Live Review: Groovin The Moo

Road tripping to a rural festival somehow amplifies excitement levels. You never know whether you're gonna score a wave or the finger from revellers on a passing party bus or, as reported by another carload of Melburnians once on site, a Girls Gone Wild-style tit flash. As stories are shared about a local motel owner claiming that May rainfall is statistically impossible in Bendigo, we spy moisture on the plastic outdoor settings in the Udder Mayhem Industry Bar and call bullshit on said theory.

There's already a decent crowd assembled before Robert DeLong for his midday set on one of the side-by-side outdoor stages. His enthusiastic live percussion makes all the difference and we answer the lyrical question poised during closer Global Concepts: “Did I make you fucking dance?” Affirmative.

Over on The Udder Stage (those cow puns just never get old), The Jungle Giants do little to differentiate themselves from all the other twee dance-pop bands infesting our scene at the moment. They seem polite, but will have to dig deep if they wanna travel further up festival line-ups down the track. Kingswood also need to work hard to find a point of difference and escape Wolfmother comparisons. Vocalist Fergus Linacre's wailing is awesome and this band may sound like Queens Of The Stone Age in their own heads, but their set packs more of a bitch slap than a punch on one of today's outdoor festival stages.

Aside from always looking so damn fine, Illy plus sunshine and volleying inflatable beach balls equals “happiness” (as sung repeatedly during It Can Wait's hook). Including his Like A Version Ausmusic Month medley is also a genius move since referencing other Aussie festival favourites Silverchair, Hilltop Hoods, Powderfinger, Paul Kelly and Flume via song shines a light on Illy's gratitude.

Peking Duk. Pic by David Harris.

It's pleasing to see less onesies in attendance this year Bendigo, and we collectively pray these are on their way out – nationwide. Although time is wasted searching for a dessert-like food option other than the free (suspected to be at least a day old) cinnamon donut halves available at Red Frogs tent, festival food options continue to dazzle. Did anyone else enjoy a pulled pork roll (or three)? Beyond delish.

As a fan of Cults' Static album of last year, a decision is made to remain in the great outdoors to watch some of the New York duo's set. But then we glance over toward the Moolin [sic] Rouge tent and madly flailing limbs make us fear we're missing out. Cults cover Total Control by The Motels with little impact, so we leg it over for some Violent Soho mayhem. The Brisbane foursome's 2013 Hungry Ghost set propelled them further into the spotlight and now it's time to give up their day jobs. Covered In Chrome (the, “YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!” one) and Saramona Said rile up the punters and, to be fair, no band on this bill could win a mid-afternoon scheduling battle with Violent Soho at the moment. It's their time.

Remaining in Moolin Rouge, it's now Thundamentals o'clock. And there's also a sense that it's the Blue Mountains hip hop collective's latest So We Can Remember long-player that has the potential to take them places. Live trumpet makes Thundas roar and if you don't bust spontaneous thrashing moves during Paint The Town Red, those ears need testing. Just because Thundamentals' Like A Version cover of Matt Corby's Brother is popular doesn't mean it needs doing, but Something I Said is an impressive set closer. Clocking a crowd-surfer copping water to the face mid-surf proves unexpectedly hilarious.

As we depart the marquee, Albert Mambo (aka Kwami from Ja'mie: Private School Girl) is sighted posing for a barrage of selfies with festivalgoers. But then we hear Architecture In Helsinki opening their set with That Beep and scurry back into Moolin Rouge.

A prize should be awarded to The Kite String Tangle for most audience members on shoulders during the electronic artist's belter Given The Chance. And Peking Duk would collect the gong for entrance of the day: the electronic DJ/producer duo frolic out onstage in one of those two-person-required cow costumes. Other than that though, who said we need another Yacht Club DJs? The two acts are definitely interchangeable and Peking Duk also play material from The Lion King soundtrack! Peking Duk's own High cut is the clear set highlight.

Holy Fuck. Pic by David Harris.

Back outdoors in front of The Udder Stage, we discuss who The Naked & Famous try to sound like most. There's lashings of MGMT and Passion Pit, but also shades of Adrian Lux. The New Zealanders have relocated to LA and Alisa Xayalith's hair looks hot all candy-coloured, but we're still not convinced. On the adjoining stage The Jezabels commence. They are a band better suited to appreciation in a seated, theatre venue rather than while standing at a rural festival trying not to freeze your bollox off. This is mainly due to the fact that their gorgeous songs such as Mace Spray and Endless Summer make you feel like hugging your friends and swaying, or doing a beautifully choreographed contemporary dance routine. It's night time and we just wanna go men'al now!

Our antidote bolts out onto the neighbouring stage next: Dizzee Rascal plus his almost-as-talented offsider, who supplies an old-school intro for the Bonkers MC tonight. It's a schizophrenic set that throws in abrasive, clipped early material (Fix Up, Look Sharp), as well as dance anthems (Dance Wiv Me ft Calvin Harris & Chrome, Holiday) plus some “big, dirty, stinking bass” (Bassline Junkie). Dylan Mills can come back any time.

A sneaky peak inside Moolin Rouge sees many punters who are probably not overly familiar with Holy Fuck being educated. The Canadians play an endless note that has this scribe imagining that's what an aura before a fainting spell feels like, but the sounds the quartet wrench from live instrumentation are ultimately danceable.

Vance Joy. Pic by David Harris.

Booked to close our outdoor entertainment, The Presets never disappoint. They have a stunning new lighting configuration that utilises hexagons and dudes are spotted in the crowd jumping on their hands to the beat. The wistful beauty of This Boy's In Love meets Beams opener I Go Hard, I Go Home and then the anxiety-inducing, escalating drone that punctuates Youth In Trouble – killer bass drop alert. Egads! We need to go see Disclosure!

The Surrey brothers pull a massive crowd over in the dance tent and their crisp, long-sleeved, collared shirts are appreciated. It's high time performers learn it's preferable to dress differently from your fans and Guy and Howard Lawrence's parents should be proud. Their track order plays out exactly the same as it did during Wednesday night's Forum Theatre sideshow, but with Disclosure you get the best of both worlds: delicious electronics plus kicking live playing – Guy's syncopated drum/cowbell patterns thrill and Howard's bass is a sure-fire hip operator. The Groovin The Moo massive are a friendly, smiley bunch and one enthusiast hands over a hair elastic when he requires assistance retying his topknot. Disclosure's lyrics charm, particularly during Latch (“You, you enchant me even when you're not around”), and that's a perfect way to farewell this year's Groovin.