It’s just turned 2010 and I’m burning through my last shreds of energy in a giant tent, dancing to Miami Horror’s closing number – a very cool, full-band cover of PNAU’s ‘Embrace’ – alongside a few thousand other Falls revellers.

An earlier downpour hasn’t, ahem, dampened the mood inside the tent or out, where the rest of the festival cheered on the Hilltop Hoods as they rhymed in the new decade only 20 minutes ago.

Around me, movements are getting looser, eyes wider. It’s the biggest night of the festival but I know I won’t last much longer on my feet; despite the great tunes, after days of celebration in front of about 50 stellar bands all I can muster is an uninspired zombie shuffle. I’m entirely, completely, utterly exhausted.

. . . . . . .

December 28

The sun sets over the Falls Festival, day one.

Driving onto the Falls Festival farm, tucked into a rainforest outside Lorne, five days earlier, it was clear Falls 2009/10 would be an endurance event. Around 2,500 devotees arrived for a new, fourth evening of festivities on December 28, setting up camp in prime locations over a few smuggled-in bevvies dug out of car panels, hollow loaves of bread, and anywhere else likely to go un-searched at the feared check-points.

Arriving a day earlier also provided a chance to soak up the surrounds before the site was overrun completely by tents and drunkards. Relative emptiness meant it was even more striking watching the sun slowly disappear behind the tall forest that fences the picturesque festival grounds; rolling green hills that valley into a beautiful natural amphitheatre. The main Valley Stage is set at its base, and a big top tent is erected higher at the back.

Thankfully the extra night – a seven-act funk special stolen by a high energy, one-and-a-half-hour performance by Melbourne headliners The Bamboos – didn’t at all dilute the talent pool servicing the rest of the festival.

December 29

Day two featured notable performances by The Beards, Whitley, The Vasco Era and Seasick Steve, with each act charming, wowing or drawing a giggle from the evolving daytime audience in the magnificent 30-something degree heat.

US rapper Lyrics Born ensured hands were thrust firmly into the air as the sun made its descent – hits ‘I Like It, I Love It’ and ‘I Changed My Mind’ had the audience bouncing, shaking and singing along – but the night undeniably belonged to Norway’s Datarock and, later, the locally-bred Wolfmother.

Datarock, dressed in spiffy, matching red tracksuits, fanned an already fiery night-time crowd with infectious, weirdo indie-dance tunes and genuine on-stage enthusiasm. The four men seemed to be enjoying the up-beat festive vibe as much as the punters as they launched into the dream-run finale: ‘Computer Camp Love’, ‘Sex Me Up’ and an arm-in-arm, sway-along cover of the Dirty Dancing hit, ‘Time of My Life’.

Wolfmother followed up with an explosive set that blew the crowd beyond midnight. The new(ish)-look four-piece proved dirty rock riffs, psychedelic vocals and wild afros never go out of style, and had heads banging along rowdily to a set split fairly evenly between tracks from the recent Cosmic Egg and, later, crowd faves from the band’s blockbuster self titled debut.

Wolfmother rocks the midnight crowd.

December 30

A star-studded December 30 line-up meant that many treated New Year’s Eve-eve as the main event. Quirky indie-popper Lisa Mitchell and fun Scottish rockers The View entertained an early, mostly seated Valley Stage crowd, before Urthboy, of The Herd, got punters to their feet and jumping along to ‘We Get Around’ and ‘The Signal’ in the sweaty afternoon heat.

Up in the big top, Emiliana Torrini offered a calmer alternative. The adorably shy Icelandic songstress delivered a solid set peppered with sweet early hits, including ‘Hearstopper’ and ‘Sunny Road’, but, unsurprisingly, it was the pop-radio-friendly ‘Jungle Drum’ that won the biggest cheer and had the smiling audience bopping along with the most gusto.

New York’s Grizzly Bear and Melbourne’s Temper Trap might hail from opposite ends of the Earth and favour different tempos, but the back-to-back acts seemed to draw the same, utterly engrossed response from a growing main stage crowd. Grizzly Bear – calmer performers, whose whimsical harmonies perfectly suited the amphitheatre – had mesmerised punters swaying along unrelentingly, especially to buzz tracks ‘Two Weeks’ and ‘Knife’. By the time Temper Trap swooped in the crowd was amped. The local darlings were greeted warmly before pulling jaws to the floor with a short-but-sweet performance of tracks from last year’s international success, Conditions. Rumours abound that vocal problems were what forced singer Dougy Mandagi to cut the set in half, but the front-man still belted out everything expertly. Even he seemed surprised with the response to ‘Sweet Disposition’, letting out an “Oh shit…” as the adoring audience went wild for opening notes.

The Editors followed up with a raucous set – ‘Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors’ was particularly well received – and the Midnight Juggernauts impressed with its hour of cosmic-dance tunes, although there was a sense that the crowd was holding back for what would be the highlight of the night…

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Wow.

