The final day and night at Falls Festival Lorne went quicker than the previous three, with the New Year’s Eve party vibes kicking in early. Throughout the chilly afternoon crowds up at the Grand Theatre were treated to performances by the likes of Hælos (on their debut Australian tour), Marlon Williams and Baro – a diverse and entertaining line up of musicians, indicative of the festival’s knack for impressive programming.
Down in the Valley, Lorne welcomed more visitors from the UK, with Jamie T and Catfish & The Bottlemen both drawing huge numbers and proving to be highlights of the NYE program. Replacing Grouplove, POND really stepped up to the plate. Nick Allbrook’s presence has continued to strengthen onstage too, making the WA group a joy to watch.
As the final hours of 2016 wound down, the night became split between the hectic sounds of Booka Shade up in the Theatre and The Avalanches down in the Valley. Having been slightly underwhelmed by The Avalanches at Splendour, the NYE set was a completely different experience – a great way to bring in 2017. Featuring Oscar Key Sung in their cast of vocalists, the band took the crowd through Wildflower and Since I Left You evenly, mixing jams in with party starting hits.
Fireworks would soon break out, to be followed by a killer version of “Since I Left You”, paving the way for Tkay Maidza to stomp her way onto the Valley stage for a post-countdown set, perfectly timed for level of chaos that was happening in the pit.
While it had its up and downs this year, the final Falls Festival before it goes into the hands of Live Nation was still a fun way to spend the last days of the year.
Full coverage from our time in the forest on its way!
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