Live Review: Groovin' The Moo Adelaide

Groovin The Moo got off to a great start in Adelaide and with such a diverse line-up of local, interstate and international artists the initial excitement only died down at the end of the big day walking out the gates. Not one cloud in the sky and perfect temperature to wear a t-shirt, what a great way to pass a Friday outside listening to music.

First up on the Moolin Rouge stage is South Australia's “Fresh Produce” Mane, even this early in the day her three-piece band creates a buzz with a polished and tight set. Synth bass and layered vocals interweave well with live drums and electric guitar for a darker sounding pop. The eerie Tinder’s Flame and the catchy Chasing Butterflies are two of the highlights. DyspOra delivers an energetic set, cheering on the crowd make some noise for "peace, justice and freedom", playing through the outstanding Real Friends and calling out onstage fellow Playback 808 singer Elsy to sing his upcoming single.

Thanking the crowd for the "good energy out here today", Adrian Eagle brings his reggae infused sound to the triple j stage for a summery feel. He breezes through catchy laid-back songs like AOK as rapper K21 joins him intermittently. Australia Does Not Exist seems to invite a dialog between artist and the audience and elevates the day with its message. Duo Electric Fields bring their eclectic sound, which blends pre-recorded loops with guitar licks, keys, didgeridoo and harmonies. Zaachariaha Fielding’s very unique voice soars above the band, tying the set together as he flicks his waist long hair. Talking about hair, most of festival-goers adhere to what is very much Coachella-like hippie vibe, while there is also hair and glitter booth on site just in case you happen to be the only person without glitter and feel the need to “get the look” last minute. As the day progresses Mallrat attracts a young, enthused crowd. There’s a lot of hype around the artist, overall the performance of songs like For Real is somewhat underwhelming, none the less it will be great to see how Mallrat’s performance and voice develop.

Ocean Alley are the first fully live band of the day, although the vocal harmonies are so tight you can barely tell it's two people singing and not a vocal pedal being used to harmonise. Strong guitar riffs and punchy bass lines make their relaxed rock sound very clear and outrageously good. Closing their set with Confidence, it's impressive to see six people blend perfectly and so effortlessly together — without a doubt one of the best acts here. 

As the day warms up and the sun is hitting hard straight above people’s heads, they take cover under any sliver of shade there is. It is quite funny to see people are sitting in the most unusual spots; it appears that the only unappealing sliver of shade is that of the bins. Too popular for the undercover Moolin Rouge stage is Vera Blue, with the tent bursting out at the edges. A loud crowd hum and limited stage visibility reveal this set may have suited better the bigger stage. There’s tasteful use of synchronised lights and screens, which add an extra layer to the grandiosity of Blue's electronic and synth driven sound. Regular Touch and Lady Powers has everyone grooving and singing along. With a bit of an overlap, Alex Lahey is on a neighbouring stage offering up a high energy, guitar driven set. Still in early afternoon, Dean Lewis graces the Cattleyard stage as a four-piece band. The grounds of the festival are now full, with waves of crowds chanting along "It comes and goes in waves" to Waves — perfect. His voice is clear and natural, which makes Lewis a stand out.

There will probably never be as many people energetically playing along on air guitars as when Portugal. The Man start their first song with a highly contagious dose of of distortion and catchy riffs. Pink Floyd’s Another Brick In The Wall lyrics “We don't need no education” extend into a ten minute long epic mashup. As soon as they close on the big crowd-pleaser Feel It Still, the crowd swiftly creeps to the left stage where Tkay Maidza will be performing shortly. The main line-up alternates between two stages alongside each other, which has been a great way to maintain momentum between acts and keep change over time to a minimum. Maidza breezes through her hits as she reminds the growing crowd she is too is from Adelaide. The songs Brontosaurus and Do It Right stand out during the set as they are stripped of all synth parts to just drums, which are played live with intricate fills and completely changing their overall feel.

Winston Surfshirt keep the energy going with their electronic, laidback sounds. A distinctive centre point is the trombone, which really made their cover of Outkast's Roses their own. Ali D and The Moments are highlighted with highly produced vocals, block chords on keys and a general mellowness which suits the late afternoon timeslot.

Sampa The Great’s hypnotic and lyrically inspiring Bye River offers washes of bells and a palette of worldly percussions making an interesting backdrop to the Zambia-born artist's set. Another rapper to hit the stage is UK’s Lady Leshurr whose set feels like a party. She is interactive, constantly engaging with the crowd in different ways — "When we get to the chorus, I want everyone to jump four steps that way… and four steps that way" — and is punctuated by sound effects. Leshurr’s ability to run from side to side of the stage, while she raps extremely fast and dense lines is impressive. Her break-out song Brush Your Teeth is an interesting segue into the next artist, Paul Kelly. Kelly walked on stage with an acoustic guitar and harmonica to sing From Little Things Big Things Grow and halfway through is joined by his band. The balance of the mix felt a bit off in songs like Deeper Water, where guitar was overpowering the rest of the band, but over all it was a pleasant chance to hear something different in this setting. It's interesting to see an older approach to running through a set, which feels slightly more regimented.

Rock duo Royal Blood is a big change in pace again with their 'in your face' sound. It's rare to see a duo in this genre, which here is stripped down to one bass guitar, vocals and drums. They manage to create a full sound with ever-changing rhythm and tone, and intricate drum fills. Ben Thatcher shows his chops on the drums solo, playing intricate patterns at a faster pace while giving his bandmate, Mike Kerr, a moment to breathe. This adds to the general feel of it being like a big jam, and although all the songs were clearly outlined, the structures themselves felt fresh. Flight Facilities show up in great style dressed as pilots to close off the night, communicating through a vocoder while playing through their hits.