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Before I say anything else, I want to say, if you do nothing else in 2012, make sure the one thing you do do is head to Southbound... It's fanreakintastic.
After heading off from Perth early with a view to getting a good camping spot, I found myself in a queue several hundred meters long with all the other wonderful Southbound campers who had the same idea. It was here we got our first taste of the heat that was to follow - like the proverbial gust of 2nd hand air in an elevator.
As the queue inched forward, stories were filtering back of how people were getting caught trying to sneak alcohol in. Some tried the hollowed out bread trick and others tried refilling diet coke cans full of rum and then supa-gluing the lids back on. Most found it a very expensive lesson to learn when their tickets were cancelled and they were refused entry.
After surviving the bag search I went off to find a place to park my tent, close enough to get to the festival but far enough away from the toilets so as to make the flies earn their keep when they ventured in the direction of my tent. 2 hours and one decidedly sorry looking tent later, I decided to dip my toes in the Southbound waters and ventured through the gate.
Southbound is this amazing little village that arrives every January, squeezes the life out of itself in three days and then goes off on vacation for the next 12 months to recover. It has everything you need to survive for three magical days….. minus the kitchen sink.
With three stages spread over a fair distance, it was a bit of a mission to try and get to see every band play, but I wore out my best stepping out thongs to try and do so. Before we get to my photos, I will share with you a few of my highlights from a truly wonderful festival.
Goodnight Tiger kicked proceedings off with their brand of folksy rock and set the bar fairly high for the acts to follow.
Fremantle’s Carus Thompson played an amazing atmospheric acoustic solo set. He has this incredible voice that fits in perfectly with his own sound of Australiana. It was a shame I could not hear his entire set, although the next band on stage, The Growl certainly made up for that. They play a sweet bluesy sounding rock with duel drummers smashing their way through the set. Definitely a festival highlight for me.
The great thing about Southbound is the musical variety on offer, and not long after The Growl, I was treated to the incredible talent of Sally Seltmann whose voice just leaves you with goosebumps. Her songs and her voice are something everyone should experience live.
After a quick pit stop to fuel up on water and sunscreen I headed off to witness the whirlwind energy that are The Novocaines. I love watching these guys play, it is always high energy rock n roll at its loudest.
Corey Marriot has this total lead singer aura about him and the band play some outstanding tunes to make The Novocaines a dead set must see for anybody’s bucket list.
I must admit to be secretly wishing the time would fly by until Angus & Julia Stone took the stage and when they did, I was in heaven. I have heard from a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy, that Julia’s voice has been added as the 8th wonder of the modern world, and from what I heard on Saturday it’s a title well deserved. This duo are incredible. Their emotion filled songs and wonderful musical ability make for a truly magical experience.
The penultimate act on the main stage that night was Ladyhawke who brought her sensational brand of rock music to Busselton and had the crowd baying for more. For me it was a great way to round off a magnificent first day at Southbound...
