alt-JCity Calm Down kicked the night off to the rapidly filling Hordern Pavilion. Electronica and atmospheric synth build-ups filled the air and when they got into it City Calm Down produced a brand of synth pop Joy Division might be proud to call son. A modern dance feel was infused into crowd favourites Sense Of Self and Pleasure And Consequence. The band sounded great, but lacked stage presence.
Snakadaktal were just as punctual, and immediately endearing, showcasing a perfect mix of youth and wisdom, with each element complementing the other. The soft, breathy Phoebe Cockburn does most of the singing but Sean Heathcliff's vulnerable vocals, similar to Alexander Gow of Oh Mercy, are perfect for this brand of indie rock. Combined, the two produce beautiful harmonies.
Their hazy indie set was solid, but they stayed at one level, meaning the crowd lost interest at times. Finishing with Air brought the crowd back to life though, and overall the youngsters were quite impressive.
Alt-J walked out on stage to Tyga's Rack City playing, accompanied by an impressive light show decorating a backdrop of twisted gothic trees.
After opening with the seemingly obligatory Intro, the UK quartet grabbed the Hordern Pavilion by the balls with favourites Tessellate and Something Good, and didn't let go until after the encore.
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Their mesh of punchy trip hop beats, alternative rock riffs and smooth synth all came together as fluently they do on the album, An Awesome Wave. But Sydney was treated to a few extras like the mash-up of Dr. Dre's Still D.R.E. and Kylie Minogue's Slow.
Joe Newman's high, folk-inspired lazy drawl was immaculate, allowing the crowd to connect with the deep, at times confessional lyrics that many seemed to know. Newman's harmonies with Gus Unger-Hamilton were a highlight, with their timing almost robotic. Without physically moving much, Newman gave it his all.
