Words by Rob McAllister
Picture this: unleashing two 20-something girls upon Byron Bay and Splendour in the Grass 2009, then letting them run riot just to see what would happen. This is exactly what SMAC Magazine did, and the results were pretty interesting…
Ranee and Jorgia were recruited for the SMAC Magazine team and presented with the task of rocking up to Splendour 2009 and pushing the Splendour experience to its limits to see just how splendorous it can get.
With a reported attendance of around 17,500 people the event was sure to go off from the word GO, with a band line-up of Aussie legends THE LIVING END, HILLTOP HOODS, GRINSPOON, LITTLE BIRDY and BIRDS OF TOKYO as well as international acts and sideline entertainment. Splendour was on target to live up to its name… but would it live up to the expectations of our girls?
If we could answer that question with just two words, those words would be HELL and YEAH!
From the beginning the excitement was electric for the girls, landing in Brisbane and traveling to Byron via bus really helped build up the tension and excitement. The Splendour crowd were easy to pick out, and they could be seen everywhere pouring out of planes, trains and buses and flowing through crowds all around the Brisbane area. This was going to be big, and both the girls knew it.
The excitement really hit a high at the main entrance to Splendour as the realisation dawned that the girls were in for two full days of fun, music, culture in an electric atmosphere. Taking it all in at once was a massive rush, the girls both agreed, as they donned pink and red fluoro sunnies in true festival spirit and headed into a whole new world, passing under the massive colourful SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS banner depicting rolling hills and all manner of farm animals. There weren’t any real farm animals roaming the festival site… but there were plenty of colourful and crazy characters to be seen as people really got into the vibe of the festival!
Luckily for the punters the weather was reasonably tame over the two days, and apart from a little bit of mud across the grounds the event wasn’t spoiled by mother nature, and the two days were blessed with cool breezes and warm sunshine which really made the experience complete.
There was an overload of musical entertainment over the course of the weekend. Some of the main musical highlights that the girls enjoyed were; MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA, FRIENDLY FIRES, BIRDS OF TOKYO, CHILDREN COLLIDE, BLUEJUICE, GRINSPOON, THE LIVING END and MGMT. The disappointment of the unfortunate pulling out of JANE’S ADDICTION was supplemented by the crowd-wowing performance of Aussie rockers The Living End, and in consolation for the Janes Addiction fans let rip with a cover version of Jane Says with the vocal assistance of Grinspoon’s Phil Jamieson.
Another big highlight for our intrepid spies was the opportunity to be part of POWDERFINGER’s soon-to-be-released album Golden Rule - the crowd was more than happy to oblige when the band made a surprise appearance on stage and had the crowd sing along with the chorus of a song that will be on the album. Both Ranee and Jorgia listed that moment in their Top 5 Splendour Moments.
Another interesting part of the festival was the ‘Seagull Swoop’ initiative where festival-goers could hand in cans for recycling in exchange for free drink tickets. What better motivation to clean up and recycle than to drink for free during the festival? Over 260,000 drink containers were recycled over the course of the festival, a statistic that organisers were more than pleased with. Results like that really highlight the “green initiatives” that the Splendour organisers love to encourage. Another environmental victory was the successful sale of many “carbon offset” (green) tickets, which help to offset the carbon emissions created by the event.
Both of the girls were impressed by the dedication to environmental awareness that the organisers conveyed, and said the punters caught the vibe and really made those initiatives a raging success. The girls thought that all festivals should take a leaf out of the Splendour book and try to be a little more environmentally conscious when they organise their events.
There was more to Splendour than meets the eye this year, with more than just musical entertainment on offer. Between sets the girls found plenty of things to do, including checking out some of the modern art around the grounds, shopping at the many market stalls or just chilling out in the shade and soaking up the atmosphere.
Of course getting through two days packed to the brim with a killer band line-up and new and fun experiences works up one hell of an appetite, but not to worry because there were plenty of tempting treats being sold at a variety of different food stalls around the grounds. The girls particularly enjoyed the organic donuts, which were fast, warm and tasty plus easy to eat with one hand while shopping in between their favourite bands.
In fact, when it came to keeping entertained away from the main stages there was a huge range of other attractions in offer, from the soulful dancefloor grooves of the Tipi forest to the amazing and diverse experience of the Global Village and the funky bass beats of the Jagercube… and for those who wanted a little bit of culture in their festival experience Splendour in the Arts was on show. The girls loved all of these attractions and said they really made the experience feel like a lot more value for money.
The girls couldn’t really pinpoint any cons to do with the event itself, apart from the very long line up to go to the toilet which is always a hazard at these events and is pretty much an expectation.
