Days Like This 2010

Review: The 2010 Days Like This festival came as close to perfection as any music event ever has. With a friendly crowd, excellent venue, diverse line-up and blazingly hot summer weather, it was a welcome change from the disappointing norm that most festivals have sunk to lately. The lines were never too long at the bar, people kept their shirts on, you could stroll between stages and hear different sounds at each and, best of all, stand right up against the stage.
 
There was a lot of anticipation for Cat Power, who performed in the full face of the blazing sun at 4pm. Though the heat kept most of the crowd seeking shade, she still filled her area with a sultry performance that had people donning sunscreen to stand and watch. She sprayed the crowd with a water bottle before launching into a particularly soulful rendition of ‘Metal Heart' and the resounding chords of ‘The Greatest' were met with deserved cheers.
 
Neo-Soul wunderkind Mayer Hawthorne was up next, and proved why he has been getting album of the year nods for his debut release in 2009. With his band The County, he played the hits from A Strange Arrangement, featuring a multi-genre version of ‘Just Ain't Gonna Work Out' that involved heavy metal, disco and reggae. Even in the hot weather he was still clad in his trademark dapper style, and the crowd sung and danced along for his entire set. The moment of the day belongs to him, with his cover of Slum Village's ‘Fall In Love' as a tribute to the late, great producer J. Dilla.
 
Thanks to the Forum, Days Like This was able to have a proper dance stage. The dark, club-like room was a welcome change from outside, particularly during Joker's performance. Packing out the dancefloor, he spun a tight set of dubstep that showcased all aspects of the genre, from the rave-inspired to the reggae and dub roots of the sound. The air-conditioning meant a fairly sweat-free atmosphere, no matter how hard you danced. Another big win for the day.
 
Neon Indian successfully recreated the synthesized pop of the early 1980s during the course of their short set. They closed with the danceable ‘Deadbeat Summer', an apt song for the heat, rendering memories of chilled-out, lazy days of youthful abandon.
 
Micachu and the Shapes played a set of tight, percussive pop with almost telepathic synchronization. Front woman Mica Levi, a growling mass of piercing black eyes, unruly short curls and snarling stage delivery, was mesmerizing.
 
Pivot took to the stage just before 7pm for their first performance in four months. Even after this hiatus they are still as tight as ever, pushing their music to the edge of chaos before it coalesced into searing electronic rock with drummer Laurence Pike's manic precision providing the rhythmic backbone.
 
By this time the evening was blooming and people were starting to flag after the Sun's brutal onslaught. We Have Band started with a small crowd, but by the end their upbeat disco/indie sound had a pulled in a sizeable audience to the Street Stage.
 
Walking round the corner for the final act of the day, the size of the crowd was startling. Even in the relatively cosy Entertainment Quarter, it still seemed to be miles to the stage from the back. Rappers Method Man and Redman were one of the top drawcards for Days Like This 2010, and the brought the ruckus for a crowd that was wilding out from the first song. Mixing up their own material as well as the occasional Wu-Tang verse, each of audience call and response sections were met with loud shouts that could be heard from as far away as the line for a taxi home. Jonathon Valenzuela & Joanna Lowry