MONOLITH FESTIVAL - Sydney
Aussie Prog Giants Dwarf The Farm
Written by: Daniel Hall - Sense Music Media | Monday 29th August 2022
When this festival announcement dropped late last year with Australia’s 2 giants of progressive rock, KARNIVOOL & COG to share a stage together, I think every 40 year old prog fan's bones shook. Bella Vista Farm hosted the Sydney leg where thousands flocked to see these 2 legendary bands light it up with a handful of other smoking Australian prog acts.
Being my first gig at the Farm, I was impressed with the layout. The stage was nestled at the base of a small hill which created a nice size amphitheatre that gradually swelled with punters throughout the day. Food trucks on one side and a bar on the other with a mass of fans in camp chairs and blankets scattered all over the hill.
First up was YOMI SHIP from Perth WA. An experimental instrumental rock trio that fuse elements of math rock, psychedelic and art rock to make their sound. Only catching the end of their set was my mistake as I could have gone a little more from this band which set the vibe for the day.
Pictured: Jared Osborne, Nick Osborne + Jade Champion - YOMI SHIP
Photo by: Matt Bartolo
RELIQA from Sydney were next to hit the stage. Fans started to head down the hill as the female fronted band slid into opener ‘The Bearer of Bad News’ followed by ‘Mr. Magic’. Both these tracks showcasing Monique Pym’s vocal range littered with quick rap like lyrical sprays. This band is quite unique, blending metal and rock with progressive elements to deliver their sound driven by guitarist Brandan Lloyd, Bassist Miles Knox and rounded out by Drummer Benjamin Knox. Safety, their latest single was up next which featured Jonno Hawkey from Sydney band BLOOM. Looking around the Farm I could see everyone really getting into this energetic, young up and coming Aussie band. The band finished off their set with new unreleased songs from their upcoming EP, set to be released on September 16. The last was the title track ‘I Don’t Know What I Am’. It's fair to say I wouldn't be too worried about that song title going on the display from your band today. Just keep being you RELIQA.
Pictured: Monique Pym - RELIQA
Photo by: Matt Bartolo
The next two hours showcased two of Australia's premier instrumental progressive rock bands. The first being SLEEPMAKESWAVES. These guys have been around since 2006 and today the band were displaying their tight yet complex sounds, starting with opener ‘Tundra’. The layering of sounds from this instrumental beast swept up the hill where I was watching this all unfold.
Pictured: SLEEPMAKESWAVES playing to a swelling Monolith crowd at Bella Vista Farm
Photo by: Matt Bartolo
‘The Stars Are Stigmata’, ‘Traced In Constellations’, ‘Great Northern’ & ‘Something Like Avalanches’ all from the album Love of Cartography saw the next 20 minutes bend and sway through beautifully textured soundscapes. SLEEPMAKESWAVES’ sound is huge and looking across the event you can see heads nodding in approval. Alex Wilson, founding member and let's say frontman on bass and keys makes these transitions between hard rock and their beautiful style of prog rock look easy as is shown on the final song and much heavier offering ‘Pyramids’.
Pictured: Otto Wicks-Green + Alex Wilson - SLEEPMAKESWAVES
Photo by: Matt Bartolo
The 2nd of Sydney’s own progressive heavyweights is PLINI. Main singer songwriter Plini Roessler-Holgate is a highly regarded guitarist in the prog community. I can understand why after watching his live performance. The opener ‘The Glass Bead Game’ eases into the set with the trademark intricacies and technicality seen throughout this 10 minute opus. The next track ‘Pan’ changes up a little with some nice chunky riffs and punchy drumming by Chris Allison. ‘I’ll Tell You Some Day’ and ‘Papelillo’ come next. These four opening songs are all from PLINI’s latest record Impulse Voices. Melodic at times and outright musically crazy in others the swelling amphitheatre is mesmerised by this epic set. As ‘Cascade’ and ‘Handmade Cities’ were being played my attention turned to Simon Groves on bass laying that platform and thickness for the rest of the band to flow over. Finishing with ‘Electric Sunrise’ fans on the hill and down on the floor are up applauding this amazing band.
Pictured: PLINI playing to a mesmerised Monolith crowd
Photo by: Matt Bartolo
As the sun was setting, OCEAN GROVE took the stage. Prior to the festival I thought they may have been a bit of a mismatch for this festival line-up. Looking at the mosh pit for the opening song ‘Superstar’, oh was I wrong. The musical diversity that this band has, throwing nu-metal, grunge and hip hop together with an all Australian tang from vocalist Dale Tanner, saw the guys rip through a high energy set from songs off their latest 2 albums Up In The Air Forever (2022) and Flip Phone Fantasy (2020).
Pictured: OCEAN GROVE loom large on the Monolith stage
Photo by: Matt Bartolo
It would be interesting to know the number of punters that were present, but by now they were all here to see COG take the stage. The band opened with ‘Bitter Pills’ which on one hand surprised me while the other slapped me in the face because this is COG. That being said it was a nice song to build into the set and next track ‘Anarchy OK’. Cuckoo Clocks and weird samples rang out into the opening notes. Then boom….. Strap in here we go.
Pictured: Flynn Gower - COG
Photo by: Matt Bartolo
“Walking in the park, just the other day I gotta hit with a rock”, you have to love guitarist and main vocalist Flynn Gower’s educated, witty lyrics and unique vocals. “I Gotta”. Oh how this song builds and absolutely explodes at the end. ‘What If’ comes next. The relevance of this song nearly 15 years after its release rings true throughout, with the crowd yelling back the lyrics, fists pumping. On to ‘Resonate’. Luke Gower’s stage presence is something else. His backing vocals, stage malleability and that beard are in full flight. I mean you would love sharing the stage with your big bro. Those little vocal exchanges that he delivers add to the depth of that classic COG sound. ‘The Middle’, one of their latest releases, touches on life, ageing and the journey of the band. Lines like “It seems like only yesterday we were starting out, no we ain't got much time left before tomorrow” and “I don't know if I'm a young man or if I’m old” really resonates (yep pun intended) with me and I would say the majority of the crowd. Taking it right back to 2003’s ‘Open Up’. The words“Burn Hollywood Burn” echo across Sydney's west before crowd favourite ‘The Spine’ saw the joint erupt. That bass line intro sounded thiiiiick! Building through ebbs and flows and then that climatic ending.
