The annual train ride to the venue has become somewhat integral to the Stereosonic experience, a place to get acquainted with the bucket hats, bumbags, denim short-shorts, crochet tops, topknots, basketball jerseys and tribal tattoos that you’re going to be seeing for the rest of the day. For others, it’s a final chance to down some liquid courage before searching for a potential spouse at the main stage during Joel Fletcher’s set.
Alison Wonderland hits the Sonic Stage in the late afternoon; firmly cementing her ability to deliver the best party sets in the country. Bangers like Hudson Mohawke’s ‘Chimes’ and Danny Brown’s ‘Dip’ are supplemented by her own singles, including the contageous ‘I Want U’. One of the biggest responses arrive when she drops Wave Racer’s shimmering remix of fellow locals Panama in ‘Always’ – a testament to Australia’s skyrocketing electronic scene.
Showtek taking the main stage is also something to be marveled – the sheer size of it all is overwhelming. With the Dutch duo having made no qualms about their more commercial flirtations, this is a set of the harder elements of house and electro – including a live rendition of their David Guetta & Vassy collaboration ‘Bad’. Limbs are flying and Nike Air Max are being put to the test as punters gabber and shuffle with impressive synchronisation.
Showtek drop remixes of Iggy Azalea & Icona Pop, a further evidence of their pop appeal, while Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ ‘Heads Will Roll’ – most famously reimaged by A-Trak – is still a festival staple after all these years. Oh yeah, there are also fireworks. Hooray for lights and explosions!
The Kopparberg bar, with its rustic charm and relaxed atmosphere, is a welcome break from the swirling madness of the festival. We spend a few hours here, nestled next to the Home Grown stage while Slumberjack, Pablo Calamari, Deckhead and other local legends play to a humble yet dedicated crowd. Backyard vibes are aplenty as games of Koppaberg Kubb also trickle in throughout the afternoon. Have you ever played kubb while Bobby Shmurda’s ‘Hot Nigga’ plays in the background? Yes, there’s a first time for everything at Stereosonic.
There’s a huge crowd for What So Not at the OWSLA stage, with Emoh Instead taking the stage solo. Having bridged the gap between electronic and hip-hop relams, it’s no surprise when tracks by French Montana, Drake, Kanye West & Beyonce all make quick appearances throughout the set. Their own thunderous remix of Major Lazer’s ‘Get Free’ gets the audience headbanging and twerking at the same damn time, while Emoh also drops some unreleased material from Flume to herald his partner-in-crime. With their Skrillex collaboration ‘Goh’ having emerged just a few days ago, the longhaired bass lord himself jumps onstage towards the sets conclusion for some casual crowd engagement and banter.
From there, it’s bits and pieces of Steve Aoki’s rambunctious set on the main stage, Porter Robinson’s colourful performance on the Sonic Stage, and a pizza which I bought for $8. It was cold, but I ate it anyway.
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