(Photos courtesy of Matthew Reilly @riftphoto)

Getting to Groovin The Moo is always a bit of a mission — and that can be part of the fun. We’d decided to get to Bunbury early — we were keen for some Southern River Band action, but unfortunately our plans went a little awry. Ticket mishaps and a lost purse stymied our plans for early morning classic rock fun. By the time we got into the venue, a we were more than ready for G Flip.

G Flip is stretching her percussion skills, bringing more and more drums into her live performance. She is high energy, with expressive rhymes and catchy beats. From the comfort of Udder Mayhem (which we came to refer to affectionately as the adults tent due to the availability of comfortable seating and over 35 demographic) we enjoyed a high energy set full of expressive rhymes and catchy beats.

If we’d been more into A$AP Twelvy’s gangsta rap stylings we would have stayed in the very comfy chairs we’d claimed. Instead we headed for Moolin Rouge to check out Haiku Hands and their choreographed dance moves. These girls know how to work a crowd — they got rowdy and loud and so did we as they subverted girl band tropes. Watching them roam over the entire stage as the sounds of their track ‘It’s Not About You’.

Returning to the Triple J stage, we found the gloriously talented Thelma Plum. Thelma is a beautifully honest performer who shines in intimate venues with her yearning voice and alt folk sounds. We settled in for what would be the perfect afternoon session.

Over the sounds of Trophy Eyes and their indie rock vibe I decided to hold a quick vox pop of the crowd. The blues rock vibe of Holy Holy and Jack River rounded out a chilled out afternoon spent soaking up the sunshine and checking out the fashion trends.

For those who are wondering about the festival fashion trends of 2019 — crochet is definitely out. Mesh dresses and sequins were the most coveted looks, while goth slash bondage-lite is making a minor comeback. Anything goes though, and between the random older dudes wearing Led Zeppelin shirts and people confusing their decades by wearing Nirvana t-shirts under 60’s era vests were some truly spectacular outfits of the day. Without doubt, the standout was the guy in a short onesie with the face of Trump printed on it who wore a silver cape over the top.

For most people, Billie Eilish was just absolutely the highlight of the evening, alongside the elven wonders and powerhouse vocals of AURORA. The crowd felt like it went on for miles as people pushed to get just a glimpse of their idol(s). However, the other headliners unfortunately were overwhelmingly male. Addressing this would really make GTM shine. Issues like pill testing and safety zones, an emphasis on punters respecting each other and the artists and zero tolerance for sexual harassment aren’t just political sound bites — they make for a more enjoyable and safe experience for everyone. Given that the pill testing trials over in Canberra have been so successful, I can only hope that next year will see the introduction of similar trials in WA.

The good news is that the rumours circulating on Saturday that that this year’s Groovin The Moo would be the last are false. The Bunbury City Council have announced that it will continue to be held for another 5 years. So here’s to five more years of sunshine, good tunes and being late for Mother’s Day lunch!