Big Day Out, Gold Coast 2008

Okay I'll full admit I was biased about this before I went, but unfortunately my limited expectations were not surpassed. Some people have pointed out I'm 'getting too old' for these festivals and I'm not target market, but if anything has been proved in the past few weeks its that Generation Y have no idea what they're doing and jump from fad to fad with little or no regard for value, so it's up to us to tell them what and why they should be doing...

First of all the festival itself...arrive at 1pm...finally get a drink at 2.15pm. There has to be a better way than this to get booze at a festival...but that's another post for another day I think. Other than that, it's BDO again. Same tents, same areas, same features. Sure they're restricted a bit by the shape and size of the venue but maybe one day we'll see something different. I'm pretty sure there were more stalls there this year but really who goes to BDO to go shopping?


Next the bands. Michael made the following valid points on the journey back: Rage Against The Machine are like watching Manchester United. They're one of the world's best. Their brand of music is exciting and invigorating. Morello's riffs are dirty and nasty, de la Roche's lyrics are confrontational and insightful and the rhythm section has more drive than a 4x4.

But the rest of the line-up is nowhere near their standard.

You can't fault Bjork for her ability and talent, and visually the show was spectacular, but I just don't think anyone in the entire audience 'got' her. The music wasn't exactly something the sweaty masses could jump up and down to. Everyone had turned up to watch a Premiership match, and found themselves entertained by the Harlem Globetrotters.

And then there's Silverchair. These are the fundamental problems I have with Silverchair. Firstly, they've been flogged to death over the past six months. Not only has any fan with a passing interest already caught them playing a massive tour with Powderfinger, all you can find in the music press is Silverchair comment and coverage. But secondly, and more importantly (and this is comment from Australian friends who have followed the entire Daniel Johns career), is that they're not very good.

Musically, it's hard to criticise them, but nothing they really do sets the world alight. And lyrically, whilst many people would suggest John's lyrics are 'insightful' and 'inspired' when you take a long hard look at them, they are actually complete gibberish.

Racing through the void in my head
To find traces of a good luck academy

Something I will never forget
I felt desperate
And stuck to the marrow
Invisible to everyone else
I'm a sex change
And a damsel with no heroine

It's not like it's hard to find hidden meaning - it's impossible. If Rage were Manchester United, then Silverchair are the Brisbane Strikers. And this is the third headline band for the biggest festival in Australia.

Other highlights I stumbled across included Dizee Rascal, south London ragga/hip-hop artist whose show reminded me of watching the Streets a few years back on the same stage.

And Billy Bragg. God bless Billy Bragg. Workers unite. Fight the power. Socialist Worker. And so on. Talented musician, yes. Inspired lyricist, yes. Witty and insightful, yes. But sometimes a bit one dimensional? Sadly, yes.

So I didn't get round to that much at BDO - 5 bands is hardly compulsive festival attendance, but then I do like to make the point of listening to a set from start to finish, instead of walking off half-way through. Either way, unless there's another corking headliner for next year that's worth my $130, I'll be staying at home....