"The punters coalesced into a standing crowd once Angus & Julia Stone emerged on stage, with a plenty of applause and support for the duo."
The afternoon kicked off with a set from local blues'n'roots artist Jordan McRobbie, who eased punters with relaxing folk tunes. McRobbie's combination of catchy lyrics and rapid fingerpicking on the guitar brought about a sound that was raw and chromatic, intensified by the acoustic instrumentation. Dan Kelly & His Dream Band spiced up the night with a hint of comedy and spectacle. He explained his inspiration behind the songs Baby Bonus and Bindi Irwin Apocalypse Jam; the zany backgrounds to the songs were just as enjoyable as the way they were played. Topping off the show with a rendition of the Advance Australia Fair in the form of grandiose guitar solo and an amplified kookaburra whistle, Kelly was lucky not too be tossed aside by the violent Fremantle winds; referring to the stage as "Mount Everest". Sherpas may have been needed.
Mansionair kicked off their set with eclectic electronic tunes and mixed and, save for a few technical difficulties and worsening winds, the group pulled through. Mansionair's set felt disjointed, as their performance did not reflect the energy of the crowd. The set itself was smooth and enjoyable, but much of the energy of the performance was lost and reduced to easy listening music. The easy listening aspect of their set was a pleasure to chill to, with popular tracks Speak Easy, Hold Me Down and a cover of Future Islands' Seasons (Waiting For You) giving the fans a run for their money. Although the group couldn't successfully stir the crowd, their talents as a cohesive electronic group were redeemed when a small group of bohemian-clad punters swayed to their addictive rhythms.
The punters coalesced into a standing crowd once Angus & Julia Stone emerged on stage, with a plenty of applause and support for the duo. The tracks the pair played were a mix of old and new, allowing for a feel of variety. Ranging from slow, sad love ballads to more rock'n'roll funk tunes underpinned by their signature folk sound, the set was refreshing. Julia's stage presence dominated throughout the set, with her almost Bjork-like vocals illustrating emotional tension in some tracks. Angus held back and provided sharp, bluesy solos on the guitar much of the time, providing vocals when needed. The dynamic and fluidity between the siblings gave incredible backbone to their set, making it worthwhile for those who braved the icy winds to see them.