- It might have felt like Obsidian was all about Container—and why not? The US artist, once described as a "noise techno kingpin," was the only international act on the lineup for the new experimental festival, which was spread across two legs in Sydney and Melbourne. Container's appearance in the latter, a city where international bookings routinely veer towards the populist and predictable, was an exciting prospect. He lived up to the hype, delivering a sonic assault marked by an unrelenting intensity. But far more than just a festival with a marquee booking, Obsidian was a testament to the health of Australia's experimental music scene in general.
It was also a celebration of live electronic music. At The Curtin on Saturday, there were DJs—Harold, Moopie and Jess Sneddon all played well—but they slotted in between the live acts. From Lucy Cliché's buoyant analogue techno to Tarquin Manek, Ying-Li Hooi and Rohan Rebeiro's spellbinding post-punk eeriness as Dog, the depth and range of the performances spoke volumes about the wealth of creativity in Melbourne.
Choosing pub venues mostly worked well, creating a sense of community around the event while tapping into that age-old tradition of sloppy, beer-fuelled gigs. But it sometimes backfired. A late venue change on Sunday due to "unforeseen circumstances" meant moving from Tape Projects to the band room above The Tote, a grungy and beloved spot that also happened to be hosting two other shows. Fia Fiell's glorious, stately ambience was ocassionally interrupted by the sound of a punk band below, puncturing moments where near silence would have been most arresting.
By Tackle's closing set this was no longer an issue—the carpeted floor pulsed to a set of mostly new material from the Melbourne-based producer. The tunes suggested a move away from the feverish breakbeats of his 2016 breakthrough EP, Benzedrine. In keeping with Obsidian's unpretentious vibe, Tackle's mum made an appearance at one point. This friendly, family feel, coupled with a genuine appreciation for the music, is what made the weekend so special. For this Melbourne outsider, Obsidian was a real eye-opener.