Vividesque (43 points on triple word score)

Wow – what a fun concert. Not as much fun as wandering around Glasto by a long way but Melbourne venues are really well set up and organised. No real trouble and the only time I couldn’t get in somewhere was when I was about a minute too late to get onto the floor at Jurassic (I’d been sitting down recovering from bouncing too much at Lamb). Energy levels were pretty low though after partying till 5 night before – very hungover (twice)…ouchie.

The final line-up I saw out of the many bands to choose from (in order):

• Pacifier – mainstream rock. Spent most of my time looking round the Rod Laver arena which is HUGE. Has one of those slidey roofs which was quite surreal to see a shaft of light coming in. Prince is playing here in a bit but he’s already sold out.
• Hellacopters – shite, unoriginal 70s/mosh rock. Crowd was pretty unimpressed.
• Resin Dogs – good hip hop stylins. Amusing video and whole room was bouncing. Think they might be more local band so had a big following. Hip hop is generally very popular in Melbourne with a big local scene.
• Har Mar Superstar – very funny if a smidge misogynistic. He got a bit snitty when his radio mike died on him but did a great bit where he ran all the way into the crowd in his ‘I’m the greatest’ hand made vest top. His dancing girls are called the ‘Town Bikes’ and do this kind of bad ‘erotic’ dancing. Whole crowd was laughing.
• Lamb – SO good as always. Went right to the front for this one. Show hadn’t really changed much from when I saw them at Brixton Academy and was another really ecstatically enjoyable gig. Mostly songs from new album but a couple of classics that the crowd went mad for. Andrew the keyboard guy’s brother was in the crowd which was funny. Very buzzed after that one..
• Jurassic 5 – Another wow. Was pretty exhausted from Lamb so sat down for a bit and missed getting on the main floor (arse) but had a great time. They mostly did Power in Numbers stuff and a few Quality Control bits but no Lesson 6 (shame). Great show though. They’re very playful on stage and get the audience really going. Then the DJs had their own turns and they were stunning plus some little sampler drum track stuff. Ended up with them all playing those plastic tubes you spin round that make the ‘woooo-ooo’ noise. Weird bit was they flipped out at some guy in the crowd who had a noose or something (probably waiting for Linkin Park) but went right down into the crowd to have a go at him being disrespectful and threatening to ‘beat him and his homeboy’. Sad really – everyone else was really into it big style, whole arena was going off.
• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – was sitting at back on floor for this in half empty arena. Much more mellow and chilled out than I expected, really nice. Shame I missed them with Primal Scream last year.
• The White Stripes – Crazy stuff. They have so much energy for two people one of whom is just sitting on a drum seat. The whole set is just sex in rock form. Their interplay is just so charged and the way they have the mikes set up round the drum kit just looks like they’re shagging. This was aided by Jack hanging right out, which you could see from 50m back so those groupies must be sore, and Meg for all the world looking like she wasn’t wearing a bra and bouncing up and down as she played the drums as if she was straddled across them/him. Phew! Heady stuff indeed. Jack’s voice is amazing and the instrument playing – so simple and they fuck up all over the shop but it so doesn’t matter as they know each other so well they just pull it together and make it part of their charm. You can hear all his influences in the guitar playing, blended together to create this new rock melange. Wow. Wish I’d had more energy to push forward a bit more.

Also watched some skating and some MC mike-offs. Quite a bit of random fighting in the crowds near the front which the security guards seemed to completely ignore although Lamb had a ‘go’ about it (“we’re about peace not fighting – we’re all one person”). Yay, go hippies! A great day out.