-I would like to point out this was the first festival I had ever been to, so it won't be a "correct" review...or whatever.
Artists/bands seen:
Bonobo
Flight Facilities
Hermitude
MGMT
The Roots
The Cat Empire
Rufus
Places passed/visited during road trip:
Byron Bay
Mullumbimby
Bellingen
Crystal Castle
The Big Banana (hahahaha)
Loads more weird and strange little towns that I can't remember due to weird Australian names
Places passed/visited during road trip:
Byron Bay
Mullumbimby
Bellingen
Crystal Castle
The Big Banana (hahahaha)
Loads more weird and strange little towns that I can't remember due to weird Australian names
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A ten hour drive from Sydney to the spectacular town of Byron Bay didn't make me any less excited for working at/experiencing the Falls Festival, a music and arts festival spread over three days, including the new years that boomed us into 2014 and my 17th birthday.
The festival was strictly 18+ however with a stall holder ticket and fakie (which they didn't even check as we were stall holders) there was no problem. We arrived two days early to set up my cousins Periwinkle Feather Extension Stall which I was working at, and spent the next two days in Byron Bay with some of our friends after setting everything up. Being in Byron Bay was like being in some sort of stereotypical American Spring-Breaker town. With an age range of 17-27, you'll find hippies, surfers, skateboarders and everything in between. All on vacation, or all for the festival. Every hostel, hotel and motel was fully booked. No vacancy, everywhere. Hot, humid air filled the atmosphere and any time, anywhere, everywhere you looked there was beautiful bohemian "party people". I regret not bringing my skateboard and 500d. I would've fit in pretty well. The beach town of Byron Bay is one of the best places to get away in Australia and meet some amazing people, surf/skate, party or just chill out. Our time there consisted of going to the best burger joint ever, drinking my first coconut, sleeping in a car, looking at surf shops, listening to flamenco and hanging out by the beach in the rain.
The festival was strictly 18+ however with a stall holder ticket and fakie (which they didn't even check as we were stall holders) there was no problem. We arrived two days early to set up my cousins Periwinkle Feather Extension Stall which I was working at, and spent the next two days in Byron Bay with some of our friends after setting everything up. Being in Byron Bay was like being in some sort of stereotypical American Spring-Breaker town. With an age range of 17-27, you'll find hippies, surfers, skateboarders and everything in between. All on vacation, or all for the festival. Every hostel, hotel and motel was fully booked. No vacancy, everywhere. Hot, humid air filled the atmosphere and any time, anywhere, everywhere you looked there was beautiful bohemian "party people". I regret not bringing my skateboard and 500d. I would've fit in pretty well. The beach town of Byron Bay is one of the best places to get away in Australia and meet some amazing people, surf/skate, party or just chill out. Our time there consisted of going to the best burger joint ever, drinking my first coconut, sleeping in a car, looking at surf shops, listening to flamenco and hanging out by the beach in the rain.
Once back at the festival, people started gushing in like a flood, stalls were ready to sell, and people were ready to party. Our friends only arrived a day into the festival so we didn't really have much to do till they arrived. There was about 15-20 of us all together, and although my cousin and I had camped up on the very first few days in the "Vendor" camp area which was quite close to the festival, once everyone else arrived I relocated with all of our other friends in the "General" camp site area. Our set up was quite decent, a large gazebo and our tents camped up around it. (Our friends, in their 20's and Australian, have been camping alot so I was in good in hands) I hadn't been camping since I was really, really little so it was all pretty new to me, and I was pretty comfortable with all of it... apart from the excruciating heat in the morning. Seriously, it was like being slapped in the face by the sun every god-damn morning, and you couldn't help but wake up super early in the morning (and there's nothing to do at a festival in mornings but be hungover). So the 40 degrees northern sunlight, sweat, and sleepiness I could've done without. And being on the topic of heat, apart from the mornings, it was just generally, (well for me) way too hot - I literally did nothing all day when I wasn't working at the festival as I was too hot, but it was nice to experience it, sleeping under the gazebo all day wasn't too bad and plus I knew I was going to be back to London weather soon. The good thing is that we got cloudy skies on one or two days during the festival and even some rain, which ofcourse resulted in wet clothes but it was better than the heat! GENERAL VIBE
So apart from the intense weather, the general vibe of the festival was great. The fact that it was over 18 was certainly a plus. You could find a wide range of different people there, from "brogan" Aussie's to hipsters to straight down to the mud hippies. Although there was loads of different people there, partying, and working at the stall, I was proved that everyone was about love and togetherness, it was refreshing and friendly. The festival was full of colour and so were the people in it. Tons of people dressed up every night in creative costumes and make up (our group of guy friends wore our dresses.. what a story that was). Working at the stall gave me the opportunity inevitably to meet loads of people, but even just in queue's for the bathroom or food I met and spoke to loads of lovely people who I will never forget. What I liked about the boys at the festival was that they were good-looking, yes, but mostly just really upfront (probably due to the alcohol) and I usually ignore it in London, but it's nice to get something different to "Oi my size, what you saying?" after going out for a drink, you gotta admit! I think the loveliest thing I experienced people wise at this festival was the fact that I wore my.. yes.. American Apparel red short-shorts, and I didn't get any disrespectful "what is she wearing" stares I would get back home on a sunny day in London. Because no one actually cared, everyone was having too much fun. It was awesome. And although I got some guys staring at my butt, followed by exchanging smiles with them, I didn't really mind. Because I wore them for myself, and it's, only natural for a guy to stare. Girls should embrace that a little more.
