Big Day Out @ Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne (24/01/2014)
The Big Day Out is legendary as one of the first days of the New Year where festivalg oers first feel the wrath of the suns rays, with many able to recount their own peeled skin horror stories from years before. The beginning of the Big Day Out in Melbourne this year was the complete opposite; grey skies and pouring rain were the order of the day.
Once inside the venue, the weather improved considerably with Violent Soho popping my Big Day Out cherry with their own take on the early 90’s grunge scene. For one of the first bands of the day, Violent Soho had a ridiculously warm reception from the crowd, who gave as much energy back to the stage as was coming from it.
Despite the heavy presence of sniffer dogs around the venue, guitarist James Tidswell commented on the already thick haze of smoke with a tongue in cheek “Snoop Dogg isn’t even at the venue yet guys”. This winning sense of humour, along with the fact that, at times, Luke Boerdam’s vocals bore an uncanny resemblance to Brian Molko’s (of Placebo fame), Violent Soho were easily the best way to start a Big Day Out.
In order to recover from the hectic pit at Violent Soho, a trip to electronica bliss was required, and delivered, in the form of The Naked and Famous. People arrived in droves once the familiar strains of ‘Punching In A Dream’ echoed throughout the speakers, which created a sizeable crowd for such an early time slot. Despite some of their material sounding quite similar to other songs in the setlist, the sight of people dancing in their own world during ‘Young Blood’ was fitting evidence of The Naked and Famous’ ability to comfortably fit the soundtrack of both a festival experience, and late summer nights.
Next up were Tame Impala who began their set slowly, and continued along on such a pace for much of their set. The speed of their setlist fit directly into their presumed modus operandi, which was catering to the seemingly already stoned crowd, with psychedelic rock licks aplenty and a music visualizer on the big screen for them to get lost in. Unfortunately, this made their set seem like it dragged on throughout their allotted hour, and the brief respite of energy during ‘Elephant’ was an all too quick breath of fresh air from their sluggish performance.
What Tame Impala lacked in energy, Les Claypool of Primus managed to provide enough to make up for them, and then some. Claypool’s skill on a bass guitar is second to none, and his frenzied slapping and plucking is a marvel to behold. The majority of those who had wandered to Primus by accident would have most likely turned away once the ‘Oompa Loompa Song’ began, but for those who were willing to become bewitched under Primus’ spell, it was just another moment in a set full of catchy riffs and song-length solos. Claypool’s self-deprecating humour is endearing enough to remind the crowd that he isn’t superhuman, despite his ability to play seemingly anything. Typically for the singer of a band whose fans shout ‘Primus sucks!’, he proudly states that he’s a pussy for needing an umbrella to protect his face from the sun after the Gold Coast “roasted” his face last week. If incredible musicianship, catchy riffs and bizarre stage banter and behavior are your thing, then Primus are well worth your time.
Deciding to split my time evenly between Mac Miller and Mudhoney turned out to be a brilliant decision, as Mac Miller’s blistering lyrical prowess matched Mudhoney’s frenzied pace. Whereas Mac Miller is just beginning his journey, and is only on his second tour of Australia, Mudhoney are well into their second decade of performing as a band. Mudhoney manage to co-ordinate their outfits to look exactly how you would imagine a group of Dads would, but their skill on their respective instruments is nothing to be sniffed out. With an energy that almost outclasses some bands that are just starting out, the band managed to attract a crowd of adolescents all the way through to fans from their very first release.
As a huge fan of the band, it’s almost impossible for me to say a bad word about Northlane; this being my fourth time seeing them in just over a year, I was expecting a perfect performance similar to the other gigs. I was not disappointed. Focussing mainly on ‘Singularity’ material, their most recent album which peaked at number 3 on the ARIA charts, Northlane managed to whip the crowd of obviously dedicated fans into a frenzy with their crushing breakdowns and choruses built to be screamed in unison. With circle pits beginning before vocalist Adrian Fitipaldes even announced the name of a song, it’s evident that Northlane won’t be able to be contained on a small stage for much longer.
