Words by Alex Hallifax. Images by Java Katzur and Frankie Finnigan.

Forget everything you know of Nest Fest in days gone by; she’s very much graduated from school. In 2022, Nest Fest rewrote the script and became something removed from its former self. Like all change, it’s bittersweet. There’s a longing for what once was but also, I felt an excitement to experience something I wasn’t expecting.

Much like years prior, Nest Fest was adorned in wardrobe show stoppers that have been patiently waiting to make their debut from the depths of our closets. Beyond the stages, it’s the people in the crowd that caught my eye. With flat ground and four stages to roam through, I didn’t miss the up and downhill climb of Black Barn. All the complaints I heard from last year were based on tickets being oversold and lost intimacy. In 2022, we had nothing but room to breathe. It’s hard to have an unbiased opinion on the intimacy of the event because it felt like my one opportunity to see and touch friends I hadn’t in so long; I saw good company around every corner.

When the day ended, I felt a deep sadness; it seemed to have slipped through my fingers while I was soaring high and dancing wild. I wanted more Marlon Williams, more Murder Haus, more Hurricane Emily, more escape into culture and ecstasy. My Dr Martens are still caked in dust two weeks later, maybe because I don’t know how to clean leather but also because I’m unwilling to walk back into an office wearing them when I know they’re better suited to a dust dance floor.

A huge amount of energy and effort goes into a day like that. I’m so grateful I’m in a position to put my feet up and have some fucking fun, but don’t take my word for it; let’s see what veteran Nest Fest-goers thought…

Frankie Finnigan (second year at NF) felt that Kirin J Callinan may have gained some fans and scared some basic bitches.

Lauren Harrigan (second year at NF) felt that it was a glorious conglomeration of her friends in a massive space with amazing flow. She felt that the bridge was a connective tissue between the Sand Stage and the Main Stage, but next year, Nest Fest needs some height which can be achieved by chucking some bleachers up the back of the Main Stage.

Jackson Holiday (second year at NF) felt that the stage designs and attention to artistic detail were a huge drawcard. He particularly enjoyed stomping his feet to Ladyhawke, and found Kirin’s set very funny. He thought there was quite severe noise pollution from the other stages, and if you were sitting slightly off from the speakers, a big bass-heavy rumble would greet you ominously and messily. He thought the vogue crew were amazing, a welcome mix up from the bands on the Sand Stage. Overall he felt that it was a classy festival, a modern big day out, but with more vapes, art, and advertising.

Kate Reidy (third year at NF) was a little gutted when she heard that the festival was moving from a natural amphitheatre in a vineyard to a show ground. She felt that although it didn’t have the cosy family vibes that it used to, it was cool that they did an open call for artists to sell their work there (which Kate did)! She said this made the move to expand feel less about capitalising and more about growing an idea. As the years go on, if more creatives sign up and are part of the day, she thinks their idea will come to life.

Kenzie Pigman (second year at NF) feels that Nest Fest is transitioning from a small indie festival to something that will compete with larger festivals like R&V and Electric Ave but with more character. Her highlights were Marlon Williams and Kirin J Callinan. She loved that Kirin lived up to his very unpredictable reputation. She also loved how Michael Llewellyn and Serebii came onstage for each other’s performances, forming a duality between their separate stages, which she had never seen at a festival before.

Delilah Pārore Southon (second year at NF) thought that Nest Fest was executed with the same creative flair despite the venue change. She felt that it mixed in a decadent curation of taste and that the bigger space allowed for a constant rotation of discovery. The whole day she felt like she was riding a spinning Ferris wheel full of good people, good music, and news stories.

So there you have it; some people felt the organisers kept Nest Fest’s original spirit; others thought they fell short of the mark. Whatever your opinion, isn’t it great that us privileged fuckers can afford to spend a day away from our work desks, sinking piss and getting high for the sake of listening to music that might even move us. See you next year.

Nest Fest with Alex Hallifax