St Jerome's Laneway Festival @Footscray Community ArtsCentre, Melbourne (04/02/2012)

Mon 6th Feb, 2012 in Gig Reviews

Upon entering the agreeable, sprawling Footscray site, it was hard not to reflect on the fact that the Laneway Festival has grown ever-better as it drifts ever-further from its original concept. To put it a different way, the more it comes to resemble other festivals, the better it gets, in spite of the slow fading of its once-distinctive identity. Maybe festivals just work better a certain way.

As one explored various nooks and crannies of the Footscray Community Arts Centre, it was remarkable to think that it all started in a single nook, St. Jerome’s to be precise. The usual litany of caterers, water dispensaries and bars dotted the site, and the usual festival types promenaded. The sun beat down, and though the site was attractive enough (particularly the grassy Windish Agency stage), there was still a touch of grit, in the freight trains that periodically rolled through, and towers of shipping containers that loomed from across the Maribyrnong River. There were even tasteless commercial tie-ins (Smirnoff and Topshop, I’m looking in your direction).

Of the less heralded locals charged with filling out the festival bill, it was Geoffrey O’Connor and Total Control who shone brightest. Though diametrically opposed, both set themselves apart by offering up sets that made no concession to the indie firmament that dominated the Laneway line-up – and yes, O’Connor is not alone in exploring 80s pop pastiche, but there’s no-one in such a deep, strange neck of the woods as he. His lounge lizard antics were endearingly bizarre coming from such an awkward, diminutive figure. Total Control plugged away by the Maribyrnong River, doing well-worn garage-punk with enough conviction to make it all their own. More accustomed to sweaty dens, they managed just the right balance between offhand and intense that the open air and blazing sun required. Dan Stewart prowled and barked, and an honourable mention must go to Mikey Young’s funster shorts.

Active Child rode a late surge to become one of the more anticipated bands of the day, but one song does not maketh the set. It was hard not to notice the impatience with which some sections of the crowd awaited ‘the one from the Hottest 100’ (also known as Hanging On). An able harpist, Pat Grossi resides on the blurry line where a fresh approach becomes mere gimmickry. I mean, it’s no gimmick, and the harp serves his aesthetic well, but people like what they like, and know what they know, and it was pretty obvious that not everyone was willing to follow his flights of fancy. It’ll be interesting to see if Grossi can build on his initial impact

Over at the clumsily-named Eat You Own Ears and Young Turks (EYOEYT) stage, San Franciscans Girls were holding court. Along with his keen melodic sense, Christopher Owens’ heart-on-sleeve vulnerability is one of the best things about Girls, but during their mid-afternoon set in front of Shepherd Bridge, he just looked, and sounded, absolutely crestfallen (garish red pants notwithstanding). Though his voice was a barely-there croak when offset with the bounce and jangle of their music, it actually made for an effective stage presentation, and it was a pretty good show. Still, you just felt for the guy.