Live Review: Queenscliff Music Festival

It’s a damp kind of a day and as we arrive in the picturesque, historic seaside town of Queenscliff we note there’s also gale-force winds turning umbrellas inside out. Not that anything could dampen our spirits, especially when we walk through the festival entrance only to be greeted by The Sniffer Dogs, aka “surreal security”. These roaming performers in dog suits - wearing police uniforms and shades - enthusiastically sniff passersby and make a helluva barking racket if they detect an unusual smell, chasing down punters and trying to attract attention. When some actual members of the police force turn up, one Sniffer Dog sidles up next to them, standing beside these ‘colleagues’ all official-like - an early festival highlight.


The always excellent seven-piece brass ensemble Horns Of Leroy hold court on Glaneuse Stage, bringing their New Orleans flavour to Queenscliff. This band’s infectious energy gets the crowd moving and if any instruments can cut through these inclement weather conditions, brass will do it.


Over on Lighthouse Stage, the joint Australian/USA musical blues explosion that is The Turner Brown Band crank out some superb numbers that make us wanna holler, "A-men!" Australian slide guitarist/producer Dom Turner (Backsliders) and Ohio-based vocalist/lap-slide guitarist Nikki D Brown are joined on stage by Brown’s sister Gloria Brown (rhythm guitar/vocals) and cousin Tomika Webb (drums/vocals) - it’s a big old love-in up there and we'll prioritise seeing this exceptional outfit again over the weekend.

Sneaking into Hippos Stage we behold Sweethearts, who are soon joined on stage by a gentleman who is billed as “the world's most recorded drummer”: Bernard 'Pretty' Purdie. Sweethearts also boast a huge brass section tonight (we count at least six pieces) and these ladies are so very lucky to be given this opportunity through their school, Matthew Flinders Girls Secondary College - why can’t every school band sound like this? Purdie has played with James Brown and Aretha Franklin, plus pretty much any legend you can think of, and Sweethearts look delighted to be accompanied by the “Purdie Shuffle”. The rotating roster of vocalists each bring their own unique flavour and the BV trio’s choreographed doo-wop moves add overall polish to the equation. 


Back at Lighthouse Stage, The Whitlams are in full swing, with Tim Freedman tinkling the ivories and supplying vocal laments, ably backed by guitarist Jak Housden, bassist Warwick Hornby and drummer Terepai Richmond. Freedman sports a powder blue suit that makes him look like he could audition for Jack White’s band and his songwriting has always been just marvellous (see No Aphrodisiac, which just never gets old).


But we’ve gotta hightail it back over to Hippos Stage to experience Osaka Monaurail, Japan’s self-described “ministers of superheavy funk”. Charismatic singer/bandleader Ryo Nakata sounds just like James Brown and dances like he's in an action scene stuck on fast forward - basically a blur of limbs. He tells us they’re playing on every stage across the weekend and we already can’t wait to see them again. Nakata is an absolute machine, effortlessly conducting our “hey hey hey”'s and “ow ow ow”'s to really get the party started. There’s a debilitating sax solo and one of the band's instrumentals sounds like the perfect soundtrack for an OG Miami Vice episode (a compliment, obviously). The guitarist absolutely blows our minds and we’re totally sold; no wonder the late, great legend and James Brown’s Soul Sister Number One, Marva Whitney, described Osaka Monaurail as "by far one of the hottest funk bands on the planet”. 




We pass Ozone Lounge where QMF stalwart DJ Vince Peach is spinning one of our all-time favourite dancefloor drawcards, Hit The Road Jack, but Dan Sultan has already started on Lighthouse Stage so we make a beeline undercover and move down as close to the stage as possible. A gent in front of us whips out a cane that somehow transforms into something to perch on, but actually looks like he’s got a rod shoved up his arse - comfortable there, mate? Sultan is ably backed by Eliza and Talei Wolfgramm on BVs, Eliza having recently toured the globe with The Avalanches. Sultan looks a million bucks up there and songs from his Killer set, such as Kingdom, are given gospel treatments that truly soar thanks to these Wolfgramm ladies’ intrinsic sibling harmonies. Sultan’s voice is in powerhouse form, which is especially evident during Magnetic’s intro. It's so great to see Sultan up on stage and completely owning it!

