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Music / Premieres
An Expert's Guide to Wrapped Up 3
Words by James Lynch
Friday 25th February, 2022
Back in its third incarnation, on Saturday April 2nd Wrapped Up 3 is set to descend on Phoenix Park in the town of Ballan, bringing with it a swarm of some of the best acts from Victoria’s underground scenes. Running throughout the day and into the late night, come along expecting to hear everything from clever indie-rock and fiery garage-punk to delicate folk, from heavy-hitters like RVG and CIVIC, to hot upstarts like OUZO! and Chimpanzee and everything in between!
We caught up with James Donovan, the mastermind behind the festival, to get to know the lineup a little better and to find out which tracks he’s most keen to catch as the fun goes down.
RVG - ‘Christian Neurosurgeon’
This is a tough one - Feral is an all killer, no filler LP. It’s hard to pick apart a record and choose a song you like without weighing it up as a whole. ‘Christian Neurosurgeon’ would maybe have to be my choice to hear at Wrapped Up 3, but then again if they decided to play Feral back to back then I wouldn’t complain ha.
CIVIC - ‘Needle in the Camel’s Eye’
I’m a sucker for early Eno. CIVIC has a pretty solid back catalog for a set list these days, but I can still cross my fingers and hope they might sneak it in!
Krakatau - ‘Riddells Creek’
Krakatau isn't just a band - it’s a whole experience! I remember seeing them for the first time years ago at The Tote opening for The Frowning Clouds and I was hypnotized. Fresh, yet familiar. ‘Riddells Creek’ would be a real thrill to hear! Dylan Lieberman is a red hot drummer too.
Leah Senior - ‘Graves’
I adore Leah. One of the finest songwriters in Melbourne hands down. ‘Graves’ haunts me, but in a beautiful kind of way. To have her perform at Wrapped Up 3 is a real treat in itself, but there’s something truly ethereal about this song.
Bananagun - ‘Top Cat’
Shit - this is another tough one. It’s always wild to catch Bananagun perform live. A ‘real devil in the detail’ band. If I had to choose, it’s gotta be ‘Top Cat’. I remember when they performed their first show at Echo Tone (as The Daffs) and this song slapped hard - been hooked ever since. I don’t think they play this one in their set anymore, but I can still dream. Plus they all know how to crack some next level funnies. Bless ‘em.
The Living Eyes - ‘Spring’
The Living Eyes was one of my first introductions to the garage scene in Melb. A band close to my heart. ‘Spring’ seems to get stuck in my head every three months (and that’s a good thing)! Billy knows how to write a hit.
Parsnip - ‘Feeling Small’
Parsnip always make me smile. A fusion of wonky pop and playfulness meets a cool and effortless style. ‘Feeling Small’ is my favorite amongst many – kind of like going down a slippery dip when you were little. Fun and carefree. Stella also shreds a mean Dave Davies solo in it too.
Sleeper & Snake – ‘Sugar and Gold’
Amy and Al are phenomenal songwriters. Even though the song was released in 2019, ‘Sugar and Gold’ feels like it’s always been around – floating in the clouds. I’m really stoked to have Sleeper & Snake at Wrapped Up 3. They’re playing in the arvo so don’t miss out!
Martin Frawley – ‘You Can’t Win’
There’s an odd comfort in Martin’s songs – it’s maybe somewhere between that striped sunlight sound and his own earnesty. Probably best not to overthink it. Undone at 31 is a beautiful record and ‘You Can’t Win’ speaks volumes. I feel pretty lucky to have him perform at Wrapped Up 3.
Focus Group – ‘New Job’
‘New Job’ is something we all need to hear now and then. Set aside the ego and just be real with yourself. Focus Group knows what’s up (also that bass line is too tasty to deny!). I’m keen to hear it live.
Delivery – ‘Personal Effects’
I booked a show with Delivery at The Pinnacle in North Fitzroy once. After the show I said to James, “Delivery reminds me of a slinky made of barbed wire going down some stairs”. He smiled. I was proud of that analogy. ‘Personal Effects’ is their new single and maybe their hottest release yet.
Hot Tubs Time Machine – ‘No Thanks, Google Maps’
Google sucks, but it’s also basically a part of how we find anything online now. ‘No Thanks, Google Maps’ sticks it to ‘em. Maybe this song could be the start of the cyber revolution? If not, no matter, this track still rules. Marcus is in a lyrical league of his own.
OUZO! – ‘Balloons’
OUZO! are shit hot, so it was a no brainer to have them play. They were actually one of the first bands I asked when putting this festival together. ‘Balloons’ is the B-side on their recent single and it’s bottled lightning! A real punch in the guts!
Chimpanzee – ‘(I Can’t Play the) Bass Guitar’
I’m pretty sure that’s the name of this song? It’s unrecorded at the moment, but it’s a hit. Jimi, Jackson, Pierce, and Miles are some of the finest musicians I know. To have them at Wrapped Up 3 means a lot to me. I couldn’t really do what I do if I didn’t have them around in my life. My utmost respect and love.
Connor Toomey Dream Band – ‘The Man Forgotten’
Where do I start with Connor.. I guess at the foremost, he’s my very good friend. Secondly, he’s the most exceptional songwriter in Ballarat (and maybe western regional Victoria – but you didn’t hear it from me). Connor has been sitting on this song for years now and it’s always cut like a knife live. He also told me the other day his dream band is going to cover ‘Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad’ by Meat Loaf – I’m not holding my breath though.
Odd Jobs DJs – Their whole set!
Two good boys with one mission – to get the party started! Rick and Miles had been in a soft retirement before I reached out to them to perform. I love them both and It’s pretty unreal to have Odd Jobs on board for Wrapped Up 3. A midnight delight.
Wrapped Up 3 is going down on Saturday April 2nd at Phoenix Park, Ballan - get a ticket here.
