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| Saturday, February 04, 2006 |
| The Recovery Rundown |
Big Day Out is a very accurate name. So, Ata's review of the day so named.
Bands seen: who knows. There was a lot, and at that volume they all start to sound the same. All I can hear is the bass line, the guitars are just noise, and the lyrics just someone screaming over the top. We did see Wolfmother - Mr Ata from the front section in front of the stage, Ata from the stands. Well back. Franz Ferdinand were good, Mr Ata was vastly impressed with Sleater Kinney, and The Subways were something of a surprise act in that they're actually quite good. More on the White Stripes later.
Most Impractical Outfit: that would be the chick wearing a torsolette. Black leather in front, black mesh at the back. Despite the fact that she was wearing a fairly solidly laced item of lingerie, she apparently felt the need of extra support, and was wearing a blue bra underneath.
Most Impractical Shoes noted: It was the white platform wedge heels. Then I spotted a couple of girls in stilettos.
Outfit Ata Would Be Least Likely To Be Seen Dead In: Cowboy boots, cowboy hat, completed with a very tight t-shirt reading "I Fancy the Drummer".
Best T-Shirt Slogans Spotted: "668 - the neighbour of the beast" "Guns don't kill people - people with moustaches kill people" "Friends don't let friends snowblade" Ata's personal favourite was handwritten black texta on a white t-shirt: "I F****d My Neck". Worn by an uncomfortable looking bloke also wearing a large, elaborate cervical collar. Ata walked past him hoping for more information on the back of the shirt, but was disappointed.
Ten Points For Effort Outfit: The guy who was stripped to the waist and painted red.
Best Group Outfits: The group dressed as pirates. Or possibly the group dressed as bumblebees. At least it would be easy to find your friends in the crowd.
Most Inexplicable Item of Clothing: a small button badge reading "the pants".
Youngest Person in Attendance: a preschooler. I think he belonged to one of the food stall holders. There was also a couple of girls who looked to be about 11, accompanied by a gentleman who was assumably the father of one of them.
Most Misleading Sign: "$49.95 Available Here". Careful investigation revealed that it should have been accompanied by another sign reading "Big Day Out Book".
Ata's Favourite Giveaway: a bottle of bubble mix. The front of it was printed like a Toohey's label. The back of it read "does not contain beer".
Most Random Event: Ata, being the weary sort, decided a lie-down after lunch would be necessary if she was to make it all the way through to the White Stripes at 9:15. Having located a grassy spot in shade without hoardes of ants to contend with, she settled down with hat over face. There were a few smart remarks. What Ata did not anticipate was the unknown person who reached under the hat brim to tickle the inside of Ata's left nostril, then ran away. Ata pulled the hat down further to prevent repeat attempts.
Headline Act: White Stripes! Mr Ata has been looking forward to them since their presence at Big Day Out was announced. Before further discussion of this experience, I should make it clear that the last live concert I saw was Billy Joel, where everyone sat politely in seats. Alright, I attended a CD launch for a friend's band once, but that was hardly on the same scale.
Ata was convinced to stand in the front section behind the D-ring barriers to see the White Stripes. Earplugs made the noise tolerable, and eventually one does get used to the sensation of ribs vibrating in time with the bass drum - this gives Ata the feeling that she is experiencing some sort of dreadful cardiac event. For those who don't attend Big Day Outs, the two main stages - Blue and Orange - are arranged next to each other. Acts alternate between stages. The first play on the Blue stage, then the second on the Orange stage. Meanwhile, the Blue stage is being set up for the third act. So we went down the front, relinquished our backpack at the security barriers, and staked a spot maybe 15 metres from the stage. All of this a full hour before the White Stripes were due to start. Iggy and the Stooges were playing on the other stage. As starting time for the Stripes grew ever nearer, more and more people crowded into the D-ring to claim a spot close to the stage. Iggy paused between each song to call us all f*****g mother f****rs. We sat down at first, but - tired of getting kicked and fearing imminent trampling - stood up about a half hour before starting time.
By the time there was just ten minutes to go, all Ata could really see were the blue-shirted shoulderblades of the guy in front. A couple of goth-dressed girls were pressed in on the right. One of them wore a dog collar with inch-long spikes, that Ata carefully noted for later avoidance. Over the shoulder of the guy to the left-front, Ata reads his carefully composed text message: "Iggy is poo + crap + piss + girls clown shoes". Ata suspects that she is well behind the times in terms of the language of modern insult, as this last makes no sense.
