Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Big Day Out 2006
as the title sugests, today i shall be writing solely about the sunday that just passed. i shall say now, if you want, just go through and look at the photos, as they are worth a thousand words... but im still going to write a thousand words anyway, just because i'm cool.it was one very good day. It consisted of blood, sweat and tears. No blood or tears from me... but im sure that somewhere there would have been some. i mean, there were like 40,000 people there, so odds are that there would be.
The day started off well, we all met on the train, or the station... i really can't remember. But we eventually got there, after yucky trams and queues and yucky children trying to bash through the queue it get to the yucky tram. Needless to say, I was one of those yucky children.
So we got to our destination, which was new to all of us. Princes Park South turned out to be one pretty cool venue. i'm still undecided if its better, but i think it might actually be.
We managed to get through the entrance... with me and alex always ending up 10m behind everyone else. i think the others just hated us. which wouldn't surprise me as i forgot to put deodorant on that morning, but i have no excuse for hating alex. maybe because hes british?
So we all rushed over to the Converse Essentials Stage, which just happened to be all the way up the other end of the park. We got there and bashed our way through to the front to see The Grates. They were pretty damn good. And Patience is the coolest chick in the world. Possibly even cooler than me. here is a picture that amy took on my phone. so please all excuse her for the crapness. just blame it on the phone. it doesnt have feelings.
After that little burst of pop music, we trotted over to the Boiler Room to see the Presets. The Boiler Room really does live up to its name. maaan was it hot in there. sweat was pouring out of every orifice of my body. yummy.The Presets were good, but there wasn't much energy from the crowd. Which is sad, because it was my first time seeing the presets, and their gigs are well known for the audience just going off. but i'll try to see them some other time hopefully. Julian is one cool guy. Possibly one of the best dancers too. (thanks to melody mars for this one! i didnt take the photo, but i saw her take it, so i guess that counts. and maaan, was she different to what i expected!)
After the Presets - Aims, Alex and Myself headed off to the orange stage where we went into the D to see Gerling. They are one of Amys favs, and i totally dig most of their tunes... but to start off I thought these guys were a bit... bland. I guess the fact that they were as high as kites didn't help. But when the lillypad guys came out with massively giant balls, the crowd started getting into it, and the band fed off the crowd. It turned out to be one of my best experiences in the D. Actually, probably the best for the whole day. But no one was there to share it with me except the dude next to me (dylan? dixon? dilbert?) as amy and alex went off to see sarah blasko. man did they miss out. I was dancing like a crazy fucker, let me tell you!it's quite interesting to see who watches bands side stage. watching gerling was the one and only lord mayor John So. How very exciting. I then headed over to the Blue Stage (for those that have no idea about stages... the Blue and Orange are next to each other, and they share the "D" which is like a giant mosh pit. but mainly the front of the D moshes.) so i could stay in the D for Magic Dirt, but before they came on there was one more addition to my highlights list - John So made a speech. "Get Weady to Wock Malborn!" hahaha, he's so awesome. The crowd loved him too. I went to search through the mass of sweaty bodies to find lucy, who was right down the front on the barrier. yey for having cool friends! Magic Dirt were pretty good. Not the best, but Adalita is one awesome chick. I want her babies.
We then headed off to find lunch. We ended up paying $6.50 for a chicken burger. Thats something that browns would charge... but it was far from the gourmet quality of browns.
Then we went to Sleater-Kinney where we were attacked by a crazy lesbian who said that we weren't enjoying it because we took a photo. we were there for like 30 mins... and we did really enjoy it too. some people just spoil the fun. silly flanelette wearing drunk feminist.
We then had to scedaddle to go and watch Wolfmother, who were v.good too, but the mosh looked to hectic, and you never get a good view from in there, so we watched from afar which was cool.
Sorry, I'm being lazy with the photos now, but when i have them all organised, ill post them.
After 20 or so minutes at wolfmother we hopped over to Lillyworld.
I didn't know that you had to be 18 to get in there, as when BDO was at the showgrounds anyone could go to the lillypad. But they decided to put it in with all the booze this year, which is good because there are some fairly x-rated things going on over there.
So I had to get a wristband that said I was 18. So, naturally I had a slight problem there. But have no fear people - once again, sarah f-j pulled through and saved the day. man i love that ID. she doesn't even look anything like me, the only thing we have in common is the fact that we are female.
Anyway, so I got in, and Luch and I made ourselves comfortable on the giant bean bags, whilst watching the Bumhead orchestra set up. These guys were awesome. We had no idea what to expect, but we soon worked out that all the musicians were local, and generally didn't know how to play the instruments they were holding.
after this, polly, lou and luch then decided to be mega ghey and get their photos taken with big g. photos to come. get ready for sex.after the bumhead orchestra, we had to quickly rush to go and see the go! team. but we didn't rush, and i got angry so i left by myself, but ended up missing them. then i found alex, isabel and amy in the queue to the D for the Kings of Leon - who, may i just add, were brilliant. The only shit part was the spiggen caketaking tall people infront of us. fuckers.
Then it was dinner time! yey! the other 3 ate baked potatoes, but meat eating me had a hot dog. v.satisfying. In the background we could hear Henry Rollins, Beasts of Bourbon and the Living End. Quite an interesting mix eh!
I'll just add here, that the guitarist from End of Fashion had my singlet on... but in t-shirt form. which probably explains the two little boys, one with an EoF t-shirt on looking at me. And I thought it was because I was hot. How depressing. But mighty cool, as EoF are cool.
Then after dinner we went and watched Franz Ferdinand, who were very good. Isabel and Amy danced like darryl, and Alex and I just laughed at them, as did all those who were surrounding us.
then we rocked on over the the mars volta. i think amy summed this performance up perfectly - "it was like a religious experience" which is pretty damn right. These guys were my highlight by far. I dont know how to write about them... they awere just a.w.e.s.o.m.e.
The bit when omar and the sax dude were jamming... amazing
the time when the twirly lights turned on... stunning
the part where i got jabbed in the arm by a cigarette... painfull
but the pain went away, because cedric and omar are just fricken magnificent.
no photo can sum it up... and all mine are shit anyway, but here is one anyway.
So after that orgasmic experience, we left half drowned (because the silly security decided that we were all hot, so he drenched us in chilly water... for like 10 minutes) and rocked on over to Iggy Pop for a few seconds, and then went to get some places to see the White Stripes. Isabel and I tried to get into the D, but failed miserably. So we were ages back, but we still thoroughly enjoyed the music. Isabel even got up on my shoulders to watch for a song. That was fun.
Jack White is one cool guy. a good performer too. And the part with the vibes/xylophone thing was rockin.
after that was over (early as well... silly kids got tired and finished early!) we all met up at the giant battery and john howard, and rocked on home.All up it was a fun and big day. I'd have to say it wasn't the best BDO, but then again, i've only been to one before this one. so i can't really contribute to that argument. But i can say i was very happy with princes park. It was really easy to get around from place to place. but there weren't enough water stations... or ATMs. And we wanted more doug, didnt we amy?
Here are some random photos from the day to keep you all entertained. There will be more coming, just i'm lazy... slash my friends are lazy and wont upload them.
isabel darryl dancing
amy and isabel making out
amy, isabel, 1/2 of emma and 1/2 of alex
blurry me and isabel with her eyes closed
me and jack white slash alex.