.

.

.

Day 1

Despite Daryl Braithwaite declaring it to be an honour to play the first Falls in WA, this is actually the second time the massive festival has rolled into the port city. Moving location to the more expansive Fremantle Oval to accomodate for the much larger crowds, the show had a much grander sense of scale as main acts performed on two adjacent stages and a third stage that required you to disregard the signs and go for a wander down the historic streets.

Unless you were waiting outside in the massive hour long plus line, it didn’t really matter what was happening inside. Seems an influx of people arrived around 3pm which overwhelmed the staff leading to hour plus long waits and a lot of disgruntled fans. However that stumbling block was overcomed with bars that moved with ease, enough toilets and a plethora of food stalls to choose from.

.

Daryl Braithwaite – Day 1

.

In light of recent alleged sexual assaults in Marion Bay two of the standout performers on day one, Alex Lahey and DZ Deathrays wore T-shirts emblazoned with “The person wearing this shirt stands against sexual assault and demands a change”. This feeling of maintaining a safe environment was a positive presence with safe points marked throughout the festival and a customer service line on offer.

Going to see Alex Lahey play on the smaller Valley Stage was like discovering a little secret that the thousands in front of Stage 1 and 2 hadn’t discovered yet. Lahey took to the stage and attacked her set with a hunger that spilled into the crowd as each subsequent song was carried by her fans voices.

.

Flume – Day 1

.

Fleet Foxes – Day 1

.

Over on Stage 2, DZ Deathrays cracked open Falls weekend with a fiery set that seemed to complement the rising temperature of the day. The Brisbane group provided the backing to a very happy and at times hilarious moshpit eager to get the weekend underway.

With a now blonde Jack Webb looming on the huge side screens, Methyl Ethel sounded ethereal, with the likes of Twilight Driving and Ubu. With the inclusion of rising star and recent WAM Award winner Stella Donnelly it was a perfect siren call to the Freo Doctor.

.

DZ Deathrays – Day 1

.

Openers Confidence Man are basically your mates at 3am in the morning after just the right amount of shots. There’s no denying they’re a spectacle as Janet Planet bounced and gyrated through beat driven tracks like Better Sit Down Boy. Sorta like Hot Chip just without the technicality of songwriting.

Late in the afternoon Daryl Braithwaite arrived on Stage 1 understanding he was there for one reason but as he admitted it gave him the opportunity to sing to a new audience, well mostly sing. Most of his songs like Howzat did go completely over the crowd’s head but Braithwaite took it in stride, giving the millennials what they wanted with an extended 5 minute version of Horses.

.

Flume – Day 1

.

Confidence Man – Day 1

.

Bringing in twilight The Smith Street Band just know how to put on a show. Less like a concert and more like a catchup between now old friends. WA loves The Smithies and Will Wagner’s empathetic banter, responding by singing along with Wagner as loud as possible.

Which made Fleet Foxes set feel like a drop in gear. Beautiful harmonies and folk songs like Mykonos that hark back to the late 2000s it was a lovely reprise from the long day. Whether that’s what the crowd wanted was another story because evidently what they wanted was Flume.

.

Daryl Braithwaite – Day 1

.

Playing on a stage setup that resembled a lit up electronic tabernacle and dressed like he just got off a boat in Corfu, a huge crowd came to witness the innovating Australian DJ. Rolling out his songs and remixes of Disclosure and Major Lazer he claimed his mark as most popular act at Falls.

.

Check out Karen Lowe’s gallery of Day 1 HERE

.

Day 2

Sunday brought with it higher temperatures and a lineup that was intent on making sure to keep the energy high throughout the day.

With the huge lines from the previous day still hanging in the air, entering into the grounds was an smooth experience and it appeared, from the already big crowd in front of Everything Everything’s cheerful early afternoon set, that everyone had learnt to get in as soon as they could.

.

Dune Rats – Day 2

.

Ecca Vandal – Day 2

.

Peking Duk – Day 2

.

