I attended Let Them Eat Cake in it’s first year in 2013 and decided then and there it was one of the best day festivals I had ever attended. Back for round two in 2014, it felt like I was attending a well-established institution. The guys behind LTEC clearly worked their butts off in the months leading up to the event and all this manifested itself in the smoothly run event they had put together for attendees.

I was running pretty low on energy before arriving but managed to slick on some lipstick and arrive at Werribee Mansion in time for the end of Julio Bashmore‘s set. The exciting basslines slipped away from me and I decided to get my bearings and explore the festival before getting into Bicep’s set. The stages were built to perfection, with cascading bamboo framing each act and lighting set ups that were bound to incite awe at night. Aesthetics are everything, right? There were installations for those who found holes in the set times and a veritable feast of different cuisines at the aptly named, Food Rave. It surprised me how literally people took the festival and I can’t tell you just how many top hats and immaculately groomed moustaches were sported on the day – guys, this isn’t a themed event?

I returned to Bicep and found their set shoulder-boppable but nothing too interesting. I side stepped in the crowd waiting for them to up the ante, but it was at this point Melbourne let me and my straightened hair down and opened the floodgates. It rained a lot and I wasn’t prepared at all. I had pre-purchased a disposable rain coat on the way but by this stage I was soaking wet and freezing. I got so cold that I ended up at the First Aid tent with my heart rate going from 90 to 120bpm eerily in sync with Bicep’s set. Unfortunately, I missed the better half of Bicep’s set reapplying lipstick while my heart rate was being checked.

All was not lost as the first aid tent was located close by to Floating Points who was playing a nice range of disco, which I caught just before being admitted. As soon as I found a selfless friend to borrow a jacket from, I ran over to James Holden. Set of the day, set of 2014, set that brought a little rosiness back to my cheeks, James Holden was amazing. I was captivated despite the crowd’s confused reaction and after laying down Four Tet’s Parallel Jalebi, his own masterpiece Renata and closing with Oneohtrix Point Never’s Zebra it was undoubtedly an impeccably thought out set.

I dropped by to check out Mark Pritchard at another stage off an acquaintance’s advice and sorry to say but I’m still not convinced by Drum ‘n’ Bass. I quickly made my way back to sweet, safe and brilliant Koze.

I was doing a lot of running when I heard Dj Koze in the distance and was disappointed to hear that he opened with Robag Wruhme‘s take on Koze’s Nices Wölkchen. FOMO was very real. I was surrounded by people who were in awe of him while my ears were romanced by much of Amygdala and other songs I can only dream of rediscovering. It was a surreal yet beautiful experience and one that I can’t wait to experience again (when I see DJ Koze this Saturday at Brown Alley).

The festival’s intimate feel, impressive organisation and it’s incredible lineup no doubt will have left many punters beginning 2014 already knowing what they are doing for New Years Dday next year… and so do I.