Well, well, well. What is there to say about Groovin’ The Moo? As you should know by now it’s Australia’s ONLY regional touring music festival, which means one thing: highly excitable punters. I arrived super early (which I never do to festivals) to catch one of my favourite Sydney bands FISHING. The duo opened up the dance tent to a surprisingly large crowd for such an early time slot; bringing their trippy and chopped up beats along for the ride.

It was great to see them getting some attention from a large festival and the track “Choy Lin” was a big personal party starter for me.

After the boys had finished I took a little time to wander around the festival grounds before heading back to the tent to check out Tuka and Elesquire. The Blue Mountains really seem to have a knack for producing great Australian hip-hop artists because Tuka had me pumped from the second he rolled onto stage. Bouncing through hits like ‘Die A Happy Man’ and ‘Just Wanted To Feel’, energy levels began to peak amongst the young crowd.

Finally it was time to head outside to the Chanel [V] stage and embrace the sunshine. Brisbane four-piece Last Dinosaurs were up next and ecstatic to be playing to a crowd so large. I’ve personally been meaning to catch the guys for a long time and the wait was truly worth it. Running through a string of hits such as “Zoom”, “Andy” and “Sunday Night”, the musicianship and happy vibes injected the festival with a sheer sense of joy.

Moving slightly to the right, I found myself at the Triple J stage to catch Urthboy – a personal favourite of mine whom I have now seen countless times. As always, he was joined by the ever lovely Jane Tyrrell who has to ability to mesmerize me at will; delivering flawless vocals with goose bump inducing highs. Set highlights included a crowd surf and good deal of confetti throwing from Urthboy as he laid down his hard hitting raps – everyone bopping along.

Soon enough it was time to return to the dance tent, only some type of transformation had occurred. Hardcore fans had started to pile in as LA five piece The Bronx took to the stage (not to mention the Amity Affliction fans who were already seeking a good spot). The Bronx presented a flawless, energetic set which was filled with more than a couple head bangs and air guitar licks to tracks such as ‘Shitty Future’.

Shooting back out of the tent to catch the final few songs of Brooklyn two-piece Matt and Kim, I became absolutely elated with their euphoric stage presence. The crowd chanted along to the hard hitting “Now” as balloons bounced around and I decided to get closer to the stage.

Just as I did, Kim promised to get everyone laid via her Twitter dating service #kimsdatingservice before jumping into the crowd to shake her booty to Diplo’s “Express Yourself.” Ending their set with a version of “Daylight”, Kim promised to play “so fucking hard it’s like I’m taking it in the ass”. She lives up to her promises.

Australian rapper Seth Sentry seemed a little off during his set. While he jumped on speakers and shot at the crowd with NERF darts, he just didn’t seem as hyped as I’ve seen him on previous occasions. Regardless, the crowd were going wild for hits such as “Float Away” and “The Waitress Song”; apart from one crowd member who threw a water battle at Seth. He wasn’t happy.

Not being a huge fan of “screamo” music I was a little reluctant to check out The Amity Affliction. None the less, they certainly raised energy levels up more than a notch as circle pits opened and crowd surfers poured into the photo pit. While I didn’t stay long, I can definitely see why they have a huge following. It’s not that the set was particularly offensive, I was just really keen to catch Melbourne pop outfit Alpine.

They didn’t disappoint either! Bringing their massively happy sounds and bubbly vibes to the festival, the dual vocals of Phoebe and Lou sent the crowd into quiet a tizzy. “Gasoline” was definitely a highlight!
What happened next was possibly the best thing I saw all day – YACHT taking to the stage. Front woman Claire was wild and ready to party and so were the crowd. While front man Jona jumped around onstage, Claire wrapped herself up in her microphone cord before spinning down into the photo pit to play with the crowd. Admittedly I nearly got taken out by her as security tried to control her movements – she was loving it.

Meanwhile Frightened Rabbit were absolutely killing it onstage despite being “fucked” from their flight into the country at 5am that morning.