After hearing that Arcade Fire were one of the must see bands of the day according to a slew of media outlets, it was no surprise that a massive crowd had gathered to see the spectacle. A special kind of talent is needed to both require, justify, and execute a live show with ten members on stage, but Arcade Fire manage to satisfy all three with the sheer energy produced from every single person on stage. From the sing-along anthems punctuated throughout the set from their latest album ‘Reflektor’, to the giant paper mache heads worn by multiple band members throughout the night, Arcade Fire have purposely created an entire show in order to please a crowd. Of course, giant cannons of confetti spraying across the audience from both the front and back were always going to have an amazing reaction, but the crowd seemed to genuinely enjoy that it was Arcade Fire who were providing them with the experience. Even if it’s for a short amount of time on the way to other bands, Arcade Fire are a live act that have to be seen to be believed.
As a torrent of people rushed to the red stage, there was only way to explain it; Snoop Dogg would soon be in the house. On the way, the familiar sounds of Flume’s ‘Holdin On’ managed to persuade me to stay, with the crowd going expectantly crazy over every move the young DJ made. The threat of losing a good position to see Snoop was too much however, and I left the Boiler Room to stake my spot in the crowd. As it turns out, Snoop’s hype man was merely there for formalities, as the already excited crowd needed no encouragement to scream at the top of their lungs when Snoop finally emerged.
It’s not hard to see the appeal of Snoop, who’s so chill and endearing on and off stage, that you could see yourself hanging out by the pool sipping drinks with him in the sun. For someone who could easily have gone the way of Dr. Dre and all but left the performance side of the music industry, Snoop has been prolific in pop culture throughout his whole career. This was demonstrated through his medley of mainstream hits such as ‘Wet’, ‘Signs’, and throwbacks to his old Doggy Dogg days with ‘Gin and Juice’ and ‘Who Am I?’.
Originally it seemed like the clash between Snoop Dogg, Ghost, and Pearl Jam would be heartbreaking, but there were absolutely no regrets had after seeing Snoop perform. With no trace of irony or sarcasm, Snoop was by far the highlight of the day, who blazed through (sorry, had to be done) his back catalogue with the skill of a man still in his prime. The crowd lapped up every move he made by cheering at the expected advice to ‘smoke weed everyday’, cheering when he mentioned ‘Melbourne, Australia’ and even cheering when he took off his sunglasses. When the much beloved Snoop decided it was time to ‘Drop it like it’s Hot’, the crowd went mental. One agile lady even managed to stand on her friend’s shoulders and twerk in the crowd, much to the delight of the rest of the audience. Finishing with the modern classic ‘Young, Wild and Free’, there’s no hesitation to say that everyone in the audience will be waiting with bated breath for Snoop Dogg’s next tour down under.
At the tail end of the night, I decided to see both the acts I missed last time they were in Australia, Pearl Jam and Deftones. Rushing over to get a glimpse of the headliners, my idea was shared by hundreds of people who took the same path on the way to Pearl Jam. When I arrived, the stage was in darkness and the band members had left the stage. Soon after, they returned for their first encore with an acoustic selection, before displaying the energy of a band much, much younger than they are. However, Eddie Vedder’s joking claim that he would let Stone Gossard take over while he went and checked out Deftones turned out to be my cue to go over and see them myself.
For a band that’s on their seventh album, Deftones have managed to still sound completely unique in the world of heavy music. With a simple LED background behind them, Deftones managed to make the smallest stage in the venue seem like the main stage with the amount of movement lead singer Chino Moreno made, especially his perfectly pitched screams whilst jumping on top of the amps. There’s no other experience like a Deftones show, and the half an hour spent with them felt like five minutes, with desperate cheers for “one more song” evidence of how well they perform.
To complete the night, Major Lazer were a perfect sendoff to a long day; pumping beats meant the crowd forgot how tired their feet were and put in the rest of their energy to going mental for Diplo and his crew. When I arrived, a bevy of attractive women from the crowd were dancing around a costumed ‘Major Lazer’, which wouldn’t have looked out of place on the main stage with the reception it got from the crowd. A talented DJ and producer, Diplo manages to create unique sounds with his Major Lazer project that no one in the world so far has been able to match. At the conclusion of their set, with streamers exploding from the ceiling, Major Lazer managed to put a smile on each and every person’s face. As everyone left, looking like war victims whilst limping and swapping stories of the day, there was no doubt that, even in a crowded market, the Big Day Out is still beloved by Australians.
