I Courtney Loved Big Day Out

Big Day Out was nothing less than stellar. I love anything that brings sweaty, half naked people together with music and beer. The day started out with sniffer dogs and near strip searches to get through the gates but after that it was smooth sailing. All of the bands put on spectacular performances. We caught the tail end of Kasabian in the main theatre then I raced off from the group to go see Girl Talk at the recommendation of a very music savvy friend of mine. This was probably the best move I made all day, that and the beers I downed just before entering the "Boiler Room" where they were playing. The venue was a dark murky pit of sweaty, barely clothed people with a giant Ferris Wheel with carriages made out of shopping carts as its center piece. I got distracted by the lights for a moment, then the music started playing and I legged it for the front. I ditched my bag in the corner and joined the masses. Being alone was awesome as I would have surely lost my partners in crime in that mess of bodies. After their first song I knew I found my newest love. They were absolutely phenomenal and I have never seen someone rock out so hard while “playing” his laptop. The crowd was awesome, the guy with the leaf blower/toilet roll contraption was fun and the highlight was probably the moon sized balloons filled with tie-dyed confetti. Every song and person in the venue dared you to stand still. After about an hour of constant moving, sweating and sliding against strangers the show was over and the cattle were herded out the gate. It was a surreal Woodstock moment as we left the sticky dark arena and entered a giant summer shower. Everyone started yelling and cheering and chanting “whomp there it is” in sync (I have no idea why). I dodged wet hippies and ecstatic teenagers rolling around in the mud to go meet my friends at the statue of a metallic pelvis with two rotating spinal chords coming out of its top. We were all thoroughly soaked but welcomed the much needed rain. Sydney’s weather got us again, when I went into the Boiler Room only one hour earlier it was well over 100 degrees and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The storm did have its downfall as it transformed me from Gwen Stefani to Courtney Love. Make-up trashed and hair even worse, I looked like a fallen diva by 4pm. Oh well. We went on to see The Mars Volta, Lilly Allen, Decembrists, Powderfinger, the Jagermister DJs, Muse and Groove Armada. The storm cleared and more beer was drunk and we danced until we were dry again. Muse was amazing, as they usually are, and we were so excited we managed to clear a circle around us big enough for some seriously spastic dancing. I don’t know if it was our enthusiasm or our clumsy, flailing limbs but people kept their distance. The night ended with an electric performance from English sensation, Groove Armada. It was an amazing way to end the night with smoke, mirrors and sparkles galore. At the end everyone headed out of Olympic park exhausted but elated. All smiles and sunburns on the way home as people made fast friends on the overcrowded train. At the final stop I kissed my new friends goodbye, leaving crimson characters on their cheeks, and carried my tired bones home. I can’t say yet if this will be my best Aussie experience but I am sure it will be in the top 3.

kisss!