“We Come…” Faithless’ iconic figurehead Maxi Jazz stared into the crowd. Dutifully the crowd raises one finger in the air and shouts, “1”. Final track, final moment, from what was a brilliant day at this year’s Good Vibes at the wide open spaces of Flemington Racecourse. As the cool wind gust through the crowd, it didn’t seem to bother a soul … Faithless were here for the first time in years – “this is our church, this is where we heal our hurts”.

As festival ticket prices continue to soar, it’s become impossible to do everything and this was never more evident than in the lead-up to Good Vibes, with low and slow ticket sales. From those who did go, it was down to one of two reasons, One: they wanted to see Faithless. Or two: they wanted to see Ludacris and Nas & Damian Marley. Drawing the diverse crowd as you’d usually expect at Good Vibes, this year’s didn’t lack in quality of music, taking in the wide variety of acts, DJs and artists.

Kicking off the day, the Queen of Neo-Soul, Erykah Badu, was a true highlight of the festival. You don’t need to be a follower of her sound to appreciate her musicality and abilities; you just need to be a lover of quality music, and music with heart and soul. Her work includes elements of R&B, hip hop and jazz, earning her the title of the First Lady of Neo-Soul, and rewarding her with a long-standing musical career.

Walking on stage with a bowler’s hat, baseball shirt and loose-fitting pants, her gorgeous hair let down her back; she came out and just kicked it out of the ballpark with us in tow. Unfortunately the noise bleed between the Roots and Main Stage was terrible, and meant that you had to be either up close or on the left side of the stage to hear Erykah perfectly.

Besides this difficulty, Erykah Badu and her band gave us a show to remember for their first time down under, and hopefully when they return, they can give us an intimate show in a venue at night…it would be very fitting for her sound and a wonderful contrast to this Good Vibes performance.

Friendly Fires were on the Main Stage, giving their best, in what I heard some fans say was “amazing”. With a great use of percussion, the lead singer danced around just like he does in their film-clips, making for very entertaining viewing. The crowd went bonkers for Jump in the Pool, before we moved on.

English dubstep producer Rusko was working it hard in the afternoon at the Laundry Stage, jumping up and down like a maniac behind the decks as if it was 3am in a club and he’s dropped four pills. A relatively solid crowd had developed, stomping out in the best way they know how to this huge-build-up-yet-doesn’t-quite-explode-at-peak dubstep, tripping up a few with his off-beat tempo as they missed the first step. He may have worked on tracks with Rihanna and T.I., and produced optional material for Britney Spears’ upcoming album, but this stuff didn’t do it for me. Rusko must be an acquired taste.

Killing time before Sasha’s set on the Laundry Stage, the Main Stage had UK’s The Ting Tings on. This duo (that occasionally becomes a quartet) banged out their indie rock, new wave, dance punk-infused music; namely tracks from their award-winning We Started Nothing album. Under a perfectly blue sky and sun, a strong crowd gathered to bop along to them, rocking along to their simplistic and catchy lyrics … “Clap Your Hands if You’re Working Too Hard”.

Lead singer Katie White, working a red beret and punk-esque tights and outfit, bashed out the tunes, albeit at times not loud enough into the mic. Devishly lured closer to the stage, The Ting Tings then played their infamous track, That’s Not My Name, with the crowd (and us) joining in the madness.

For the past few years, UK’s stalwart of the electronic dance music scene, Sasha, has to say it bluntly, bored me. His sets on previous dates here have just not progressed anywhere, not in comparison to when I first started seeing him play, circa 2000. Granted, that was a long time ago, but why can’t a DJ develop with age like a fine wine?

Well this year’s Good Vibes, Sasha was far from being boring – he was on the money, and it was raining $100 bills everywhere. Out of nowhere, a huge crowd appeared, dancing like there’s no tomorrow at the Laundry Stage, tuning into Sasha’s progressive melodic house,. The set was very reminiscent of those early days of seeing him, along with the smiling happy people surrounding us. There was a knowing in the air that was being felt by all who had been there the first time around – Sasha was back and it was fantastic!

Riding a high from Sasha, all that was left was Faithless, an act that really does not need any introduction. For many, it was their first time to see them, and although I’ve seen them several times, the excitement is always there each time I witness their live show (much like Underworld as well). With minimal effects and simple blue and red lighting, Maxi Jazz is the lone special-effect in his own right, standing tall on stage, presenting his message, his voice, through well-developed, thought out lyrics.

He is simply mesmerising. Working through their hits and some lesser-known tracks from all their albums, including Sun to Me, God is a DJ, Feel Me, Mass Destruction, Not Going Home, I Want More and of course, their biggest track ever and the one that put them on the map, Insomnia. As Maxi ripped off his jacket and shirt, the anticipation as the music of Insomnia began was unbearable for many, reaching a massive peak as Maxi said ever so clearly into the distance … “I can’t get no sleep”.

Maxi Jazz, Rollo and Sister Bliss are the faces to Faithless but we must not forget the fantastic band that support and perform with Faithless, tirelessly delivering high quality live music on guitars, drums, and vocals – hats off to them. Brilliant, inspiring, motivating, memorable – Faithless, thank you for yet again wowing me with your live show. May we meet again soon…

Disappointedly for the organizers Jam, the event didn’t sell out, however this was a plus for the punter, with easy access to all amenities, drinks, bars and stages … VIP was definitely not a necessary this year. There was a relaxed vibe in the air, as if the heart and soul of Erykah Badu, the relaxed and chillout vibe of Fat Freddy’s Drop, and the pacifying views of Faithless combined to create a calm, non-aggressive, fun-loving crowd and day.

Then there was the encore that we all knew was about to happen from the dance act that is one of the last remaining with real truth in their lyrics. Maxi Jazz stood shirtless, asking us each to join into We Come 1, one of their massive hits from their 2001 Outrospective album.

The song’s message that we join together in unity to fight what is wrong in our world felt lost on some of the crowd, who were too busy focusing on themselves and their personal fun. One can’t help but wonder what the future will bring within our scene and society…will We Come 1 or just each stand alone?