Big Day Out 2005

Western Australia, State of Childhood Musical Disappointment. My mum still hasn't gotten over the Beatles never making it across the Nullabor. Tour dates flashing across the screen in Countdown would stop at Adelaide, forever convincing me of a universe that was arbitrary and amoral. So thank you the Big Day Out , for fronting up every year since the early 90's.*

Bacon and eggs brekky with champagne (hoorah!) kept me happy until hot dog with cheese and then later chips and a corn-dog. The hot dog failed in a few respects. The onions were in small squares, the sausage was shorter than the bun implying stinginess, and the processed cheese wasn't given it's one possible saving grace of meltiness. Corn dog was agreeably disgusting. Tooheys Extra Dry joins the hall of low expectation fame by being tasty when it's cold, you're thirsty, and you've waited in line for twenty minutes for drink tickets. Pleased when replaced by sharp tasting local, Emu Bitter. Not for foodies but I'm a pragmatic eater and I believe better food is to be had at the demographic black hole rival of the Moonlight festival. One day they'll catch up with my aged b-boy in a bucket-hat ruse and say off you go grandad.

1. First Can of Beer, 2. Found Drink Tickets (well spotted Chook), 3. Hot Chips, 4. Corn Dog, 5. Hot Dog

The shows! Once again, Plumber bummed Collapsy man who Drank too much pre-mix Bourbon did not disappoint in a compelling performance. Stars were the Blues Explosion for reasons too simple to explain, except to say they shouldn't work but they do, the show was only flawed by not being long enough, and few leads can match John Spencer for the musicality of his voice and effortless knee drops. Yah boo sucks to Slipknot. What crap. Our nation's shirt making spotty angst ridden youth deserve better.



1. Blues Explosion, 2. Beastie Boys (ISFTWO lounge set), 3. Spiderbait, 4. The Flairz, 5. Regurgitator.

*Alright alright it wasn't just Buddy Williams. I should say pre-BDO came along I did get to see Skyhooks, Devo, The Long Tall Pitchforks, The Cramps, U2, The Beastie Boys, The Sugarcubes and the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra.