- As Easter weekend approaches every year, so does the realisation that the Australian festival season is drawing to a close. Inner Varnika has cemented itself as the curtain closer for the season, and for many (myself included), the highly anticipated headliner. Over the course of the last six years, they've consistently taken programming risks to create a platform where artists can freely express themselves. This year's instalment may have been their most ambitious yet.
Friday night kick-started the festival with a bang. Toni Yotzi got things moving with superb afternoon selections like George Duke's "The Once Over." The supreme musicality of Australian band Krakatau was something to behold—saxophonist Jack Doepel's extended solos proved to be the perfect sunset soundtrack. Jane Fitz, a resident of the Welsh festival Freerotation (which has inspired much of Inner Varnika), picked up the vibe with ease, proving why she is such a highly regarded selector. Petar Dundov's "Stairway" was met with serious applause by a crowd that by the end of her set were begging for more.
The strength of having just one stage is that the festival becomes a collective experience. This extends beyond the music to the way punters connect with the site. During local talent Roza Terenzi's breaks-laden debut live set, many in the crowd ran to the top of the hill to watch the sunset. Once the sun was down, the darker realms of music began to be explored. Silent Servant, a much-anticipated headliner, melted minds. Recent weapons such as Tsuzing's "4 Floors Of Whores" rattled their way through the cold of the night. But it was the choice to close with Glass Domain's "Interlock" that showed the true depth of his taste.
Saturday night belonged not to any of the headliners, but a warm-up act: Moopie. Some hold Moopie's Inner Varnika appearances in almost mythical regard, and it was easy to see why. His set was so packed with memorable tunes there was barely time to get a fresh drink. Dopplereffekt's "Speak & Spell" received a raucous reception, as did Simian Mobile Disco's blog house throwback "Hustler." The hysteria peaked during a tribute to Mark E Smith, with a sample of him reading out football scores on the BBC.
"Suit Sunday" is for many the highlight of the festival. Fake business cards, headsets, contracts and slogans like "buy low, get high" reign supreme. With this year's annual forum being held for the first time on April Fools, Suit Sunday 2018 proved to be one of the most hilarious ventures yet. Solar powered salons had perms matching shoulder pads. Water-coolers were home to enthralling workplace conversations.
Bigger is not always better when it comes to sound, but the decision to up the ante on the Funktion-One stacks this year was a good move. There was no better day to enjoy the clean low ends than on Sunday. The soulful selections of Touching Bass purred their way beyond the dancers, day-traders, used car salesman and up onto the hill, where the weekend was catching up with many. Once Detroit funk luminary Amp Fiddler hit the keys, the stitching on suits was tested by ambitious dance moves. Classic Fiddler cuts such as "Slippin On Ya Pimpin" were hailed with smiles and clouds of smoke. But it was his ability to slip in jams of classic funk songs, such as Parliament Funkadelic's "Cosmic Slop," that really wowed the crowd.
The weekend came to a close with the supreme knowledge of Finn Johanssen. During a superbly mixed homestretch set, the Berlin-based DJ dropped "Optimistic" by Sounds Of Blackness. As the crowd sang along to the lyrics, I couldn't help thinking that they perfectly echoed the journey the festival and its directors have been on: "...If things around you crumble, No, you don't have to stumble and fall, Keep pushing on and don't you look back."
Photo credit /
Natalie Jurrjens
Bigger is not always better when it comes to sound, but the decision to up the ante on the Funktion-One stacks this year was a good move. There was no better day to enjoy the clean low ends than on Sunday. The soulful selections of Touching Bass purred their way beyond the dancers, day-traders, used car salesman and up onto the hill, where the weekend was catching up with many. Once Detroit funk luminary Amp Fiddler hit the keys, the stitching on suits was tested by ambitious dance moves. Classic Fiddler cuts such as "Slippin On Ya Pimpin" were hailed with smiles and clouds of smoke. But it was his ability to slip in jams of classic funk songs, such as Parliament Funkadelic's "Cosmic Slop," that really wowed the crowd. The weekend came to a close with the supreme knowledge of Finn Johanssen. During a superbly mixed homestretch set, the Berlin-based DJ dropped "Optimistic" by Sounds Of Blackness. As the crowd sang along to the lyrics, I couldn't help thinking that they perfectly echoed the journey the festival and its directors have been on: "...If things around you crumble, No, you don't have to stumble and fall, Keep pushing on and don't you look back."
Photo credit / Natalie Jurrjens