- Kid Kenobi
- Tom Middleton
- Crazy Penis
- LTJ Bukem
- Tiefschwarz
- Ben Korbel
- Craig Obey
- Kruder & Dorfmeister
- Ian Brown
- PTY LTD
- Jamie Lloyd
- Will Saul
- Homegrown
- Stick Figures
- Fretless
- Kora
- Ben Watt
- Ralph Lawson
- Ash Le Rouge
- Norman Jay
- Michael Doney
- Pip Branson Corporation
- Jimi Polar
- Spirit Catcher
- Josh Pyke
- The Holidays
- the E.L.F.
- Regal
- URTHBOY
- Grafton Primary
- Cassette Kids
- The Heat
- Blue Juice
- Poxy Music
- declan lee
- Telefunken
- Maximo Park
- Ben Lee
- Steve Bug
- South Rakkas Crew
- Cocorosie
- Mo' Horizons
- Reptiles
- The John Steel Singers
- Wiseman’s Ferry
- Playground Weekender
Too often festivals are a fleeting exchange. You’re herded in, watch some bands, scuff the grass, dirty the Portaloos and leave behind a trail of beer cans. Not so with Playground Weekender, a festival that’s more slowburn romance than throwaway fling. It requires some effort on your part -but like any good relationship, the affection is reciprocal. Wiseman’s Ferry may be only 90 minutes from Sydney, but in truth it’s worlds away. Coasting along Old Northern Road, you’re flanked by a rolling landscape of deep greens and browns. Once parked on the bank of the Hawkesbury River, revellers board a ferry that leisurely makes its way towards Del Rio Resort. It’s a scenic trip – except for the early arrivers on Friday evening, when all you could see is lashing rain.
The Resort itself is shadowed by a dramatic ridge, with the campsite stretching across a nine-hole golf course. Here, on the neatly-manicured grass, kangaroos loll about, occasionally box, and nod to the distant thud of the Sounds Big Top. Stepping off the ferry, you’re greeted by a ‘Welcome’ mat and a giddy sense of anticipation. Straight ahead is the Chai Tent (open conveniently late), with a row of food stalls snaking along the water to the right. Friday’s weather forces the Cocktail Tent to downsize from its usual spot opposite the Main Stage to the river bank, where it’s re-coined The ‘Drunken Duck’. With the same sound system stacked under an intimate marquee, it turns out to be something of a happy accident.
One of the many advantages of hosting a festival in a resort are the already existing features: the pool, some coveted ‘proper’ toilets, picnic tables, on-site cabins and, well, even a pokies room. Sadly, these creature comforts aren’t really enough to wring out the soggy first night. The site is belted from above by a wild storm, with some soaked-through punters waiting over an hour before a ferry arrives. Regardless, a smattering of DJs and bands play enthusiastic sets, seeing everyone off to their tents with only slightly dampened spirits (and seriously dampened shoes).
Come Saturday morning, though, the grey skies have moved on and the festival spirit is restored. Fancy dress day certainly helps. Everywhere there’s glitter, feathers, sequins, garish colours and every costume store staple from naughty nurse to Big Bird. Last night’s downpour has had little fallout, except a slight squelch underfoot at the Main Stage. While Ben Lee and Josh Pyke are slightly incongruous selections over there, the Sounds Big Top Tent has a nicely undulating line-up for the day. After Poxy Music’s cruisy live set, Simple Records man Will Saul steps up for the first international slot. Sporting some chic in-ear headphones, the DJ slips into 90 minutes of gently building, irresistibly hooky deep house. He’s perfectly suited for afternoon duties, and hearing the likes of Junior Boys whilst sprawling on the grass is a fine ease-in. Soon enough he’s got a healthy contingent on their feet and locked in a groove.
Despite their short window on the Main Stage, Crazy Penis deliver their usual shimmery live show, with Danielle Moore as resplendent in voice as she is in dress. Meanwhile, things have taken on a slightly darker shade in the Sounds Tent, as Ali Schwarz steps up. Certainly the more technically talented half of the Tiefschwarz equation, his selections are woozier and more insistent than Saul’s, taking things in a 3am-at-7pm direction. It’s an intelligently measured set, and less reliant on the ‘build-up and breakdown’ formula of some of the duo’s sets. By now the tent is really starting to work up a sweat.
Outside, a postcard-perfect sunset is greeted by the arrival of Kruder & Dorfmeister for their four-hour showing on the Main Stage. It’s rare for a festival set to be so epic, but if there’s anyone with a lot of ground to cover, it’s these guys. Anyone expecting a smoked-out chill session, though, is at the wrong party. With Raz MC T-Weed and the especially excellent MC Earl Zinger joining the DJs on stage, the journey takes in reggae and dub, but also a solid amount of up-tempo house with big, exuberant keys and thick basslines. The revelry spills onto the stage, too. A gaggle of costumed punters dance alongside the MCs, silhouetted against Fritze Fitzke’s immersive visuals.
There’s no less excitement around the decks of the Drunken Duck, as Steve Bug takes the reins from John Devecchis. Under a luminous sky, the Poker Flat boss weaves two hours of the most sublime house – stripped-back, groovy, deep and razor-edged all at once. The crowd, while modest, is utterly unhinged. Pirates, chickens, lollipop men and cowgirls all seem to agree; it’s a festival-making set. The second hour is even more gripping than the first – and the combination of an impeccably programmed set, a beautiful still night and a loose crew of freaks makes it very hard to sign off at midnight.
