In partnership with Beyond The Valley
After a day dominated by international acts, Beyond the Valley’s third day shone a spotlight on Australia’s pop and indie darlings. The calibre of performances was top tier, a true testament to the prowess of the country’s music scene and artists who have become masters of their craft.
There were theatrics aplenty, eye-capturing costumes, incredible vocals and even some slapstick skits on the festival’s Valley Stage – read on for some of our top moments of the day.
20-year-old Budjerah shone like a seasoned performer
Budjerah. Credit: Martin Philbey for NME
It was late afternoon when young Bundjalung artist Budjerah took to the Valley Stage, bringing with him a captivating presence well beyond his 20 years.
Hailing from Fingal Head in New South Wales, the singer has been making waves over the past two years for his soulful voice, even taking home the Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist Award at the 2021 ARIAs. It’s easy to understand why while watching his live show: Budjerah’s soaring voice and genuine gratitude were both endearing and impressive.
His set comprised a number of crowd pleasers, from his Ed Sheeran collaboration ‘2step’ to a cover of Temper Trap’s 2008 hit ‘Sweet Disposition’, which he initially covered with Gretta Ray and Ngaiire for ABC’s The Sound last year. However, it was his audience interaction during ‘Ready For The Sky’ that really shone, with the small but passionate crowd of people singing the lyrics back to him.
San Cisco remain Aussie festival favourites
San Cisco. Credit: Martin Philbey for NME
Most punters were seeking cover from the intense sun prior to San Cisco’s set, but that changed as soon as the Perth band’s name appeared on the screens flanking the Valley Stage. People flocked in droves down to the moshpit to see the indie band, who have played at countless Australian festivals over their 13-year musical career.
Like a well-oiled machine, the band launched into ‘Skin’ from their 2020 album ‘Between You and Me’, adding on an extended outro for the live version. The outfit have their setlist down to a T, transitioning smoothly through a mix of old and new cuts – like 2012’s ‘Awkward’ and ‘Fred Astaire’ and 2020’s ‘When I Dream’.
The crowd was electric throughout the entire performance, singing along to every word at a volume almost loud enough to drown out the band – proving that San Cisco remain Australian festival favourites.
Confidence Man brought the party
Confidence Man. Credit: Martin Philbey for NME
Confidence Man’s live shows are like no other. They pull out all the stops and give 110 per cent no matter how big the crowd, the setting or how many shows they’ve played back-to-back for days with little to no sleep.
The experience at Beyond the Valley was no different. Multiple outfit changes revealed an elaborate array of costumes, including Janet Planet’s signature light-up cone bra and Sugar Bones’ matching LED shoulder pads. They whipped out a pair of black shades for ‘C.O.O.L’ and their comically oversized black suits with motorised shoulders for ‘Toy Boy’. The theatrics continued throughout the set with Sugar spraying the crowd with a champagne bottle and later spitting out fake blood, and Janet pouring beer over her head.
As the intro to Cascada’s ‘Heaven’ played out around the stage the audience went wild, joining in for the outfit’s cover of the song. If you ever get the chance to see Con Man live, make sure you do.
Flight Facilities powered on despite tech difficulties
Flight Facilities. Credit: Martin Philbey for NME
Taking the Valley Stage’s sunset slot were Flight Facilities. It’s been seven years since the duo last played the festival, having performed over the New Year’s slot back in 2015. During that time, they’ve released a number of singles and a second studio album, acquiring a growing fanbase who were eager to see the pair play.
They were joined by the lovely Owl Eyes for cuts like ‘Arty Boy’, ‘Move’ and ‘Heavy’, while Ric Rufio jumped on vocals for a cover of Modjo’s ‘Lady (Hear Me Tonight)’. At one point, he leapt off stage and onto the barricades to offer front row punters a chance to sing into the mic, everyone clamouring over each other to make their voices heard.
Though it wasn’t obvious to the crowd, Flight Facilities paused to reveal they were having technical difficulties onstage, prompting everyone to sing DJ Otzi’s ‘Hey Baby’ while they smoothed things out. At the end of their set, they thanked the audience for their patience, closing out the night with a ‘Happy Birthday’ singalong for Owl Eyes and one half of the duo, James Lyell.
Lime Cordiale brought slapstick to the valley stage
Lime Cordiale. Credit: Martin Philbey for NME
At first, the funk-tinged, pop-rock of Lime Cordiale might seem better suited to a daytime slot, but the pair’s engaging performance was the perfect nightcap. Dressed in ’70s-style embroidered, rhinestone suits, the outfit had rockstar swagger, with Louis Leimbach channelling some Alex Turner energy throughout their rendition of ‘Money’.
Really, Lime Cordiale’s set had it all. The animations projected on screen during their songs were bright and fun, including melting ice-creams and icecaps for ‘Addicted To The Sunshine’ and a short, cowboy-style shootout clip as an interlude. There was also plenty of banter, including a skit where they poked fun at their German last name and donned thick accents, and later a slapstick brawl between the two brothers.
Beyond The Valley 2022 runs till Jan 1, 2023 at Barunah Plains in Victoria – find more details about the line-up and tickets here
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