Summer Festivals

[Mofra]

Re: Summer Festivals

My Left Boot were a highlight, do like my stoner rock. Dallas Frasca is always good, Sam Lohs is always fantastic, and a guy called Mal Webb was a highlight for most - plays with just some brass instruments & a loop pedal, really funny & entertaining guy.

Colonal Viper were really good for a 4am slot, although I lost 3 hours just before they went on.

All in all an amazing festival, nude swimming included.

Now I have to back it up with Meredith, not sure if you've seen the Friday line up but it is amazing (and I get to see Dan Sultan, I missed him at FRL but the improv. Sunday night party stuff was great while he was up there).

Datsuns on Sat night will be brilliant.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Summer Festivals

If i wasnt away for Summerdayze id be jumping. Stuff paying $250 a ticket!

I did summerdayze in 2005, saw Fatboy Slim and a few others play. Not bad, but I'd just left Falls Festival that morning and wasn't in a great state. Typical Melbourne weather, it rained all day too.

Prices are outrageous these days though. I hear Falls tickets are like $290 including extra night now. When I first went it was I think $110. That was only about 4 or 5 years ago too.

[The Underdog]

Re: Summer Festivals

Any Merdith or FRL goers this year?

FRL has My Left Boot playing... not sure how much the stoner fuzz rockers will scare the hippies, but they are my kind of band and it will be a sight to behold (they have played there before though). Dallas Frasca will be great, as will Chris Wilson, Liz Stringer & Sam Lohs.

Meredith probably doesn't have my kind of headliners (I'm more into rock than the Presets/MGMT/Muscles type stuff) but Ten East, Man Man & The Bronx will give me enough to go on.

Surely we can't all be holding out for Golden Plains (still think it's one of the best line ups I've seen for ages)

So Mofra, how was Meredith? Little Damp?

[Mofra]

Re: Summer Festivals

So Mofra, how was Meredith? Little Damp?

Ummm little damp would be a bad weather day in London.

This was the most ongoing, soaking, drenching rain I think I've ever experienced. Allow me to elaborate.

I get to my spot after spending 1 1/2 in the queue, not uncommon by Meredith standards, already finished a few cans so setting up in the rain will be interesting at best. The race for space was mad, but we set up tents, made friends with out neighbours, and sat there getting wet as the rain got heavier. Helped a bunch of girls put their tent up, tore one of the holders of their guide wires but left convinced they would be dry all weekend, intoduced myself to the girl I saw on the tram the day before (cute but gave her the impression I was a highly medicated stalker who isn't allowed to be left alone with small children or animals).
Being Meredith and being completely trolleyed by now, I decide to watch all bar the first two bands on Friday night, which meant the end of my only long pants for the weekend (soaked/muddied with no chance of drying). By line-up:

Friday
- Missed Violent Soho
- Saw Beaches, not bad, psychadelic jamming with some singing, a good jam session band with interesting tempos. A good band who happen to be all chicks, not a token chick band. Would see again, but not on a weeknight.
- Missed Dan Sultan for the second festival in as many weeks, his improv stuff was good last Sunday night though. Hearing him speak last weekend, Dan Sultan thinks very highly of Dan Sultan indeed.
- Kram was as you'd expect, Spiderbait tempos, plenty of solos, high energy and just basic good fun without reinventing the wheel.
- Ten East were awesome, real smooth stoner type riffs, certainly know where Brank Bjork gets his inspiration from, three albums could probably be described as Ten East rip-offs. Anything that pre-dates Kyuss and given teh title of fathers of stoner/desert rock would alway get my respect (for the record, Blue Cheer had a bass-heavy stoner rythym section and get my vote, but I digress)
- Man Man were amazing, a 5 piece with 3 percussionists, had the crowd moving. Dance type old school rock fused with off the wall latin drum band fused with type whatever. Knew nothing of them before Friday, walked away a fan. Maniacs, bless em.
- Regurgitator were better than expected, takes me right back to first year uni/Navy days. Their older material was clearly the crowd favourite.
- Holy **** were brilliant, dance music made by a real band if that makes sense. Probably had the best crowd reaction on the night, despite the sentimentality of the 'Gurge set.
- Scientists were ok, but by this stage I was freezing and not sure what planet I was on (until a weird dude collapsed in front of me a few times, stared through my forehead into the distance, and literally didn't know what town or state he was in).

