Splendour In The Grass has turned into a splatter in the mud for the thousands of music fans who flocked to the Byron Bay festival.
An afternoon hail storm on Friday caused havoc for event organisers and police as they marshalled an estimated 17,000 festival goers on to the Belongil Fields site.
Despite the muddy quagmire, unseasonably wet weather could not dampen the spirits of festival goers, who were treated to memorable sets throughout the day.
Headliner Jack White pulled the largest crowd with a show that drew on his recent solo album Blunderbuss and classics from his days with The White Stripes.
Opening with the aptly selected Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground, he played two other songs from his former band's 2001, album White Blood Cells: Hotel Yorba and The Same Boy You've Always Known.
White also made time for Two Against One, the song he produced with famed producer Danger Mouse and Italian composer Daniele Luppi for their collaborative Rome album.
Accompanied by two separate backing bands, one of men, the latter of women, White otherwise focused on solo material with new songs, including Love Interruption, Freedom at 21 and Take Me With You When You Go.
The singer and guitarist closed the night on The White Stripes' best known hit, Seven Nation Army, with the audience chanting along to the song's famous guitar riff long after his band had left the stage.
Other standout sets included The Shins, who lent heavily on their recently acclaimed Port Of Morrow album, and throwback sets by reformed rockers At The Drive In and Afghan Whigs.
Splendour In The Grass continues over the weekend at Belongil Fields, Byron Bay.
- AAP