This isn’t a snide reference to concert-goers’ haircuts, either. The person selling those wigs on the day was onto a winner.

The rain held off and there wasn’t a spare patch of ground to be found on Roche Estate’s gently sloping amphitheatre. It was packed – a sea of picnic blankets, camp chairs and eskies. There were a lot more people in attendance than at last year’s event. The two bars ran out of certain drinks quite early in the day, the Herald has been told, and drink trays were hard to come by, but generally the crowd seemed happy. Thankfully we were allowed to bring in snacks and water. 

This wasn’t a day for bands to introduce new songs. The crowd was there to hear all the greatest hits, and they weren’t disappointed.  

Dragon kicked off the day with a solid set featuring the vocal talents of the enthusiastic and energetic Mark Williams. As always, Are You Old Enough?, April Sun in Cuba and Rain prompted a huge crowd singalong. 

Pseudo Echo was next on stage. Everyone was, of course, waiting to hear that song but the set was consistent, the band tight and lead singer Brian Canham’s voice strong. He has embraced his inner-hipster these days and was unrecognisable beneath a heavy beard and pork pie hat. The trio of red and white keytars being flung around the stage, however, and the heavy synth sounds were a heady reminder of the band’s ’80s roots and a nod to Duran Duran, Human League and Ultra Vox. A cover of Real Life’s Send Me An Angel was a bonus and final song, the upbeat Funky Town, whipped the crowd into a frenzy.  

The sun was shining brightly and, evidently, had some bite during Shannon Noll’s net. A confident Nollsy strolled onto the stage wearing aviators, jeans and a sleeveless, button-up shirt but those buttons undid one by one until he was shirtless at the end, much to the delight of many a female in the crowd. He played a mix of originals and covers, including a “Nollsified” version (his words) of Waltzing Matilda. It started off the traditional way however by the end sounded more like The Living End than a bush ballad. 

What About Me had the crowd singing as one, as always. 

Daryl Braithwaite is a bit of a loose cannon live, and his performances are all the better for it. He thinks out loudt and will stop singing to prepare for a surprise high note or three. Unlike most artists, he refuses to gush over the host town in which he is playing, choosing instead to poke fun at Newcastle’s surf and football team, calling the crowd “Pokolbin-ites” and then asserting that most of us were “probably from Sydney”. But he’s honest and unpredictable and let me tell you, the man can sing. 

It’s easy to forget how many quality songs Braithwaite has released over the years – As The Days Go By, One Summer, The Horses, Rise – and how popular they remain today. A Sherbet song or two also found its way onto his setlist. His fashion choices aren’t quite as popular as his songs but hey, at least he’s comfortable when he is playing the microphone stand like a guitar. 

James Reyne was excellent. We might not be able to understand what he’s saying when he sings but his voice is unmistakable and wow, he has an enviable back catalogue of hits. We were treated to such classics as Downhearted, Hammerhead, Slave, Fall of Rome, Motor’s Too Fast, The Boys Light Up and the hauntingly beautiful Reckless. It was a privilege to sing along with him.

Icehouse were the headliners, their set was being filmed and they were pumped. Moody and atmospheric, the set captivated from start to finish thanks partly to the mesmerising light show. Talented frontman Iva Davies is the ultimate professional. He is as cool and classy as they come, with an understated stage presence that makes his performances seem effortless, despite the complexity of many of his songs and arrangements. Hey Little Girl and Crazy were standouts, as were Electric Blue, Touch The Fire, Great Southern Land and a stunning version of Man of Colours sung by back-up singer and guitarist Michael Paynter.

The talent runs deep in this band.