Splendour In The Grass is over for another year and by all accounts it was another perfectly executed musical extravaganza - apart from the unfortunate last minute cancellation from Chance The Rapper, every headliner and every up-and-comer shone on their respective stages and showed us why they're worthy of playing Australia's biggest music festival.
Cool Accidents was on ground all weekend taking in sets from our favourites - as well as discovering some new artists - and here are seven moments that we think will stand the test of time when we remember this year's festival.
the singalongs at thelma plum
Just a week after the release of her debut album Better In Blak, Thelma Plum took to the GW McLennan stage - a hometown festival slot of sorts, having grown up in Brisbane - and it was a moving and celebratory set from start to finish. Fans were spilling out from every side of the huge tent and it's difficult to explain just how loud we were all singing along to the important messaging of songs like Not Angry Anymore (her opener), Better In Blak, Clumsy Love and Woke Blokes. Only moments later, Thelma discovered she had debuted at #4 on the ARIA Albums Chart and it was just the cherry on top of a huge release week for Thelma.
Allday bringing out The Veronicas to sing 'Untouched'
14 years on from the release of their debut The Secret Life Of... The Veronicas are experiencing a coolness resurrection of sorts - but the truth is, The Veronicas were always cool, we just weren't game enough to admit it in our teen years. But with co-signs from hip rappers like Allday, we're owning the fact that The Veronicas have got a ton of bangers under their belts and one of the biggest tunes in their arsenal is emo-pop track Untouched.
Allday recognised this and on top of bringing them out to sing their new single Restless together, the twins took part in a trappy version of 2007 hit Untouched that blew the Mix Up tent's minds the moment we heard those violins kick in. With a rap verse added in from suited-up Allday, this collab had one of the most euphoric singalongs we heard all festival.
yannis from foals jumping in the amphitheatre crowd
Foals frontman Yannis is known for his wild stage antics but you never expect how amazing it is to see a singer casually jump into the throng of Amphitheatre fans and play guitar from within. As the perfect way to end an already perfect, groovy set filled with classics like Mountain At My Gates, My Number, Exits, On The Luna and Spanish Sahara, Foals reminded us that there's still a place for rock bands on festival headliner slots and it's because of enthralling performances like this.
childish gambino dropping the opening bars of 'this is america'
Childish Gambino's attendance at Splendour In The Grass was made all the better by the fact that we didn't get to see him last year, so when Donald Glover took the stage with his piercing glare, ragged beard, a flowy grey cardigan, white tee and linen pants, we all flipped our shit. With amazing lasers all throughout the set and stylised filming on the LCD screens that for a moment took us side of stage with Gambino, allowing 40,000 people a moment of absolute intimacy with him, it wasn't 'til the choral intro to This Is America rang out that we got ready to see one of the most defining and well-rounded artists of our generation.
sza going punk and covering wheatus' 'teenage dirtbag'
Wheatus' 2000 song Teenage Dirtbag was a defining moment for every '90s kid and it turns out, it was for SZA too. The 28-year-old was born in 1990 and was 10 when the song came out and she found it only fitting to cover the song with a full band live during her Sunday night Amphitheatre set.
Visually there wasn't much going on production-wise during her set apart from a spherical light-up structure she would get on top of occasionally, but it's SZA's incredibly versatile voice and charm that carries her and that was enough for all her fans.
SZA performing her rendition of “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus. pic.twitter.com/n38RA3YzQ4
— DAILY SZA (@CampSZA) July 19, 2019
BAAAAAHHHH STOP IT !!! thank you for the soundtrack to our lives . Omg We love you SO FUCKING MUCH .. just thank you https://t.co/cL91MzFRoi
— SZA (@sza) July 21, 2019
the bondi icebergs pop-up
So maybe it's a little over-the-top to sit down for a four-course, white tableclothed dinner by Sydney institution Bondi Icebergs at Splendour In The Grass of all places, but that's exactly why it's so damn cool - it's a once in a lifetime experience. The 100-seat pop-up was erected in a hidden location behind the Amphitheatre overlooking the lake and it was the perfect way to leave the dust and food trucks of the main grounds behind for a lazy two hours sipping fancy Italian wine, listening to old school Italo-disco and eating caviar and crab risotto. Don't hate us 'cause you ain't us.
honne bringing the romance to Mix Up
British electronic duo Honne knew exactly how we wanted to spend Sunday arvo at Splendour and they delivered, bringing their glossy, swoony love songs to the Mix Up tent, where even if you didn't have a partner, you had your arm slung over your mates' shoulders and sang your lungs out. Songs like Crying Over You, Day One and Someone That Loves You had us wondering how Honne aren't a household name here - if you're into cruisy electronic pop, Honne are a must-listen.
And these are just seven of dozens of amazing moments experienced at Splendour In The Grass, not to mention ground-breaking sets from James Blake, Santigold, Tame Impala, Courtney Barnett, Kwame, K.Flay, What So Not, Phony Ppl and many, many more over the course of the weekend.
The calibre of acts is one of the reasons we (and you!) keep coming back every year - see ya in 2020, Splendour!
