From early Saturday morning, it was obvious that Newcastle’s huge music festival, Strikeback, was in the weather man’s good books. It deserved a bit of luck, after having to go through hell merely in order to have the event take place. A forced last minute venue change didn’t seem so bad after all, though, as punters spent the day lying in the grass, soaking up the sun and wandering off to the beach or Brewery for refreshment.

The venue was, in fact, close to perfect. The 5 stages were well distanced and there was plenty enough room for everyone to be (for the most part) comfortable and relaxed in lounges or on their feet. Only a few issues with sound were noticeable as The Gro(o)ve, home to roots, funk, gypsy and a myriad of other genres, occasionally found itself drowned out by distorted guitars between songs.

Myspace and Purple Stages
Following expectations, a large proportion of the crowd were Newcastle and Sydney’s “scene” kids – fringes, eyeliner, hairdye, converse. You know the deal. They were certainly catered for – the Myspace and Purple stages kept them occupied all day with huge names such as Bodyjar, The Hot Lies, Karnivool, The White Room and Faker, as well as popular local bands making a name for themselves amidst their friends and idols, among them Head of State, 12 Mile Tombstone and the tortured Heartbreak Club.

Bodyjar were a favourite on the day, a surprise due to their relatively small contribution to the music scene lately. However, they seemed to whip the crowd into a veritable frenzy early on in the day and set the scene for a sweaty evening in the moshpit. Many people didn’t even leave the stage all night, preferring to keep their places in the front row for the likes of Karnivool.

Unfortunately, some moshers took things too far, as tends to happen at festivals. The sun must get to their heads. Circle pits ensued, notably during renowned local act .jinn’s set, a dangerous activity which was later condemned by the band as it sent an innocent friend to hospital from an elbow to the chest. .Jinn had other difficulties, as an amp started smoking during their set, but still managed to be one of the most interesting and energetic acts on the two stages despite it.

Triple J and Lab Stages
The crowd here during the morning was sparce but laid back, as relatively small local bands showed their worth to new audiences wandering through. From well recieved and lively Newcastle act The Zeal Room onwards, more people began to get themselves settled on the grassy knoll and were treated to some truly wonderful and unique music.

The Seabellies had some serious difficulties with sound, losing their “favourite instrument” and being forced to play many of their songs without a treasured synth. This somehow managed to endear them to the audience rather than frustrate them, and they recieved a lot of good-natured support throughout the difficult set, which was nevertheless powerful, inventive and immensely well performed.

Big City Exile and Meridian were two more stand-out acts, with exceptional musical quality and a sharp sense of humour. During Meridian’s set, the crowd in the area grew as suspense heightened for the “Strikeback Secret Band”. Rumours of Parkway Drive had circulated, and, it seems, had been popular, as the general vibe of the gathered audience seemed to change. Imagine our surprise when African musical genius Afro Moses and his band took to the stage with colourful garments, a huge brass section and percussion! Mercifully, the crowd was extremely appreciative, smiles were all around and hands were thrown in the air with voices raised, too.

Possibly the highlight of the night however, at least for me, was Wolf & Cub’s performance. The combination of the two extensive drum kits and ethereal vocals live is strangely powerful, moving and surprisingly fantastic to dance to. The crowd was in heaven, and there was really no reason to leave, as TZU followed up on the same stage with an exciting and fast-paced performance which had everyone on their feet and getting into the music.

Overall, these two stages seemed to be the most consistent in musical quality and the enjoyment of everyone in the crowd. Noone was hurt, everybody had fun and the music was of the highest quality. Hooray!


The Gro(o)ve
The Grove (affectionately dubbed The Groove) was truly a diverse and eye-opening experience for many. The vast range of musical genres and theatrical-style performances were not for everyone, and often only a small crowd of enthusiastic supporters were up and getting their groove on.

The first act I caught on the stage were Urban Freeflow, a laid back and extremely enjoyable collective of musicians featuring two sibling singers, each with a distinctive and unique voice. Men Who Drip With Germs brought the gypsy out in everyone and promise great things (love, alcohol… not to mention the insomnia.)

Throughout the day, the performers at The Grove were consistently inconsistent and unusual, ranging from the funk masters Dr Chachito and the Fruit Eating Pandas to the sweet and delightful girls of Cimatree. Kai Tipping, Repercussion and Dhopec were a mind-blowing collection of percussionists, hiphop masters and singers and encouraged perhaps the most dancing of all the acts at The Grove; and Mojo Juju thoroughly confused the pants off everyone (band included), in a very good way.

Despite some fantastic headliners (The Devoted Few, Ground Components and dog_boy_lover), who were well worth seeing and perhaps moreso than some of the bands on at the same time, crowds were generally small and intimate, which had its pros and cons. I would have liked to have seen more people expanding their horizons and giving these bands a look-see, rather than sticking with the more recognisable names.


Overall, the day seemed to be an amazing success and everyone enjoyed themselves immensely. The food was healthy and delicious, Mr Whippy turned up, and there was plenty of water and facilities. What more could you ask for?
Unfortunately the difficulties faced by the organisers meant that expenditure was incredibly high, and there were simply not enough tickets sold to recoup the losses. Determined to keep their dream alive, however, they are powering on with more fundraisers and local gigs, and with everyone’s help they hope to have Strikeback up and running again for next year’s summer festival season. We look forward to it and wish them the best!