Reviewed on Saturday October 31
Newcastle’s inaugural This That festival on the foreshore threw together a fun mix of mostly local acts for a taster of the latest talent on the Aussie music scene.
True to its name, there was a strong sense of duality at the festival – the sets were fairly short between the main two stages with the This stage pleasing electronic fans while the That stage catered to indie rock fans. It meant that in its first year running, This That was still trying to work out what it was going for. The biggest problem throughout the day was with the sound mixing – while often it was perfect for acts like Baauer, it was a real issue for Sticky Fingers and Birds Of Tokyo, where the performances could have been more powerful with a louder, clearer sound.
That said, there were certainly some quirky highlights that gave the festival its own flavour: a stage where you could grab an instrument and play with your new festival friends; the Other stage (a tiny stage for a quick dance party); and some cute spots with beds to just hang out.
Favourites on the local festival scene such as rising star Tkay Maidza and The Jungle Giants didn’t disappoint, keeping things upbeat, while Sticky Fingers were all but drowned out by the loving singing of their audience.
Kilter was an electronic highlight on the This stage with fun collaborations, including Snakadaktal’s Phoebe Cockburn who leant her vocals to his remix of ‘Fall Underneath’. Kilter is clearly a talented percussionist with unstoppable energy that meant his set was polished from start to finish.
Later in the evening, Birds Of Tokyo pleased the audience as one of the few alternative rock acts, performing big with a stunning light show.
In general, the acts were well planned in terms of style to give the festival some shape – while bands like Sticky Fingers and The Jungle Giants were relaxing in the evening, Sydney electro duo Carmada (joined onstage at one point by Asta) and American producer Baauer fired up the party that went into the night.
Indeed, Baauer was a pleasant surprise as the token international act – he read the Newcastle audience well, mixing up his beats when needed, and proving he wasn’t just a one-hit wonder for ‘Harlem Shake’ by keeping the crowd alive for the duration of his set. His tunes gradually drew an audience from all over the festival until the tent was overflowing with people dancing unashamedly in the areas surrounding. RÜFÜS provided a calmer alternative on the That stage for those wanting to wind down.
This That was nicely capped off with fireworks on the foreshore at the end, and from the excited chattering and gasps of awe from festivalgoers leaving the venue, the day proved itself a success.
