seemed confused by greeting us with “Good Afternoon Queensland, we are The Thrills”... for a moment there I wasn’t sure what state I had, in fact, travelled to. They played solidly. You could see who was on next, due to the set up of a musical “station” that was to be where the solo multi-instrumentalist Xavier Rudd was to be. I just can’t believe how many instruments this man plays, sometimes at once, including slide guitar, didgeridoo, stomp box, harmonica, slit drum, djembe, shakers, slide banjo and Aztec drum. This was an almost spiritual type set, with the effect it seemed to have on his many fans that turned out. It seemed he could do no wrong, especially when he played such favourites such as Let Me Be, and a stunning cover of Bob Marley’s’ No Woman No Cry. Although it was a sight, and I do enjoy his music, I can’t help but think it all sounded a little same-ish.

I could barely contain my joy at the sight of Spiderbait coming to the Valley Stage. The sun had pretty much sunk and the stage lights were going ballistic, much like Kram, Whitt and Janet, as they cranked up the crowd from their Rudd slumber. It wasn’t long before the pit was going crazy, the sound was just awesome, but I may be biased, as a huge fan of Spiderbait. One of the qualities that I admire about the band, is that their live show is just that – never totally true to the CD – yet so full of energy and killer rock riffs. Pulling out Take Me Back Old Man Sam and ending with Black Betty, which set us up, ready for more.

I wandered out from the bar to find the whole mountain awash with hands in the air, punters listening and participating with one of the greatest rap groups of the late ‘80s, De La Soul. These three guys showed us that they still had what it takes…and I couldn’t see a still person in the place.

It was The Black Keys that were to usher us into the New Year, with their dirty blues rock from Ohio. With their fuzzed out guitar sounds, Dan and Pat produce some fine blues rock, and lucky us, the Falls was the only place they were playing. “Let’s squeeze as much fun into what’s left of this year” said Dan, and we weren’t to disobey. Rather fittingly, the organiser was invited to the stage, so the crowd could thank him for putting on an awesome event, and he then had the task of counting the New Year in. I had been separated from my mates, but it just shows the friendliness of the Falls go-ers - I scored a hug from a random punter!

So ended my visit to the delightful Lorne, but not for long, as there are already plans to visit again for this year’s festival, if not a visit to these beautiful shores sooner. For this punter it was a long journey back to Geelong for a HOT shower and then the next morning a longer journey home, with happy festival and great camping memories. ROCK!

Check out the official FasterLouder.com.au photos by Paul here and here.