Playground Weekender

Rarely in Australia is there a festival that delivers top notch artists, an unreal atmosphere, the greatest of fancy dress costumes and the best of festival goers. Playground Weekender is the exception.

Kate Nash

With the ever beautiful Kate Nash headlining the event, an array of artists made it down the gorge to the tiny resort at Wisemans Ferry known as Del Rio. Although the ferry's were crowded and the queues were hours long, all those waiting with anticipation were sharing some ice cold stubbies before they were confiscated by security. Beach balls were being thrown, laughter was coming from all ends and the tech savvy iGens were eagerly texting a weekends worth of info to friends and family before boarding the shit to the party island.

Setting up camp was made that much easier with the fun loving crew we managed to set up near. Delicious tanned bodies wandering the riverside and portaloos that naturally would never be smelling of roses filled the campsite. To celebrate the set up of camp, we immediately headed towards the Synth pop rockers Cut Copy who delivered their new tracks from album Zonoscope.

Cut Copy

Tricky was next on stage and he was ridunkulous with his off the hook 1990s hits. Tricky knows what he's doing, mixing hip hop with rock in a way to move pop culture. Highlight of the Friday night interestingly enough was heading to a side bar with mist spraying its sweaty patrons and the ultimate in music tracks playing. One word - Madonna. Need I say anything else?

Most of Saturday was consumed in the pool area to chill out and hear up and coming DJs with the occasional stop off at the Slushy stand for some raspberry whirls strategically mixed with sneaky vodka.
Then the dress ups began. As one friend kindly pointed out to me... this was the only time of year you wouldn't be saying "I wonder who I'll hook up with tonight" but rather "I wonder WHAT I'll be hooking up with tonight".

Best group costume I believe were the deck of cards. No exaggeration - 52 of them. Honorable mentions go to the old school dudes and the Chilean Minors.
Saturday evening was kicked off with Midnight Juggernauts (always a great dance!) then Kool & the Gang, Architecture in Helsinki and De La Soul. I personally decided to skip out on De La Soul and headed to Norman Jay. Best.Decision.Ever. I am slightly upset I didn't get to see "Ring Ring Ring" performed live however Norman Jay was so incredibly dynamic and made the beat of my soul burst through my chest.

Although the night ended early, we kicked on around the tents and jumped into the muddy river.

Sunday was a very chilled day. Most patron's pyking in the morning to get back their brains and be ready for work. I on the other hand stuck around drinking ciders. First up on the list was American all girl group The Like. Small and intimate crowd meant a very personal set. They rocked it out in the heat and chatted away to those brave enough to stand in the scorcher of a day.

The Beautiful Girls

After a snooze in the afternoon (and multiple slushies...again), it was time for The Beautiful Girls. We danced, we sung, they delivered the cruisey surfer tunes they're best known for and prepared us for Kate Nash.

Miss Nash came on and showed us exactly why she is the headlining act. Smashing it out on the piano, strumming away on her guitar and delivering her sweet melodies with her renown vocals, Kate Nash couldn't have gone wrong.

Although only a few years old, Playground Weekender is hands down the greatest music festival Australia has to offer. And that my friend is a massive call.

Cut Copy - Zonoscope

The third album from Australian synth-pop sensations Cut Copy has once again got the emotions flying from tension to relaxation in audiences worldwide.

Listening to Zonoscope while trapped in a black and white office immediately pulls your mind to the weekend – road tripping along the coast with beauty, colours, relaxation, short shorts and your hair down. Perfectly sequencing the first half of the album, you begin your journey with the increasing tensions of “Need to Know” until you reach a purifying climax all within the fun loving beat of the track. Naturally you then progress to “Take Me Over” which is so easy to sing along to with your feet up and sun in your eyes. This track literally takes over your senses and the Bee Gees style guitar licks making you want to find the closest dance floor. The reverberating of “Where I’m Going” easily puts a smile on your face and is followed by the incredibly colourful mid-80s feel of “Pharaoh’s & Pyramids” which prepares you for “Blink and You’ll Miss a Revolution”. This song is hands down the highlight of the album. The highs, the lows, the catchy ostinato in the chorus and then you’re back to the mystic feel of the bridge. This is best 4 minutes you must have on any playlist of the summer.

The dramatic change in rhythm beginning with “Strange Nostalgia for the Future” begins a downward spiral for the album. It’s a very different feel and pace to the first half however I have no doubt in my mind tracks such as “Corner of the Sky” will be dynamite in a live situation, ramping the crowd up with the incredibly clever various speeds of the vamp riff.

Ending the album with the 15 minute long Sun God starts out interesting and spiritual however eventually plateaus into repetitive nothingness with your brain truly wandering to chores of the day. Could simply be our generation and our lack of concentration, or could be a sign that the track is just too long?