Now in its 8th year, the Peats Ridge Festival seems to be getting bigger and bigger. World renowned as one of the leading sustainability events, "Peats" is one of the must do NYE events on most of Australian bucket lists. A gathering for all things eclectic, the event creates a environment like no other.

Considering the amount of music that is presented in the 3 days, it is quite difficult to do justice to all that it has to offer, but something that must be experienced all the same. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly early on Thursday with The Rescue Ships doing a great job of opening the event. Their modern take of folk music garnered a generous response from the small gathering early on.

Gemma Ray was the next notable artist, whipping through a quick set of self-penned tunes. Her funky and dark sounds proved why she is quickly being heralded as one of the next big things out of the UK. There was no let up in the mammoth line up of DJs and bands, and at times it was difficult to decide which sets to get a glimpse of.

It was straight onto Marshall and the Fro, a group of North Coast boys who had the most energetic set of the day. They worked hard to please the crowd and the baking hot sun only added to their intensity. They complimented their set by flying around the stage and even playing crowd favourite “Put Your Thongs On” by using their thongs as guitar picks. Genius.

As the afternoon rolled on I took some time out in the Chai Temple and had a session with Jack of all trades Claude Hay. His loop driven performance is always great to watch and the relaxing ambiance of the Chair temple was the perfect backdrop for his funky guitar and percussion sounds.

Young Brissie band Ball Park Music hit the main stage and got the first big cheer of the day. Tweens wept and screamed as they crammed in a nice indie pop set complete with over the top stage antics that seemed to hit the spot with their fans. With all the apparent hype that surrounds them, their live performance at a festival of this magnitude really produced the goods. They have a energy and chemistry that is seldom seen in bands of their vintage.

Direct from the US, Dum Dum Girls followed on the main stage as dusk set, and to be honest, though the girls have been applauded in some circles, they failed to garner a real energy from the fans and their set seemed quite flat as a result. Though aesthetically pleasing, the girls seemed as if they wanted to be somewhere else.

Luckily next up at the Lyrebird stage, Sietta (pictured above) kicked things off with their lively bass and drum skills, producing what was without a doubt the stand out set of the festival. This duo should be huge. They stole the festival. They captivated their audience, many of whom I am sure were seeing them for the first time. Playing tracks from their debut album Seventh Passenger, the chucky bass lines and electro sounds fused with sensual soul vocals, making for a perfect blend of old meeting new. The bar was set very high early in the event.

Thursday night came to a close with our own Xavier Rudd (pictured below), who as expected delivered a polished performance. Sound problems and blown speakers aside, Mr Rudd hit the spot and his fans were treated to an exceptional first day at Peats.

After such a HUGE first day it may have been difficult for Peats to match it, but I must say Day 2 delivered in droves. The first notable performance was Chase the Sun early in the afternoon. Bass slapping Ryan Gennip was particularly impressive. Graveyard Train and Los Capitanes both produced epic sets further in the day, the latter showing particular poise and presence in the Lyrebird tent, proving why they have such a cult following.

The infectious grooves of Tijuana Cartel tore up the main stage later in the afternoon with a set that would prove to be the best of the day. Their multi-layered grooves, coupled with the unique sounds of their flamenco guitars and horns seem to have no peer. They have an on stage presence that it is entirely engaging and they won over many new fans with the two sets that they got to play at the event. A special guest appearance from Salmonella Dub frontman Dave Deakins was popular as they pounded out a hip hopping, funking set that had everyone grooving.

Benjalu will demand a main stage set if they come back here next year as they also tore up the Lyrebird tent. Hanni El Khatib and Jim Ward both produced solid sets but at the end of the day Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro and Hemitude stood up to be counted as the crowd favourites. The Japanese MMK proved that even though their English is poor, their funked out original tunes are universal.

Hermitude provided Lyrebird fans with an hour that no one will ever forget. They have greatness at their feet. With the next night to be New Years Even, the gathering was kind of subdued and as the sounds played into the night, and we were all primed for what would prove to be a unforgettable NYE celebration.

The chilled sounds of Passenger served as a fitting entree to the night that was to follow. The anticipation was high and as Passenger ended his set, the sun baked our bodies and NYE was quickly developing into something very special.

Skipping seemed to be the order of the day and everyone was in a great mood as Husky kicked off their folk blend at the Lyrebird. Playing songs from their recently released Forever So album the sings translated perfectly to the live setting. "History’s Door" and "Forever So" sounded particularly impressive. The afternoon rolled on and the Fancy Dress outfits began to arrive. It was obvious that Peats Ridge is more than just about music and soon the music would take a step back for the fancy dress competition. Somewhere in there, Mongolian folksters Hanggai also produced a stellar set.

There was a slight break in music whilst the winners of the fancy dress were decided and that was a ball of a totally different kind.

Once the formalities were over, it was time for Blue Mountain's own Thundmentals to take centre stage. They grasped their opportunity with both hands and the Hip Hoppers will be gracing stages this size for a long time to come. Tunes from their recent Foreverlution release was on the agenda and it had the packed Bellbird dancing up a storm.

It was not long before the arrival of the New Year and Tijuana Cartel delivered another blistering set. It was now up to headliner Gotye to finish up proceedings in the main arena. I always thought he was a strange choice as NYE act and especially at Peats. It was welcome surprise to see that he produced a well structured and up beat set that seemed to keep everyone happy. His musicianship may be unparalleled in the Australian scene at the moment and his set spoke truckloads for his talent.

With the festival focusing on a family environment, it was great to see plenty of kids around as Gotye produced a honest wholesome set. It may not have been the crazy, euphoric countdown to the new year that most expect from a festival like this* but it hit the mark. His 10 piece band sounded sounded tight as their huge hit “Somebody That I Used To Know” whisked in the New Year.

Peats Ridge is great NYE event and this year was no exception. The perfect place to celebrate in a relaxed and friendly environment. Until next year!

*Editors Note: Those who wished for this could be found enjoying Eagle and the Worm in the Lyrebird Tent. They brought in the New Years in huge party style! Also a particular mention must go out to Founds, one of the most talked about bands of the festival, alongside Inland Sea and Hanni El Khatib, who were my picks of the weekend. And a great weekend at that! Thanks to the organisers for having us for the third consecutive year!

Photos by Pete Rivas for the AU review.