Forever Young

This year’s Big Day Out in Auckland had salutary messages for us all.

My message, which I’d like to broadcast to the youth of New Zealand, is when BDO 2010 comes along, save your money. This year all you did was run around the stadium, pose for the press photographers you could find, compare outfits, text your friends and chat all the way through the gig. All of you spent 130-odd dollars each to be there, and didn’t hear a band. In fact, you do it at sports too, I’ve seen you. Football, rugby and cricket is about the Mexican Wave, dicking around and drinking isn’t it? Who was playing? Dunno. What was the score? Not sure. Who won? Er..

Next time around, stay out of my way and stay at home or you’ll get a clip round the ear.

The organisers of the BDO had a taken a few knocks beforehand.. it was supposed to be the old folks event. Never mind that the line up for the pumping Boiler Room included The Prodigy, Hot Chip, Simian Mobile Disco, local fave Tiki Taane, Lupe Fiasco and more (of course a lot of kids weren’t listening, they were too busy texting, but hey, the thought was there).. it was feared Mt. Smart Stadium would become a grey area, with hordes of wandering mums and dads giving each other back rubs and trying to find space for their fold-out director’s chairs and picnic rugs. It didn’t quite work out that way.

Pitching up around midday, we decided to forego Black Kids for a clutch of Kiwi acts.. the tail-end of synth poppers The Naked And Famous (to the masses scrambling to see the Ting Tings, where were you? In the wrong place at the wrong time, that’s where), the earnest indie rock of The Tutts and the guys I’d seen in the studio couple of weeks ago, Luger Boa. Once again, Jimmy and the boys were completely up for it, and provided the day’s most.. devil may care set, I think it’s fair to say. Speaker-climbing, drummer-hugging, amps on eleven. Chiffon scarves. You know the kind of thing.

Aside: the sound. I know festival sound isn’t always good. But the small stages were too loud, the big stages too quiet. I didn’t hear a vocal properly all day (except for Mr. Young). Moving on..

Descending into the main stadium.. a first for me – Pendulum. The verdict? Crass Club Ibiza synthesiser lines (s’easy, just bastardise every child’s nursery rhyme and playground game), lumpen plodding metal-by-numbers four-on-the-floor, Australian ‘vocalist’ trying out his English rave DJ moves. Popular as all get-out. Horrifyingly fascinating.

Never want to hear ‘em again.

Alas, TV On The Radio. They were genuinely fascinating, but just didn’t project.. with better sound and a little more intimacy they’d have been a massive highlight. Come back soon, TVOTR, to one of our clubs. I’ll buy a ticket.

They should’ve swapped stages with My Morning Jacket. Jim James’ boys were the Band I Wanted To See, and they didn’t let me down. I love ‘Okonokos‘.. I’m not so sure about ‘Evil Urges’ .. but their song selection for the hour or so they were on stage was perfect. The vocals went missing again but it wasn’t Jim’s fault.. MMJ soared and pounded and were a palpable hit. They over-ran, deeply annoying The Mint Chicks, but I cared not a jot. Excellent.

Protesting limbs led us back to the big stage to close out the evening. A strangely subdued Arctic Monkeys.. four new songs which are a little more introspective than the thumping hits of old, bad sound (again), and, from a distance, what looked and sounded like a slightly indifferent Alex Turner. I know he’s flip and arch, but the band weren’t at their best. Helders even went a little AWOL during Fluorescent Adolescent. How will they progress following Alex’s Last Shadow Puppets adventure?

And then, a 63 year old man came on stage accompanied by old friends and relations and blew us away.

Neil Young played a couple of new ones (‘Spirit Road’ from ‘Chrome Dreams 2′ and ‘Just Singing A Song Won’t Change The World’) but mostly he gave us the hits. He fired up Old Black, his old cohorts swung in behind and he raged and howled. ‘Cortez The Killer’ at a funereal pace. ‘Cowgirl’, ‘Everybody Knows..’  ‘Powderfinger’, always a standout for me (recent video below). ‘Hey Hey..’ and ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’ got the punks up and jumping. All present and correct.

And to close the show, a surprise.. ‘A Day In The Life’ – a complete blow out, guitar strings ripped off, the feedback died down, the band lined up, good night. We headed for the bus.

Thanks, Neil.  You made our day.

(Click play, then click the menu arrow on the YouTube widget and click HQ, it looks better. Header photo featuring Ben Keith, Rick Rosas and Neil by Jenny Bramley)