Yours & Owls Festival has come and gone for another year. As well as the spectacular views it provided from ever stage, the site seemed to flow well. Here is a quick break down of some of my favourite sets, I didn’t get any photo’s all weekend, so it's some video clips from artists I liked instead.
I actually got in pretty early on Saturday, I wanted to have a site walk before gates opened so I was there as Satin Cali kicked off their set on the mountain stage, a slight hold up on gates opening meant the first song or two were missed by a lot of people but the space filled quickly as the gates opened. Bean Magazine lived up to their hype delivery a great set of infectious indie pop on the same stage. I caught Kitschen Boy from side of stage and you could really feel the energy these guys have, before seeing a bit of the Brad Cox set, then the highly entertaining Peach PRC set on main stage. Crocodylus bought the vibes to the Ocean stage before Magdalena Bay played my favourite set of the day over at the Mountain stage. I made it back from the Goo Goo Dolls hit Iris, followed by a bit of Denzal Curry, and the capping off the day for me was the entertaining Battlesnake.
Sunday also starts early as I take part in the Australian Independent Record Labels in conversation panel (thanks to those who people that came along!). After the talk I’m on the festival site just in time for Sevilles, a favourite of the new bands around and they delivery a great set. Next up in L.O.W. and with an impressive early crowd they bring the power to the day, check out their EP that is out now! Beliar Lip Bombs then play and impressive set on the main stage followed by on of the best sounding sets of the day back on the Mountain stage from Armlock. Kobie Dee and Miss Kaninna playing back-to-back on the Ocean stage deliver powerful and important perfornces before everyone gets nostalgic with The Veronicas on the main stage. Back over to the Ocean stage and Shame play one of the most intense sets of the whole weekend. I’m hanging out the back for a bit after that and hear The Kooks and Slowly Slowly in the distance. I venture back out to see Fontaines DC, the first time I saw these guys was in a tiny venue in the UK, they pull the biggest crowd of the weekend and play a great set. To wrap up the festival it is local favourites Hockey Dad, the band are buzzed and there are sing alongs for the whole set, even to the extent when the sound got cut for breaking curfew, the crowd sung the whole of Seaweed with just drums only to accompany them.
In other news, local trio OK Hotel has a new song out and it is a cracking track, co-written with Ben from Slowly Slowly, it gets a bit more early 2000’s emo than their previous releases while still having some shoegaze-ish undertones. Have a listen to it below.