Cher, Kanye West and Powderfinger songs star in covers-crazy Splendour setlists

SPLENDOUR In The Grass has become an alternative Australian Idol with a plethora of popular artists at this year’s events busting out crowd favourite covers at the Byron Bay festival.

SPLENDOUR In The Grass has become an alternative Australian Idol with a plethora of popular artists at this year’s events busting out crowd favourite covers at the Byron Bay festival.

The profound influence of Triple J’s successful karaoke segment Like A Version is all over Splendour setlists in 2018, with Friday night headliner Lorde leading the singalongs with her version of Powderfinger’s My Happiness.

The former Australian chart-toppers were the unofficial kings of Splendour, created by their minders in 2001, with the ‘finger staging a partial reunion during frontman Bernard Fanning’s set last year.

Lorde told the crowd her performance of their 2000 hit My Happiness was a one-off to thank the festival for the support of her career.

Lorde declared her Powderfinger cover a festival one-off. Picture: Justin Ma/Splendour In The Grass

She first performed there five years ago, a last-minute replacement for American R & B star Frank Ocean, and is the biggest female headliner at Splendour since Florence and the Machine in 2015.

“Sing this f … ing song with us. It’s one of my favourite songs of all time,” she told the crowd on Friday night.

While covers are nothing new on a festival setlist, it appears an unofficial memo went out to the Class of 2018 to throw in someone else’s tune with their own new stuff.

Fanning himself made a special guest appearance to sing Powderfinger’s Don’t Wanna Be Left Out during the set by Brisbane band WAAX. The rocker has reportedly been working with the band on their new record.

DZ Deathrays with Murray Cook at Splendour. Picture: Ian Laidlaw/Splendour In The Grass

Australian punk duo DZ Deathrays made an early bid to win the covers challenge by bringing hardcore gig pig and original Red Wiggle Murray Cook to shred through AC/DC’s Highway To Hell.

Amy Shark, who found out just minutes before going on stage on Saturday that her debut album Love Monster had knocked Drake off to claim No. 1 on the ARIA charts, certainly had plenty of new stuff to whip out.

And while her own songs, including breakthrough hit Adore had the crowd in full voice on Saturday, her rendition of the brattish 2000 punk anthem Teenage Dirtbag by American band Wheatus was acclaimed a weekend highlight.

Amy Shark brings Teenage Dirtbag to Splendour In The Grass 2018. Picture: Ian Laidlaw/ Splendour In The Grass

Sydney band DMAs, who have been given the Liam Gallagher stamp of approval, recorded Cher’s Believe for Like A Version in 2016 and it has become one of the biggest “hits” of the Triple J breakfast staple, clocking almost six million views on YouTube.

They said they would never perform it again unless it was on a Splendour stage and this weekend they made good on that promise.

cheers @SITG pic.twitter.com/O3uvTXHQqW

— DMA'S (@dmasmusic) July 21, 2018

Local indie pop heroes Cub Sport were given a thumbs up from fans for their rendition of Kanye West’s Ultralight Beam, which they had also recorded for Like A Version two years ago.

Singer songwriter Jack River, who released her debut album Sugar Mountain last month, won plaudits for her rendition of the 1999 song She’s So High.

Jack River reminded everyone of that killer tune She’s So High. Picture: Miranda Stokkel / Splendour In The Grass

Irreverent festival favourites Dune Rats will win Splendour this year for the biggest stage invasion of mates with A.B. Original, Alex Lahey, Drapht, Mallrat, Tkay Maidza, WAAX, Hockey Dad, DZ Deathrays, Gooch Palms and A.B. Original among their guests.

They also packed their set chock-full of covers including Basement Jaxx’s Where’s Your Head At? and Pump It by the Black Eyed Peas.

Electronic duo No Mono may have misjudged the enduring appeal of the Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze film as their rendition of Unchained Melody appeared to be unrecognised by the majority of their audience.

Other covers to emerge during the first two days of the winter festival included dance pop group SAFIA playing the familiarity card with the Gorillaz’s Feel Good Inc and a teaser of Britney Spears’s Oops … I Did It Again and Alex Lahey busting out Avril Lavigne’s chart-topper Complicated.