For any music fan, there are few better ways to welcome a new year than with a multi-day festival such as Pyramid Rock.
2012 saw the festival’s ninth annual running and was noted to be a much smaller event than in previous years, with less than 5,000 punters took to the picturesque Phillip Island to welcome 2013.
The main stage took a considerable downsize; now appearing under a Big Top with the secondary Pharaoh’s Stage becoming smaller still. For the artists, the smaller crowds would be considered somewhat disappointing, however the experience was ultimately improved for the punter.
Almost non-existent lines for a variety of great food and drink options, tonnes of space to soak up the gorgeous oceanside setting, and a lower degree of ‘craziness’ all made for an impeccably smooth experience for Pyramid attendees.
The first band to hit the main stage was South Australian rockers Dangerous! The hard hitting four-piece recently made their international debut at the UK’s monster Download Festival and are gaining momentum in underground circles.
They connected well with the small gathering and certainly won over a few new fans. A handful more people had rolled out of their tents by the time Melbourne’s Dream On Dreamer took to the stage. The band’s energetic crowd evidenced that the festival’s introduction of local metal and hardcore acts is an effective drawcard and could be a sign of more heavy acts in the future (fingers crossed).
Band of sisters Stonefield were a delight to watch with lead singer Amy Findlay stepping away from the kit and joining her three younger siblings at the front of the stage for their rocking set. There was quite a bit of craziness going on during Children Collide’s performance with people climbing the pillars and very nearly making it to the roof of the big top before being ushered down by security.
The Amity Affliction danced across a line dividing beauty and brutality with their crushing set. Their live show has grown in leaps and bounds in the last few years with new songs off their #1 album Chasing Ghosts translating best of all. Frontman Joel Birch displays a whirlwind of emotion through his screams while Ahren Stringer’s soaring melodies were nearly as beautiful as the festival’s picturesque setting.
Over on the Pharaoh’s Stage, Kingswood had heads banging and slowly drew in passers by with their electric brand of rock. The hard-working Melbourne four-piece put on a great show and used the small stage effectively.
Closure In Moscow provided the live audiogasm that they always do, but the crowd was painfully small and the connection that the guys usually get wasn’t there which was disappointing to see. Gossling’s chilled out set was quite refreshing after a series of hard-hitting bands. Her quirky voice translates well live and packs a lot of potential.
A 40-minute set time feels more restrictive than ever when it’s a progressive rock band you’re watching, especially when it’s Karnivool. The crowd were treated to some great new material, but a Karnivool show without “Roquefort” didn’t feel right. Still, The ‘Vool are one of the strongest live acts in Australia and their performance was breathtaking.
360 was one of the festival’s major drawcards which became apparent when a large crowd began emerging from the camping area, likely for the first time all day. The popular Aussie hip-hopper worked the crowd well and received a huge reaction when Gossling joined him on stage for radio hit “Boys Like You.”
Many stayed to party with Pnau, and the electro duo were sensational. A host of top DJs kept the party going til the early morning with Phetsta’s dubby beats and epic sampling being the standout.
Day 2:
The few that dragged themselves out of their campsites early were well rewarded, as the two opening acts were early standouts. Triple J Unearthed act Dylan Joel was surprisingly brilliant. The young Melbourne-based MC produced some very innovative hip-hop beats and is certainly an artist to keep an eye on.
Hands Like Houses were a real gem of the festival lineup. The experimental rockers have a sound rooted in post-hardcore and combine ethereal, soaring melodies with deep rhythmic complexities to breathtaking effect. The Canberra six-piece are killing it in the USA but are yet to make the same waves in Australia and their debut album Ground Dweller is definitely worth checking out.
Melbourne’s Redcoats were awe-inspiring. Warm stoner grooves combine with Emilio Mercuri’s sky-shattering vocals to give the Melbourne four-piece one of the most unique sounds of any Australian band.
Their debut self-titled album was one of the strongest releases of the year and their live show capitalises on everything great about their debut record. Commanding attention from the smaller than deserved crowd the band were one of the festival’s true highlights.
House Vs Hurricane’s transformation with latest album Crooked Teeth has led to a more formidable live show than ever. Raw and dirty, their sound has changed dramatically since their keyboard-laden breakthrough EP Forfeiture, and new vocalist Dan Casey is a powerhouse screamer. “Blood Knuckles” was a set highlight, inspiring a huge sing-along and the usual moshpit.
Popular Melbourne hip-hoppers Pez and Illy both provided entertaining sets to a huge crowd reaction. Pez was refreshingly backed by a full band, which brought on a cool old school vibe, which was particularly effective in addition to his impressive freestyling. Featurette Hailey Cramer’s sweet voice worked well with Pez’s heavily articulated flow.
“The Festival Song” really hit home with the crowd, the lyrics collectively describing the weekend’s events for the all the ‘festival-heads’. Meanwhile, Illy played a mix of tracks off Bring It Back and The Chase and had the whole crowd bouncing. He also brought Pez back to the stage for a killer rendition of their duo “Where Ya Been.
Kate Miller-Heidke’s quirky, but brilliant vocal prowess was a treat to watch. She performed a collection of her classics as well as a new song or two and a very interesting cover of Eminem’s “The Real Slim Shady.”
Brisbane’s Dead Letter Circus were as tight-knit as ever. The love was thick in the pit as breathtakingly powerful vocalist Kim Benzie started a monster chant at the conclusion of breakthrough single “The Mile.”
Although way out of place on the lineup, Pennsylvanian punk stalwarts Anti-Flag commanded respect. Loud and proud, the band played with the conviction you would expect from a band of their experience, and their thrashy punk rhythms enticed what was probably the most epic mosh-pit of the weekend.
Courtesy of their brilliant new album Lonerism, Tame Impala are perhaps the most hyped Aussie act of 2012 and were given the job of bringing the audience from one year to the next. Following the countdown however, the noisy celebrations did distract and muddy the brilliant psychedelic sound, which was a disappointment. “Elephant” was monstrous in a live setting and “Half Full Glass of Wine” was a sweet closer for longtime fans.
DJ sets from Shockone, Beni, and Dr Werewolf saw the festival-goers entertained til the early hours of the morning with many finally crawling into their sleeping bags as the sun rose out of the ocean sky.
Ultimately the Pyramid Rock Festival experience was smooth, musically diverse, and very memorable. In future editions of the event it would be good to see an extra stage introduced to lengthen set times, as 40 minutes simply isn’t long enough for some of the bigger bands.
The lack of a clear headliner was strange, but it allowed more opportunity for the audience to revel in many of Australia’s most-loved acts as well as a handful of promising up-and-comers. The main stage sound was also brilliant all weekend.
Although it was disappointing to see the event undersold compared to previous years, many will look forward to seeing the festival return bigger and better for its 10th anniversary in 2013. We’ll definitely be there!
