review: st jeromes laneway festival, sydney by kluster

For the last few years running St Jeromes Laneway Festival organisers have proven that they know how to successfully curate an independent music festival. Thankfully 2010’s efforts allowed them to maintain their unsoiled reputation. We use the word thankfully because we all know how ugly a festival line-up fall from grace can be. Yes, Big Day Out, we are looking at you.

We managed to squeeze in quite a few bands during the course of the day and not one disappointed. The new venue provided ticket holders with more room to move - in space imparting a rather 20th-century-institutional vibe - and the fact that all stages were completely removed from one another meant that they each ended up developing a vibe of their own.

Speaking of institutions, Whitley, post beginning their set with sounds twinged with musical grandiosity, admitted there could think of no better place to play than somewhere reminiscent of an insane asylum. Over on the Clock Tower stage (Playschool imagery, anyone?) Scotland’s Frightened Rabbit were warming up with a spot of ethereal guitar-driven indie rock. ‘Keep Yourself Warm’ rounded up what proved, for us, a pleasing first-time FR experience.

Wild Beasts win Kluster’s non-existent award for Most Pleasant Surprise of The Day in The Form of a Band. Stepping out onto the stage to the sounds of an extended si-fi-esque voiceover they won over the audience with their delightfully discombobulated sound – encapsulating theatrical vocal lines, pulsating beats and windswept hair served on a bed of singer swapping, with a side of Jamaican undertones.More...

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some jessie hill, from us to you

We really are spoiling you with this one! It's part of the SS 0910 range we've been fawning over for some time now. Truth be told, we really want to keep this dress for ourselves. But we won’t - darn you, unfailing morality.

Down here in Oz, the temperature is heating up and hemlines are following suit. This Jessie Hill stunner is the perfect accompaniment to the simmering summer heat. Contrasting, as it does, the cheeky flirtatiousness of the layered frill skirt with the artistic print and the grungy buckle detail along the side of the torso.

Want to know more about Jessie? Head to her freshly launched website. For all your clothing and coverage needs.

To be in the running simply follow the instructions below. Already signed up? No problem, just convince a friend to let you subscribe them too (include name their name and email address in the body of the email).

To enter simply email info@kluster.com.au with the subject: Jessie Hill.

Entries close 20.01.2010

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laneway cds to give away

Since our good friends at Laneway Festival announced the lineup for next year’s multi-city tour we’ve been gushing like an open hydrant during a Brooklyn summer. Words of affection and admiration, for the job they have done pulling together a stellar selection of bands, spill forth from our open gobs.

In order to warm our Australian readers up for the festivals, and in aid of the Kluster subscriber drive, Laneway have kindly provided us with a five CD pack to bequeath to one lucky new subscriber.

Florence & The Machine - Lungs
The XX - X
Hockey - Mind Chaos
Whitely - Go Forth, Find Mammoth
Dappled Cities - Zounds

To be in the running to win the pack simply follow the instructions below. Already signed up? No problem, just convince a friend to let you subscribe them too (include name their name and email address in the body of the email).

To enter simply email info@kluster.com.au with the subject: Pre-Laneway Listening.

Entries close 15/01/2010

 

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