There’re three things that go well together on the Gold Coast – scorching heat, sunburns, and live music. As we enter the gates of the ten-hour festival, the first thing we see people searching for is the sunscreen they’ve forgotten.
So far, there’s only about 20 people here at the Broadwater Parklands as Gold Coast hip hop duo Emph n Treats open the main stage. While there’s close to no one in the crowd, they still treat their performance as if it was completely full. It’s an energetic start to the day.
Thankfully there’s quite a few things to do in between sets at the festival. There’s people ramming into each other on electronic skateboards, street artists filling the air with paint fumes and a halfpipe with skaters of different ages and skill. As Bec Sandridge finishes soundcheck and starts her set on the main stage, people flock around, singing and dancing around to tracks like You’re A Fucking Joke. She jokes about her and her drummer being on different flights and stresses about a set she has to play tonight all the way down in Melbourne.
Sounding like they’ve come fresh from the garage straight to the stage, Flying Machine open the small Rabbit Stage. This time people are starting to dance around, ignoring the scorching heat. They play Petrol…Flames and This Feeling. After this set people are definitely in a better mood to carry on throughout the afternoon.
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From over the state border and taking over the main stage next is Seaside with their dreamy pop. There’s still barely anyone around the stage, but regardless, they still dance around and make the most of their short set.
Looking like they’ve come straight out of a bohemian music video, psychedelic-pop four-piece Sunrose start off their set to a fair crowd at the Rabbit Stage. Everyone’s grooving and there’s quite the scent of a definitely legal substance floating through the air. Musically it’s quite euphoric, and really brings out the high in a lot of the crowd.
There’s a DJ on the stage, and a few people are confused as to whether this is Jesswar’s set or if someone else is just filling in the slot. After quite a delay, no doubt made to psych the crowd up, the Brisbane-based hip hop artist runs onto the stage and slams out some ferocious bars. There’s a cheer from the audience, and it’s quite an interesting set to watch.
With Clowns, the audience is divided between being on the defensive or pulling out all the stops. Within a few minutes, the security barrier at the Rabbit Stage is torn apart – with security doing next to nothing to sort out the situation except sigh at the reality that it’s now time to do their jobs. Even with heads banging left and right, some members of the crowd piece back together the barrier and hold it down - effort that goes to waste when frontman Stevie Williams takes his mic down to dance around with the crowd. Even on such a small stage Clowns impress – people are finally starting to work up a sweat.
Saying fame has caught up with Sunshine Coast punk The Chats is an understatement. It’s upsetting to see a band that just wants to enjoy themselves consistently bombarded and having to shrug off a crowd of drunks screaming, “Oi you garn' SMOKO?” They get into Mum Stole My Darts and an unreleased song about getting 'the clap', with the crowd starting a fair mosh. There’s a few fans singing along to I’m The Best Person In The World, and as expected, even though the band were clearly rushing through at a much higher bpm, the crowd were most hyped for hit track Smoko.
Gold Coast locals CAKES have been a real treat lately; each gig, even with the same setlist, is changed up in a unique and incredible way that makes it impossible to miss. They open with Octopus and ILL, then shred into Break My Mode and top it all off with latest single Public Fish and simpler track Love Ballad. With a library of guitar effects and absolutely smashing every single drum fill, they’re undoubtedly the prized possession of the Coast.
The sun’s still up, but that doesn’t stop a spectacle of smoke machines and stage lighting turning Carmouflage Rose’s set into an atmospheric wonder. The electronic hip hop artist runs and jumps around the stage and consistently keeps up crowd engagement.
IV League were still trying to source another microphone during their show. But even with the small delay, they get into their set with pure enthusiasm. However, with such a cut-back set, the next band’s already waiting by the side eager to begin setting up.
Alex The Astronaut walks out onto the main stage in her own merchandise, armed with a Stratocaster her powerful four-chord tracks. She introduces herself to the crowd and plays Waste Of Time and a cover of David Bowie’s Space Oddity. The sun’s setting over the parklands and this is by far one of the most atmospheric sets of the afternoon.
There’re quite a few people that have come down to the Rabbit Stage for VOIID. They’ve been breaking into the local and national scene with their awesome punk anthems and even better live shows and as they get into their set the crowd’s already smashing heads against the security barrier. They play familiar tracks Dipshits With Nice Tits before the crowd gets even more psyched for Deranged, Silly Girl and Twin, as well as a few covers thrown into the mix with Clowns frontman Stevie Williams. They close with Not For You, and once again they’ve packed all the right punches. They’re a band that’ll no doubt be the next big punk thing.
Wollongong comedian Frenchy is bombarded by fans requesting photos the second he emerges from backstage with his band Frenchy & The Talent. With songs like Friendzone and Shoey, there’s scarily quite a large crowd dancing around and singing with the band.
There’s a lot of people that have been talking throughout the day about Frenzal Rhomb, but in all honesty, they don’t live up to the massive hype. They’ve been around for 26 years but sound like every other Green Day/Blink-182 era punk band. The highlight of this set was Clowns frontman Stevie Williams making yet another appearance on stage, taking over the vocal reins.
Guitar fuzz reigns supreme as Moaning Lisa take the Rabbit stage. There’s still a crazy amount of people here since the end of the last band’s set, and more flock around as they play crowd favourites like Good and Carrie (I Want a Girl).
The main stage is now completely packed out and retreating to the side-stage bar seems like the best option for those holding green or pink wristbands. The stage lights up in hues of blue and red as Last Dinosaurs take the stage. They open with a Kooks-like guitar riff in Sense. There are now people on each other’s shoulders in true festival style. Eleven gets an enormous reception, there’s not a single person standing around because it’s all about having the best time possible. As they get into their more sombre songs, frontman Sean Caskey sounds almost reminiscent of Cub Sport’s Tim Nelson, and no it’s not just the new blonde hair. With another act down at the Rabbit Stage though, some members of the crowd begin to move on for the final few sets of the night.
As they take the stage, Good Doogs greet the crowd with an almost incoherent, “Hey how ya garn' Shaka?” As soon as they get into their opening riffs, it’s all feet on the dancefloor. The drums are blaring through the mix and each note of the trebly guitars scream in everyone’s ears with tracks like Sinking Fourties. One thing’s for certain, this band certainly sounds better live than they do on their studio tracks.
As the dark stage flares brightly to life, headlining hip hop trio Bliss N Eso take the stage, psych up the crowd and dive straight into Family Affair. They introduce their live guests and get into Act Your Age. It’s a marvel of a set, but as fatigue and exhaustion from a long day kicks in, some of the crowd are ready to call it a night.
With such a small area to work with Shakafest truly go the whole hog and make it feel like a massive music festival. And even though many called it early, this truly was a night and a half.