The first night of the festival was a good one, all our friends had finally arrived and we spent most of the day working at the stall with my co-worker and friend Boris, it was pretty chill and it was just like an introduction for the next two to three days. That night I somehow got lost after meeting up to party, I wondered with a thousand cigarettes between my lips for the whole night, quite peaceful but a little bit annoyed and impatient. A few people spoke to me but I really wanted to just hang out with someone I knew! And then finally I bumped into Boris, Rusty and Ben. Finally, people I knew! I gave them huge hugs, I was so relieved. We entered the village and came across a really odd German, two man- (well, one woman, one man) band. It was so odd at first, all we saw was a slightly overweight woman in a Kimono rolling around the stage and kind of, well, stripping. Then the whole crowd was intrigued and we learnt that their music was actually, AMAZING. Really comedic, catchy stuff. I only wish I remembered what they were called. Shout out to those guys for making our first night an awesome one!
STALLS
The food at the festival was very mixed and varied, at the main section of the festival, where we had a stall, there were huge lines at most stalls. However some stalls such as where two of my Japanese friends were working, they were more towards the camp area and thus didn't have that many sales during the day. I had tried abit of everything during my 4 days of being there, Chinese, Malaysian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish. All of it was pretty, well, greasy and overpriced. (A standard meal being around $13) But still good for a hangover! The other stalls, such as clothes and other things, (shout out to our feather stall) were pretty cool and creative. There were alot of organic/recycled stores, loads of peace/cause advertising stalls and my favourite, clothes stalls. I purchased 2 items from a vintage store, it was 3 items for $30 and two for $25, I left with a high waisted leather skirt (which I think I've lost now) and a floral tie-up shirt (and one of the buttons have come off, cry 4 me). All in all the stalls were pretty interesting and cool, however not as good as I expected. Some clothing stalls seemed really forced in general as companies (I won't name names). I must say I loved working at the feather stall, doing drunk boys and festival girls's hair, getting to know people was awesome and I finally learned to do something crafty with hair!FAVOURITE MOMENTS/THINGS
HEAT + PLUS WATER: It was hot as hell, but it was cool, cos we had all the water we needed. With high pressured taps for sunburnt people and water tanks for water for your water bottles, and the best, a water spraying tunnel by the main area of the festival. Man, running through that on a hot, dusty day is the best. The beach was 20 minutes away by car and it rained heavily twice, so although it was hot, we got alot of rain to balance it out! I only wished there was a lake/pool.
DANCING IN THE RAIN AT HERMITUDE: On a more personal note, I never felt so alive after dancing to Hermitudes music, live, under beautiful tall Eucalyptus trees in the pouring rain wearing alien babe make up and practically my underwear at the forest stage. Although we had only started drinking and were mostly sober and my dance partner wasn't there with me, it was literally one of the best moments of Australia.
THE LITTLE THINGS: The weird silent disco over the hill, getting bitten by ants, finding drugs on the floor and the trippy lights in the villiage.
MY BIRTHDAY/BLASTING INTO 2014 WITH THE ROOTS: Another beautiful moment, being with all of my friends with all these amazing festival people in the middle of a huge crowd, watching the 90's legends that are The Roots. They did an amazing NYE show and everyone went insane with happiness and concept. Afterwards everyone in my group sung a drunken happy birthday to me, I got bitten by an ant (for the second time) and then got a piggie back through the whole festival, followed by some more dancing with amazing people.
6 HOUR DANCE MARATHON: From Flight Facilities to Cat Empire to Rufus. I had literally never danced so much in my life. I did ballet until I was 14, and I dance at home whenever I can. But none of the clubs in London have done me justice (probably cos I've only mainly been to mainstream ones apart from a few trap clubs) - what made it great for me was being with Sophie, and amazing hoop dancer, we dance so similar and we just have the same love for dancing. It was so amazing being with her. Sophie, I hope we can dance again soon! All in all Falls Fest was an amazing experience for me, it's amazing to me that the first festival I got to experience was one of the best in Australia, on New Years AND my birthday! Had an insane time, I will never forget the horrible heat in the mornings, muddy vans (RIP my only skate shoes), the dust whilst dancing and the how amazing showers/the rain felt. I will never forget all the good vibes and good people, and all the amazing music! I recommend it to any festival lover!
Road-tripping on the way back was amazing, between the drives we stopped over alot and conversed about 90's hip hop rappers with my friend Charlie. Eventually we joined our Blue Mountains friends and Sydney friends together, and even met some people from the festival, we all camped at a camp-site somewhere on the way back to Sydney. We had collected about 10 mattresses from the festival and blew them up, and placed them next to our tents. We had a barbecue and smoked a couple of joints all around a fire. We had guitars, a mediation singing bowl (which was so amazing) a harmonica, and an African drum. We sat around and made music under the stars. And this may sound cheesy, but I had literally (living the city under a cloudy UK), never seen so many stars in my life. It was so beautiful, I could stare at it for literally, hours. I was mesmerised. That night I encountered two beautiful web-spinning spiders (I forgot what kind) and a frog, which was also, pretty cool. There was also showers and normal toilets at the campsite, which was something I think, after the festival, we all had missed. The music of The Roots and Flume will always be a reminder of the festival and this whole trip for me!
view more photos via instagram: tomyummsoup
[photos by yung gurl & crew]
