GOOD THINGS FESTIVAL 2018 // How To Run A Festival In 2018

Good Things Festival Melbourne
Friday, 7th December 2018
Flemington

As we trudge through the labyrinthine of shrubbery, early debris, and security guards with little direction, the scorching summer heat burns down upon us as we herd ourselves into the Flemington Showgrounds. Upon arrival, we’re greeted by complimentary tubs of sunscreen and the not so distant sound checks coming from the main stage.

As we migrate through the food trucks and pop-up shops including Artist First, Uppercut Deluxe and House of Vans, we move through the water sprinklers that will continue to cool us throughout the day, while eagerly motioning towards the opening act, Ecca Vandal.

While the bar queues are still small, we (sorta) rehydrate ourselves with four tinnies each and applaud the convenience that, for the moment, there are more cubicles than punters. As the afternoon kicks off, we muster ourselves into what’s yet to come. // Mikaelie Evans

Ecca Vandal

Stage 4: 12:15 – 12:45
Melbourne’s own Ecca Vandal has returned from six months of travelling to open up Good Things Festival in a whirlwind of extreme heat and contagious energy; getting us sweaty within their set, Vandal’s jumping around the stage as the temperature continues to rise. // Mikaelie Evans

Ecca Vandal // By Jayden Pitts

WAAX

Stage 3: 12:45 – 1:15
Sweltering under their hair and the stage lights, WAAX wear their sweat soaked shirts with pride as they have our arms raised, with our mosh pit quickly on the rise. // Mikaelie Evans

WAAX // By Jayden Pitts

Boston Manor

Stage 4: 1:15 – 2:00
Boston Manor eagerly await on the neighbouring stage for WAAX to finish their triumphant performance, and break into their own show with an energetic explosion that has us shuffling over to jump around to the English outfits banging tracks. “There’s two things about Aussie people: one is they’re all pretty nice, the second is, they’re all fuckin’ crazy! If I can handle this heat, than you can too!” Henry Cox, frontman. // Mikaelie Evans

Boston Manor // By Nick Tucker

Northlane

Stage 1: 12:45 – 2:30
Northlane pull us out from the respite of the trees as the amplification boasts their melodious metal through the airwaves, keeping our heads banging as literal (controlled) flames shoot up from the front of the main stage to their crunching choruses. // Mikaelie Evans

Northlane // By Jayden Pitts

La Dispute

Stage 2: 2:30 – 3:15
Captivating us with the echo of their music, La Dispute reign us in with their poetic lyrics and rhythmic choruses as the essence of ganja blends in with the sweat dripping from our bodies. // Mikaelie Evans

La Dispute // By Nick Tucker

Babymetal

Stage 1: 3:15 – 4:00
Babymetal take the stage with an impressive introduction that has us forming an enormous crowd to marvel at their gothic-samurai-geisha-esque uniforms which hold our attention to their choreography which doesn’t miss a beat. The instrumentation provides a strong backbone for the band’s three front-women who dance across the stage, having us wailing in applause. // Mikaelie Evans

The Used

Stage 2: 4:00 – 4:45
The Used quickly tear into classic hits, applauding Australia for finally having another worthy rock festival underway, Bert McCracken quickly leading us into an upheaval of cheer. We’re then encouraged to put our arm around the person next to us before exploding into a lively mosh for I Caught Fire which carries us into an upheaval of waving arms, with McCracken encouraging another circle pit that opens with the Play School theme song. // Mikaelie Evans

The Used // By Nick Tucker

Tonight Alive

Stage 3: 5:00 – 5:45
Electrifying the afternoon with their electro-indie rock melodies, Tonight Alive sway us into motion with their vibrant songs that get our bodies grooving. // Mikaelie Evans

Tonight Alive // By Nick Tucker

Dropkick Murphys

Stage 2: 5:45 – 6:45
Having eagerly awaited their opening, our enormous crowd explodes as Dropkick Murphy’s open with The Boys Are Back. Soon into their high energy performance and the clouds begin sprinkling light relief onto our sunburnt bodies as we cram in tighter to marvel at their long awaited showcase, with only the spilling cans of Furphy to remind us that we’re still in Australia. DKM closed their set with Shipping Out To Boston. // Mikaelie Evans

