1. It has to be said that the biggest act of Day 2 was the Victorian weather. The morning began with an initial storm that sent shelters flying and saw numerous campsites ruined. It continued its merciless delivery of rain and wind with only token bursts of sun to test patience and tent quality. All the artists on stage today fought to match, complement or overcome their locational accompaniment.
2. Japanese Wallpaper.
Drawing out a respectable number of both honest fans and determined festival goers, this young man provided a musical alternative to the chaos back at campsites that can only be described as beautiful. A perfect wake up set for many.
3. The Art of Sleeping
Hailing from Brisbane, The Art of Sleeping openly celebrated with punters at the first sign of sun for the day with a smooth cover of Frank Ocean’s “Lost.” They warmed eardrums with their first show back after a season of writing and recording.
4. Melbourne Mass Gospel Choir
Bringing their love of gospel music to the Village before their Grand Theatre slot on Tuesday, their set was accompanied by the largest block of sunshine we were to see all day… and boy did everyone make the most of it. Conga lines to “Love Train” and a dance floor that never emptied were a fitting response to one of the most fun performances… maybe ever.
5. The Kite String Tangle
After nearly breaking both the radio and the Internet with a particular Like A Version performance, TKST’s Danny Harley was clearly comfortable on the Valley Stage despite the ridiculously unhelpful winds. Take that, nature. His set was something of an experience, transporting a sodden, subdued crowd to a more pleasant version of their reality.
6. Northeast Party House
Known for their high energy sets, Northeast party house upped the vibe considerably. Dropping hit track “The Haunted” a third of the way through their set fed an ecstatic and burgeoning crowd, obviously keen to put the morning’s disasters behind them.
7. We watched Mr Sultan from the shade sail and the Kopparberg Cider House. (Which continues to remain unscathed despite the crazy weather. Impressive.) He was onstage the same time as Storm 2.0 but didn’t seem to care. A man obviously familiar with his set and his sound, he smashed out a slick, punchy set and left us wondering why he wore sunglasses while it rained and took them off when the sun came out.
8. DZ Deathrays
First thing to note was that their frontman wore a bizarrely Christmassy Death From Above 1979 sweater that we want someone to buy for us now, please. Second thing to say is they aren’t Cloud Control, who are listed in this timeslot in the printed guide. In case you wondered.
This energetic 3 piece provided punters with the opportunity to form a circle pit, the likes of which Falls ’14 had yet to see. To those who got punched in the face and dragged from the pit… we salute you.
9. Milky Chance
Gracing the Falls stage for their first performance on Australian soil, it didn’t matter that Stolen Dance was, of course, one of the final tracks. Smooth tunes kept the crowd well entertained and dancing, and that incredible hair is going to be a thing. You heard it here first.
9. The Temper Trap
If these guys were a Kopparberg flavour… they would be pear. Instant classic. Tasty. Interesting. Introducing the crowd to a peck of their new tracks, while still covering their older hits, The Temper Trap are a crew obviously focused on perfecting and enjoying their craft. Sweet Disposition rang out among the hills after near perfect renditions of classics like ‘Love Lost’ ‘Fader’ and ‘Science of Fear.’
10. Jamie xx
Bringing some serious party beats to a now gigantic crowd of wet but delighted punters, Jamie’s sample from Drake & Rihanna’s hit ‘Take Care’ was a personal set highlight. Though a definite solo act, the treble-heavy, ethereal influences that fans of ‘the xx’ will recognize were present.
The Temper Trap – The Temper Trap
Written by Cheryl Garton
