Remember last year? Got your jackets? Boots? Blankets? Oh wait, it’s going to be hot. Really hot. Awesome. It was nearly clear skies all round as 16,000 music and party lovers flocked to Lorne for what is the premier New Year’s music event – The Falls Festival. It was back to the likes of 2007’s event as far as the weather was concerned, with four days of glorious sun and heat, and later one of the most appreciated storms of the year. The music was hot, too, and the locals and internationals alike wowing the crowd from the get go, as Falls proved itself yet again to be one stellar festival.

Familiar to the Marion Bay event, but not so to Lorne, the Funk Soul Revue kicked off proceedings on Monday evening for 2,500 early comers. The night was full of highs and one serious low, but the dancing prevailed and the night proved to be a nice addition.

Deep Street Soul were the first band to hit the Grand Theatre stage and their straight up funk did a fair job to raising the measly crowd numbers in the tent. The four-piece were in good form as they dished out their hip-shaking funk and soul, though they struggled for a while to get people up and dancing. Some of the more eager punters were soon up though, with a big game of hacky sack front of stage.

For those less aware of the evening’s style, Anna’s Go-Go Academy had the solution, as Anna joined DJ Mohair Slim to teach the enthusiastic punters some moves. The monkey was there, as was the crocodile and the mash potato – the list goes on. “I love the sound of asses flapping in the afternoon,” was Anna’s reaction to the dancing contingent, before Mohair Slim delved into some funk classics.

The night’s headliner was next, with Adelaide set The Transatlantics backing Soul Sister #1, Marva Whitney. The band played excitedly in anticipation for Whitney, delivering very tight renditions of such classics as Cold Sweat and Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag, complete with well synchronised guitar moves. When Whitney eventually appeared on stage, she took little time to prove why, in her heyday, she gained the title “Marvellous Marva”, as she began hitting some major notes and dancing around unlike your typical 65-year-old. Slow dance number, Your Love Was Good For Me, complete with some smooth backing vocals, calmed things a little, but Marva’s vocals still soared.

With only a few tracks down, however, Whitney collapsed. From further back in the tent, it first appeared as though she may have been “pulling a James Brown,” but it was soon revealed to be a much more serious matter, as the songstress had suffered a stroke. It came as a real shock as she was carried off stage, but the Transatlantics decided the show must go on and with the squeal of trumpet they soon launched onto The Grunt. With vocalist Tara Lynch soon joining the band, they rounded out the set in style.

The late slot was the property of one of Melbourne’s finest funk outfits, The Bamboos, who sent love and dedication to Marva Whitney as she had been taken to Geelong hospital. Their set was full of groove-friendly numbers and included some serious Hammond work by Stevie Hesketh and the kind of saxophone solos that turned the crowd in to dashboard bobbleheads. Kylie Auldist catered for some impressive vocals and had people dancing away to the band’s cover of Kings of Leon track, King of the Rodeo – a number that makes a perfect transition into the soul genre.

The Funk Soul Revue was a fine addition to Falls; giving a taste for a specific genre before the festival’s here-there-and-everywhere lineup began the next day. Our thoughts go to out to Marva Whitney – here’s hoping she makes a speedy recovery!

READ THE REVIEW OF FALLS DAY TWO
READ THE REVIEW OF FALLS DAY THREE
READ THE REVIEW OF FALLS DAY FOUR

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