Dropkick Murphys // By Jayden Pitts

All Time Low

Stage 1: 6:45 – 7:45
As the sun revitalises itself, All Time Low billow their pop-punk setlist into our open ears. In a cross over of cheers and band banter, we’re told that “If flamingos don’t eat shrimp, they stay white …” but at least we can put unquestionable faith into their statement that “Aussie’s can out drink anyone,” as they burst out melodies, the piss-heads drop their tinnies which collage the grass as the mosh motions along to their setlist. // Mikaelie Evans

All Time Low // By Nick Tucker

The Smith Street Band

Stage 4: 7:30 – 8:30
As The Smith Street Band kick off their set, the sky settles above us as we clammer through the seated punters to form our bustling mosh. As the beloved Melbourne outfit serenade us, our rapport is felt from the stage to the back of our engaged army. // Mikaelie Evans

Dashboard Confessional

Stage 3: 8:30 – 9:30
Dashboard Confessional fall into the rhythms of their nostalgic music that’s bringing us together as Good Things Festival begins unravelling the headlining acts of the evening. While the band provide us a collection of their keepsake songs, we recollect the memories of today as we twine into the balmy evening amongst us before making a beeline for The Offspring! // Mikaelie Evans

Stone Sour

Stage 2: 7:45 – 8:45
Corey Taylor is born to be a frontman. Think about the power of his charisma that we can watch Stone Sour and not even try to compare it to his Slipknot persona. This is what a rock festival should always have. Sparks flying in front of Taylor’s flying mop of hair and that powerful range of his pulsing through a giant crowd. Rocketing through five different records of material (counting House of Gold & Bones as two here), Absolute Zero rubbed shoulders with Bother. Which still kicks ass with an acoustic introduction. Solos rip and again that range of Taylor reminds us that there really aren’t that many rock acts that can pull off the swagger that Stone Sour do. // Jonty Simmons

Stone Sour // By Nick Tucker

The Offspring

Stage 1: 8:45 – 10:00
At long last, it’s time for The Offspring and their nostalgia-heavy set to kick off. Yeah some of the Hysty crew might not have been born or were maybe three weeks old when Smash came out but the older brothers and sisters of the world did their job. A whole gamut of ages knew the deep cuts, but everyone cheered when Gotta Get Away made its appearance. Some blokes actually know who Didjits are in the crowd. Smart moves by Good Things Festival to have an act that will satisfy the diehards and the “oh yeah I remember hearing that on Tony Hawk” crowds. Even though they’re nearing their tenth studio record, The Offspring still have that magic spark that can command a headline spot.

Case in point, yes Smash is all well and good but the seven song combo of greatest hits is the cherry on top. We’re even treated to a bit of a Whole Lotta Rosie cover. Who knew that was exactly what we needed to hear? Not us, but boy are we glad they threw it in. The infectious nature of (Can’t Get My) Head Around You has us way too amped, Pretty Fly (For A White Guy) is the obligatory track for everyone, and The Kids Aren’t Alright sail us into the end. The only problem is it’s all over. 10PM and we’ve got no place to go. // Jonty Simmons

The Offspring // Jayden Pitts

The Offspring // By Jayden Pitts

That’s really the best sign; it’s been a whole day out in the sun and people are still checking to see if the bars are open to keep the party going. With the drink lines at a maximum of five minutes in our experience—a real dangerous tap and go situation—and food trucks that you’d find in an up and coming hipster neighbourhood, Good Things Festival knew exactly how to run a festival in 2018. Hey Sydney: we could walk around with cans and have under 18s, sort your government out yeah? The influence of Chris O’Brien, formerly of Soundwave juggernaut, can’t be overstated here. For a first run festival, it couldn’t have gone any better. // Jonty Simmons