The dusty day ran hot and cold yet this was of little concern for the young crowd at Groovin the Moo in Bendigo, who fully embraced the dirt in their 90s revival fashion.
Early in the afternoon, Triple J Unearthed’s artist of the year 2014, Meg Mac, blasted on to the main stage in a black velvet cape lined in hypnotic graphic print. The slow build of Roll Up Your Sleeves led into Every Lie, showcasing Mac’s powerful voice. The electronic duo Hermitude dived straight into a light show that needed an epilepsy warning. Backed by fluid graphics, the duo double decked the set with a magic mash-up of The Lion Sleeps Tonight.
The ferocious Charli XCX, leading with her titular track of 2014, Sucker, thrashed a gargantuan white inflatable guitar as the crowd sang every word of her chorus. With rocker pigtails down to her waist, the 22-year-old was supported by an all-female band clad in zebra prints. She belted out Doing It without Rita Ora, Fancy without Iggy Azalea and peaking with Boom Clap, made famous by The Fault in our Stars, and she was easily the most compelling artist of the day.
Hard rock staples Wolfmother took to the stage with Dimension, their AV namesake projected behind them with flowing blond hair and a hat made of a wolf pelt backed by a rainbow. Frontman Andrew Stockdale ran from corner to corner, channelling his 70s idols while belting out Woman and Joker and a Thief. The band have looked and sounded the same since their eponymous 2005 album. The crowd seemed uninterested in the overblown drum and guitar solos but the solid set of hits was gold, tight from years of touring.
• Groovin The Moo is in Maitland on 9 May and Townsville on 10 May
