PARKLIFE MELBOURNE – RECAP

TEASER:  Each day this week, we’ll be publishing a new backstage interview with a band at Parklife. Coming at you are our chats with  St Lucia ,  Citizens! ,  Chairlift ,  Charlie XCX  and our exclusive with  Tame Impala .

After a week of blissful weather, it all seemed to come crashing down on the day that needed it most, Parklife. Thankfully you wouldn’t have known it, judging by the crowds of enthusiastic, poncho wearing fans who came down to party at one of the biggest opening festivals of the season.

Highlights include an early but always impressive set from  Flume  (with arm in sling after a security incident at a recent  T.E.E.D  show). Crowd favourites and newbies from the yet to be released album all went down well with the energetic crowd. Though clashing with Flume, we managed to catch a glimpse of  Alison Wonderland  over on the Myer Music Bowl showing the crowd why her high-energy party sets are always a great way to start a festival.

Jacques Lu Count  proved to be the stand out act of the day, his brand of house, yechno and a few better know tracks to appease the festival crowd hit the right spot as the day moved into the evening. With the music bowl starting to pack out after a slow start (no doubt due to the weather) Le Count managed to really turn the atmosphere into that recognisable as a festival’s main stage.

A surprise hit for the day was catching a bit of  Rizzle Kicks ’ set. Watching the Brighton lads take their very radio friendly British hip hop sound and work it out with a massive live band worked fantastically. However, no surprises came as to how good  Charli XCX  performed. High energy and stage presence only strengthened a solid live show and showed just why she’s touring the world at only 20 years of age.

The twilight hours saw patrons swell around the well designed layout.  Tame Impala  took on the rain in the biggest way possible, running through  Innerspeaker  favourites such as  Solitude   Is   Bliss ,  Lucidity ,  Why Won’t You Make Up Your Mind?  and  Desire Be Desire Go . New tracks from  Lonerism  were received very well.  Elephant  got the biggest reception, but  Apocalypse Dreams  shone as did next single ‘ Feels Like We Only Go Backwards ‘.  Parker  was in rare form, joking about the rain! They then finished up their set with old favourite ‘ Half Full Glass Of Wine ‘ with an incredibly tripped out guitar breakdown. Just as they finished the rain cleared.

Justice  were up next, building up the crowd with dance heavy classics,  Phantom pt.1  along with  We are your friends ,  D.A.N.C.E  and of course the 2012 hit  Audio Video Disco .

Without a doubt, the festival climaxed with the deliverance of  Presets  new live show. There were lots of different interpretations on hold hits such as ‘ Are You The One ‘ and a huge amount of new material from  Pacifica . All but 3 tracks. For enthused fans, some of the set felt a bit unenthused compared to usual energetic performances, but all up the up tempo set fuelled the crowd to a very danceable finale.

Overall an impressive line up delivered very strongly on what was not an easy day for festival goers. Yet so with so many fantastic acts back to back through out the day it could have been the apocalypse 2012 and the crowd would have been having just as much fun.

PHOTOS

PHOTOS BY BRANDON JOHN

WORDS BY Brandon John

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