It is a firm belief of mine that dancing barefoot in the rain is vital for a healthy soul, and if I am right (which I suspect I am) then Centennial Park last Saturday was filled to the brim with healthy souls; and dirty feet.
As the first ever Sydney Earth Festival launched itself into music lovers' collective consciousness, I, equipped with camera, media pass and appropriate vegan footwear, readied myself for an all-out religious musical experience.
First stop was the chai tent; a musty combination of sweat, weed and tofu burgers swirled around the room filled with cushions, couches and, more importantly, 10 Hare Krishnas on drums and microphones. Enjoyable, but refreshments called.
After a quick locally brewed vegan beer and soy satay sticks, the acoustic stage was next on the list. Most of the acts were fairly nonplus, but a standout was Mahri Autumn & the Chameleon Collective, a folk trio who seamlessly interwove between song and spoken word, reminiscent of a little bit of Ani DiFranco mixed with the Audreys and the Waifs.
For the funk lovers, there was the art bar. Basslines DJ with vocalists Gina and MC Janny entertained the crowd with funky remixes of electro pop tunes; vocalist Gina wooed the jivers with a voice so soulful it would put most of today's R'n'B artists to shame.
But as the clouds drew in and day fell into night, the hypnotising hip-hop beats of Oka summoned. They were without doubt the highlight of the day, showing up headlining act Abby Dobson with their infectious rhymes and basslines. As Oka's set hit a crescendo the rain came, flooding the main area and turning it into a river of mud. As the rain fell, the bass grew and the crowd surged forward in a sea of excitement and mud-coated dancing bodies' hands atop of heads as far as the eye could see.
The day was definitely geared towards the hippie in all of us, but even those who didn't identify as hippies enjoyed themselves. I mean, let's be honest: who in their right mind could turn down dancing barefoot in the rain?
Alex Hahn
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