It’s been just over a week since we found our way home from Splendour in the Grass, and we’re still recovering. Luckily, between the glitter, belting heat and marble-sized collections of dust up our noses we managed to catch some special moments.
Here is our list of the ten absolute best moments of Splendour 2016, and the acts responsible for delivering them to us.
Methyl Ethyl
It’s been a huge year for the Perth threesome, since the launch of Oh Inhumane Spectacle they’ve remained chained to their instruments touring the world and making us all very proud. A great Splendour moment would have to be the entire GW McLennan tent imagining the saxophone solo in Twilight Driving, what a group effort on our part!
Jagwar Ma
For a band who have been touring their debut album for the past 4 years, Jagwar Ma have unsurprisingly locked their live show down to an art. Filled with new and old tracks the three piece absolutely killed it for the packed out Mix Up Tent.
Teasing the highly anticipated sophomore album with their current single OB1, the crowd had no option but to boogie down to the fresh new shapes of Sydneys psych/dance purveyors.
World Champion
Tucked away on the Tiny Dancer stage, World Champion served up a dazzling set. The gang jammed through their seminal EP Avocado Galaxy and boogied on with the crowd until the sun went down.
James Blake
Also making his debut in Australia, James Blake brought his haunting style of industrial soul in full force when he took to the main stage on the final night. Tracks like Radio Silence and Retrograde were surreal to witness live. However, the clear highlight was the most resonating bass note to ever grace Byron Parklands leaping out during Limit To Your Love.
Epic.
Sticky Fingers
Beatnik darlings, Sticky Fingers know how to put on a show. Lead singer Dylan Frost came onstage dressed like a billionaire while keyboardist Freddy Crabs dropkicked a football so far into the air we’ll probably have to catch it at next years festival.
A highlight of the set would have to be an almost capacity crowd at the main stage singing the opening words to Australia Street before the band had time to start.
The Strokes
Isn’t it great when you finally get to see a band you’ve listened to for years? Well The Strokes stepped right off a lot of people’s bucket list and onto the main stage for a pretty excellent set jam packed with classic hits and some fresh new shapes.
There’s one very obvious statement to be made about The Strokes, they’re all just effortlessly cool. After hammering out a few tracks we were gifted with the onstage chit chat of holy sex icon, Julian Casablancas.
After mumbling through an awkward story involving a couple of fans earlier that morning the singer decided to ditch trying to impress and stuck with what The Strokes do best.
King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard
There’s something therapeutic about smashing up against a hundred sweaty dudes with tribal psychedelic rock booming overhead. The Melbourne legends stopped off during their Nonagon Infinity tour to secure their throne as Australia’s favourite third-eye thrashers.
After an onslaught of fast paced bangers, the band took the pace down with a number from their Quarters album. A refreshing pause in the sea of death circles and elbows.
Sigur Ros
Cinematic Icelandic preachers Sigur Ros closed out Splendour in The Grass with an awe inspiring set filled with shrieking guitars, beautiful vocals and incredible visual art projected behind the band. At one point lead singer Jónsi held a piercing falsetto for so long the crowd had time to applause before he cut it off and threw the band back into a trade mark jam.
Fat White Family
Absolutely melting the faces off the first few rows of eager festival goers, Fat White Family came onstage in full force to showcase their brand spanking new album Songs for Our Mothers.
A surprisingly early set in the middle of the day supplied the ideal conditions for lead singer Lias Kaci Saoudi to present his glorious wang in celebration of their Australian debut.
The band has had a bit of rough time since this show, but it’s worth mentioning how refreshing it was to witness six fully grown men spitting and screaming at each other while dishing out some truly raw and unrelenting rock. Quite frankly getting completely naked seemed like the obvious conclusion.
In Loving Memory of Syzmon
In a very bittersweet moment, the GW Mclennan tent bared witness to a haunting moment for Australian music. An album written and and recorded by Syzmon Borzestowski was recreated by friends and family on stage for the first time since he tragically took his own life.
With guest appearances from Gang of Youths’ Dave Le’aupepe, Ball Park Music’s Sam Cromack, Emma Louise and Little May it was was an all-star performance of the beautiful album by the fallen muso.