The QMF Express is always rammed so we’re not entirely sure why the heritage locomotive needs to blow its horn to attract business at 8am when the first scheduled trip doesn’t depart until 9am.


Tasked with opening up Lighthouse Stage this morning is singer-songwriter and Wergaia woman Alice Skye, accompanied by twin brothers Sam and Kane King (aka The King Twins). Skye introduces a song she tells us is about being in a relationship in your 20s. “It’s called Everything Is Great,” Skye says before chuckling, “It’s not.” She admits this is the biggest stage they’ve played to date and thanks the eager beavers who have rocked up to watch her pre-midday set. There’s a beautiful chemistry between the three musicians on stage; you can tell they’ve known each other since they were kids. Skye’s song that she reveals she wrote while reflecting on how embarrassed she would be if someone were to look at her browser history has a gentle, reflective quality and these songs have an intensely personal feel. 

Alice Skye. Photo by Lucinda Goodwin.

 

Queenscliff Music Festival continues to lead the charge with their war on waste. This year’s aim is to achieve 80% landfill diversion to reduce the festival’s impact on Queenscliff’s environment. There are even volunteers at all of the bin stations throughout the festival to ensure we’re disposing of our rubbish correctly. Ozone Lounge serve coffees in reusable cups, at no extra cost, which you can just drop back in when you’re done, and cocktails are served in biodegradable cups. We spy a random condom (not in its wrapper, unfortunately) on the ground as we queue for turmeric lattes in Ozone Lounge, which is a little concerning. 


"You could teach me how to use sex as a reward system” - Tripod have now hit Lighthouse Stage and parents may need to block their youngsters' ears. The faces guitarist Steven "Gatesy" Gates pulls while performing are then described by one of his bandmates as being like “a guitar solo for the hearing impaired”. 


The Giant Seagulls roving around the festival site, targeting and running towards punters who are eating while squawking “mine mine mine!” are a crack-up. One such Giant Seagull is later spotted pecking at a hipster’s beard in search of leftover morsels.


Outside our accommodation, A Whale Called Phoenix have set up under a tent and sing stunning harmonies without the aid of mics. We later learn one band member’s nickname is Phoenix and the guitarist used to be referred to as Whale when he was a wee lad (he actually has a white whale painted on his guitar) - so there you go! QMF’s Busking Competition adds atmosphere around town as we wander the Queenscliff streets in search of a polling booth. Buskers can perform at their allocated station for as long as they like, between 10am and 5pm, and online voting will determine the winner. With performance slots within next year’s festival line-up up for grabs, it’s definitely worth their while. Aha, Queenscliff Primary School! Let’s get this voting outta the way. 


We then hightail it back to the festival site for Kasey Chambers and her backing band, which currently features Grizzlee Train (who are also playing their own slots at Queenscliff Music Festival). As we enter the tent, Chambers’ vocal sounds a bit sharp. Grizzlee Train (comprising Brandon Dodd and Josh Dufficy) are given the opportunity to play one of their own songs, which features impressive cajon playing, but then Chambers plays a banjo cover of The White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army so we get the hell outta there and on hurry over to Glaneuse Stage for Thando.

She has vocal chops you could hold up against Aretha Franklin (RIP), so it comes as no surprise to learn Thando recently performed Respect at an Aretha Franklin tribute concert held at Corner Hotel last month. The whole band wear denim or chambray tops, which adds pleasing uniformity even if accidental. Something gets us grooving and Thando's vocal runs are flawless. Audience hollers at each song's close are deafening. Thando introduces a song she tells us is about "good lovin’” and she's a radiant presence up there. But nothing could prepare us for Thando's Freddie Mercury tribute. She informs us the Queen singer passed 27 years ago today and her reverent version of Love Of My Life is a festival highlight. 


