Live Review: Queenscliff Music Festival

You know you've arrived in Queenscliff when the first person you come in contact with cracks a friendly chat. Hammers are offered around while setting up tents and snorers are encouraged to pitch their swags elsewhere. 

We discover an excellent planet-friendly initiative as soon as we hit the bar: hardy, souvenir wine glasses (they look like glass, but are made of mega-strong plastic) that you can keep bringing back for refills cost a mere $2! Count us in. The Delta Riggs have just hit Hippos Stage and, man! Do they bring it!? Slinky frontman Elliot Hammond always wears clothes well and owns the stage in a way that's not unlike the late, great Michael Hutchence. There's also inspired guitar work thanks to Alexander Markwell. When Hammond heads over to the keys we know we're approaching next level. "I can smell some jazz cigarettes out there," he announces, before requesting that they be piffed stageward. Markwell sparks up later. The band's rendition of Hole In The Sky tears us a new one then recent single Supersonic Casualties follows, its face-melting key change winning over the last few dubious stragglers. A drum break during Rah Rah Radio ("You should just go back to where you came from") assists our clap-along and this is a highlight set that will be hard to beat across the festival weekend. 

Is that Dan Sultan's voice we hear beckoning from Lighthouse Stage? Refill the wine glasses and off we go. Gee, Ash Naylor really is an asset in Sultan's excellent backing band. The rock'n'soul performer's latest album Blackbird winning "a tonne of fucking awards" (Sultan's words) has done his confidence the world of good. Sultan tells us about his long, fond history with this festival and particularly recalls being moved by Paul Kelly performing From Little Things Big Things Grow years back. Props to the Sultan, he's come along leaps and bounds on guitar and his voice is a dream this evening. Drummer Peter Marin is an absolute gun and Old Fitzroy is always welcome. Young kids (wearing responsible ear protection, of course) fall asleep in their mothers' arms while enjoying Sultan at 11.47pm - that's the QMF spirit! Kimberley Calling is a wonderful call and Sultan's potential is close to fully realised. 

On our way out, free bottles of water are handed out (thanks to the Vanessa van), which will come in handy for tooth brushing and hangovers. Friendly security bid everyone good night upon exiting. Back at the campsite: Are girls these days really quite right with continuing their at-home beauty routines while camping? Facial spritzers in the cricket oval toilets? Give it a rest. And then the sound of crashing waves from the nearby ocean lull us to sleep.