Maroochy Music And Visual Arts Festival - 10/09/2016

Maroochy Music and Visual Arts Festival returned this year to SunShine Coast on the 10th of September held at Maroochydore’s Old Horton Park Gold Course, with an even more impressive line up then lasts. This years headlining acts consisted of some of the biggest in the country, with the popular Matt Corby and Pecking Duck headlining the natural amphitheatre main stage, and many Triple J favourites such as Japanese Wallpaper, AllDay, George Maple, Client Liaison, City Calm Down, BadDreems, Vera Blue, Pop Cult and many more. 

The SunShine Coast is approximately a 5 hour drive from my home town Byron Bay, so to make sure i was in full form for the festival I left on Friday night. The next day was bright and sunny and perfect festival weather The festival consisted of lots of different cultural foods, a few bars the DJ tent, the Champagne and oyster stage and the natural amphitheatre. We got our wrists bands early as the first person I was extremely keen to see was Vera Blue who played extremely early 11.15am and surprisingly enough she drew in a pretty big crowd with her impressive souring vocals for such an early slot. 
The next person we saw was Japanese Wallpaper, this was someone who's music had always intrigued me but I never got the chance to see him until Saturday which I might add was one of my favourite acts of the day, the way he plays his set live and also hearing new music from him was an awesome experience. The next act was Bad//Dreems this was also an act I had heard getting slammed on Triple J but had never seen them live, these guys can play some damn good Rock’n Roll. 

Buy this time the punters had rolled in with some crazy outfits and as Visual Arts Festival some people wearing face masks and so on. The next act that was lined up the play was Ngaiire, and boy can this chick belt out some words and knows how to please a crowd, this was also someone I hadn't seen before but had heard of and absolutely killed it. AllDay was next on the list who I personally did not like as much as I believe that he aims his music at younger generations and wasn't exactly a professional artist, but all in all he is a good performer. By 4.30 the sun was setting as City Calm Down played there set, once again this was a band i had heard heaps of but never saw them live until now, and i definitely recommend seeing them if you get the chance, the lead singers vocals are insane. As it was just dark we had George Maple play, this was my favourite set from the whole day, this chicks voice is absolutely incredible and is properly one of my favourite female vocalists, she knows how please and thank a crowd incredibly well, own a stage and put on one hell of a sexy show. If you ever hear of George Maple I 100% recommend to check her out.
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As the day grew further and further in the night Pecking Duck took to the stage and boy do these guys know how throw a party, they spun some new tunes that no one had ever heard before so we were the first to hear them. The amount of production that goes into these guys set is insane as- well. I quickly raced over to the Champagne and Oyster Garden to see Alex Lahey play a song or 2, this chick is definitely one to watch! 
 



The night closed with groovy duo, Client Liaison as it was absolutely pouring with rain by this point more then half of the crowd had left but we stayed around showed some love and support to them, Client Liaison also put on a dazzling show , this time they played a new song which I cant wait to the released. These guys closed the festival in true Australian style bringing out a digereedo. 
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All in all it was an awesome festival and a great day seeing heaps of amazing live music that I had heaps about and finally got the opportunity ]to see these artists and bands live, that everyone raves about a favourite of mine for the day that cant go unnoticed is George Maple. 

Reviewer: Ffion Hemphrey 
Photographer: Jordan Luettke