Review: Sugar Mountain Festival 2017. Moses parted the sea and The Avalanches tumbled down
Review: Sugar Mountain Festival 2017. Moses parted the sea and The Avalanches tumbled down, writes Mikey Cahill
Sugar Mountain Festival, VCA, Sat Aug 21 2017.
5500 people
24 degrees, slight breeeze
4 stages
1 hidden stage
1 Avalanche
4 stars
Sugar Mountain, like any Big Day Out is about pacing oneself.
Fact 1: Jameson Whiskey is a shaky Sherpa when the clock has just struck 12.
Fact 2: It was velvety and delicious. And free.
The Belligerents
How far up the summit? Base Camp.
The vibe: The Belligerents played a Jameson SugarMateIn (clunky title, it means well) pre-party in Carlton at Beaufort and Ike’s. Early Kasabian meets psych vibes. Then we were whisked away in a bus to the festival. But not before we ate a few cow’s worth of ribs (hello protein, pleased to meat you), helped down by Jameson’s cocktails.
Best line: “This is my only chance to be Oprah. You get a ticket! You get a ticket!” Scott Armstrong of I Oh You surprising competition winners with free tickets.
Best song: Caroline. Recorder solos are back.
Moses Sumney
How far up the summit? Right at the top. In fact his voice was the peak of the day. And he did it solo with a crimson red guitar and sense of self-belief.
The vibe: Sun shone down from behind him. God had his back. He sung like a castrato angel. Sumney’s mirrored sunglasses gave the Los Angelese buzz artist a cool, detached edge... then he would speak all sassy and be the funniest guy you’ve never met. “Hang on was that underwear?” When someone threw a stubby holder on stage. “Let’s talk later.”
“We love you!” shouted one punter. “Daaaad? Is that you? He follows me everywhere,” he flirted back.
Best line: “Where’s the sugar? Where’s the mountain? I was promised these things.”
Best song: Lonely World. Sumney sampled his crisp-as-iceberg-lettuce handclaps and finished with a song that holds its climax off then sustains it then changes key to vault even higher.
Methyl Ethel
How far up the summit? 100 metres from the snowy tip.
The vibe: WA’s dreamweavers Methyl Ethel are having quite a week. See news below. Sugar Mountain stubby holders were piffed at the band (it was friendly fire) as they played new cuts that stack well next to Twilight Driving etc.
Best line: “Now I’m tearing at my skin again,” in No. 28.
Best song: Ubu. The clip dropped this morning. The album Everything Is Forgotten is released March 3rd via Dot Dash / Remote Control in Australia and 4AD for the rest of world.
CC Disco
How far up the summit? Boiler Room is in the round. She was literally inside the mountain. And owning every second.
The vibe: Boogie wonderland.
Best line: “She’s our best country bogan Italo disco DJ” - guy next to me.
The song: I theeeenk she played some Harvey Sutherland and Bermuda. Jameson Whiskey is 40% alcohol.
Tornado Wallace
How far up the summit? Lewis Day was smack bang in the thick of it.
The vibe: Tornado is on a whirlwind (sorry not sorry) tour of Australia right now but he never looks hurried. Lots of the Right People™ are saying his album Lonely Planet will be troubling the scorers for the Best of 2017 lists.
Best line: “He’s a bearded gene.” - DJ Rainbow Gary dancing next to me. Gene = genius.
The song: His set focused on jacking, high-hat snapping house cuts such as Format’s Damn Right.
The Avalanches (Actually, The Avalanche, there’s only one original member playing live: Tony Di Blasi. We wish Robbie Chater a steady recovery.)
How far up the summit? They ended the day splendidly, it was no topple from the top. Also, avalanches and mountains go together and look tumultuously beautiful.
The vibe: The band played their hearts out. It was a variety night Avalanches greatest bits set and it worked just fine. Also, the trippy-as-f--k visuals were on point.
Best line: “Chaniqua Chaniqua Chaniqua” sung Eliza Wolfgramm.
Best song: Subways.
Best Interstitial DJ: Smart selector Alex Kovac spun Madonna’ Vogue and Kid Creole’s Stool Pigeon (an Avalanches DJ fave from way back).
Spotted: Jonti replaced Robbie Chater on stage as guitarist in The Avalanches. It may become his fulltime gig.
Spotted: Opals Basketballer Liz Cambage being given a piggyback.
Not spotted: Nick Cave, despite rumours he would attend the Sensory Restaurant sitting at 7pm.
Spotted: LANKS at Moses Sumney, taking mental notes, looking transcendental.
Spotted: Jack Watts enjoying Slum Sociable, who were a riot of sex-grooves.
Spotted: The Boiler Room crowd losing their collective sh!t to Kornél Kovács when he dropped BB. Last track. OMG.
Overheard:
“I have a whole chewing gum stuck to my leg. Shaving will not be fun.”
“Sensory left me starvory.”
“Kelsey Lu was probz my number 1, she was totally incredible. Sui Zhen and her band had matching outfits and choreographed dance moves and performance-art dancers; that’s what ya want from local peeps.” - Anthony Carew (Triple R).
Not so hot bits:
The laser installation felt lazy.
Sensory Restaurant was intriguing, immersive and ultimately underwhelming.
The food included trout and mango and sesame seeds and paired well with the deliberately overpowering soundtrack of entrancing synths by Stranger Things’ team S U R V I V E. However, our sitting was postponed then took a while to get underway. It was a welcome circuit-breaker, sure, but we needed bigger portions so we all left refuelled and raring to go and see more music, not feeling like we needed to sit down (again) and eat dinner.
#PeakMelbourne picture.
Thanks @benabrahammusic
Sugar Mountain rode the bumps this year, from Blood Orange’s cancellation to PJ Harvey pulling focus, not much went right. Yet it sold its socks off. The organisers pulled it together, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. The 2017 instalment continued the development of an annual day and night event that flows and bumps and kicks along with a feeling of serendipity. You always feel like you’re at the right party.
For kaftan tips, hit up Mikey here: @joeylightbulb
Originally published as Review: Sugar Mountain Festival 2017. Moses parted the sea and The Avalanches tumbled down