Pictured: Luke Gower - COG
Photo by: Matt Bartolo
A few quick, yet humble words from Flynn touching on musical journeys, influences and just being there and being present solidifies what this band personifies. A continuation of these words is the memorable ‘No Other Way’. A deep feeling of togetherness sweeps through the crowd. Drummer Lucius Borich has been outstanding as per usual. Pummelling intense polyrhythmic and off beat segments throughout the set and don't forget that other layer of backing vocals. Such a busy yet precise drummer. ‘Bird of Feather’ rounds out the set and we are all left thinking ‘Where the fuck did that hour go?’.
Pictured: Lucius Borich - COG
Photo by: Matt Bartolo
People sprawled throughout the venue during the changeover looking to get drinks and a quick toilet run in before the last act of the night. It was pretty much the only time in the course of the day there were any line-ups. QUEEN‘s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ played through the PA. The crowd gradually got involved as did the lighting tech pulsing lighting in time with the ol’ classic. The crowd was pumped.
Pictured: An eager Monolith crowd
Photo by: Matt Bartolo
The beautiful, clear winter night sky complimented the evening and KARNIVOOL must have foreseen this, opening with ‘Fear of the Sky’ from the album Themata. What looked like a heavy mesh screen dropped down at the front of stage with an ‘All It Takes’ graphic backdrop. What a track to open with. Heavy, offbeat and bloody beautiful. Through the twists and turns of the song, I can say his one grabbed me and spit me back out. One of the highlights of my day. When you couldn’t think it could be better, enter ‘Goliath’. For me this is a song that symbolises KARNIVOOL. The way it meanders through those little beautiful areas and results in that heaving bottom end and with that pounding drumming from Steven Judd. This amazing band really gets into your being.
Pictured: Ian Kenny - KARNIVOOL
Photo by: Matt Bartolo
The crowd is going mental throughout and they are sounding huge and super tight. Loving those intricacies and elements to the next song ‘Simple Boy’. The quaint xylophone interlude mid song from Mark “Hoss” Hosking leading into that effect on the guitar by Drew Goddard that runs to the high vocals of the chorus from frontman Ian Kenny is something else. It's not just about the vocal delivery from the main man. You can see the passion in the great frontman and what it does to him and the way it makes him move. ‘Animation’, an unreleased track takes a mild step back while we all compose ourselves and have a little breather if only for a moment to bring the heat with ‘Set Fire To The Hive’. This is where the other side of KARNIVOOL is exposed. Fast, frenetic and punchy as hell. Red stage lights beam out across the crowd with yellow hues thrown from the stage canopy. The place has gone bonkers and the moshpit is heaving.
Pictured: Mark ‘Hoss’ Hosking + Jon Stockman - KARNIVOOL
Photo by: Matt Bartolo
‘The Refusal’ from Asymmetry continues this raucous part of the set. Bass player Jon Stockman brings the girth smashing away on his 6 string bass, also adding backing vocals, screaming “We are a broken wreck, we’ve both got piles of regrets”. That is 10 minutes I won't forget in a hurry. Kenny takes a moment to touch on Flynn’s words earlier, showing the band's gratitude to the music community that has come out to witness this amazing festival. Drew adds what this means to him and what music can do and help with mental illness. These two bands have been touring for over 20 years now and that it's not just a job or a chore for these musicians. It touches deep as the crowd applauds in their own appreciation. Big love is in the air tonight at Bella Vista Farm.
Pictured: Drew Goddard - KARNIVOOL
Photo by: Matt Bartolo
I somehow knew it was coming when the intro to ‘Roquefort’ begins. Purple lasers were cutting through the winter night sky. Then whack that riff and the mosh is bouncing. Such a fun song. Kenny’s moves are always on point during this track. I get it. There is no way to stay still for this bouncy cracker. The title track of their debut album Themata left the farm in rapture. A massive fan favourite for many. Smiles everywhere and we were left wanting more. The band exit the stage although only briefly as they re-enter to the fans wishes for an encore performance starting with latest single ‘All It Takes’. This song has grown on me since it’s release late last year. That riff from guitarists Drew & Hoss just rolls along “Are You Close Enough” echoes across the grounds. Juddy’s drumming is absolute fire.
Pictured: Steve Judd - KARNIVOOL
Photo by: Matt Bartolo
Then comes the closer, the ol’ classic ‘Fade’ from the Persona EP. Kenny opens with “You said you show me what you wanna be I will never stand in your way. Take it back and then you say again I will never stand in your way”. This is heavy and bloody beautiful at the same time. The crowd is loving this song as does Stockman by the look of it thrashing himself about. The day had built up to these 5 incredible musicians banging out what I would describe as an all-time festival set from KARNIVOOL. The crowd applauds and there you go, we are done.
I would like to touch back on words and the sentiment from Flynn, Ian & Drew. This festival and these moments are what our music community is all about. Great music, catching up with friends, making new ones and being present. Living in a moment. Lengthy goodbyes were had with friends that I haven't seen in some years as we exited the festival. Well done to the Monolith crew, Destroy All Lines and all involved in making this event possible. Aussie music is in a great place.
All photos by: © Matt Bartolo
