Hypothesis: partying with Beck, Justice and The Libertines is the most ideal way to kick a new festival off the ground. By all calculations, it turns out that reality lives up to the theory.
Sydney City Limits is Australia’s answer to the renowned Texas event that has become a cornerstone of America’s festival circuit. Like Austin City Limits, SCL is set to make its mark on the industry here at home. The event came out swinging in its inaugural year with a glittering lineup that echoed festivals past (Big Day Out, Soundwave), beckoning some big acts who haven’t been this side of the shoreline in a while (what we like to see).
Brit punk icons The Libertines, the infinitely talented Grace Jones, mastermind Beck, and French electro/indie powerhouses Justice and Phoenix all joined a rich and diverse bill of local and internationals acts. Aussie wares like Gang of Youths, Stella Donnelly, Winston Surfshirt, Alex Lahey and The Avalanches sat alongside comfortably showcasing staggering talent.
The kick-off was a one-day affair set to four stages and was peppered with boutique food, beverage and retail stalls, including The Grove VIP section, for anyone malcontent with the sweaty mosh life. While around 14,000 turned up to muzz, the Centennial Park space was easy to navigate between stages and the lines for food and drinks were spread out and moved quickly, thanks to the abundance of vendors. It was a jam-packed schedule which meant that we weren’t bored for a second. We’ll definitely be back next year.
Photos by Dani Hansen.
LDRU
Stella Donnelly
Tkay Maidza
Sigrid
The Head And The Heart
Allday
The Libertines
Car Seat Headrest
Photos: Dani Hansen/Howl & Echoes
It’s that time of year again when rain, shine and music collide to bring us the ultimate summer experience at Falls Music and Arts Festival. One of the largest events happening across the New Year period, Falls has been going strong for a quarter of a century and still never fails to amaze. The bill for the 2017/2018 tour included a bunch of stellar international names including Fleet Foxes, Run The Jewels, Vince Staples, Liam Gallagher, Foster The People, Glass Animals and The Kooks, as well as homegrown favourites like Flume, Angus and Julia Stone, Methyl Ethel, Allday, The Jungle Giants and Julia Jacklin. And that’s just a preview.
Of the four idyllic locations the festival plays, we made our annual pilgrimage to Byron Bay which delivered its usual medley of hot, balmy weather, rainy afternoons and… mud, lots of mud. Clearly it’s our favourite way to ring in the new year.
Day II saw sets from WAAX, Alex Lahey, Manu Crook$, Camp Cope, Julia Jacklin, Allday, Dune Rats, Glass Animals, Fleet Foxes and Run The Jewels.
Photos by Dani Hansen.
Check out our galleries for Day I and Day III!
WAAX
Alex Lahey
Manu Crook$
Camp Cope
Julia Jacklin
Allday
Dune Rats
Glass Animals
Fleet Foxes
Run The Jewels
Photos: Dani Hansen/Howl & Echoes
Parramatta’s premiere summer festival The Plot returned this year ready to bring Plotters some of the biggest up and coming names in Australian music. Part I features Gold Fields, Indian Summer, Ocean Alley, Polographia, Tash Sultana, Ivan Ooze, Ziggy Alberts, Dylan Joel, Montaigne, Vera Blue, Elizabeth Rose, Alex Lahey, Pierce Brothers, Confidence Man, Luca Brasi, Japanese Wallpaper, Allday and The Bennies. Check the action below.
Gold Fields
Indian Summer
Ocean Alley
Polographia
Tash Sultana
Ivan Ooze
Ziggy Alberts
Dylan Joel
Montaigne
Vera Blue
Elizabeth Rose
Alex Lahey
Pierce Brothers
Confidence Man
Luca Brasi
Japanese Wallpaper
Allday
The Bennies
Photos: Teresa Pham/Howl & Echoes
Manu Crook$
Mallrat
Gill Bates
Dylan Joel
Tuka
Spit Syndicate
Allday
Drapht
All photos: Danielle Hansen / Howl & Echoes
Adelaide rapper Allday has been trying to crack the American market during a tour out there, while simultaneously giving Australian hip-hop the middle finger, proclaiming “fuck Australia.”
In an interview with Paper Mag, Allday called out Aussie MCs by saying “a lot of Australian hip-hop is trash. It’s not current. It’s a sham.”… I think he can safely say ‘see ya’ to any Triple J Hottest 100 votes.
Now whilst I am always the first to say, “back in the days when hip-hop was…”, I can also admit that Australian hip-hop has come a long way, because hip-hop is forever evolving regardless of country. America has its flavour, so does England, and so do we. Just like American hip-hop’s roots can be tied back to graffiti, so can Australian hip-hop – just listen to some old school Bias B – or look at pretty much any album cover from anyone else.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U_25LKRyEw
“I feel like to be in hip-hop, one of the things you need to be is effortlessly cool. The best hip-hop artists ever have been icons of culture and fashion as well,” Allday went on to say. “People forget that you have to have a part of your personality that really makes you stand out. That’s a really big part of it.”
“I’m not going to do anything different, just to become a rapper. I’m just going to be me. I’m going to hang out with the girls in clubs, I’m going to go to rock shows AND I’m going to rap,” he continued. “It’s about being you, and the more complex, the better.” Allday seems to think he is some sort of innovator, as if never before has a rapper said, “I’m going to just be me.”
Definition from Urban Dictionary
Australian hip-hop has always tried to distinguish itself from the American rappers, lyrics about how they were different and how they didn’t rap with accents to fit in. Aussie MCs just went out there and rapped about being themselves. That’s been one of the building blocks of hip-hop worldwide.
Today’s MCs have taken these building blocks and built a scene that shows a group of more confident MCs who have taken the inspiration of Brad Struts, the Reasons and the Pegz of old and built a new level. Many of them are a couple of albums in and are taking some time to have fun with the genre, not to mention the new wave of Australian hip-hop like Tkay Maidza, Remi and Baro each receiving their fair share of critical acclaim and cult-like followings. There are plenty of underground MCs out there that would kill to be given the leg up that Allday has had, many of them just as talented – if not more so. It’s our hip-hop, and we should be proud of it. If Allday doesn’t find the state of Australian hip-hop to his liking, then a move to America might well be the best career move for him. But no need to tarnish the good Australian name.
Via Triple J
Allday later took to Twitter afterwards with a series of tweets hoping to clarify his comments, which were later deleted.
At the end of the interview, he said he had been writing some new raps and that they would be out in a couple of months. While a part of me is interested in how he plans to distinguish himself from the ‘boring’ Australian hip-hop, for the most part, I think that if you can’t support home grown raps Allday, then I can’t support you. Peace!
https://youtu.be/Qv9QXkL4Deg