The last weekend of summer couldn’t have been celebrated in a more fitting way than driving down the Moorooduc Highway to the gorgeously scenic Mornington Peninsula for the Between The Bays music festival.
Cloudless blue skies greeted ticket holders as they walked towards the Penbank School oval in Moorooduc for the eighth year of the very safe, very family friendly music festival.
This year, there is a slight difference to the program; organisers decided to go for a twilight spin, opening gates at 4pm and letting the music carry on into the night, rather than keep to the day-time affair of previous years.
Organised as a fundraiser to help the independent school and its sponsorship towards the Wugularr School in the Northern Territory, the festival is so much more than you would expect from your average school fete.
For the kids, there was a flying trapeze and rock climbing wall set up, as well as ‘build a maze’, zorbing, circus skills workshop, jumping castles, and rides.
And then there was the live entertainment…
Listening to Troy Cassar-Daley up on stage is like sitting round a campfire, swapping stories with old friends you haven’t seen in a while; reminiscing about times long past and catching up on recent happenings that have occurred since you’ve last seen each other.
It’s comfortable. It’s engaging. It’s warm and flies by a little too quickly for everyone’s liking.
Cassar-Daley, one of Australia’s most successful country music artists, is infectious in the best possible sense of the word. His big wide smile will have you smiling. His voice resonates in some part of the psyche. His openness and geniality draws you in and his enthusiasm whilst on stage will get you in the mood for a highly enjoyable time.
Opening song “Sing About This Country”, sets the scene for what is to come – his evident love of Australia, its people, and the blessed life he lives here with his family and friends.
The audience is treated to snippets of his childhood through “River Boy”, where he spent a good deal of his boyhood fishing by the river in Grafton, NSW; hear wicked harmonica playing in “I Wish I Was A Train”, and a lesson for aspiring guitarists with ‘Play’ where he proceeds to shred his electric guitar country-style.
Highlights included CMAA Single of The Year “Country Is”, where Cassar-Daley gives the crowd a lyrical treat about the charms of country hospitality. The title track of his new album Home, accents the importance of home to us all, and he also pays homage to Aussie country royalty Slim Dusty with a rendition of “The Biggest Disappointment.”
It swiftly turned into a massive sing-along to which the charming Mr Cassar- Daley noted “That’s gorgeous singing in the front!” to a very smitten crowd.
Tim Finn is a bit of a musical chameleon, always evolving, always moving on to the next challenge. A gifted singer and songwriter, his reputation amongst peers and fans has kept him at the top of his craft for decades.
A modern day poet, he paints a picture with his lyrics and adds texture with the accompanying melody. Going from calm waters to raging seas, you really don’t know where you will end up.
With a back catalogue that includes Split Enz, Crowded House, and his own solo projects, Finn has a winning formula for any live performance.
Taking a while to warm up, his distinctive voice finally hits its stride with quirky, catchy Split Enz number “My Mistake”, followed up by Crowded House’s instantly recognisable “It’s Only Natural” with a rush of energy.
That little frenetic Enz song, “I See Red”, got the crowd pumping like it was 1978; “Six Months In A Leaky Boat” set sail and Finn soared vocally, and a couple of kids were invited up on stage to jam to “Wild Sweet Children” from his album The View Is Worth The Climb.
Quite fittingly, Finn’s last song of the day timed perfectly with the sun hitting the horizon. As the opening strains of “Weather With You” played out of the speakers, the crowd readied itself for an inevitable, purely joyful sing along with the delightful and humble Mr Finn.
After a barely-there break, the stage is lit up once again for James Reyne, stalwart of the Australian music industry.
You know those singers who get better with age? Reyne keeps company with the best of them. Although earning his stripes in iconic band Australian Crawl, he has held his own as a solo artist in the years since their split.
Reyne’s incredibly identifiable voice throws itself into “Fall Of Rome”, the first track of his self-titled debut solo album from 1987. He is effortless but hard-working. He is an every man, but held in highest respect by his peers and supporters alike.
He is a prolific songwriter, a gifted performer and by all reports, a genuinely nice guy.
During his set, he even let the audience know when the lines to the bar and food stalls were short. See? Top bloke.
Reyne’s voice is versatile, in that he can confidently traverse music genres. His country-esque “Way Out West” has the catchy hook “living and a working on the land”, soothing rhythmic “One More River” has a surf-culture vibe to it, and renowned “Reckless” had the audience in thrall at his poignancy and control.
The lines at the bar were still on the short side as Reyne closed his set; having kept his audience’s captivated for the whole time.
His last song “Oh No, Not You Again” would have raised the roof – if there had been a roof to raise. Instead, a sea of people joined their voices to his and the open space filled with song for a truly special finish.
Possibly the most anticipated act of the festival was none other than 2007 ARIA Hall of Fame inductees the Hoodoo Gurus.
Aussie rock royalty, they have seen nine studio albums, two best of albums, a break up, a reunion, a plethora of hits, and a musical influence over an entire nation that has endured for the better part of 30 years.
With no signs of slowing down, Dave Faulkner and his fellow bandmates leap head first into “I Want You Back”, immediately reminding one of why the Hoodoo Gurus sound is so iconic. The lyrics are sharp, the music is pure rock, and their personalities are so damn playful and likeable.
Faulkner’s voice has a theatrical element to it; which makes quite a performance of their debut single “Leilani”, about a maiden sacrificed to the Gods, and the Gurus’ answer to a love song with infectious danceable “Like Wow – Wipe Out”.
The Gurus aren’t just for the kids who grew up in the 80s, their music is timeless, spunky, smart and edgy enough to appeal to the new generations coming through since their inception.
Looking around the Penbank oval, teens are on their friends’ shoulders, pumping their fists to fan favourites “What’s My Scene” and “Come Any Time”.
Young families are dancing to anthemic “Bittersweet”; and the grandparents are nodding in total agreement to a song that hits close to home at this time of night, “Waking Up Tired”.
The Gurus did not disappoint their fans, coming back for an encore which included an energetic rendition of “Miss Freelove ‘69”, dedicated to the females present. Faulkner and company, humbled, took a final bow and thanked the crowd for coming along to support such a great cause before leaving the stage.
Tim Finn put it best when he stood up on stage earlier on, looked out to the crowd and mused, “It’s a school fete, right? It’s mad. It’s insane!”
You truly would be hard put to find a similar lineup for a school fete anywhere else.
But then, it’s a lesson in itself, isn’t it: community spirit can and does achieve amazing things.