If you were tired from the late finish of Saturday, there was no time for that, as the artists scheduled for Sunday were a perfect fit for enjoying a drink, getting a tan and listening to some great music. In an example of good planning, the big upbeat acts were on Sunday and each of them put in solid sets that carried the energy onto the next act. However, as it’s always the way, it was the lesser illustrious acts that shone brightest on the festival’s lineup.

Peking Duk, those rowdy party boys from our nation’s capital took the sunset slot and you couldn’t have a more different act, compared to previous sunset players Angus and Julia Stone.  Again it was another reminder that there really wasn’t much time left so you better dance. With an explosion of confetti guns and siren horns the duo of Adam Hyde and Rueben Styles put in a entertaining high-powered hour set.

.

Peking Duk – Day 2

.

Everything Everything – Day 2

.

Foster The People – Day 2

.

Earlier Vince Staples took charge of the stage and the crowd with a dramatic graphic backdrop and directives throughout his set demanding people bounce which is no easy feat considering the amount of people who felt it absolutely necessary to be up on their mate’s shoulders. Staples was right at home as he had thousands singing along during Norf Norf, and whilst initially it rapturously kept your attention, after the 40 minute mark his songs began to all sound much the same. That was fine because it gave people a chance to take position for Liam Gallagher.

Clearly some people had come to Falls just for Gallagher, which was frankly a comment heard a few times in the older crowd in front of Stage 1. With a black and white banner simply stating “Rock n Roll”, the temperamental singer came on stage to a plume of orange smoke from an errant flare someone had left off in the crowd. Gallagher opened with Rock N Roll Star and continued with a number of Oasis hits and songs from his lauded As You Were album. By the time Wonderwall closed his set, there were a few happy devoted fans and some converts, proven by the impromptu Wonderall sing-a-long endured on the train ride home later that night.

.

The Kooks – Day 2

.

Ecca Vandal – Day 2

.

Camp Cope – Day 2

.

Fatigue was beginning to set in and the Valley stage became an oasis for a change of scene as the walk to the stage included passing several micro stages – meaning air-conditioned shipping containers that took the word ‘cosy’ to a new level.

Whilst the majority of the crowd were at Peking Duk, those looking for something different got it with D.D Dumbo’s weirdly wonderful set. Coming off as slightly awkward until he started playing, Perry and his band played multiple instruments delighting the crowd with Satan and King Franco Picasso. Then with a simple “Ok, goodnight!” he was gone.

.

Run The Jewels – Day 2

.

Bad Dreems – Day 2

.

Liam Gallagher – Day 2

.

The real main acts of the festival turned out to be Foster For The People and The Kooks as a sense of completion began to descend on the day. Looking every bit like an attractive British rock n roll band albeit a pop one in their black leather garb, The Kooks catchy and melodic songs were made many happy and how could you not be with sprightly versions of Naive, Bad Habit and She Moves In Her Own Way.

At the close of The Kook’s set, crowds began to clear out from Fremantle Oval apparently done for the day, leaving Run The Jewels the formidable challenge of keeping a crowd engaged when they were probably thinking about food and the travel time home. With a stage setup that included two monstrously massive hands clenched in a fist and gun, EI-P and Killer Mike gave their slot a thrashing making sure those who did stay behind would not be disappointed.

.

Peking Duk – Day 2

.

Falls Fremantle – Day 2

.

Liam Gallagher – Day 2

.

Next year it would be great to see more inclusion of Fremantle streets and businesses as was the set up last year, however with the increased number of people that may prove logistically tricky. Yet doing so will once again embrace the Fremantle vibe more so than what Laneway does, which is a point of difference.

The bigger international acts definitely pleased, but moreover this year it was undeniably a more consistent lineup of tried and true Australian players which is always great to see, and for that it was a perfect way to kick off 2018. Frankly I’d take my hat off to them, but it was way too hot for that, as someone lamented beside me “I was so dumb, I was not SunSmart!”. Remember for that for next year, Falls Downtown is a scorcher!

.

Check out Karen Lowe’s gallery of Day 2 HERE

.

.

AMNPLIFY – DB