FBI Radio's Tenth Birthday Party

It's been a while since FBI Radio put on a music festival, maybe a couple of years. The last FBI changing lanes festival in Surry hills was pretty fun, All i remember was good beer, pleasant weather and how much i liked Pivot (PVT) before they introduced vocals.

That brings us to the festival on Sunday, FBI Radios tenth birthday at Carriage works. I was fairly excited about this festival and fairly sceptical at the same time. Were they going to be able to pull this off or would it be a shambles?

Well not only did FBI pull this off, they pulled me off!!! ah maybe too far. 

The festival site was perfect with one huge outdoor mainstage with good sight lines, two indoor stages that were completely dark and perfect the HipHop and Dance stages and an indoor / semi outdoor cavern for all the indy/ psyche/ not so mainstage bands. the token system worked pretty well and you never had to line up to long for a drink (even if it was Budwiser).

My day started with an extreme hangover, which makes getting excited for loud music and large crowds just that little bit harder. I made a massive effort to get in to the festival to catch the whole set from Kirin J Callinan. This was well worth it with Callinan living up to his reputation of putting on an "interesting live show".  Interesting and amazing it was with way II war and Victoria M being the highlights among many. The day was starting off well.

Next up i checked out Worlds End Press and The Preatures who didn't really do it for me. In between this i checked out Dj sets from legendary Dj's Stephen Ferris and Simon Caldwell which were pretty fun. The night really got moving when Seakae hit the stage. Man, i've seen Seakae plenty of times and they seem to only get better and better, This coupled with the worlds obsession with Flume style future beats made a pretty banging set with the crowd getting super into it. I said to myself before seakae started that once they played Bloodbank, i would cruise and go see The Laurels. Well they played Bloodbank about halfway through the set and i had to leave and move on.

The Laurels were good, but i was probably a little too pumped up from Seakae to really get into it. Still i'm glad i finally got to see them live and it's all the easier with a cold beer in hand. It was pretty much food time so i got in the line for a grilled burger. Grabbed my burger and went go see Thundamentals "first Sydney show in 8 months" (so i'm told). Either way they do what Thundas do well and thats put on a banging live set. They even went through some of Tuka's solo tracks, you know the one " puff another double, rub ya mummas bootie" etc.

Hermitude were next up on the Mainstage, and they absolutely belted it out. The crowd were into it from the get go and Hermitude were showing no respite. As with seakae i've seen Hermitude many times and seen the progression from cruisy hip hop instrumentals to banging Presets remixes, and have loved every minute of it. But i made a promise to my girl that i would cruise and see Sarah Blasko, and thats not such a bad thing, i don't think. Blasko was cruising in stripped back mode, Just her and a dude on piano, this let her amazing vocals fill the room. This was a super nice set and also conveniently close to an empty bar, that i could get rid of my remaining drink tokens at. Yew

I'd been pretty excited as soon as i found out Cloud Control were the secret band to headline the not so main stage (stage number escapes me). Cloud Control are probably one of my favourite Sydney bands and they killed it. They moved through tracks from their new album like Dojo Rising and Happy Birthday and old favourite like meditation song #2. This was really the best way to end the festival, i was frothing to see Cloud Control, missed all their Sydney shows and now i got a last chance before they head back to London. double Yew

Over all the festival was probably the best festival i have been to in Sydney from many years,  I haven't been to a festival in Sydney with such a good vibe since Earth Dance was BYO (remember that?). If this happens again i wouldn't sleep on it.

Big ups FBI Radio this was a rad day.