DiS Does Down Under: Playground Weekender Preview

In the midst of the cold spell smothering Britain, DrownedinSound has decamped Down Under to experience an Australian summer.

Forget the snow – temperatures at this weekend's Playground Weekender are predicted to top 40 degrees C. Considering the fact we'll be sleeping under canvas, whether we'll still be alive on Monday to file a review is a moot point.

The Australians have upped their festival game this year – the inaugural ATP took place last month and there are some pretty natty festivals to come in Feburary too.

But for most peoples' money, Playground is the big one. It won the best crowd and best atmosphere gongs at last year's Aussie Festival Awards, and is oft-compared to Britain's Bestival.

The three day event takes place 100 miles north of Sydney at the suitably Antipodean sounding Webb's Creek – a pretty New South Wales backwater.

Crystal Castles are the biggest draw on a boho bill which also features Cold War Kids, Jose Gonzalez, Primal Scream and The Streets. Dance is big over here so Lyrics Born, Danes Who Made Who, Glaswegians Optimo and the almost compulsary Tom Middleton are also set to play.

But festival organisers aren't only in the business of single handely saving Qantas from bankruptcy by flying over a slew of European acts. There's homegrown treats too: tipped Melbourne alt.hop krew TZU look appealing, as do Sydney electro act Grafton Primary, who fit into the current Aussie Cut Copy/ The Presets/ Midnight Juggernauts zeitgeist.

Wi-fi access permitting, insomniacs can follow the festival live here: Twitter.com/chrisbeanland. The full review will appear on DiS next week. Here's to a ripper weekend.