Mom, Dad, I think I might be a hippie. Sure, I don't always eat organic, and I do enjoy a generous layer of deoderant from time to time, but after a weekend spent on a tiny island with a bunch of shiny, happy people, I'm starting to think me and hippies aren't as different as I'd like to believe.
The occassion was the Island Vibe Festival, held over three days on Stradbroke Island, a swift ferry ride from Brisbane, but seriously a world away. Key word here is island, as the weekend celebrated all sorts of island-based music and cultures. Acts from around Australia, New Zealand, Indo and even Hawaii showed up. I'll keep the words to a minimum, as the pictures speak for themselves. In short, this past weekend might just have been the most fun I've had since moving to Oz...
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| It was at about half a minute into my 40 second hug that I started to step back and assess the situation. Under normal circumstances, I might turn and walk the other way if I faced this man in a dark alley. Instead, here I was voluntarily getting close to a 6'4'', 250 pound stranger. He was one of the performers, who while not on stage, stood out in the hot sun to give "free" hugs. The catch - donate a few coins to help save Aboriginal lands from being covered by a toxic waste dump. Here's a pic I snapped of someone else getting a hug. |
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| One of my new favorite bands. As soon as Auckland-based Spacifix stepped on stage, it was clear they were there to party. With wild outfits - and hairstyles to match - the plaid-clad, button-down crew made dressing like dorks decidedly cool. Their sound proved just as confusing to pin down as their taste in wardrobe. Blending reggae and funk to one spastic package, lead singers Tau Manukia and Willy Angelo Manukia delivered a set that would prove entertaining even on mute. Check these guys out on YouTube, they're pretty rad. |
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| And now for a little montage of dreadlocks. It was like a dreadlock convention, with the ratty roots being the 'do of choice. Imagine every fifth person rockin' the bed-head look. Assuming, of course, they've been in bed since 2005. |
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| Two in one! |
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| Not dreadlocks, but interesting nonetheless. |
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| New Zealand's Ladi6...worth checking out too. Love her. |
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| Paula Fuga |
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| Lots of fire dancing, twirling, spinning and spitting. Felt like any given Sunday at Little Beach on Maui. |