I went back to a caravan my mate spent the entire night in, was force-fed half a pack of gum, went to bed giggling like a schoolgirl because it was dry.

Continued:

[Mofra]

Re: Summer Festivals

So Saturday morning I get up early, mud is already ankle deep in some parts, I ditch the boots for my festival set of already ruined Volleys (I genrally have a rotation policy of 3 pairs at any one time). First time I'd seen people going home at 9am Saturday, but teh rain was that bad.

Breakfast (the only meal of the day again) of the famous egg & bagon sanga from the Meredith Tucket Tent, global credit crisis clearly taking hold judging by the amount of bacon in the middle of the sandwich.

From there I change into my short shorts, only dry pants I have, and start drinking early to ward off the cold. After a couple of hours of talking crap to random strangers, the inside of my plastic japara thingy (stupidly without arm protection) is almost dry, my bare arms certainly are not.
Spent the entire day drunk and cold and alternating between laughing and miserable but still happy to be at Meredith, missed the Bronx, engaged in a 3 1/2 hour joke off with some other neighbours (specifically one guy, much to the shock.amusement/annoyance/bewilderment of everyone else). My 3/4 shorts semi-dray, I put them on, rug up, put on my Datsuns t-shirt again like a little star-struck schoolgirl, and head down to thr stage with the intention of watching their set from the safety of the undercover area up the back. Here's how Saturday night actually ended up:

Saturday:
- The Datsuns: after 10 seconds I run through the crowd like a maniac up to the front, ditch my plastic, it rains harder but I move around enough to be warm, dry, and act like a crazed lunatic after a caffeine enema (I promise, metaphor only). Possibly highlight of the festival, the crowd is pumping, they put on a killer show as always, I bump into an old friend and a new one.
- MGMT: Who most of the crowd were clearly here to see, not my genre of music but was great fun.
Edit: Women are completely evil as I discovered during this set & part of the next, Kissing some girl after a lonely Friday, her friend breaks us up, drags her off & tells me where to go. Next girl stops after 10 seconds and says, "oh I forgot, I can't do this, I have a boyfriend". Take my crazed demeaner above, add frustration and apparent tourettes, I think I scared people.
- Muscles: In my bad books; I don't care if I don't like you, you don't cancel a Meredith set unless you lose limbs. I danced, enjoyed it, and abused him between songs.
- Yacht Club DJs: Ballarat locals, play a mash-up mix of songs to different beats. Despite being the only person who got the obscure White Zombie references thron in mid set (much respect), I danced with Ballarat locals who were genuinely happy for their friends who were aparently super-nervous before their set. The crowd went nuts, was great unthinking fun, they did well.
- T-Rek; didn't do it for me at all, went back to camp at 3.30am, met some guy from next door, went back to the stage at the back & talked crap for a while. I get the feeling we were both looking at each thinking "this guy's trashed!". In bed (still dry) by some god-awful hour.

Next day - people pack up early, ankle deep mud between me & the foodcourt, didn't matter at this stage. Food, pack up, go home by 12.30, no music, couldn't be bothered staying for Even or the gift.

That was Meredith, Great Fun, worst Meredith in my 8 goes, still worth it, Golden Plains Tickets already bought.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Summer Festivals

Great story Mofra.
My cousin want down straight from a Ecuha after a week of houseboats, totally unprepared.
He had gastro missed most of Saturday but still had a great time.

[Mofra]

Re: Summer Festivals

My cousin want down straight from a Ecuha after a week of houseboats, totally unprepared.
He had gastro missed most of Saturday but still had a great time.

Word was it was pretty quiet for a Saturday at the front until the sun (actually, until the grey) disappeared. Plenty of people stayed at the campsites & drank in the dry.

[The Underdog]

Re: Summer Festivals

Spent 3 or 4 hours at the BDO yesterday. Had an earlier engagement that meant I couldn't get there unil 2.30 and then couldn't be bothered hanging around for any of the later acts none of whom excited me terribly. However of the bands I did see, TV on the Radio were all I could have hoped for. They sounded great and put on a better show than I expected. Still hold out hopes of seeing them at the Hi-Fi. They crossed over with Lupe Fiasco but I got to see 25 minutes of him and he was awesome. Super tight band and he was just going for it the whole time. Had the crowd in the Boiler Room going nuts.
Caught a bit of My Morning Jacket who I thought were really good as were the Drones. Saw Tex Perkins and his Ladyboyz doing 10CC's "I'm Not In Love". Kind of funny but not quite funny enough if you know what I'm saying.
I'm planning on spending bit more time at Laneway next Sunday.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Summer Festivals

I went yesterday too. sorry I didn't see you underdog.
Its not a good festival really. Too many little kids, there to be seen, not really interested in the music. Too many d...heads with aussie flags.

