By MATT NICHOLLS
AUSTRALIAN rock band Eskimo Joe lived up to expectations with a brilliant performance at Flix in the Stix on Saturday night.
More than a thousand people gathered on the grassy knoll at Saumarez Homstead for the music and short film festival, which provided a balanced evening of entertainment.
Armidale teacher and performer Julia Booth warmed up the crowd while the sun was setting, while comedy band Axis of Awesome provided plenty of laughs.
The band’s headline piece, Four Chords, was a guaranteed hit and was the perfect end to its 40-minute act.
The range of short films that followed provided a mixture of emotions, although comedy was the theme as curator Julia Morris had hinted in the lead-up to the show.
United States film Penny Dreadful drew plenty of laughs, while there were several Australian made clips that had the audience in raptures.
Without a doubt the highlight was the performance of Perth band Eskimo Joe, which left the crowd buzzing after an energetic set.
The inclusion of an acoustic guitar was a gutsy, but correct call as the band played all of its record-topping hits.
Considering the popularity of the festival, there’s no doubt Flix in the Stix will be returning in 2015.