Back in the tent, YACHT finished up and Melbourne MC Pez took to the stage as the crowd changed – losing their cool vibe and turning into a cesspit of underage drunks. Being a photographer I’m quiet used to being hit by all manner of things in the photo pit (Phil Jamieson’s spit for instance) but coping a water bottle to the head before Pez had even come onstage was truly a reflection of what the crowd would be like during the set. From what I saw Pez performed well but the feral crowd totally ruined the set for me and I decided to go see Regurgitator instead.

Regurgitator are pretty much an Australian institution and as always they performed exceptionally. The bouncy energy of bassist Ben Ely, coupled with the raw power of Quan Yeomans vocals, set the guys up to be a total hit with the more rock oriented crowd of the main stage. Who wouldn’t like a song called “I Will Lick Your Arsehole”?

Next up was Brooklyn band They Might Be Giants, who proved not very popular with the young crowd. While they are great musicians in their own right, the quirky nature of their music and their older catalogue seemed lost in translation. The crowd began to gather towards the end though for the return of Tame Impala, fresh from playing the epic Coachella Festival in the US.

Unfortunately for us, all that travelling had killed Kevin’s voice, leaving him pretty much unable to sing anything not extremely low. Musically they were tight but the whisky just wasn’t helping his voice; giving up and letting the massive crowd sing “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards”. It was a little disappointing but what can you do? I don’t think anyone was too upset as the band shredded through their psychedelic set.

After they had finished I pushed my way back into the dance tent area which was so packed the crowd were spilling out; bare chested boys climbing onto poles for a better vantage point. The man on everyone’s mind had arrived – Flume. Management seemed extremely worried about how many people at turned up to the set (I’d estimate over half the festival where in the small area) and quickly closed down the photo pit as they tried to control the crowd and pull flailing girls out. Walking into the crowd, the familiar boom of “More Then You Thought” began to drop as an ambulance tried to push trough the crowd. I think everyone knows Flume should have been upgraded to a bigger stage, but the staff really were doing a good job of trying to manage safety.

As I returned to the main stage, Brighton indie kids The Kooks were just coming on. More teenage girls were swooning as the boys ran through a set of solid pop numbers including “Junk Of The Heart” and “Seaside”. All in all a solid performance.

The Temper Trap then had the honours of wrapping up the main stage – a band which had previously been rejected by the Australian music industry. I’m sure all the people who wouldn’t give the boys airplay back in the day would have been very regretful as the crowd sang along to hits like “Love Lost” and danced their asses off to “Drum Song”. It was a truly perfect way to finish the main stage.

Before I headed home, I darted back into the dance tent one last time to check out English singer/rapper Example. The party crowd was of course extremely responsive to any wobble of bass or sing along chorus as Example smashed out his set. Favourites such as “Change The Way You Kiss Me” and “Stay Awake” were highlights for my very sore legs and I.

Groovin’ The Moo was absolutely wonderful (as it always is), despite a couple of little mishaps. In the words of Example “We’ll be coming back for you one day”. Mooooooo.

[Follow me on Twitter @cormy96]

The post Review: Groovin’ The Moo Maitland 2013 appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

Example is one of Britain’s most renowned acts – bringing a unique mixture of rock, rap and dance to the music scene. We caught up with him ahead of his visit to Australia for the Groovin’ The Moo tour to talk London, dubstep and getting married.

LAEM: Example was only in Australia last year. What keeps you coming back?
E: Probably the weather! People keep coming back to see me as well so that helps… Oh and my family live here!

LAEM: You’re also engaged to an Australian! Congratulations. How did you meet?
E: Thanks! We met on her radio chat show. She was interviewing me! Love at first sight and all that.

LAEM: What first drew you towards making electronic/rap music? What do you love about the genre?
E: I never wanted to be in music. I wanted to be a film director. I’m just really enjoying the music I’m making and travelling the world. I rapped to fit in at school. I also know loads of electronic DJ’s so it all makes sense to me. I only really listen to rock music though – I can’t play guitar and my hair isn’t long enough.