I saw a bit of Children collide then Eddie Current Suppresion Ring who were very good.
Then TV on the Radio, The tings tings, Died Pretty, The drones and my morning jacket. All good.
Didn't like The Grates and Artic monkeys. Living end and Cut copy - meh
The wait after that was crap til Neil Young. It really was a bizarre line and playing times.

Neil Young was brilliant.

[The Underdog]

Re: Summer Festivals

I went yesterday too. sorry I didn't see you underdog.
Its not a good festival really. Too many little kids, there to be seen, not really interested in the music. Too many d...heads with aussie flags.

I saw a bit of Children collide then Eddie Current Suppresion Ring who were very good.
Then TV on the Radio, The tings tings, Died Pretty, The drones and my morning jacket. All good.
Didn't like The Grates and Artic monkeys. Living end and Cut copy - meh
The wait after that was crap til Neil Young. It really was a bizarre line and playing times.

Neil Young was brilliant.

Wouldn't have minded seeing Neil Young but he's not really one of mine so I couldn't be bothered hanging around.
The number of aussie flags was stupid but then so was most of the crowd. The amount of blokes walking around with no tops on was just ridiculous. I think we need a law against it. Too much testosterone at the BDO, I'm hoping that Laneway is a little more friendly.
It was a bit of a reality check of how old I am, especially after going to see The Saints where I was in the younger demographic for a change.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Summer Festivals

The Saints and X at the forum were great too. I missed you again underdog. Hows the relationship between Bailey and Kuepper!
Ed Kuepper is a master, better with age.

[The Underdog]

Re: Summer Festivals

The Saints and X at the forum were great too. I missed you again underdog. Hows the relationship between Bailey and Kuepper!
Ed Kuepper is a master, better with age.

I kept an eye out for you but the floor was so packed we couldn't even get down there.
I know it's Bailey's schtick but he just came across as a pratt who didn't really care about the songs or the gig, plus he's an awful dancer. Kuepper was awesome, made the gig for me (perhaps a little too much of him in the mix) and when Bailey was spouting and he just cut him off by starting the song, priceless.

[Mofra]

Re: Summer Festivals




G'day everyone and welcome to the Melbourne Devil's Kitchen 2009!

The Little Bird Agency and Impedence Touring present...

DEVIL'S KITCHEN MUSIC FESTIVAL 2009
Northcote Social Club | Saturday 7th February

1. WINNEBAGO DEAL (uk) 11.00 - 12.00am
2. COCKFIGHT SHOOTOUT 9.45 - 10.45
3. LOOKING GLASS (act) 8.45 - 9.30
4. MY LEFT BOOT 7.45 - 8.30
5. ANCIENT MAN 6.45 - 7.30
6. SONS of THE IONIAN SEA 5.45 - 6.30
7. MAMMOTH MAMMOTH 4.45 - 5.30
8. KIDS of ZOO 4.00 - 4.30
9. FANGS OF... 3.15 - 3.45
10. BROTHERS GRIM... 2.30 - 3.00pm

Tix $30 + bf thru northcotesocialclub.com
$35 on the door.

See you there! YEAH!

[The Underdog]

Re: Summer Festivals

In the last week I've seen TV On The Radio at the Hi-fi, been to Laneway where I saw full or close to full sets of Spiral Stairs, Jay Reatard, Crayon Fields & The Hold Steady, saw partial sets of Born Ruffians & The Drones (mainly due to the hoax that was the Little Lonsdale Stage) and Stereolab and a song or two from Pikelet and Port O Brien. Augie March sounded alright too from where I was sitting out of view.
TV On The Radio was an outstanding gig but the 2 Hold Steady shows were the most joyous, fun, enjoyable rock shows I've seen for a long time.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Summer Festivals

Thanks for the info Mofra and Underdog