Image via Illawarra Mercury //
With Farmer & The Owl Festival just days away, we checked in with Hockey Dad, TEES, The Pinheads, Totally Unicorn, and Tropical Strength to find out what it was like curating the festival.
Despite facing increased scrutiny from NSW Police, as mentioned in a press release sent out by organisers today, Wollongong’s Farmer & The Owl Festival will be going ahead at MacCabe Park on Saturday. Curated by some of our favourite acts, and spearheaded by Beach House and Hockey Day, the festival is looking like it’s going to be their biggest yet.
We caught up with some of the curators/bands to find out who they had to have on the lineup, and why they chose them. Take a look below at our quickfire interviews and head to grab some tickets of your own:
Hockey Dad
Which artists did you choose to play Farmer & The Owl Festival and why?
We picked The Garden and Mother & Son
How did you come across them?
We came across The Garden when they played Sounds of the Suburbs back in 2015 I think! We have been huge fans ever since. Mother & Son have been local legends and are pretty much the reason we started our band!
What act is going to blow people away at this year’s F&O?
Pretty much every band on the damn bill!
What makes Farmer & The Owl such a special festival?
The lineup itself sets the festival apart from so many other Australian festivals just because it is so diverse and deep. With probably the biggest range of local gong acts I’ve seen on a Wollongong festival ever.
What has been the biggest challenge in curating a festival?
The only thing we had to do was pick our favourite bands to see live! So there was really no challenge for us hehe.
What has been your favourite part?
Our favourite part will be playing on the day I reckon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCjXvpj4jpI
TEES
Which artists did you choose to play Farmer & The Owl Festival and why?
Lucy Cliché, Ella Thompson and Banoffee ~ some of them are our friends but mainly because they are amazing artists who should be known and experienced.
How did you come across them?
Like I said, some of them are our friends but we have also played with all of them and know they bring something special when they are in the zone.
What act is going to blow people away at this year’s F&O?
TBH all of the above + BEACH HOUSE & Alan Braxe.
What makes Farmer & The Owl such a special festival?
Seeing many friends, performers, taste makers and organisers coming together to create something so
nuanced and unique.
What has been the biggest challenge in curating a festival?
I think choosing the right set of artists was difficult as we all knew we would all have very different ideas and interests as to who should play. In the end, I think it is a very considered and exciting list of artists whom will ‘bring it’ to The Gong.
What has been your favourite part?
Forming an idea or list of artists who represent you and your band but also your greater family (our label) is testament to the difficulties of curation. Becoming aware of what works and doesn’t and why from a curatorial sense is an experience and process I think both of us would like to explore again in the future.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-9uFt2e-r4
The Pinheads
Which artists did you choose to play Farmer & The Owl Festival and why?
Garden
Amyl
Aints
Velvet Elly
J Mascis
Party Dozen
Stella Donnelly
Mother and Son
How did you come across them?
Mainly from seeing them live.
What act is going to blow people away at this year’s F&O?
Stella D
What makes Farmer & The Owl such a special festival?
It’s a diverse festival put together by a label and their bands that’s not driven by financial gain but more so a chance to curate something special.
What has been your favourite part?
Contributing to an important cultural institution in the gong and being able to do it with friends.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlpX9L2QSLE
Totally Unicorn
Which artists did you choose to play Farmer & The Owl Festival and why?
Deafheaven, Party Dozen and These New South Whales.
How did you come across them?
We have all been listening to Deafheaven for a while now but I think after I saw them play at the Oxford Arts Factory a few years back is when I really became a fan. Their live show was so intense, and George is such an mesmerising front person.
I first came across Party Dozen after seeing their clip for ‘Straights’ and was literally like “whoa I have to play with this band!” Luckily enough we have already been fortunate to since and at the same time become great friends. Fun fact Jonno helped produce our new album.
We have always wanted to play with These New South Whales so when this opportunity came up we threw their name in the hat. Also, because we are trying to get a starring role in season 3 of their show.
What act is going to blow people away at this year’s F&O?
I think any stage that you are at you will walk away from seeing an artist with a smile on your face.. Unless it’s been melted off.
What makes Farmer & The Owl such a special festival?
Have you ever seen a festival in Australia with such an eclectic lineup?! It’s so exciting.
What has been the biggest challenge in curating a festival?
The only real challenge has been getting back in the festival group chat after being kicked out for suggesting Korn to play hahaha.
What has been your favourite part?
I think our favourite part is yet to come and that will be watching all these amazing bands on the day!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCGOF_DPweE
Tropical Strength
Which artists did you choose to play Farmer & The Owl Festival and why?
Beach House
Beach House has been writing great tunes for a long time. Victoria Legrand is an incredible singer/songwriter and an important and powerful female figure. The band is always tight with perfect tonality and great use of rhythmic syncopation, with the lofty My Bloody Valentine-esque vocal melodies of Victoria floating on top.
The Aints!
I put forward The Saints reunion and we got the next best thing!
The Garden
The Garden is one of the most unique bands around at the moment and I don’t think enough people realise.
Party Dozen
I saw Party Dozen at The North Gong Hotel and they blew me away. They’re a two piece noise jazz band
Consisting of a sax player/singer and a drummer. They put on an incredible performance.
Mother and Son
Mother and Son have been around for a while. They’re always amazing and have been super important for
Wollongong’s music scene. They’ve inspired a lot of great bands.
How did you come across them?
Sir Dinsington (my brother and other member of TS) introduced me to Beach House many years ago.
My bandmates in The Pinheads showed me The Aints! I saw The Garden play at Sounds of the Suburbs a few years ago and they blew me away. I saw Party Dozen at North Gong Hotel at one of the Yours and Owls Sundays. And I’ve seen Mother and Son play a bunch of times around The Gong.
What act is going to blow people away at this year’s F&O?
I think that most of the bands on the lineup will blow people away, especially:
Beach House
Kirin J Callinan
Stella Donnelly
The Aints!
J Mascis
Luke Spook
These New South Wales
The Garden
Party Dozen
Dream Dog
All the F&O bands
It’s such a good line up! I think people should just see as much as they can. They’ll be blown away.
What makes Farmer & The Owl such a special festival?
F&O is an important festival for a few reasons:
Firstly it’s unique. It was curated by both the label bands and the label, therefore the line up is different to every other festival.
Secondly, it’s in Wollongong. Wollongong is slowly becoming a cultural hub for artists and that is largely to do with all the amazing events and shows that the F&O team are organising.
And thirdly, it’s a good opportunity for people to discover smaller acts that are quietly ripping. As Bradford Cox said, “Festivals are like a wine tasting.” The audience will get a chance to sample a lot of bands and find some new favourites to keep an eye out for.
What has been your favourite part?
My favourite part is yet to come; playing alongside so many of my friends and other cool bands.
