Review: Groovin the Moo 2023 at Hay Park

Groovin the Moo 2023 at Hay Park
Saturday, May 6, 2023

Crowds arrived in droves on Saturday to revel in the triumphant return of the beloved Bunbury-based music festival Groovin’ the Moo. After three years of pandemic-induced hiatus, the all-ages festival was a highly anticipated event on Western Australia’s musical calendar, with thousands travelling from across the state to celebrate great tunes, exciting outfits and community spirit.

Older music fans, and newly minted festival ‘babies’ (who had come of age during the pandemic) alike arrived bright and early, and adorned in festival necessities like Doc Martens, cow-print-anything, outrageously colourful costumes, rhinestones, bum-bags and band t-shirts worn with pride, to enjoy a line-up that could only be described as epic.

Split between the large Cattleyard and triple j stage, and the undercover Moolin Rouge, early bird festival goers were spoiled for choice with South Summit, Kiera Jas and Old Mervs, whose sets were like caffeine for the music-loving soul, waking up early punters with mixes of indie, psychedelic rock and acoustic sounds. It was a fantastic selection of local Western Australian artists who proved that you don’t have to be a headliner to excite a crowd!

Also early on in the festival, the back-to-back line-up of the ‘teens’ was a musical delight, and hilarious coincidence. Teenage Joans brought their punk-style rock personas to shake out any remaining cobwebs at the Moolin Rouge, delivering Three Leaf Clover and Terrible, among other recent bangers, and their special new hit Superglue.

Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers dominated the Cattleyard stage with a ‘take no prisoners’ attitude and a whiplash-inducing set of back-to-back bangers. The five-piece girl band owned the stage with hits like AHHHH! and Lights Out before Girl Sports reliably drove the audience into a punk-rock frenzy of head banging and sing-screaming lyrics.

Finally Teenage Dads took to the Moolin Rouge with their delightful selection of heartfelt indie-pop and heavier indie-rock songs. While fan favourites like Teddy and Hey Diego were perfect festival tunes for the eager crowd, their rendition of Video Killed the Radio Star (from their 2023 triple j Like a Version recording) incited an all-out nostalgia groove, using a vintage telephone connected to a sound system to deliver the song’s original signature sound.

Barkaa delivered an exceptional set on the triple j stage, drawing an extensive crowd as she delivered a rapid-fire selection of songs, including radio regular King Brown, while recent triple j Unearthed band Fool Nelson brought an easy-rock set with a selection of emerging songs, representing the best of the up-and-coming rock artists.

Indie rock was also a staple of the Groovin’ menu this year, with back-to-back performances by Skegss and Ocean Alley (feature photo by Nicola Robb), both of whom delivered stand-out sets, jam-packed with fan-favourites. L.S.D. was delivered to huge crowd appreciation, as punters crowded to the stage to enjoy the distinct Aussie rock style of Skegss. Their highly anticipated performance of Stranger Days was delivered in front of a montage of videos and Toby Cregan’s recently deceased dog, making for an emotional closing number.

Similarly, Ocean Alley brought great energy to the Cattleyard with a journey through their extensive repertoire of hits like Yellow Mellow, Tombstone and, of course, Confidence. 

For those looking for something a little bouncier and heavier, Hilltop Hoods delivered an exceptional set, bringing their usual DJ-driven, rap sounds to the Groovin’ stage, alongside their high energy stage presence. Joined by vocal powerhouse Nyassa, as well as a small brass section, their set was certainly memorable, packed with classic Hilltop bangers, and punctuated with fire, sparklers and confetti –  a truly extravagant festival presence that very few others could pull off as well.

Confidence Man also delivered a reliably energetic and exciting set, with wacky costume changes and slickly choreographed routines earlier in the day.

Amy Shark entered to screams of ‘I love you,’ as the crowd converged on the triple j stage to bask in her signature style of heartfelt, heavy sounds and powerfully intimate lyrics. She was certainly a strong highlight of the day; accompanied by a three-piece band, she filled the stage with a sincere and playful persona, talking to the crowd between songs, and delivering each piece with punch.

Unfortunately, a series of technical issues plagued The Chats whose anticipated set was sometimes unintelligible due to several sound difficulties, however they still brought their exciting style of punk-rock meets disenchanted hooliganism to the Cattleyard stage.

Whether they were Groovin debutants or seasoned performers, these Australian artists more than held their own as they brushed shoulders with a range of international acts throughout the day. Representing the US, pop singer Slayyyter beat away the 4pm blues with a high-octane set which featured a next level dancing and singing performance, while Denzel Curry electrified the Groovin’ atmosphere with his big energy rap persona, as one of the headlining acts this year.

However, it was the UK artists that took the Australian stage by storm. In the Moolin Rouge tent, three totally different, yet equally astounding performances from Sophie May, Laurel and Eliza Rose brought the audience to their knees. Combining the melodic folk tunes and intimate lyrics of Sophie May, with the self-produced indie-pop of Laurel, and rambunctiously soulful DJ mixings of Eliza Rose, it was a buffet of delicious sounds for all music tastes.

Similarly, UK sounds were to be found in several of the headlining acts of the day. Nothing But Thieves took to the Cattleyard stage with their exciting style of rock, on the back of their new album release Welcome to the DCC. Delivering older bangers like Amsterdam and Is Everyone Going Crazy? alongside hits from the new album, a high point was their delivery of Welcome to the DCC which, given the screaming crowd, was clearly appreciated.

Late-night headliners alt-J and Fat Boy Slim concluded the UK domination with their sets, which closed the festival. alt-J’s mesmerising indie-rock style was a delight to hear live, with crowd favourites like Tessellate and Taro bringing the band’s signature style to life, set to a backdrop of psychedelic patterns and animations which perfectly complemented the transient, transporting nature of the music. Closing with Breezeblocks, the positioning of alt-J’s semi-soothing rock tones at the end of a busy day was perfect for people wanting to continue enjoying the festival entertainment, without the burn-out of a big finale.

On the other hand, Fat Boy Slim’s high energy DJ beats kept the party alive on the Cattleyard stage for those wanting a final groove, delivering a mix of classic 00’s tunes like Insomnia, laden with heavy beats, and more recent tunes, amid his own collaborations. Praise You was particularly high on everyone’s musical wish list, and its delivery prompted a final raucous crowd party, before the devastating, but inevitable close of the incredible festival.

It is undeniable that Groovin’ the Moo’s return to the Australian festival scene was an absolute triumph. With a stacked line up of such diverse talent, the entertainment side was certainly taken care of, however the festival’s other amenities such as bar and food areas, chill out zones, medical and Red Frog areas, DJ zones, local vendor areas and cloaking facilities were also all exemplary, and made it clear that the punter experience was a priority for the festival.

Unfortunately, there was a disappointing amount of bad behaviour from many of the festival’s younger patrons throughout the days (assumedly due to the pandemic-induced lack of festivals for the newly ‘of-age’ music lovers), which will hopefully begin to decline as these exciting events become more regular on the Western Australian music calendar, and more people learn the important etiquette of festival crowds and mosh spaces.

For live music fans, the successful conclusion of GTM 2023 certainly heralds a return to the beloved festival scene, post-pandemic, which so many punters have missed.

BEC WELDON

Photos by Linda Dunjey & Nicola Robb