Jack and Meg take the stage - no introductions, just present themselves at the front of the stage then take their relevant positions and open with "Jolene". Ata stands en pointe, levering herself up on the shoulders of the young males in front to get a view of the performers. The young males don't complain about being used as scaffolding - but then, it's not like they can do anything about it. Some drunken, stubborn fool at the back is determined to get through to the front. Somehow he pushes through. The crowd lurches in one direction as he shoves, then the other. A girl's rump lands unexpectedly on Ata's shoulder. Ata, surprised, flinches to the side in time to avoid collecting a foot in the head. Fortunately, the rest of the girl is attached to the rump, and she sails overhead. Ata begins to understand why crowd-surfing is discouraged. Everytime another person decides to surf, the process of scrambling up on to the crowd causes the solid mass of people to lurch about. Fearing to lose a finger or limb, Ata keeps her arms firmly crossed over her chest with fingers tucked in tight. Around her, most people have taken a similar position. A little later, Ata realises it's actually better to keep hands braced on the back of the person in front. Heels of the palm pressed under the person's shoulderblades or - if things become desperate - into the kidneys helps to keep the lurching dampened, and gives a good solid base to assist balancing. Plus it means that elbows are already bent and ready to discourage any shovers from the back. During a lull in shoving and swaying, Ata is drumming on the shoulder in front with her hands. He does not appear to notice the contact. Ata decides this is probably just as well, given that her left hip is also wedged up his arse.
Becoming increasingly concerned by the difficulty staying upright - and fearing injury if footing is lost - Mr Ata suggests moving back a bit. A few steps backward, the crowd closes and Ata is promptly jammed between several people. She flails one arm out desperately to grab Mr Ata before he vanishes through the press. Having got a grip on him, Ata then sternly removes the hand of a complete stranger from her right breast (surely it was unintentional), and forces her way between the music lovers. Once back a little further, Ata and Mr Ata discover that, just near the exit, there is a relatively uninhabited area of real estate. Of course, Ata has no hope of seeing the stage now, so she takes the advantage of being able to sit on the soft and surprisingly clean grass for the last thirty minutes of the show. An enormous security guard stops a patron entering through the exit with one outstretched meaty arm, then evicts him and another mischief maker back through the exit. Jack and Meg have walloped their way through 75 minutes of singing and playing before the act ends. No stopping to talk or introduce or dedicate between songs, just from one piece to the next, swapping instruments as necessary. Jack sounds a bit rough, but then, he's doing most of the vocals. They get a brief reprieve when they leave the stage - as if in pretence that the show is over - thirty minutes before finishing time. Ata does not begrudge it to them. This is the style of performance Ata likes - straight to business, no mucking about between songs, just from one piece to the next. They duet through "Little Ghost" and Mr Ata helps hoist Ata up high enough to see the pair spotlighted, Jack standing in front of Meg's drum kit. They finale with "Seven Nation Army". Both stand in the front of the stage, and the farewell is simple - "I thank you, my sister thanks you. Goodnight and God bless". Jack carries Meg offstage. Show done.
The front area clears quickly. Ata and Mr Ata go to retrieve their bag, finding it having been thoroughly (and fruitlessly - we're not that stupid) checked for valuables. Collecting a few scattered items from among the litter of flattened beer cans and Coke bottles, the somewhat battered pair go to meet BIL#2 for a lift home.
In summation: White Stripes were brilliant. Ata is not enough of a fan of live outdoor music and crowds to be already planning next year's Big Day Out, but it was a Good Day overall. |
posted by Ata @ 3:16 pm  |
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| 4 Comments: |
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I'm glad Ata survived her big day out. I wonder whether there is a blog somewhere describing how a weird girl used the blog's owner's back as a drumkit while wedging her hip firmly into his behind.
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Quite possibly! If you find it, let me know.
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Google it. *grin*
Sounds like a great day. I had some involvement in the Melbourne Big Day Out - my friends parked their car at my place, and I was woken up by loud rock music. It was held a couple of blocks away at some oval.
I wished I could have gone. *sniff* I had to work, and besides, it's a bloody expensive ticket! And, you know, Sweden.
Drat.
How was End of Fashion?
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I didn't see End of Fashion, although I did hear them in the distance.
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I'm glad Ata survived her big day out. I wonder whether there is a blog somewhere describing how a weird girl used the blog's owner's back as a drumkit while wedging her hip firmly into his behind.