Anzac Day is a time to honour the tremendous courage and sacrifice imbued by all those who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. This year, the day also marked the South Australian debut of Australia’s only touring rural music festival: Groovin The Moo.
At Oakbank Racecourse, the bucolic landscape was filled with a tangible feeling of zealous enthusiasm and celebration.
Conveniently located just 40 kilometres out of Adelaide, a herd of individuals embellished with gumboots, floral headbands, and ironic tees flocked to the verdant grounds of Oakbank Racecourse to get their groove on (pun intended) and embrace the stimulating sounds of Disclosure, Violent Soho, Dizzee Rascal, and many others.
First up, Brisbane four-piece and Triple J sweethearts The Jungle Giants took to the main stage and immediately evoked a state of enthused adoration into the remarkably sized crowd. Crammed full of handclaps, wordless hooks, and sticky riffs, peppy hits such as ‘Skin to Bone’ and ‘She’s A Riot’ engrossed and invigorated even those unaccustomed to the delightful indie-pop that these youngsters construct so superbly.
Over at the puntastic ‘Moolin Rouge’ tent, Melbourne boys Loon Lake maintained this energetic atmosphere with their catchy melodies and palpable onstage enthusiasm. Despite the fact that it wasn’t ‘almost nighttime’, fan favourite ‘Cherry Lips’ had the boys jiving and the girls shaking their ‘sexy hips’ in accordance with the song’s lyrics.
The undeniable highlight of their set, however, was their surprisingly good rendition of treasured anthem ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’. Driven by lead singer Sam Nolan’s falsetto cries and that instantly electrifying guitar riff, the crowd erupted into an incredible singalong that doesn’t come by as often as one would think.
Following on from this, the awkward timeslot of Vance Joy vs. Parkway Drive presented punters uninterested in ukuleles or metalcore with the opportunity to grab a drink, a bite to eat, and recharge in preparation for the hectic night ahead.
After this much needed break, a staggering number of festival-goers headed into the tent to experience the vicious, glorious sound of Violent Soho. As always, the band’s brief set was charged full of visceral numbers like ‘Jesus Stole My Girlfriend’ and ‘Covered In Chrome’, all of which were chaotic and reckless but bursting with ingenuity and a sense of musical proficiency that few grunge-revivalists acts possess.
At the other end of the musical spectrum, the saccharine electro-pop of Architecture In Helsinki injected a surge of sweetness into the late afternoon. Sporting vibrant outfits that both looked like something out of an 80s fashion magazine and perfectly exemplified their bubbly musical style, this Melbourne quintet immediately regaled the audience with lively number ‘That Beep’, which was made all the more amusing by their choreographed dance moves. Charging through a selection of old and new tracks, the band’s playful demeanour and danceable grooves (especially ‘Heart It Races’) went down a treat as the darkness began to envelop the racecourse.
Back over at the increasingly popular Moolin Rouge tent, up-and-coming electronic duo Peking Duk initiated the nighttime segment of the festival and – in the words of pop singer Pink – really got this party started. Not only did the Canberra duo win over the crowd with their proclamations that South Australia is the ‘sexiest state’, but their seamless set of remixes and original bangers also provided the crowd with much to exclaim over. From ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ to the Jackson 5’s ‘I Want You Back’ to Junior Senior’s ‘Move Your Feet’, Peking Duk successfully amplified the jovial mood of the crowd with their incredible mixing skills.
Given that The Jezabels’ lead singer Hayley Mary has been quite adamant about her distaste for music critics, this reviewer chose to avoid conflict and stay put at the Moolin Rouge tent to embrace the mellow electronica of Sydney’s Wave Racer. Whilst his pulsating beats and infectious grooves helped maintain the crowd’s energy, the lack of distinction between each tune led to a hazy set that struggled to compete with the instantaneous satisfaction that Peking Duk provided.
One of the most interesting acts of the night was the explicitly titled experimental duo, Holy Fuck. Showcasing a sinewy blend of industrial rock, funk, and electronic music, this Canadian duo’s set was aggressive, captivating, and unlike anything else at Groovin The Moo.
Just a few 100 metres away from this bizarre spectacle, English rapper Dizzee Rascal entertained those looking for something a little more conventional but equally as captivating as Holy Fuck. Playing hits like ‘Dance Wiv Me’ and ‘Jus’ A Rascal’, Dizzee’s grimy beats, swift rapping ability, and exuberant stage presence sent the crowd bonkers (ba dum tish).
Despite the usual unity between Australians and Brits, by this point of the night, punters were faced with the tough decision of deciding between one of two electronic duos: Sydneysiders The Presets or British youngsters Disclosure.
With their signature facial outlines beaconing down on the audience, Disclosure blazed through a blistering set that any fan of this sibling duo would have been happy with. Opening with the holy trinity of bangers (‘F For You’, ‘When A Fire Starts To Burn’, and ‘You And Me’), Disclosure’s set pleased music nerds and ravers alike with their meticulous craft, propulsive beats, and infectious hooks.
Whilst their mid-set improvisation did cause a bit of a lull, the Lawrence brothers returned to form for their effusive closer ‘Latch’, bringing Groovin The Moo to an ecstatic end that no amount of mud or traffic could have spoiled.
