Queenscliff 2012 Preview
It’s late November now, and we are well and truly into the swing of festival season. Down south, this weekend it’s Queenscliff Music Festival time, and we could not be more excited. Here’s the top 10 reasons why:
10) Queenscliff, the town
You can’t really get more picturesque than Queenscliff, and the locals now have years of experience dealing with festival goers. While there is obviously more than enough to keep you occupied within the festival gates, you might also find yourself sharing a beer with the locals at the Espy, enjoying a long walk on the beach, or stopping to cheer on the athletes at the Queenscliff Lawn Bowls club.
9) Friday night
Things start with a bang on Friday night. Those that make the trip down early will be rewarded with festival opening sets from Triple J starlets Loon Lake and Emma Louise. Also on offer on Friday night are TISM off shoots The DC3, The Beards, who like to sing songs about beards, Oz hip-hop stalwarts TZU, Ian Moss, The Baby Animals and the much touted (and brilliantly named) King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. But without a doubt, Friday night will belong to The Cat Empire, making a long awaited return to the stage.
8) Getting a car park right near the festival
If you get lucky (and chances are you will), you can park your car closer than you can camp at most festivals. That is awesome. For heaps of reasons.
7) Jackson Firebird
Friday night. Go see this band. Just do it. If not at QMF, then at some stage of your life, see them play live. It’s proper rock n roll. It’s awesome.
6) Saturday Arvo
After you’ve recovered from Friday night, got a sausage from wherever they are sizzling that morning, and wandered back through the gates, Saturday afternoon has a heap on offer. Catch the cutsie indie pop of Idol-girl-made-credible Lisa Mitchell on the main stage, or venture off to the smaller stages and see the wonderful Jordie Lane, rockers Kingswood, or the likes of Ruby Boots and The Harlots. If you want to get your early morning disco on, there is a Bee Gees tribute, or you go and get your face painted (always awesome) and hang out with Red The Clown. Saturday afternoons must see is the ARIA award winning Gurrumul, whose brilliance threatens to have the bands on the other stages playing to no one. There is one more act to mention, but we will get to that later.
5) King Cannons
Melbourne via New Zealand rockers King Cannons have been quietly going about their thing for a couple of years now, and this year released their critically acclaimed debut LP, which has seen them venture out of Australasia, showcasing their tunes all over the world. Good old fashioned danceable rock n roll for the whole family. Things to look out for: facial hair, tattoos, and an overworked comb.
4) Saturday Night
Saturday night is guaranteed awesome at QMF, when this family friendly festival gets slightly looser as it kicks into party mode. Also, Something For Kate are playing again, so you can go swoon over Paul Dempsey’s songs/voice/hair/height. Other stuff that will be cool to see: Clairy Brown and The Bangin’ Rackettes, Diafrix, and Diesel. There is all that, and then there is You Am I. Surely, SURELY, Tim Rogers now deserves to be called a national treasure, and You Am I sit very comfortably alongside any rock band this country has ever produced. Ever. Also, it’s exciting to have Sir Tim and Missy Higgins on the same bill (maybe we will get to see her bottle him during YAI’s set). Needless to say, this is a must-see.
3) The QMF Express
Known to long time festival goers as ‘The Train’, The QMF Express is a train. And you can get on that train and watch bands. Is that not genius? Running on Saturday and Sunday afternoon, this year The Train features the likes of Lloyd Spiegel, Tom Richardson, The Mudcakes (good cake, good name), Brett Campbell, and Howlin’ Steam Train (most likely named in anticipation of one day performing on a train). Get in early, because The QMF Express is popular. Wait, and you can expect to be crammed in like the Frankston line during peak hour.
2) Sunday
Happy Missy Higgins day. We love Missy. She sings, she dances like a dork, and she is kinda hot. Expect to see me fighting teenage girls for the best viewing position. Missy aside, Sunday is jammed packed with awesome music (as is always the case. Why does the day we leave have to be the best day?). British India are playing, and they are good. Mia Dyson is also good. She is playing too. Highly recommended on Sunday are Money For Rope, Pinky Beecroft & The White Russians, and Oz rock legends The Fauves. But more importantly than all that, THE BANANAS IN PAJAMAS WILL BE THERE. ERMAGHERD, BERNERNERS ERN PERJERMAS. 11am, Hippos Stage. Be there.
1) Shannon Noll
We don’t really need to say much. All round top notch Aussie Shannon Noll will blow minds on Saturday afternoon. The Australian Idol runner up is THE must-see act of Queenscliff 2012. Performing hits such as What About Me, Shine, What About Me, Drive and What About Me, Noll will dig deep into his rich back catalogue and prove he still has what it takes, because That’s What (He’s) Talking About (Shannon Noll joke. Eat your heart out Wil Anderson). Do. Not. Miss.
Queenscliff Music Festival is on this weekend, 23-24-25th of November. Tickets are still available.
Go to www.qmf.net.au for more info.