The stage, all glittery and blue and with a giant eyeball suspended overhead, was set for an epic performance and the trio from New York didn’t disappoint. From the moment Karen O waltzed onstage to the opening twangs of ‘Dull Life’ the captivated crowd was hers. Ms O, dressed in tiger print tights and a multi-coloured poncho and swimming in a sea of powerful blue light, barely paused for breath as she led the band through hits from all three albums – unfazed by sound problems that apparently affected those standing further back (everything sounded perfect up front). ‘Gold Lion’ was a sing-along hit and ‘Zero’ saw the release of more giant inflatable eyeballs into the crowd; ‘Skeletons’ slowed things down a little before ‘Soft Shock’ and ‘Heads Will Roll’ ramped the show right back up again; and the band closed with the wonderful ‘Maps’, “a Yeah Yeah Yeahs love song” dedicated to the crowd, as confetti and glitter exploded from the stage.

Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Those with the stamina were able to follow Major Laser, at the Valley Stage, or Bag Raiders, in the big top, into the dancier hours of the morning – hours far too hazy to report on.

December 31

Weary festival-goers catch some shut-eye on NYE.

And so, by the final day of the festival and 2009, energy was in short supply among punters.

On stage, though, Philadelphia Grand Jury was full of the stuff, and put on a good fun show for the hung over morning crowd, while Dappled Cities and Liam Finn slowed the pace to a more manageable afternoon rate.

Then, out of nowhere, the entire festival gathered in front of the Valley Stage. The reason: Art Vs Science.

The trio put on one of the best performances of the festival, cheered on by an excited crowd waving all sorts of inflatable animals – including a giant blow-up horse that was ridden overhead by a particularly keen fan. ‘Parlez Vous Francais’ was an early favourite, setting the pace, and a very fun cover of ‘Boom! Shake the Room’ won plenty of grins as the arena burst into one giant rap-bounce. But it was the closing track, ‘Flippers’, that stood out as the highlight, sending the audience into a frenzy – matched on stage where the band was joined by members of the John Steele Singers, dancing wildly underneath life-size horse head masks.

Numbers dipped a little for Little Birdy – although the group didn’t seem fazed and still rocked the remaining afternoon crowd as hard as it could – but the masses flocked again for UK indie-rock-rapper Jamie T, who had a little help from Mother Nature. The crowd roared at a spectacular thunderstorm raging above, which made singing and dancing to hits ‘Operation’, ‘361’ and, finally, ‘Sticks and Stones’ and ‘Sheila’ so much more fun.

Once the primal rain-dance euphoria wore off at the intermission, though, many retreated to the cover of their campsites to dry off and warm up for the night ahead.

It was Moby who welcomed a capacity crowd back to the arena with a fantastic set and major light show. He didn’t miss a beat – on his guitar or bongos – nailing an eclectic mix that jumped from ambient electronica to hard rave to 70s disco, with the help of a full backing band and a couple of very talented vocalists. ‘Extreme Ways’ was a fabulously exciting opener, while ‘Porcelain’, ‘We Are All Made of Stars’ and ‘Honey’ were huge crowd hits; it was stunning watching the audience, bathed in warm yellow and purple lights, digest the music in such glorious natural surrounds. Moby also threw in some techno treats, a cover of ‘Walk on the Wild Side’ and an extended 70s disco guitar jam – a varied assortment which appealed to every type of fan. Moby, too, seemed to be enjoying the Falls crowd, ending each song, and the set, with an ever-growing string of “thank-ya-thank-ya-thank-ya-thank-ya”s.

The Hilltop Hoods seemed kinda minor billed beside one of the world’s most renowned performers, but the Adelaide hip hoppers still put on a good show, which peaked about 15 minutes in as the trio launched into ‘What a Great Night’ after the midnight countdown.

After crossing the psychological New Year hurdle, though, exhaustion started to set in. But I couldn’t give up just yet. And so I dragged myself to the big top to watch the tail end of Miami Horror.

. . . . . . .

My zombie shuffle lasts about another ten minutes, after which I haul myself back to the campsite to consolidate the next day’s hangover with a few cheap whiskies before bed.

The next morning, as I shakily dismantle my campsite and attempt to shove the remnants of my final days of 2009 into an unwilling boot, I gaze around at the soggy aftermath of the lengthy event. Recycling bags stuffed full of grog vessels sit alongside bleary-eyed punters struggling through the pack-up effort. Cars full of the better-organised uncertainly scale the muddy inclines. Scavengers rummage through leftover goodies at surrounding campsites. A symphony of hung over groans rings across the misty, green field. Not quite as picturesque as opening night, but still striking in its own, surreal way.

And so the marathon reaches its tired, dirty finish. But firm grins all around show that even the built-up pain of four nights of excess – the throbbing heads, aching muscles, mysterious cuts and bruises – can’t topple the Falls high. Five nights next year? Yes please.