The second year of Harvest Festival demonstrated that last year’s success was no fluke. Sitting or strolling or dancing or jiving – this is a beautiful spot to do it, with like-minded people.
Although the term Harvest does not sit properly with the spring season (maybe it should be the SEED festival? I can hear it now, “Are you going to SEED?”), the abundance of amusement that was on display for the one day gathering was certainly bountiful.
Attending a festival is very much like eating at a buffet. Some people will load their plate with the big named acts (Sigur Ros, Beck, Ben Folds, or stuff themselves with Cake), only picking at some of the morsels outside of that area. Other individuals will scoot around and get a sampling of as much of the menu as possible.
There is no one way to do it and Harvest, with the arts, sideshows and other diversions make decisions difficult. With little congestion and no queues for anything, you can vote with your ears and your feet and end up somewhere that is happy-making in a flash.
Early arrivals had the chance to hear, see and touch Los Campesinos! on the spacious Great Lawn and enjoy the rocking little indie set they delivered.
The small gang of listeners were up on their feet having an early dance and lead vocalist Gareth David jumped out and joined them in the pit as he vocalised. Indian headdress feathers were flying and the small cloud of dust signalled the start of the fun times ahead.…complaints were not to be heard at the sun drenched Parramatta Park.
With a crowd wearing superfluous gumboots, Kevin Rowland fronted The Dexys in his finest, and the audience was awash in sunlight. With people rolling in now, the horde hung around and enjoyed the theatrics of the duet of “I’m Always Going To Love You” with Rowland and Madeline Hyland.
Many then eagerly awaited the song they came for, their worldwide #1 “Come On Eileen”. When it hit, twirling, dancing and clapping ensued. Rowland seemed to be pleased he was done with it and the crowd voted with their feet once it was delivered.
By now the natural amphitheatre that is The Great Lawn, a new admirable setting for the main stage this year, was enjoying the psychedelic sounds of The Dandy Warhols.
With black and white strobing video screens depicting the band, it felt like (and looked like for some) that the drugs had taken effect. Although they sounded fine, the energy from the stage only seemed to raise the pulse of fans during the well-received “Bohemian Like You”.
Whether you were in the Le Boudoir Tent watching sideshow acts at times delving into self-harm; or The Snuff Box witnessing some sort of acid crazed/ futuristic/ techno inspired performance; eating some of the free bananas; or noshing on some of the food and drink on offer it was all a breeze.
The stress levels throughout the day were well and truly absent and complaints were not to be heard at the sun drenched Parramatta Park.
Sunset Pickups flew in from Los Angeles, and Brian Aubert’s guitar was spinning the Windmill Stage where distorted notes jumped out at you from the start of each number. However, the crowd did seem to be moving back to The Great Lawn now, for (quite possibly) their only opportunity to see Mike Patton turn the place into a wild Italian wedding with his Mondo Cane traveling circus.
He even dedicated a song to the “sexy Parramatta Eels” but the pronunciation of our locale seemed to come out awry. But Patton, suitably attired in a white suit, took us through the paces and surprisingly so, everyone seemed to enjoy the carnival-like atmosphere of the set.
Another venue, shaded and complete with crepes and coffee, was the La Toosh caravan café, with its roof converted into a stage, the sounds of something unfamiliar for Harvest floated through the air.
Was that actually bluegrass music? Like a sorbet between courses at this musical banquet, Belly Ache Ben & The Steamgrass Boys worked through a well picked and lively set. With dancing audience members adorned in rubber masks that resembled pigs, cardinals and squirrels, the park had come alive.
Overhead, a family of cockatoos peeked and strutted outside a hole in a tree above the stage wondering what these humans were doing down below.
Things were gearing up for some of the heavyweights and people were checking their dance cards and many of them decided on a piece of Cake on the lawn, while others seemed to be heading off to the Ben Folds Five reunion. Choices, choices!
Cake were enjoyable and the crowd upfront seemed to be engaged with a mix of new songs and old favourites like “No Phone”, “Rock N Roll Lifestyle” and “The Distance”. As fun as it was the feeling from the rest of the band was it was just another set, just another country, and with McCrae telling the masses: “thanks for coming, but I really hate jet travel. See you in 20 years”, well, maybe the band needs a shot of enthusiasm.
With a little time before Beck was to arrive, the sounds of Ben Folds Five were engaging enough to draw a largish gathering at The Windmill Stage.
Attending a festival is very much like eating at a buffet. Some people will load their plate with the big named acts… others will get a sampling of as much of the menu as possible.The reunification of the band was truly a positive trip and their playing was fresh and alive. “Brick”, “Landed”, and the closing “Army” showed that Folds and his troupe can still deliver the goods. The energetic crowd was in agreement and they proved it with their voices, with the closing notes of “Army”, the migration began to Beck.
For the people that missed Beck’s classic set list, this was (I am sure many Sigur Ros fans will argue) the highlight of Harvest in Sydney.
Together with his touring band, featuring Justin Meldal-Johnsen on bass and the more than fabulous Smokey Hormel on guitar, they turned in a gold medal performance. “Lost Cause” and “Golden Age” sounded as good or better than a studio recording and the mix was flawless.
Beck, adorned in black fedora and sunglasses, raised the temperature with the foot stomping harmonica driven “One Foot In The Grave” but nothing was as blistering as the close of this colossal set.
The Great Lawn was up and moving for “Loser”, as Beck was joined by Rishi Dhir on sitar. “Devils Haircut”, “Where It’s At”, and “E-Pro” left the lawn wanting more; ensuring the word from now on is not ever to miss the rare sighting of this fellow when he comes to town.
Sigur Ros have proven that lush and ethereal music with unintelligible lyrics can be very popular, evident from the thousands that had amassed.
The adoring fans lapped up the opulent and gorgeous sound that emanated from the stage. You could tell they were winding down their day in the park with some Icelandic beauty and a chance to have this sonic majesty wash over them.
Many others went over to shake it one more time with Santigold or Crazy P. Some were lucky enough, along with a posse of bemused police, to catch the brass filled and anarchical rhythm and blues of Juke Baritone & The Swamp Dogs.
Watching the constabularies react to a song about “getting in, getting out, getting high and getting laid” was a fitting end to a peaceful day in the park, sending a few people into the streets with a buzz to continue their Harvest Saturday night.
Afterparty anyone?
Be sure to check out the photo gallery of Harvest Sydney here.
