This week it was announced that sir Dizzee Rascal had to cancel a show at Sydney's iconic Enmore Theatre, turns out ticket sales didn't seem to be right and after seeing him there a few years back to a fairly full room it does make me wonder if his album the Fifth was really the right move.
However it flips over to Saturday on the Anzac Day long weekend and the Groovin the Moo festival takes over Maitland Showground, mud, music and limited clothes, it can only be the end of the Australian Festival season.
After attending the hip Laneway Festival, the drug fest otherwise known as Future Music Festival, it was time to get regional and by all accounts, this had the best set up and was super smooth entering and getting around.
Also to mention the Yum Cha and Calamari and Chips was really yum.
Next Architecture in Helsinki commence on the main stage with fluro outfits, a new record under their belts and one of their best hits in years "I Might Survive". The album has had luke warm reviews to say the least but if the crowd at Maitland had anything to say, they were hit makers and true champions of the Australian music scene.
The set was like a best of with "That Beep", "Contact High", "Heart it Races" and more getting great reactions from the crowd.
Karnivool, the Naked & Famous and The Jezabels all warmed up the stage before the one and only Dizzee Rascal truly brought his very own best of party. Going way back to the start of his career with the terrific Boy in da Corner record.
Dizzee gave the crowd a real treat from his second number and personally one of my favourite tracks "Fix Up Look Sharp" into the highlight from his fifth album (aptly titled The Fifth) "I Don't Need a Reason", back to some old school then "Jus' a Rascal" "I Luv U". His latest album track "We Don't Play around" featuring the over played Jessie J, fell a wee bit flat, showing me the last album was a bit of a detour from his previous success.
It came back to the hits with "Dance wiv Me" and "Holiday". "Bassline Junkie" went nuts while "Something Really Bad" went off (I think the alcohol was well and truly flowing by then) and then a rare live showing of "You've Got the Dirtee Love".
He came back and did an encore including the global smash "Bonkers".
I left hearing this and from the Moolin Rogue tent Flume's other project What So Not, playing his recent remix of Lorde's "Tennis Court".
I again missed my party starters of 2013 Disclosure, however it's a goal one day, yes one day (hopefully sooner rather than later) that I will get to see Disclosure live.
Overall I was pleasantly surprised one by how well organised the festival was, two by the few bands I heard the majority of their sets making their sets all about the hits, no fillers all killers and three a regional crowd really kills it.
At the end of the Festival season I say bring on the announcements for the upcoming festivals, which ones will survive, which ones will collapse in a heap? Definitely long live the Moo as I think this festival definitely has a lot more life in in yet....
