Splendour in the Grass Review (2010)

From Woodford, QLD came the 10th anniversary of one of Australia's most popular festivals, Splendour in the Grass. Soulshine was lucky enough to be on-site for the festival featuring names like Ben Harper, The Strokes and the Pixies. 

For those sitting in their cars in the seven hour line to get into Splendour in the Grass on Thursday night, it mustn't have seemed that long ago that they were huddled around their computers for five hours getting mind-fucked by the Splendour ticketing system. Sure, there wasn't a giant magnetic crane inexplicably picking them up and dropping them back in the queue, but the fact remains; there was a hell of a lot of lining up to do to park yourself in a crummy little tent. So with all the hype and the ridiculous amount of demand, those that didn't go seemed pretty comfortable in saying that it probably wasn't worth the effort, yet there were few inside the festival gates who weren't affected with a shit-eating grin for most of the weekend. After all, almost everyone had a favourite band on the bill somewhere, whether that was grunge innovators the Pixies, Ben Harper's first performance of old material for a few years, or the latest obscure indie band to do the rounds, there was something for everyone, and everyone loved something. So says Splendour in the Grass. 

 The initial talking point of the festival was a line-up that had everybody buzzing; almost any indie act worth mentioning made the cut, from old hands (on the hipster time line) like Yeasayer and Band of Horses to today's fires in the belly in Surfer Blood or the Drums, people were gobsmacked that so many names were in the same place. Add names like Paul Kelly, Richard Ashcroft (status since revoked) and Ben Harper and you've stewed the new with the bordering on legendary, sold tickets to 32,000 avid fans and given them the first purpose built festival site Splendour in the Grass has ever seen. The campgrounds were endless and jovial, the valleys were laughably muddied and the hills were alive with the sound of music; it had an energy and excitement that could only be present at a festival of this scope and we all fed off it to drag us to the top of the Amphitheatre a couple of times a day. It's kind of a mystery how you can put so many people together and come out of it with so few incidents, so few dickheads, and such an awesome time, but somehow the maths worked out as such.

Splendour's move to Woodford was one that received mixed reviews. We at Soulshine were incredibly keen for it knowing how phenomenal the festival site was, but many were gutted to lose out on a week away at Byron Bay. Thankfully, the result was nothing short of brilliant, with the incredible scope of the Amphitheatre stage alone justifying the move. Bands were stunned by the size and sight of the crowd from the stage, and the view from the top of the hill was equally as stunning. The sight of 20,000 or more crammed up on that hill made that stage Australia's premier venue bar none. I've never experienced an open stage like that and anyone who was there for the crazed Mumford & Sons sing-a-long, the echoed howls from the Pixies' Where Is My Mind? or Ben Harper's rendition of INXS's Never Tear Us Apart knows the power that the stage carries. With absolutely no sense of hyperbole, it was nothing short of phenomenally amazingly brilliantly stupendous. 

The sights and sounds of Splendour were as interesting as ever, with giant sculptures marking stages, an amazing light display of faces in the trees and the customary bonfires and market stalls littering the festival making it a visual spectacle from camp to Amphi. The themed bars were great also, with the Pontoon Bar and Mo'Rockin Wine Bar both attracting big crowds revelling in the unusual atmosphere. Splendour succeeded in utilising the Woodford Festival site to its potential, doing things with it that the Woodford Folk Festival might never have imagined and it was just one of many, many factors which made the festival what it was.

As for the music, you can't go off listing all the highlights in this review without just going nuts. Yeasayer were impressive, Black Rebel kicked arse, Paul Kelly was brilliant, Tame Impala were cool, Broken Social Scene rocked and We Are Scientists...scienced...I've run out of cliched superlatives already, but all you need to know is that that talked up line-up completely delivered in fine form. Except, of course, for the times when it didn't; we're looking at you, Richard Ashcroft, not that anyone was there to see him anyway.

In 2010 on its 10th anniversary, Splendour in Grass became, without a doubt, THE Australian music festival. There is nothing that can compare to the line-up, the sights or the scope of this festival. The Amphitheatre stage is second to no other festival stage anywhere in this country and as far as keeping a finger on the pulse of today's music, nobody does it better than the men and women behind the billing of Splendour in the Grass. Was it worth the pain in the arse waiting at the computer? Was it worth the 6 hour wait in on Thursday, or the whole day wait on the way out (that we spent drinking leftover booze instead of waiting in line)? Of course it friggin was; you don't write a review like that if it wasn't. What a stupid question. In 2011, you put up with whatever it takes to get yourself to Splendour in the Grass, it's absolutely worth every iota of inconvenience you can think of.