Word on the ground was that Childish Gambino was the act to see, followed closely by Violent Soho and The Avalanches.
Client Liaison, comprised of Melbourne duo Harvey Miller and Monte Morgan, dutifully played into their blend of 80s dance pop with a Savage Garden vibe, with a rendition of I Want You. Miller, completed his image of swagger with a snow leopard print fur coat while playing latest single, Off White Limousine.
The back-to-back pairing of Grandmaster Flash and Hot Dub Time Machine provided a blast from the past, playing everything from 80s pub rock to Justin Bieber.
On day two, indie darling Gretta Rae crooned her way into the hearts of bleary-eyed punters on the Valley Stage. The talented 18-year-old coyly admitted Falls was her first festival and her banter with the crowd created an incredibly intimate experience. Unwind and Unexpected Feeling were her standout tracks.
Aussie rapper Illy entertained the crowd in the afternoon, while Golden Features got the party vibes started, warming the crowd up for dub and reggae legends, Fat Freddy’s Drop. With one of the longer sets of the festival, there wasn’t a single foot that wasn’t tapping to their heavy beats and the 15-minute jam of their first single Wandering Eye, was a highlight.
The New Year’s Eve, line-up was exhaustingly good, with Wollongong rockers Hockey Dad one of the standout acts. The Rubens and Jamie T. Pond entertained the crowd while they waited for Welsh rockers Catfish and the Bottlemen, who blew their fans away. The New Year was hailed in by The Avalanches, rocking tracks such as Frontier Psychiatrist, Frankie Sinatra and, following the understated New Year countdown, Since I Left You.
