WHEN: SATURDAY APRIL 17TH + SUNDAY 18TH, 2021
WHERE: THOMAS DALTON PARK, WOLLONGONG NSW
REVIEW: MATT DORIA
After the past year of cancellations, routine postponements and general dream-crushing, it felt indescribably euphoric to boogie at a proper, full-fat outdoor music festival. Yours & Owls’ hotly awaited return to Wollongong marked the first large-scale, free-roaming festival on NSW turf in over a year - there were some minor hiccups, as to be expected, but nothing could dampen the excitement of spending a day in the sun, soaking up the vibes and revelling in the energy of Australia’s biggest and brightest live acts.
To comply with government-sanctioned COVID-Safe guidelines, the festival was split into four colour-coded sections, each with their own entries and exits, bars, food trucks and amenities. There were definite upsides: shorter lines and more space to move around, plus a more cohesive and calculated layout that eliminated the need to race between stages to catch our favourite bands. But there were a few minor downsides, too.
Sandwiched in the middle of Thomas Dalton Park was a dual-stage setup where bands performed on oversized lazy
