Here's What Went Down At Splendour In The Grass 2016

As the nation begins to recover from another epic Splendour In The Grass, we thought it best to recap the standout bands and life-changing lessons the 2016 event delivered. From Amish spankings to an unexpected festival highlight, here's what went down at North Byron Parklands over the weekend.

Friday

Live Highlights

“It's almost too easy for Zambian-born Sydney artist Sampa The Great to get the midday crowd bouncing, thanks to playful tunes like F E M A L E and Class Trip.”

“High Tension frontwoman Karina Utomo is exhausting just to watch as she ricochets from rank to guttural on a dime, squeezing in the odd melodic diversion before diving back into more visceral territory.”

“Punters are rewarded with a bang on, note-perfect set from Methyl Ethel, swaying along to Rogues then bopping to Twilight Driving – amid almighty tree branches with goon sacks attached being shaken around – to arms-in-the-air kinda shenanigans for Idee Fixe.”

"Then we see The Fat White Family frontman Lias Saoudi simulating jacking off, facing away from the crowd, fly undone but pants still up (semi-decent by their standards). They sound brilliant. Exciting. Then Saoudi gets completely naked (except for socks and Converse)."

“Ever-explosive UK dance-pop heroes Years & Years seem like the sorts of people who embody the notion of grabbing life by the horns and then fucking it (consensually) into submission.”

“Deliciously smooth Texan crooner Leon Bridges is an utterly magnetic force from the instant he shuffles on stage to wrap us all up in the gorgeous warmth of Smooth Sailin’.” 

“The Strokes go on 21 minutes late. But they're perfect. The only criticism is that they're perhaps too perfect.”

Check out the full day one review and gallery here.

what we learnt

• No mud = good times: “This is easily the most idyllic first day the festival has enjoyed in years. It’s the sort of day they put on tourism postcards.”
• Stay away from the giant, pink, inflatable poop-emoji sculpture: “I’ve seen enough of these things to know that this will be a giant-size horror once the sun goes down and alcohol kicks in.”
• Slow and steady wins the race: “Dedication is the dude who is already vomiting underneath a tree nearby. Wait, not dedication. Stupidity. Look, I am not a total misanthrope, but I have no pity for people who do not pace themselves at multi-day festivals.”
• A balanced diet is everything: “An apparently daily spaghetti-eating competition, which is just also something I wouldn’t subject myself to when you’re so far away from proper bathroom facilities.”

Find more day one life lessons here.

Saturday

Live Highlights

“Montaigne's impressive vocals command the immediate attention of all GW McLennan punters, prompting even unsuspecting passers by to nod in approval.”

“In the midst of all Beach Slang leading man James Alex peer pressures drummer Ed McNulty to "break his straight edge" by skulling some booze, much to the delight of the crowd.”

“It's one of the more impressive displays of crowd lunacy of the whole festival - a whirlpool of bodies starts spinning when King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s Stu McKenzie's spacey vocal launches the seven-piece into Robot Stop and doesn't let up.”

“Michael Kiwanuka nets a massive early cheer for Tell Me A Tale as his sizeable audience gets into the swing of things, everyone grooving and dancing to the band’s note-perfect tunes.”

“At The Drive-In are nothing but impressive, recalling the vitality and force of their early years despite being more than a decade older and wiser these days.”

“The Cure frontman Robert Smith's voice has added gravitas when experienced live; his instrument is flawless. High pretty much sums it up.”

Check out the full day two review and gallery here.

What We Learnt

• “There’s something magical yet hilarious about the palpably pathetic energy that permeates festival grounds on the second day of multi-day events.”
• Beach Slang know how to lift spirits: “Go out there and fall in love today.”
• You don’t have to walk around with a hole in your pants all weekend after moshing too hard on day one: “A group of dedicated seamstresses sit under a banner that reads “MEND IT LIKE BECKHAM”, promising to fix you up just right if your pants or other apparel has had a mid-fest mishap.”
• Splendour can temporarily relieve small-screen addiction: “My phone may be dead, but I feel alive, and I have Splendour to thank for that.”

Find more day two life lessons here.

Sunday

Live Highlights

“Tired Lion singer Sophie Hopes mesmerises with her fierce but fragile vocals that wail then lightly purr and trill.”

“The entire performance from Melbourne Ska Orchestra is an exercise in consummate showmanship, prodigious musicianship, and next-level audience interaction; a genuine highlight of the entire festival.

“His backing band The Yarra Benders have come into their own and even Marlon Williams can't contain his excitement watching his fellow musicians at times. Williams belongs in front of an audience.”

“The crowd inside Mix Up tent seems looser than ever this year and Jagwar Ma sure rile 'em up. There's a roar of recognition when Howlin' starts and an enthusiastic sing- along follows. “

“There are essentially two performers here – Courtney Barnett and whichever of her left-handed guitar collection she's wielding at the time. It's hypnotic watching her six-string dexterity.”

“The Mark Lanegan Band create enviable atmosphere over at GW McLennan. Of course there's double denim everywhere and at last Splendour get their injection of authentic rock'n'roll (sorry The Strokes).”

“Questionable placing on the schedule aside: obviously, [Sigur Ros] is one of the sets of the entire event.”

Check out the full day three review and gallery here.

What We Learnt

• Day three is routinely one of the event’s most enjoyable: “The festival’s people, at this stage, are usually operating on reserve power, storing whatever energy they have left for the remaining bands on the bill for whom they want to totally cut loose while keeping things pretty sedate for the rest of the time.”
• The next generation will have severe hearing issues: “Yes, Little Splendour has been a thing for a while, but it genuinely feels like there are more littlies getting about this year…additionally, a frightening number of them don’t have earmuffs, which is honestly just irresponsible, he says after three days of surviving on basically donuts and coffee.
• Avoid the fake Amish people’s fake Amish barn: “A wooden sign advertises “SPANKING” and a steady flow of people keep taking a nearby group of players up on their offer to literally be tied to a fence, have their pants pulled down and have their ass paddled in front of whichever onlookers happened to be in the vicinity.”

Find more day three life lessons here.