Live Review: Follow The Sun Festival

A strong gathering of young and old came together in Glenelg to celebrate the inaugural Follow The Sun Festival and signal the beginning of daylight savings.

The line-up exuded talent and variety with some big names in Australian music providing something for everyone. The two stages set up next to each other allowed a constant flow of music, keeping audience happy. Beginning with local reggae outfit Babylon Burning, the line-up switched between local and national acts, each bringing their own influential style to the festival.

Newcastle’s harmonising heartthrobs Benjalu had everyone up and moving, with plenty of good banter and a couple of covers including Rodriguez’ Sugar Man. Riff-rockers Dallas Frasca took to the stage shortly after James Abberley had warmed everyone’s hearts with his intricate sound. It was a confronting contrast, but to their credit the three-piece from Melbourne, who dared to show some extra skin, put on a great performance that included their brand new single You Are Beautiful.

Bonjah carried on the shirtless vibe, frontman Glen Mossop showing off his physique as they belted out favourites Honey and Evolution. Much to the crowd’s disappointment, Something For Kate frontman Paul Dempsey appeared on stage fully clothed. He concluded the festival by wrapping everyone in his warm blanket of charisma and smooth vocals, performing everything from his solo work to Something For Kate pieces and even covers, including Queen’s I Want To Break Free.

Festival director and musician Ciaram Granger proved he has what it takes to run a successful festival, with tight organisation and smooth running. There were plenty of food vans catering for the peckish to the starving, whilst three bars (two public, one VIP) meant a beverage wasn’t far away either. Once finished eating, there was no need to find a bin as cleaners were constantly on the lookout, keeping the venue free from any refuse. The event wasn’t labelled a non-smoking event and whilst some desired to light up, the sea breeze quickly blew any lingering smoke from the area rendering it hardly noticeable.

The spacious Wigley Reserve was the ideal location for the event, with plenty of room to dance, lounge and even kick the footy. There were a few merchandise stands around, however there could have been more to provide festival-goers with a pastime. Escaping the rays was always bound to be an issue for the venue given the open space; however plenty of umbrellas, tables and chairs were readily available to provide cooling shade. The top-notch sound system meant that even from the entrance to the venue, a few hundred metres from the stage, the sound was crisp and audible.

Overall it was an enjoyable, family-friendly atmosphere that has plenty of potential and the right people in control.