AO Finals Fest Day 1 Recap
Photographs by Briarna Dal Col
The iconic Australian Open has been such a spectacular sporting event for decades. People come from far and wide to see the world’s best talents battle the courts for a grand slam of tennis. In addition to the many festivities, the Australian Open has hosted the Finals Festival, for a second year round. A collision of sport and music lovers alike there sure is an incredible lineup of artists to be seen with big local talent like Peach Prc, Tash Sultana and Ruel.
It Was a gorgeous Thursday afternoon. The Olympic grounds were buzzing with excitement. People were gathered outside the courts lounging on beanbags as well and seeing the action live. Upon entry to John Cain Arena, the lighting and stage looked spectacular. Fun patterns danced around the room and the stage was bright reading "AO Pride 25 January".
To start the festival with a bang, first up was DJ Luv You. Their ethereal synth beats echoed John Cain Arena bringing in the good vibes. I couldn't help but groove along to the tracks. Their smooth transitions blended seamlessly and took me back to a 90s house club.
The festival was hosted by Courtney Act, who starred on season 6 of Ru Paul’s Drag Race. We were surprised with a Priscilla-inspired drag show, with fantastic tennis-inspired outfits, glitz and bedazzled. They were popular amongst the crowd with many patrons asking for a photo they would never forget.
Next up was Anesu from Perth. I could sense a heavy influence from UK rap. Fans of Arlo Parks and Little Simz would appreciate their music. I would describe their sound as a mix of R&B and soul. Anesu provided smooth dreamy vocals and rap. You can tell they felt comfortable cruising the stage and having a good time. DJ Nicole brought the good vibes and hyped the crowd. "If you wanna get dancing, let's go". And they sure did. After hearing this set, I will be listening to more Anesu.
The festival offered an interpreter signing the songs in Auslan. I had also noticed a sensory room. It was good to see that the Australian Open has cared about providing accessibility for all. Plenty of free water was also provided.
From Sydney was Djanaba accompanied by Cass Lee on the decks. This set was all for feminine energy and empowerment. Could Djanaba be the new summer playlist? I think absolutely.
Tash Sultana was a force to be reckoned with. Is there anything they can’t do? Epic saxophone, bass, guitar, drums, keys and marimba solos whilst live looping. It was electrifying to be able to witness live. Tash is the embodiment of how music makes people feel. You could see the joy music brings them and the joy they get from performing and sharing that love with other people. Shoutout to the visuals and lights team for this set because it was just unreal.
Crowd favourite, Peach PRC, was an absolute hit. Debuting her new dark hair live on stage she was entering her siren era. Fans were screaming the lyrics word for word with tracks like “God is a Freak”, “As a Girl Does” and “Forever Drunk”. And if that wasn’t enough she covered not one but two iconic songs “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus and “What Dreams Are Made Of” by Hilary Duff. Was the early Y2K popstar era dead? Well if it was, then Peach PRC has brought it back. The choreography, the costumes, the makeup, the visuals… everything combined was simply to die for.
Before today I had never heard of Yaeji, the final performer of the day. She completely caught me off guard in the best way possible. Spacey, Atmospheric, post-apocalyptic. Dance like it's your last day on earth. Eclectic and electric. Completely badass. That is a few words to describe her and her music. There is a sense of world-building and fusion, both with culture and sound. Yaeji has a confidence that shines bright. She had so much personality and owned the stage. The choreography was so unique and enticing, it had everyone on the tips of their toes. Yaeji is breaking barriers with their music and is a fine example of being afraid to take risks and do things outside the mainstream.
Overall, I had an amazing time at the AO Finals Festival. A big thanks to Untitled Group for allowing us the opportunity to be a part of this fantastic event!