Origin Fields 2018 Line-up: Does Sam Rate It?
Origin is one festival that has always been on top of the wish list. While I’ve never been, year after year they manage to book the biggest acts in hip hop, dance and electronic music. These acts often don’t bother visiting the East coast while they’re here (I was waiting, Danny Brown in 2017 and Die Antwoord in 2016, but you never came). In saying this, it can also be a solid indicator of some acts that will be flying over for festivals like Field Day and Falls, but it’s never the one’s you want the most.
This year appears to be a bit different. They’ve changed location, stretched to two days and rebranded from the dark, slick aesthetic to what sounds like a chiller, Summer vibe. They promise a new musical direction and a larger array of acts. Keen-eyed, and often disgruntled, punters noticed that triple j were also on board for the first time. So is Origin Fields set to be a fresh new festival experience not yet seen in Australia, or is it shaping up to be another run-of-the-mill Falls Festival type deal?
Starting at the top, there are some big internationals, led by Cardi B and her other half’s trio Migos. While I care little for the latter, Cardi B’s a bit of a guilty pleasure and would go off. Bonobo is back behind the decks, which will obviously be less impressive than the live shows he brought down for Splendour and Laneway, but he’ll no doubt make some pretty cool selections. Rounding out the headliners are Khalid, The Kooks and Duke Dumont, none of which excite me greatly.
Leading the Aussie contingent are hometown heroes Pendulum, which would surely be a set not to miss. You can count on Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, PNAU and Hayden James for a good time. After that, the triple j-core artists begin to take over. Sampa the Great, Winston Surfshirt and SAFIA are all appearing — I still, to this day, cannot understand the appeal of SAFIA — as is Tash Sultana, so you can bet your cotton socks that people are making comparisons to every other damn festival in Australia.
The rest of the line-up is filled with producers and artists both known and unknown to myself. Hip-hop and trap producers like Keys N Krates, Mija and Mr Carmack will undoubtedly bring the party. Other than that, I guess we wait and see what any upcoming announcements may bring.
If you haven’t picked it, it seems as though triple j has had their way with Origin. Origin have done what they promised they wouldn’t do and, for lack of a better term, sold out. While I’m sure they have lost some loyal fans, they probably gained a whole lot more in the burgeoning “run-of-the-mill festival goers” market. As I say, I guess we wait and see who else gets announced in the future, but at this stage, Origin Fields has become everything I dislike about the majority of Australian festivals.
Does Sam Rate It? there are some impressive names on this bill, but the lineup as a whole is nothing new and nothing special. I don’t rate it.
Will Sam Be There? nah.
