Alex Lahey talks about her big year in music, her love for Falls and who to catch at Marion Bay.

Melbourne rocker Alex Lahey talks us through her big year in music, her love for Falls, who to catch at Marion Bay and whether her celebrated Like a Version will make the set list. SEE THE FESTIVAL GUIDE

Singer-songwriter Alex Lahey. Picture: JOHN FEDER/THE AUSTRALIAN

THE first Falls Festival Alex Lahey ever attended was at Marion Bay.

The Tasmanian instalment of the Australian music event that has become an institution in four states still holds a special place in her heart, she told the Mercury.

This year, the alternative rock singer-songwriter from Melbourne will be belting out candid, and relatable songs from her 2017 debut album I Love you Like a Brother and her 2019 sophomore studio album The Best of Luck Club from the Field Stage on New Year’s Eve.

“It’s crazy,” Lahey said of going from Falls punter to performer.

“It’s one of those things that you see and you’re like, ‘God, imagine. I wonder what it’s like’. And then you’re doing it and Falls Festival is such an institution now.

“It’s so meaningful and special for every artist that gets to play..”

The Best of Luck Club, released in May, featured popular singles Am I Doing It Right? and Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself.

The Best of Luck Club - Alex Lahey album

Lahey took the album on the road with a metro tour in June supported by one of her favourite bands; Stand Atlantic.

She toured it again through regional Australia in October and November.

“It was great. I was actually quite crook through the whole [tour], so unfortunately … I was just getting through that, which means that I’m very excited to do it all again,” she said.

“But it was still an awesome time. It was just great to have another album’s worth of music to play to people.”

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Lahey said Falls would be a “great litmus test to really see if and how [the album] connects to people”.

Singer-songwriter Alex Lahey. Picture: JOHN FEDER/THE AUSTRALIAN

Unlike her 2017 Falls Festival debut; playing each event around the country, this year Lahey will only play at Marion Bay and will stay to celebrate New Year’s after her set.

After another big year for her music career, she said she will be celebrating the “happy accidents”.

“2019 could have been a really scary year. Putting out a second record is always sort of [thought of] as being a musicians worst nightmare.

“But it was actually really fun.”

Lahey said her biggest “happy accident” was the reaction to her cover of Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance for Triple J Radio’s Like a Version, which she said she would “have to” include in her Falls set.

Thanks to triple j for having us and allowing us to cover this sacred song 🖤 It took a village to put this thing...

Posted by Alex Lahey on Thursday, 19 September 2019

“I f...ing love the song. It went so much better than I ever could have anticipated in terms of how people connected to it.”

Her hot tips of artists to watch this year were her good friend G-Flip, who she said was “gig fit” coming off the back of a busy touring schedule.

“She’ll be on fire,” Lahey said.

“She’s a good friend, a wonderful artist and a great person.”

Lahey said she will be “fan girling” over British indie-pop artist The Japanese House who will play two sets earlier than her on the Field Stage.

“I’ve been a fan for a number of years, but I’ve never seen her play. She put out a great record this year.”

FESTIVAL FACT FILE

ONLY two days remain until the Falls Festival at Marion Bay …

■ ANYONE making a last-minute decision not to miss it can still find tickets on the Falls Festival website fallsfestival.com

■ TICKETS are $327.06 for a three-day festival ticket or $267.08 for two days

■ IF you don’t have the gear you need for three days of camping, you can select a ‘Gimme Shelter Ticket’ for $429.01

■ CAR passes are included in all tickets for the Marion Bay event

■ GATES open at 9am on Sunday and attendees may arrive between 9am and 9pm each day

■ ALL patrons must exit by 2pm at the end of the festival on Wednesday

■ THE Falls Farm is about a one-hour drive from Hobart near the Marion Bay coastline on Tasmania’s southeast coast

■ THERE is only one entry point to the site, on the corner of Marion Bay Rd and Burnt Hill Rd

■ THE route is usually fairly well signposted and the traffic flow is generally a good indicator of which way to head if arriving on the Sunday

■ THE Belbins Bus departs from Hobart and swings past the Hobart Airport and Sorell and delivers its passengers straight to the site ($50 return or $30 one-way)

For more details visit fallsfestival.com/marionbay