Jonty Simmons
Once inside the venue, the weather improved considerably with Violent Soho popping my Big Day Out cherry with their own take on the early 90’s grunge scene. For one of the first bands of the day, Violent Soho had a ridiculously warm reception from the crowd, who gave as much energy back to the stage as was coming from it.
Despite the heavy presence of sniffer dogs around the venue, guitarist James Tidswell commented on the already thick haze of smoke with a tongue in cheek “Snoop Dogg isn’t even at the venue yet guys”. This winning sense of humour, along with the fact that, at times, Luke Boerdam’s vocals bore an uncanny resemblance to Brian Molko’s (of Placebo fame), Violent Soho were easily the best way to start a Big Day Out.
In order to recover from the hectic pit at Violent Soho, a trip to electronica bliss was required, and delivered, in the form of The Naked and Famous. People arrived in droves once the familiar strains of ‘Punching In A Dream’ echoed throughout the speakers, which created a sizeable crowd for such an early time slot. Despite some of their material sounding quite similar to other songs in the setlist, the sight of people dancing in their own world during ‘Young Blood’ was fitting evidence of The Naked and Famous’ ability to comfortably fit the soundtrack of both a festival experience, and late summer nights.
Next up were Tame Impala who began their set slowly, and continued along on such a pace for much of their set. The speed of their setlist fit directly into their presumed modus operandi, which was catering to the seemingly already stoned crowd, with psychedelic rock licks aplenty and a music visualizer on the big screen for them to get lost in. Unfortunately, this made their set seem like it dragged on throughout their allotted hour, and the brief respite of energy during ‘Elephant’ was an all too quick breath of fresh air from their sluggish performance.
What Tame Impala lacked in energy, Les Claypool of Primus managed to provide enough to make up for them, and then some. Claypool’s skill on a bass guitar is second to none, and his frenzied slapping and plucking is a marvel to behold. The majority of those who had wandered to Primus by accident would have most likely turned away once the ‘Oompa Loompa Song’ began, but for those who were willing to become bewitched under Primus’ spell, it was just another moment in a set full of catchy riffs and song-length solos. Claypool’s self-deprecating humour is endearing enough to remind the crowd that he isn’t superhuman, despite his ability to play seemingly anything. Typically for the singer of a band whose fans shout ‘Primus sucks!’, he proudly states that he’s a pussy for needing an umbrella to protect his face from the sun after the Gold Coast “roasted” his face last week. If incredible musicianship, catchy riffs and bizarre stage banter and behavior are your thing, then Primus are well worth your time.
Deciding to split my time evenly between Mac Miller and Mudhoney turned out to be a brilliant decision, as Mac Miller’s blistering lyrical prowess matched Mudhoney’s frenzied pace. Whereas Mac Miller is just beginning his journey, and is only on his second tour of Australia, Mudhoney are well into their second decade of performing as a band. Mudhoney manage to co-ordinate their outfits to look exactly how you would imagine a group of Dads would, but their skill on their respective instruments is nothing to be sniffed out. With an energy that almost outclasses some bands that are just starting out, the band managed to attract a crowd of adolescents all the way through to fans from their very first release.
As a huge fan of the band, it’s almost impossible for me to say a bad word about Northlane; this being my fourth time seeing them in just over a year, I was expecting a perfect performance similar to the other gigs. I was not disappointed. Focussing mainly on ‘Singularity’ material, their most recent album which peaked at number 3 on the ARIA charts, Northlane managed to whip the crowd of obviously dedicated fans into a frenzy with their crushing breakdowns and choruses built to be screamed in unison. With circle pits beginning before vocalist Adrian Fitipaldes even announced the name of a song, it’s evident that Northlane won’t be able to be contained on a small stage for much longer.
