Photo courtesy of Jack Gobbe
Combining Australia’s finest selection of craft beer and cider with some of the best bands to come out of our backyard is far from a recipe for disaster. Beer InCider festival has won the hearts of many by doing exactly that, and as I strolled into the grounds, the appeal of the event didn’t take long to kick in. Music-wise, the festival hosts a variety of Australia’s rising talent, with Saturday featuring a heavy contingent of Aussie rock.
As punters basked in the glory of day drinking, Charlie Collins kicked into gear onstage. Collins has been on our radar ever since her standout Laneway appearance at the start of the year. Possessing an alt-pop sound that draws from the country music roots of her hometown Tamworth, her prowess has only improved upon the release of her debut album ‘Snowpine’. You only have one debut album, something Collins sounds conscious of on her release, writing a record that proudly exhibits every aspect of both her craft and soul. Whether it’s the frolicking guitar licks on ‘Mexico’ or the sweeping indie-pop on ‘Wish You Were Here’, Collins provided a gorgeous soundtrack to an afternoon of fine beer.
A friendly hit of nostalgia can never go wrong, particularly under the influence. This made BRIS-182 a perfect fit. The tongue in cheek Blink-182 cover band is somewhat of a Brisbane band supergroup, featuring members of Velociraptor and Babaganouj, to say the least. Did I mention there are ten members? Yeah, you read that right. Eight guitarists and their accompanying drummer and bassist cruise through the adored discography of one of the 90’s biggest acts.
Each gap between sets became tactical beer runs. Big and small name breweries alike drew a plethora of punters ready to drink old favourites and new discoveries. One such beer was Philter Brewing’s ‘Beer Seattle’, the namesake beer for Dear Seattle’s appearance at the festival. Whether or not it was the presence of their beer throughout the day, the crowd welcomed the Sydney grunge outfit with open arms.
Tearing through their debut album, the four boys won the hearts of every rowdy patron, emphasised by the front barriers beginning to break as the rowdy crowd surged towards the band. The inclusion of their widely adored Like A Version cover of Missy Higgin’s ‘The Special Two’ built upon the nostalgia of BRIS-182, causing a very drunken sing-along and tears of joy for many.
Every year has a breakout-artist. In 2018, it was hard to escape Ruby Fields, the indie-rock darling that took Australia by storm, all at the age of twenty. The Sydney songwriter played a set beyond her years, proving just why she has been the talk of the town. While her gritty back catalogue kept hips moving, it was the finale of her beloved single ‘Dinosaurs’ that truly broke the crowd into a frenzy. The feeling of catching an act as they are building momentum is unrivalled, and you couldn’t help but adore Fields and foresee an Aussie star in the making.
As the news of Hockey Dad’s drummer Billy Fleming’s broken collarbone and subsequent cancellation of his Beer InCider appearance came about the day before the event, speculation began to arise as to who was going to helm the drums of the beloved coastal NSW duo. The responsibility fell into the hands of Stu McKenzie, a friend of the duo who stepped up to fill big shoes. Nevertheless, one half of Hockey Dad definitely didn’t mean half the fun, as McKenzie played with the precision one can only have as such a dear friend of the band.
Vocalist and guitarist Zach Stephenson spared no moment in playing as if business was as usual, launching into ‘Homely Feeling’. Their 2018 album ‘Blend Inn’ proved that the boys could pump out grungy, yet still catchy, tunes more at home in Seattle than coastal Australia. “Homely Feeling” demonstrated that Australians will devour anything Hockey Dad throw at them, a testament to the band and their ever so catchy sound.
Another hit, ‘A Night Out With’, had a similar effect, with Stephenson drowned out by the fanatic crowd. The chaos settled slightly during ‘Danny’, a somewhat mellow track by Hockey Dad standards in addition to being what I consider one of the duo’s best tracks. Exhibiting the band’s knack for breaking the loud, abrasive surf rock mould in favour of a reserved and poignant tune, ‘Danny’ stood as one of many highlights.
As the set came to a close, Fleming emerged from side of stage, hand in sling, mic in the other to sing ‘Sweet Release’ with Stephenson and to sing the highest praises of McKenzie’s debut drum performance. Although Fleming makes a rare vocal appearance on the superb studio version, the raucous live rendition sent the crowd to new heights, and rounded out was yet another glorious celebration of good beer, cider, and Aussie music.