Homebake Festival 2011 – Live Review

The first weekend of summer saw hordes of revellers head to The Domain in Sydney for the return of Homebake Festival.

Last year the festival organisers didn’t go ahead with the festival as they weren’t happy with the line up. After the disappointment of 2010 they had to come back with a bang in 2011 and big bang they did. With a plethora of artists from pop legends Architecture in Helsinki, the Blues master C.W.Stoneking, dance DJ Pnau and Australia’s home-grown sweetheart Nick Cave performing with Grinderman.

I was an Australian festival virgin and I expected things to go similarly to that of an English festival. But no no no, things are very different over here. I kept my nostrils open sure that at some point I would smell someone smoking cannabis or I would see some mess head curled up in a ball on the floor. But it just didn’t happen, everyone was so well behaved. Maybe it’s because of instead of festival security there was a strong police presence and no-one stepped out of line, these people don halo’s compared to the UK.

So whilst behaving myself and drinking slowly in the sun I got submerged into listening to the all Australasian music, darting from stage to stage with my informative little timetable booklet. A lot of the bands were new to me but there were also some acts I certainly wasn’t going to miss.

Gotye, oh Gotye, I had such high hopes for his set, being a fan of both his first and second album. The majority of the crowd had come to see that one song ‘Someone that I used to know’ with Kimbra which he did whilst 20,000 Aussies sung along out of key. Gotye then lowered the tempo and started playing some of his less powerful numbers but the volume seemed to go down with the tempo and I struggled to hear with the hum of the crowd.

Ladyhawke put on a blinder in the big top and Cut Copy started well but I had to leave before their set was done as Grinderman were on their way and I had to be at the front for this one. The main arena filled quickly and I elbowed my way as close as I could. A thick red back drop was put up and on came the man himself Nick Cave, suited and booted with his sidekick, Warren Ellis.

They played their instruments to breaking point, violin strings were snapping and replacement guitars were repeatedly brought on. I now know why Nick Cave is a national treasure; he played with such passion, delving frequently into the crowd to be caressed by the welcoming festival goers. Grinderman’s alternative rock was like the cherry on the cake.

Homebake started well, finished well but it was all over far too quickly, the thing is with Homebake is that it has such potential to be camping festival…fingers crossed for 2012.

Check out our Festivals Page to see what’s coming up next!

By Sarah Wilk