Live Review: Circo Festival - Claremont Showground

After Soundwave promoter AJ Maddah sent shockwaves through the Perth public earlier this year suggesting a likely absence of WA festivals in 2015, the incredible second instalment of the CIRCO festival almost seems like a direct retaliation. The boutique festival boasts a stellar international and local line-up and mind-boggling visuals, as well as the return of the Fliptease Trapeze Crew. Another easily overlooked nicety was the inclusion of the set times on the admission wristbands: a testament to the care and insight of the promoters.

UK garage sensation Deejay Q kicked off the day animatedly over at the Cannonball Stage with some bass-driven gems that sent the crowd into an early frenzy. Impossible geometric visuals splashed across an irregular-shaped structure that engulfed performers, giving off a very believable breathing effect. The ever-changing and always ineffable displays for the festival can be attributed to Fremantle-based visual artist COMBS and UK-based digital creative collective Shadow Data. The stabby chords of Mosca's Bax reverberated around the dimly-lit walls of the enclosed warehouse, serving as a definite highlight.

The garage vibes were maintained to the delight of a particularly fervent audience, with a memorable performance from the elusive and talented Sully. The A-side to Mosca's Bax, Done Me Wrong, was a clever, presumably deliberate continuation from Deejay Q, definitely adding to the finesse of an impressive set. Things took a heightened direction towards the end with some pure jungle rhythms from a true connoisseur of the genre. One of the most exciting pieces of news for any Perth fan of the grime resurgence was the Visionist and Teeth match-up. An unexplained last minute no show from Visionist was a heavy blow, but thankfully we were still in very good hands with a solo performance from a man that knows his way around sub bass.

"If the past two years are anything to go by, it certainly wouldn't come as a surprise if CIRCO proved the festival naysayers wrong in 2015!"

Warm and melodic synths clashed with tight percussion, with a mesmerising set that truly compensated for Visionist's absence. Parisian producer Onra toyed with a clever fusion of funk and instrumental hip-hop, whilst over at the Small Top stage outside, Beneath served up an enjoyably restrained set of equal parts house/techno.

The local Perf Stage was plonked right in the middle of the grounds, showcasing some of the best talent we have to offer, including the likes of DYP, Sleepyhead and Slumberjack, who all presented striking performances of different capacities. Evidently, DJ Earl was as impressed by the festival as we were, tweeting that it was “one of the dopest venues I've ever played – period.” Earl danced around the 160bpm sweet spot with his eloquent take on the Juke scene and some of the most rapid track transitions ever witnessed. At the Carousel Stage, Canadian-based electronic producer Ryan Hemsworth played a relatively safe set of bouncy house and trap selections with plenty of comedic elements (such as the opening sample of his mother telling us to “hydrate and have a fun night”), which definitely resonated with the excitable crowd. Half-Egyptian, half-Australian DJ Nina Las Vegas battled it out in the final slot of the night with some straight-out party anthem mash-ups, but for those who desired a more relaxed conclusion to the evening, Nosaj Thing was also a viable option. The LA-based experimental producer exhibited an array of fresh material, all consisting of his indicative dreamy synth lines whilst still maintaining a distinctive diversity. If the past two years are anything to go by, it certainly wouldn't come as a surprise if CIRCO proved the festival naysayers wrong in 2015!