After hearing that Arcade Fire were one of the must see bands of the day according to a slew of media outlets, it was no surprise that a massive crowd had gathered to see the spectacle. A special kind of talent is needed to both require, justify, and execute a live show with ten members on stage, but Arcade Fire manage to satisfy all three with the sheer energy produced from every single person on stage. From the sing-along anthems punctuated throughout the set from their latest album ‘Reflektor’, to the giant paper mache heads worn by multiple band members throughout the night, Arcade Fire have purposely created an entire show in order to please a crowd. Of course, giant cannons of confetti spraying across the audience from both the front and back were always going to have an amazing reaction, but the crowd seemed to genuinely enjoy that it was Arcade Fire who were providing them with the experience. Even if it’s for a short amount of time on the way to other bands, Arcade Fire are a live act that have to be seen to be believed.
As a torrent of people rushed to the red stage, there was only way to explain it; Snoop Dogg would soon be in the house. On the way, the familiar sounds of Flume’s ‘Holdin On’ managed to persuade me to stay, with the crowd going expectantly crazy over every move the young DJ made. The threat of losing a good position to see Snoop was too much however, and I left the Boiler Room to stake my spot in the crowd. As it turns out, Snoop’s hype man was merely there for formalities, as the already excited crowd needed no encouragement to scream at the top of their lungs when Snoop finally emerged.
It’s not hard to see the appeal of Snoop, who’s so chill and endearing on and off stage, that you could see yourself hanging out by the pool sipping drinks with him in the sun. For someone who could easily have gone the way of Dr. Dre and all but left the performance side of the music industry, Snoop has been prolific in pop culture throughout his whole career. This was demonstrated through his medley of mainstream hits such as ‘Wet’, ‘Signs’, and throwbacks to his old Doggy Dogg days with ‘Gin and Juice’ and ‘Who Am I?’.
Originally it seemed like the clash between Snoop Dogg, Ghost, and Pearl Jam would be heartbreaking, but there were absolutely no regrets had after seeing Snoop perform. With no trace of irony or sarcasm, Snoop was by far the highlight of the day, who blazed through (sorry, had to be done) his back catalogue with the skill of a man still in his prime. The crowd lapped up every move he made by cheering at the expected advice to ‘smoke weed everyday’, cheering when he mentioned ‘Melbourne, Australia’ and even cheering when he took off his sunglasses. When the much beloved Snoop decided it was time to ‘Drop it like it’s Hot’, the crowd went mental. One agile lady even managed to stand on her friend’s shoulders and twerk in the crowd, much to the delight of the rest of the audience. Finishing with the modern classic ‘Young, Wild and Free’, there’s no hesitation to say that everyone in the audience will be waiting with bated breath for Snoop Dogg’s next tour down under.
At the tail end of the night, I decided to see both the acts I missed last time they were in Australia, Pearl Jam and Deftones. Rushing over to get a glimpse of the headliners, my idea was shared by hundreds of people who took the same path on the way to Pearl Jam. When I arrived, the stage was in darkness and the band members had left the stage. Soon after, they returned for their first encore with an acoustic selection, before displaying the energy of a band much, much younger than they are. However, Eddie Vedder’s joking claim that he would let Stone Gossard take over while he went and checked out Deftones turned out to be my cue to go over and see them myself.
For a band that’s on their seventh album, Deftones have managed to still sound completely unique in the world of heavy music. With a simple LED background behind them, Deftones managed to make the smallest stage in the venue seem like the main stage with the amount of movement lead singer Chino Moreno made, especially his perfectly pitched screams whilst jumping on top of the amps. There’s no other experience like a Deftones show, and the half an hour spent with them felt like five minutes, with desperate cheers for “one more song” evidence of how well they perform.
To complete the night, Major Lazer were a perfect sendoff to a long day; pumping beats meant the crowd forgot how tired their feet were and put in the rest of their energy to going mental for Diplo and his crew. When I arrived, a bevy of attractive women from the crowd were dancing around a costumed ‘Major Lazer’, which wouldn’t have looked out of place on the main stage with the reception it got from the crowd. A talented DJ and producer, Diplo manages to create unique sounds with his Major Lazer project that no one in the world so far has been able to match. At the conclusion of their set, with streamers exploding from the ceiling, Major Lazer managed to put a smile on each and every person’s face. As everyone left, looking like war victims whilst limping and swapping stories of the day, there was no doubt that, even in a crowded market, the Big Day Out is still beloved by Australians.
Jonty Simmons