It's not often that you get to experience something different. Music festivals were once a great way to see your favourite artists in one place on the one, cost-effective ticket. It was also fantastic and profitable for promoters; the club scene had begun to stagnate in the early 200s and the gargantuan appearance fees being charged by superstar DJs could be covered by massive crowds. Unfortunately for both punters and promoters alike, the market reached saturation point several years ago and once guaranteed sold-out events have since departed the Australian summer forever (Good Vibrations, We Love Sounds and Parklife to name but a few).
Groovin' the Moo is a bit of an oddity for your regular, electronic music-loving fan. Visiting Australia's regional centres exclusively, GTM kicked off in 2005 and although originally the domain of independent Australian bands, the lineup has expanded in recent years to include international, hip hop and electronic acts. With that, we ventured north from Sydney to Maitland (pop. 67,478) to sample GTM for ourselves.
This year, GTM showcased international acts such as Disclosure, Dizzee Rascal and Robert Delong alongside locals The Presets, Architecture in Helsinki, The Jezabels and Karnivool. The event is heavily supported by national alternative music broadcaster Triple J, reflected by the likes of The Kite String Tangle, Wave Racer and Hottest 100 winner Vance Joy.
Having experienced a true country fair before (Daft Punk Wee Waa 2013) we expected GTM to be similar, but without the show judging. However, GTM was an incredibly fun experience and a well-executed event. The previous day's rain had turned the Maitland Showground into a mud bath, and anyone who made the wrong footwear choice quickly abandoned any cares and embraced the muck. Despite being an all-ages event, alcohol was available to those old enough and sideshow alley to entertain those who were not, and there were plenty of well-mannered country cops to keep everyone's spirits high and in check.
Musically, local rockers Kingswood played hard and with awesome energy. Illy and Thundamentals made the Aussie hip hop presence indelibly felt, and The Jezabels were absolutely astonishing; its no surprise that two days later they were playing the Sydney Opera House. On the live electronic music front, The Naked and Famous were tight and Dizzee Rascal destroyed the main stage. Despite GTM's roots, two electronic acts were chosen to close the event with The Presets holding court on the main stage and Disclosure playing a live set in a gigantic circus tent, without a doubt the highlight of the day.
A few moments stand out which could only have happened at GTM: What So Not's parents stage diving in the circus tent, stage security looking painfully undecided on the question of whether to ditch their ice creams to tackle a stage invader, and Dizzee giving East London big ups to his Maitland massive. Final verdict? Different, fun, mud fights..and not a single Jersey/Geordie Shore extra in sight.