Over on Hippos Stage, Fraser A Gorman does some "housekeeping", pointing out the time of his QMF gig tomorrow is incorrectly printed in the festival programme. He then jokes that they’re a country band so he’s glad everyone’s sitting down. Gorman's banter brings the LOLs and the story he tells about the inspiration behind his song St Joe's Street has us in stitches. "I just wanna say how good it feels just to know your face" - what a touching line! Anika Ostendorf (who does her own musical thing under the Hachiku moniker) supplies sublime BVs and shimmering guitar parts. Gorman closes with the jubilant melodies of Broken Hands and leaves the QMF massive charmed.

To the trashbags having handstand competitions on the grass outside our accommodation at 2am: what the actual fuck!? 

We are woken up by the sound of vigorous bongo playing this morning, which isn't ideal. But at least now we're up and can ready ourselves for the live premiere of Gurrumul's Djarimirri Live at Lighthouse Stage. Erkki Veltheim conducts a 16-piece orchestra from the Australian National Academy Of Music as these stunning Gurrumul pieces reach in and connect with our very essence. At the beginning of each song, the Yolngu title appears on the big screens together with the English translation such as "Marrayarr (flag mast for a sail)". What a perfect way to honour the legacy of this extraordinarily gifted artist! We’re mesmerised and teary, such is the power of these harmonised chants accompanied by full orchestral arrangements. There’s also a local Queenscliff choir up on stage that we're told are called Tides Of Welcome (a member of this choir's sister is our neighbour in the crowd and tells us Tides Of Welcome have “worked so hard” to prepare for this show). And Sarah Blasko is the perfect divine creature to lend her transcendental pipes to Bayini. We’re grateful for sunnies to mask our tears. It’s remarkable just how much clapsticks slice through the orchestral sounds, sharp and insistent like no other percussion instrument. Didge plus strings is an emotional pairing. Courtney Barnett then takes the stage to play guitar during set closer Wulminda (the clouds are getting darker) for which Tides Of Welcome also return to the stage. Footage shown on the big screens illuminates the expressions of intense sorrow on performers' faces and it's moving beyond belief.


They played in one of the QMF Express carriages this morning and Grizzlee Train have obviously amassed somewhat of a fanbase. Punters cram into Glaneuse Stage to catch the fun duo whose escalating tempos incite a vigorous clap-along.


Over on Hippos Stage, Jen Cloher is absolutely rocking out. Drummer Jen Sholakis pummels her kit and the band grin from ear to ear while playing their set closer Name In Lights, which features an extended outro and Cloher repeating, "There's nothing I can do/So I let go of you!" As crowd members cheer their appreciation, Cloher and co look equal parts stoked and spent. 

 

In the crowd, Courtney Barnett happily signs autographs and poses for selfies. It's heartwarming watching a group of teens take four composed steps away from Barnett after their brush with fame before bolting off, grabbing each other’s arms and ermahgerd-ing. 


We return to Glaneuse Stage for a repeat dose of The Turner Brown Band. Some of the expressions lap-slide guitarist Nikki D Brown pulls to determine the desired level of screechiness require her to bare all teeth. We definitely feel like the church of blues is in session and audience participation is fully encouraged - there's a whole lotta shakin' going on. Brown gets emotional telling us her parents were her number one fans, but the crowd cheer their support. They play a raucous version of You Are My Sunshine, which we learn was Brown's mum's favourite and the last song she performed on her sickbed before she passed. 


Closing Lighthouse Stage, Courtney Barnett showcases her extraordinary blend of brilliant songwriting, guitar wizardry and general amazingness. Bones Sloane's bass absolutely penetrates during Small Poppies and his backing vocals always perfectly complement Barnett's casual singing style. There are a lot of kiddies in the crowd and Nameless, Faceless performed live is a stirring experience with such an important message. Barnett's lyrical mastery sees us admiring fresh rhymes every time we catch her live ("Preston”/"...police arrestin’" - genius!).