Live Review: Scene & Heard Festival

Scene and Heard returns for another year. A nostalgic experience with a rock’n’roll focus, the festival’s bill comes stacked with a number of acts who hit their greatest strides in the late ‘90s and the early 2000s. In short, it’s festival designed for reminiscing about the past.

With it originally being held in a grassy field outside the venue, it's been re-located inside the Eaton Hill’s Grand Ballroom. Given the switch up, I’m not entirely sure what to expect.
 
Immediately I’m struck with the fact that I might be a little out of place. The age-group here is predominantly over 30. Their dress is casual, band shirts and sandals. At age 19, I’m the youngest person here. It’s weird, I am certainly feeling out of place.
 
Melbourne based band British India start the night with a garage-influenced rock sound. The 4-piece know how to exhilarate. They deliver an energised performance the crowd can’t help singing along to.
                                                    
Next up is Alex Lloyd. With timeless sing-alongs filled with raw emotion, the singer-songwriter takes the audience on an emotional journey. His distinctive vocals can soothe your soul, and his folk-rock style is as tight as ever. The crowd sways in time to old-time classics ‘Green’ and ‘Amazing’. As Alex points the microphone at them, they chant the choruses back in unison. He then pauses between songs to spread kind words about self-love and the dangers of social media. (As he does, a good chunk of the crowd videos his speech for their Instagram stories.)
 
Scene and Heard could be described as a freewheeling festival. There are no restrictions on dress code, security is limited and pass outs acceptable. It’s a refreshing change to be able to take a breather between sets and sit on the grassy hill outside, but I squirm back in to catch Sneaky Sound System. Despite the lighting being a little off, Sneaky Sound System treat the crowd to dance-hit after dance-hit. Connie Mitchell’s flawless vocals reach every corner of the massive ballroom.
 
After a short intermission comes The Dandy Warhols. As the US act step into the spotlight, I’m buzzing to see them. Yet almost immediately, I’m sprung with disappointment. Lining up side-by-side, they boot into the first song without so much as a hello. Their stage set up is interesting, it feels as if there is no lead member as in most bands. As distinctive as it is to see a band break free of conventional stage form, I don’t know if it works in favour of the crowd’s enjoyment.
 
On top of the lack of chatter with the crowd and the uninspiring set-up, their sound seems a little off as well. I can barely hear the vocals and the synthesiser is cranked up to a point of drowning out the other instruments. Their hearts don’t seem to be in it. I can’t help but think tonight that The Dandy Warhols feel like a Brian Jonestown Massacre cover band.
 
I digress. As they bust out ‘Bohemian Like You’ – my childhood feels restored. As they hit into their most famous single everyone in the crowd catches a second wind. I’m craving for a little bit more of that energy from the band to be bouncing off the crowd. Maybe it’s the military-like stage presence, the washed-out sound drenched in feedback and murmured vocals, or maybe my expectations were simply set too high. I’m left feeling disappointed.
 
In sharp contrast Wolfmother take to the stage with the confidence of Led Zeppelin. The band knows what they’re doing. Frontman Andrew Stockdale shrill vocals pierce every corner in the ballroom. There’s no volume control for Wolfmother, it’s max or nothing. Wearing a denim vest and skinny black jeans (who would have thought) Stockdale shreds on guitar. His bassist and drummer don’t miss a beat either, they play with just as much force and vigour as their lead.
 
Leaving I think to myself that my experience at Scene and Heard Festival has been a mixed one. Some of the bands were exceptional, others weren’t. The unevenness of some of these acts combined with the inescapable thought that the grassy field outside would have had lot more to offer in terms of creating the festive atmosphere which didn’t come as naturally to the Grand Ballroom left me feeling a little down. In saying that, the festival was undoubtedly tailored for a certain age-group. The majority of the acts and crowd was radiating good energy. It might just not have been mine.  

Words by Chloe Magee
Photos by Dom Gould