Keeping 'In The Pines' Fresh

17 April 2015 | 4:02 pm | Cam Findlay

“The freshness of the festival always has a lot to do with the line-up."

When a festival has been running for more than 20 years, the question of how you keep it fresh can be a tricky one. And while touring festivals have the advantage of picking from a national crop of artists, In The Pines has the onus of representing the best that our one little city has to offer in any one year. But the fact that it has been going on for two decades tells you that, year after year, RTR have been pretty bloody successful in that endeavour. This year’s foray into the pines once again sees a welcome mix of established WA artists, rising stars and throwbacks to the glory days of underground Perth garage rock.

It’s also the first In The Pines will be hosted by RTR’s new Musical Director, Adam Christou. Stepping into the shoes vacated by Adam Trainer is no mean feat, but he feels more than up to the task, and believes the already established success of In The Pines is a strong platform he can run with.

“The freshness of the festival always has a lot to do with the line-up, in a sense,” Christou explains, “trying to find a couple of new bands that have never played it before, including a few baby bands – bands that have only really started up in the last year or so. And we’re also always on the lookout for new musical projects that are really exciting, like new musical collaborations or artists that are willing to have special guests and really experiment with their sets on the day. Those are the things that make it really interesting. Like last year having Rabbit Island with a full band was really exciting. This year Rachael Dease has put together a special performance for the festival, which is really exciting. One of the key things we thought about this year is how can we make something dynamic and interesting that you wouldn’t usually see at any other point of the year, and I think we’ve done that.”

"We’re always on the lookout for new musical projects that are really exciting."

One of the more special moments Christou mentions is the appearance of Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse. The duo have exploded nationally since the release last year of their Noongah-language album, Kalyakoorl, and this year’s festival will see them perform a special acknowledgement of country, before a traditional song cycle specially created for the day. “It’s one of the best reasons to get down there early,” Christou reckons.

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The counterpoint to this experimentation, of course, is maintaining the traditional vibe that’s kept punters of all ages attending In The Pines year after year. It’s not really one of those decide-a-week-before festivals: it’s something more akin to a community get-together, with RTR die-hards and music lovers alike getting together to celebrate being local.

“I think that’s the most important and unique thing in the festival,” Christou believes. “You know, there’s nothing really else like it at the moment, except for a few boutique festivals over east. It’s 20 bands on two stages, back-to-back, and there’s only time for half-hour sets. So you’re kind of going through this marathon of music. And it’s kind of jumping and swapping between genres all the time. That was one of my favourite parts about seeing my first In The Pines last year: you don’t really know what to expect if it’s a band you haven’t seen, and that kind of spontaneity is refreshing and exciting.”

Of course, In The Pines would not be In The Pines without the lush surroundings of the Somerville Auditorium. The long-time home of the festival has become synonymous with music in autumn, if only because it’s a beautiful place to spend a day. “I’d say it’s integral to the festival,” Christou says. “For me, being able to put live music in that particular space is really exciting. I think it’s why it’s the hallmark event of the station and probably our favourite time of year as well. There isn’t really many other chances to see music in such a beautiful open space, and being given the chance to put on so many great bands in one go is a highlight for me.”

Clearly, the love for In The Pines has not diminished any over the years, and part of that might stem from the importance of local festivals in Perth now. With the current drought of national touring festivals hitting our coast, it feels as important as ever that this festival exists. “I think it’s always been important in that way. It feels like something that a lot of big bands always refer to when they talk about the beginnings of their careers in Perth, or just seeing a lot of inspirational bands for the first time. It always shows that there is an audience out there willing and excited to see live music, and I think that’s what will keep it going into the future.”