Unsurprisingly, heads seem uniformly sore on Sunday morning. Norman Jay pops up early on the main stage with a breezy Good Times set, which proves a perfect soundtrack to that first tentative beer. The numbers thin out with each arriving ferry, but you can tell who’s in it for the long haul. It’s hard to convey how unlike any other festival Playground is, especially on a balmy Sunday when all the colours, from the river to the hills behind, are so vivid. Everyone who disembarks at Del Rio seems to understand what the three days are for.
Feet take a while to mobolise in the Sounds Tent, but South Rakkas Crew regale the tent with some party-geared dancehall and occasional guilty pleasures. By 5pm, the sore heads are being muddied by another round of drinks, and the cheers go up for LTJ Bukem and MC Conrad. While for many (this reviewer included) the onset of inertia makes brocking out a perilous task, it’s the usual round of consummate jazz-tinged drum ‘n bass from the UK pair. Conrad has been better on previous visits, but there’s raucous support from the dancefloor.
As the afternoon cools, The Wombats bound onto the Main Stage like they’re playing to a crowd of 20,000. Their performance is laconic but charged with a bristling energy – all in the name of danceable, bypass-the-brain fun. While The Bionics – the side project of Crazy Penis’s Danielle Moore and Tim Davies – crop up at the Drunken Duck, Ralph Lawson goes about matching Will Saul in the house alchemy stakes at the Sounds Tent. His set is solidly jacking throughout, steadily building the dancefloor with pad-heavy four-four very much in the 20:20 Vision vein.
When Ben Watt takes over, he maintains the oomph – not his usual point of entry. Gradually, though, there’s a suite of remixed vocal tracks the DJ often airs; among them Royskopp’s 49 Percent, LCD Soundsystem’s Sound Of Silver and The Streets’ Blinded By The Lights. After Justin Martin’s take on Marshall Jefferson’s Mushrooms, Watt greets the fading light with Everything But The Girl’s Wrong and a dub of Tracey Thorn’s Grand Canyon. It’s up to Belgium’s effervescent production team Spirit Catcher to bring it home, and they do so with panache. Playing live across a geek-pleasing arsenal, their seamless barrage (and it is a barrage) of messed-about disco is the perfect send-off. It’s a pity not to have a second pair of ears, because from all reports Tom Middleton’s time-warping rave set was equally euphoric.
Till next time Playground. No other festival comes close.
domega says...
Nice review mate!
jetgrrl says...
I second that! No festival I've ever been to comes close to this one and already I absolutely cannot wait for next year.
praccus says...
Yeah nice words. Great festival, had a ball volunteering and partying wildly all weekend. Met some great peeps, this was the festival that gave me back some faith in Sydney crew. Awesome location, cheers for all the hard work and harder partying everyone.
talbs says...
With it being my first year in Oz ive given every festival a visit and this kicks ass. Slightly older, slightly stranger, massively friendlier crowd, quality music and an awesome venue. This is a holiday, relaxing getaway and raveup all rolled into 3 days. Bring on next year
Spitchen says...
The first paragraph says it all really, understand the sentiment behind that and you understand PW.
holzmarktstr 25 says...
oh jack i just want MORE. nice words...and the best memories.
Junior says...
Jack, thats was a beautifully written review! Felt like I was there...hang on, I was there! Awesome weekend. Sooooo...much fun!
bullet train says...
Fantastic review Jack, one of your best.
douglas says...
The best time i have had at a festival EVER! i didnt want it to end - we didnt leave till about 2pm on monday..... I have never seen so many people having so much fun in the one place....
Moses23 says...
sweet sounds, sweet people, sweet location=Playground Weekender. My only regret was, um, um, no, can't think of one!
tj says...
The memories almost bring a tear to your eye. It's gonna be a long year...
turkish says...
Top event. Let's hope it grows (but not too much) next year. Alot of the appeal for me was that it didn't take half an hour to get from one part of the festval to another avoiding thousands of people.Result. Loads of poms who are always comiited to the cause and you could tell. Highlights? Bukem - Killed it. Tom Middleton - KILLED IT on Sunday night with this Old Skool set. For the slightly older but not wiser kids , I think this must have been the highlight too. Tune after Tune of tracks that got me into Beats in the first place. Hats off Mr M...I've been around (from the UK originally) in and out of clubs since 1990 and that set was truly up there. Had the whole package..the Venue, the Music, the People. What more could we ask for?
jenwren77 says...
It's a week on but how I wish it was Friday 7 March again and I was just rocking up on the ferry at Del Rio Resort. What a wicked festival! I had heard great reviews from friends who had gone in 2007 but hadn't expected to enjoy it quite so much. A mix of great bands and DJs, beautiful surroundings and a very friendly and slightly mental crowd made for a very happy (and somewhat blurry) three days. It made such a change from being surrounded by the beefcake kids at the one-dayers. Can't wait for next year and hope that word does spread.....although not too much.
chavelaremid says...
missed out last year, so I made sure it didn't happen this year. and how it did not disppoint! this festival craps on every other. roll on, next year!!
praccus says...
For anyone who's interested, another, sorta existential Playground review / story; http://www.dislocated.org/nomadology/user_new.php?user_id=13