LAEM: What was the best bit about growing up in London and having so many different people from all different cultures and backgrounds around?
E: I suppose it helps define you as a person. You find out about so many different types of music for one! Then you discover other words, slang, food, movies, clothes – all these things help shape the people who live there and that’s what I love about London.

LAEM: Who/what influences you?
E: I really only listen to 90’s music – whether that’s rock, grunge, rap, electronica, garage. That’s still my favourite era for music. I still listen to Wu-Tang Clan, the Prodigy and Nirvana.

LAEM: Tell me about the making of The Evolution of Man
E: I wrote all the song titles first. Then I wrote all the songs in about 4 weeks. It took another 6 months to produce and mix it. It’s a very personal album and inspired by all my favourite bands.

LAEM: Do you enjoy collaborating with other artists?
E: I prefer working with producers than singers or rappers. I like to do all my vocals myself and write my own songs.

LAEM: How would you describe your sound?
E: I really don’t know. People call it pop, rap, urban, electronic, dubstep, house. I’d say the best way to describe it is ‘electronic rock’. I only really rap occasionally now so I don’t think the rap/hip hop tag suits me anymore like it did on my first album back in 2007. I’ve evolved! People change.

LAEM: What do you think the explosion of dubstep did for yourself and similar artists?
E: I’ve been fortunate to work with people like Skream, Benga and Flux Pavilion and this has gained me some attention in the dubstep scene. I kinda feel like all music is just music. People don’t stick to one genre anymore.

LAEM: What’s your favourite bit about touring? Are you excited to play Groovin’ The Moo?
E: The travelling and meeting fans all over the world. Of course!! I can’t wait to spend a whole month in Australia. I’m getting married at the end of tour!

Example is playing Groovin’ The Moo between April 27 and May 11. Get all the info here.

The post Interview with Example ahead of Groovin’ The Moo appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

Groovin The Moo, Australia’s only regional touring festival, has dropped another stellar lineup for 2013. Visiting Maitland, Canberra, Bendigo, Townsville and Bunburry, the tour will see the likes of The Temper Trap, Tame Impala, Tegan and Sara, and Lost At E Minor favourite, Flume, grace the stage. Prepare yourselves for the April/May cusp, a big herd is rolling into town. Check out the full lineup and dates below.

The Lineup A-Z

ALISON WONDERLAND – ALPINE – THE AMITY AFFLICTION – THE BRONX (USA)
DZ DEATHRAYS (DJ SET) – EXAMPLE (UK) – FLUME – FRIGHTENED RABBIT (UK)
HUNGRY KIDS OF HUNGARY – THE KOOKS (UK) – LAST DINOSAURS -
MATT AND KIM (USA) – MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS – PEZ – REGURGITATOR –
SETH SENTRY – SHOCKONE – TAME IMPALA – TEGAN AND SARA (CAN) -
THE TEMPER TRAP – THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS (USA)
TUKA WITH ELLESQUIRE – URTHBOY – DJ WOODY’S BIG PHAT 90’S MIXTAPE (UK)
YACHT (USA) – YOLANDA BE COOL
WITH TRIPLE J UNEARTHED AND LOCAL ARTISTS TO BE ANNOUNCED!

Dates

Saturday 27 April 2013 – Maitland NSW
Maitland Showground
Blomfield St, Maitland NSW 2320

Sunday 28 April 2013 – Canberra ACT
University of Canberra
Kirinari St Bruce ACT 2617

Saturday 4 May 2013 – Bendigo VIC
Bendigo’s Prince of Wales Showground
42 – 72 Holmes Rd, Bendigo VIC 3550

Sunday 5 May 2013 – Townsville QLD
Murray Sports Complex – Townsville Cricket Grounds
Mervyn Crossman Dr & Murray Lyons Cres, Idalia QLD 4811

Saturday 11 May 2013 – Bunbury WA
Hay Park
(off) Parade Rd Bunbury WA 6230

Tickets On Sale Dates

Tues 5 February (from 9am local time) – Maitland NSW & Canberra ACT
Wed 6 February (from 9am local time) – Bendigo VIC, Townsville QLD & Bunbury WA

The post Music festival Groovin The Moo drops amazing lineup appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.