Live Review: Falls Festival Byron Bay - Day One

I Wanna Be Everybody may be Hockey Dad’s biggest tune, but, as it turns out, everybody wants to be Hobo Johnson, as crowds flocked from the main stage to pack the Forest Stage.

The tent was well and truly pumping for Mallrat’s short set. With maximum vibes, there was a sea of bodies bopping at rapid pace to Groceries. “This is that Coles song,” says one punter - bless you, sir.

We need a little pick-me-up if we are going to stay kicking until the early hours. San Mei walks on stage with the biggest smile we have ever seen; she is absolutely stoked to be at Falls and we are glad to have her there as soon as she busts out Wonder. 

With bodies sprawled across the hill, Ocean Alley’s Yellow Mellow and Lemonworld went down like smooth molasses. Dizzee Rascal ‏was forced to pull out last minute, later posting on social media he “fell ill with a virus and chest infection” and was bedridden.

The ultimate question is: what song brings in 2019 from Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals? Tints was a sure fire bet for so many, but in the end the New Year was brought in with a whimper, not capped off with a bang of fireworks, but with a late 12:03am countdown.

The Season/Carry Me followed the countdown. Paak played a hefty almost 90 minute set, with plenty of big choruses from his latest album, Oxnard, laced with singles such as his Kaytranada collab Glowed Up. Recent single Bubblin also gets a huge dance party, but it's Tints that has the crowd going truly nuts.

The stage set up allows Paak to jump to and from the drums for singalongs such as Heart Don't Stand A Chance. But when Paak is away from the drums he is an absolute showman, flexing hard with his dance background and two backup dancers while The Free Nationals groove their hearts away.