Although bit of a kill-joy for the girls was the low quality of their accommodation. Their tip for anyone travelling to Splendour 2010 - book accommodation early, to ensure you get a comfortable place to rest your head at the end of a long day rocking out. And of course there is the dreaded ‘Splendour flu’, which the girls both ended up catching and took a couple of days to get over, but said it didn’t dampen the experience for them.
After two days of full-on fun and entertainment the girls barely had enough energy to explain just how awesome their time at Splendour was, but one thing’s for sure - it was a “do not miss” event for 2009, and for those who just couldn’t make it or didn’t get tickets before they sold out they suggest you get in early next year, because if this year was anything to go by it’s going to be without a doubt even bigger and better for Splendour's 10th Anniversary in 2010.
08 August 2009
08 May 2009
View from the Moo!
Hey there SMAC readers, check out the view from the moo, all your social and crowd pics are right here!
Pics by Rob McAllister
Townsville Gets Groovin
Words and Pics by Jade Kennedy
Over 13,000 Townsville punters crammed into Lou Litster park on the weekend for the second GROOVIN THE MOO festival.
ART VS SCIENCE, VAN SHE, MAMMAL, LITTLE BIRDY, MUSCLES, ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI, DE LA SOUL, THE GRATES, HILLTOP HOODS and THE LIVING END were among over 20 bands that entertained the crowd over the course of the day.
After a slight wardrobe malfunction, I was running slightly late, arriving at the grounds and negotiating the crowds just in time to see Melbourne band MAMMAL take the stage.
Bursting off the stage (literally, at some points) with an energetic set jam-packed with crowd-pleasing originals like Smash the Pinata, Hell Yeah and The Majority, MAMMAL are definitely ones to watch as the festival circuit heats up for another year.
Old school American hip hop outfit DE LA SOUL enthralled the crowd as the sun began to set over the 13,500-strong crowd. Known best for their eclectic sampling and quirky lyrics, these guys are the forefathers of jazz rap and alternative hip hop (think: Fresh Prince of Bel Air only WAY better). 
ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI rocked the stage with their unique brand of quirky pop/rock. Sounding (and looking) a little like the B-52s, the band had resonated well with the crowd, pumping them up for the even quirkier THE GRATES.
Of course one of the highlights of seeing the Brisbane trio live is always answering the question, "what is Patience going to wear?". The singer didn't disappoint, with a super-cute cowgirl costume complimenting the band's colourful sound and lyrics.
Most of THE GRATES' set comprised of songs from their new album, Teeth Lost, Hearts Won, however the band pulled out old crowd-pleasers like Science is Golden and 19-20-20 and won the hearts of thousands of punters.
Time to bring on the big guns... HILLTOP HOODS took to the stage with material from their yet-to-be-released album State of the Art, and the crowd went crazy.
MCs Suffa and Pressure ripped through a blistering set of new stuff (Chase That Feeling, She's So Ugly) and old stuff (The Nosebleed Section, The Hard Road) which got the crowd jumping.
Old-school heros THE LIVING END closed off the night with an awesome set, proving the fine wine theory that things just get better with age.
Also performing from a new album (White Noise), Chris and the boys topped off a fantastic day on a high, rounding out their set with old faves like Prisoner of Society, Second Solution and All Torn Down.
Punters raved about the day overall, the only negative comments restricted to the Over-18s area being so far away from the stage, and a delay in the dance tent resulting in MUSCLES running overtime before the power was cut to the stage.
Seeing a double in audience figures from 2008 to 2009, here's hoping 2010 proves even more successful.
** POST SCRIPT 04 November: MAMMAL have announced this week they are parting ways due to conflict within the band.
Over 13,000 Townsville punters crammed into Lou Litster park on the weekend for the second GROOVIN THE MOO festival.
ART VS SCIENCE, VAN SHE, MAMMAL, LITTLE BIRDY, MUSCLES, ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI, DE LA SOUL, THE GRATES, HILLTOP HOODS and THE LIVING END were among over 20 bands that entertained the crowd over the course of the day.
After a slight wardrobe malfunction, I was running slightly late, arriving at the grounds and negotiating the crowds just in time to see Melbourne band MAMMAL take the stage.
Bursting off the stage (literally, at some points) with an energetic set jam-packed with crowd-pleasing originals like Smash the Pinata, Hell Yeah and The Majority, MAMMAL are definitely ones to watch as the festival circuit heats up for another year.
Old school American hip hop outfit DE LA SOUL enthralled the crowd as the sun began to set over the 13,500-strong crowd. Known best for their eclectic sampling and quirky lyrics, these guys are the forefathers of jazz rap and alternative hip hop (think: Fresh Prince of Bel Air only WAY better).
DE LA SOUL actually produced one of the most memorable views of the day, when they managed to get the whole crowd into a crouch. The view from the side of the stage, looking over a sea of thousands of heads and backs, was incredible!
