So the ladies made it to Sunday unharmed...... or did they?
The suspense is killing me!
Read on!
Hungary Kids of Hungry
Gem: It only took only a couple of songs for me to become bored with the Hungry Kids set. I was just thinking of leaving when, during ‘Let You Down’, they threw large inflated balls into the crowd. And then suddenly it was fun times again. With the balls keeping me thoroughly entertained I momentarily forgot about the boring music happening on stage. Overall though, the Hungry Kids looked like they had lost their party edge. If it wasn’t for the giant balls, the faint smell of someone smoking a joint nearby, and my vodka spiked beverage I would have fallen asleep from boredom.
The Vaccines
Gem: The banner on stage during The Vaccines read “what did you expect?”, promoting their debut album. The phrase made me think. I expected indie hipsters, playing songs about pretty girls, getting drunk and partying. And that’s exactly what we got. Their songs seem familiar, probably due to the fact that they are influenced by the likes of the Ramones, The Strokes, and Joy Division. I enjoyed the set along with the many others crowded in front of the stage to see them. Although I can't help but wonder how long it will be until they will be categorised as "just another indie band" and be forgotten.
Cloud Control
Amb: Cloud Control played Circle of Life from the Lion King during their set for some reason, prompting hundreds of people to start charging up and down the middle of the hill. I have since decided that they were re-enacting the stampede scene from the movie. I really hope they were.
Friendly Fires
Gem: I think you can really judge a band’s performance at a festival by the injuries I have sustained during their set. Bruised butt during The Bronx at Coaster 2009 (unable to sit down for a week), sprained ankle sustained while moshing during Eddy Current Suppression Ring at Homebake 2009, and now Friendly Fires. For some reason Amb left me alone during Friendly Fires, she probably went get food or something, I don’t recall. Anyway it should be noted that it’s all her fault - I should never be left unattended at a music festival. I was thoroughly enjoying the dance tunes from Friendly Fires while dancing up a storm in the outer rim of the mix up tent. I was taking advantage of the extra room with some excellent aeroplane dancing. Aeroplane dancing, for those that don’t know, really just involves a lot of waving and flapping around of arms in aeroplane-like motions. I was totally in the groove, when suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my upper arm / shoulder leaving my arm paralysed. Unable to do aeroplane dancing, I pressed on regardless reverting to downstairs dancing only, a true reflection on the quality of dance-inducing tunes being created by the Friendly Fires. A highlight of the festival.
Kaiser Chiefs
Amb: Surprisingly awesome. I think I stopped paying attention to them shortly after 2006, but apparently they stayed busy and released a whole lot of songs that I know and like without being aware who sings them. They bring the party times, with the singer dude running back and forth across the stage with seemingly inexhaustible energy, despite the fact that they took 30 hours to get here from Japan, for some reason going via China and Melbourne.
Pulp
Gem: While we waited for Pulp to take to the stage a series of questions appeared in green on the screen behind the stage – “Do you remember the first time?” and “Do you want to see a dolphin?” (to which then a dolphin then appeared). Eventually Pulp did take to the stage and although the build up was entertaining it went on a little too long for my liking.
Amb: I want to wrap Jarvis Cocker up in greaseproof paper and take him home for later. We saw him a couple of years ago playing his own stuff, and it wasn’t a fraction as good as this. The dancing was unexpected but very impressive. He kept saying it might be the last time Pulp ever plays in Australia. I hope he’s wrong, because that would make me very sad.
Gem: It was hard for me to tear my attention away from Jarvis and his energetic on stage presence, hip shaking dance moves and ongoing chatter with the crowd between songs. I was so focussed on him that I really didn’t notice the rest of the band, although I am sure they existed. The entire set was great, in particular the songs ‘Sorted for E’s and Wizz’, ‘Babies’, and ‘Underwear’. However the stand out highlight was, of course, the final song, ‘Common People’. An unforgettable performance.
Things That Are Better Than Seeing Coldplay
- Eating burgers
- Watching shadow puppets (possibly interactive or possibly we were drunk)
- Dancing to Little Red and Michael Jackson in the Jager Lodge
We were part of the 0.2% of Splendour that didn’t see Coldplay. It wasn’t an accident, we had absolutely no desire to see the band. After Pulp we left the amphitheatre, battled our way against the sea of people who were flooding in to watch Coldplay. Every inch of the amphitheatre was covered.
So....
Despite not being massively impressed with the Splendour line up initially, many of the bands exceeded expectations and it ended up being three days' worth of musical delights. It's always nice when the number of disappointments is largely overshadowed by the number of surprise highlights, resulting in a rollicking good time being had by all. Nice work, Splendour 2011.
See official splendourness here: http://splendourinthegrass.com/
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