In keeping with the theme of connecting with the crowd, DE LA SOUL also jumped into the pit and thrilled punters in the first few rows...
LITTLE BIRDY certainly didn't disappoint after the sun went down, showcasing songs from their brand-new album Confetti, including latest single Summarise.
Front woman Katy Steele delivered a well-polished performance but seemed more demure and conservative than previous festival performances like 2007's Big Day Out... but this seemed to match the toned-down approach to the band's third album, so perhaps this is a clever marketing tool on the band's part.
Whilst most of the set was comprised of new stuff, the Birdies rounded out their set with the usual crowd pleasers like Hollywood, Beautiful to Me and a cover of SPLIT ENZ's Six Months in a Leaky Boat.
ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI rocked the stage with their unique brand of quirky pop/rock. Sounding (and looking) a little like the B-52s, the band had resonated well with the crowd, pumping them up for the even quirkier THE GRATES.
Of course one of the highlights of seeing the Brisbane trio live is always answering the question, "what is Patience going to wear?". The singer didn't disappoint, with a super-cute cowgirl costume complimenting the band's colourful sound and lyrics.
Most of THE GRATES' set comprised of songs from their new album, Teeth Lost, Hearts Won, however the band pulled out old crowd-pleasers like Science is Golden and 19-20-20 and won the hearts of thousands of punters.
Time to bring on the big guns... HILLTOP HOODS took to the stage with material from their yet-to-be-released album State of the Art, and the crowd went crazy.
MCs Suffa and Pressure ripped through a blistering set of new stuff (Chase That Feeling, She's So Ugly) and old stuff (The Nosebleed Section, The Hard Road) which got the crowd jumping.
Old-school heros THE LIVING END closed off the night with an awesome set, proving the fine wine theory that things just get better with age.
Also performing from a new album (White Noise), Chris and the boys topped off a fantastic day on a high, rounding out their set with old faves like Prisoner of Society, Second Solution and All Torn Down.
Punters raved about the day overall, the only negative comments restricted to the Over-18s area being so far away from the stage, and a delay in the dance tent resulting in MUSCLES running overtime before the power was cut to the stage.
Seeing a double in audience figures from 2008 to 2009, here's hoping 2010 proves even more successful.
** POST SCRIPT 04 November: MAMMAL have announced this week they are parting ways due to conflict within the band.
16 April 2009
SPLENDID! New and Emerging Artists Wanted for New Arts Project
Splendour in the Grass is launching SPLENDID - a mammoth arts initiative to workshop and showcase young and emerging Australian artists.
Ten young artists who work across the visual arts, theatre, dance, design, installation, architecture, digital art, text, sound and other creative arts will be chosen to undertake a three-week arts lab residency in Lismore in July 2009.
During the residency, the ten SPLENDID participants will not only be mentored in their own art form by some of the most recognised artists in the world, they will be encouraged to explore the concept of 'cross artform', working collaboratively within a dynamic environment encouraging critical thinking and experimentation.
The concepts workshopped during the arts lab residency will be further developed over a six-month period, and several will be commissioned to premiere at the Splendour in the Grass festival in 2010.
The program is scheduled to run for three years, in collaboration with the Australia Council for the Arts and Lismore Regional Gallery.
Artists under 30 years of age or in the first five years of their practice can apply for SPLENDID.
For more info, check out splendid.org.au but HURRY! Applications close May 4 2009.
Ten young artists who work across the visual arts, theatre, dance, design, installation, architecture, digital art, text, sound and other creative arts will be chosen to undertake a three-week arts lab residency in Lismore in July 2009.
During the residency, the ten SPLENDID participants will not only be mentored in their own art form by some of the most recognised artists in the world, they will be encouraged to explore the concept of 'cross artform', working collaboratively within a dynamic environment encouraging critical thinking and experimentation.
The concepts workshopped during the arts lab residency will be further developed over a six-month period, and several will be commissioned to premiere at the Splendour in the Grass festival in 2010.
The program is scheduled to run for three years, in collaboration with the Australia Council for the Arts and Lismore Regional Gallery.
Artists under 30 years of age or in the first five years of their practice can apply for SPLENDID.
For more info, check out splendid.org.au but HURRY! Applications close May 4 2009.
08 February 2009
Watch this Space!
Welcome to SMAC Magazine - the online version at least. I've been searching high and low for a viable option for an online presence for some time now, and this seems to be the best option for the time being. SMAC will evolve into a fully-fledged street press in time. However for now, whilst it's just me, this is the best I can do. I will endeavour to bring you the best in Sport, Music, Art and Culture as quickly as I can get it to you BUT your patience is appreciated in these early days!
Thanks guys,
Jade.
Thanks guys,
Jade.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
