Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The Big Day Out, Auckland, 2009

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  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    My first youtube upllode(sp ;-)

    I heard the news today o boy...it was gushing :)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    My first youtube upllode(sp ;-)
    6:15 mins of Neil Young gloriousness, A day in the life/ Enjoy :-)

    That's a great clip!

    Especially pleased that you got the very end. I loved the shot of him raising his fist then turning and walking off the stage.

    (And I took the liberty of embedding the clip. To do that here you only need to paste in the URL, not any embed code or formatting.)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    (And I took the liberty of embedding the clip. To do that here you only need to paste in the URL, not any embed code or formatting.)

    Thanx Russ.
    I did just paste the url but I use Opera and that has a few little foibles that manage to evade the most simple of tasks.
    Cheers, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Wow. As recently as 2001 there were large numbers of arrests. 89 that year. Then a huge drop, to 28 in 2002.

    Looking at the lineups, 2002 was the year of New Order -- another less frantic closing act for the main stages.

    2001 is the one that freaks me out. Coldplay played? I don't even remember ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Easterbrook,

    2001 was an ugly BDO, from memory. Limp Bizkit headlining on the main stage and a surly crowd. It would be an interesting (if methodologically shonky) exercise to compare annual arrest numbers with headlining acts...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 265 posts Report Reply

  • Wayne Phillips,

    Two things to note:
    a) Neil Young was awesome
    b) His compositions would be Canadian

    Wellingtron • Since Dec 2006 • 3 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    My first youtube upllode(sp ;-)

    Thanks for this, Steve. Much appreciated.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Alan Perrott,

    yep, cheers Steve.

    Damn...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 438 posts Report Reply

  • Mellopuffy,

    'Frickin dog'... heh

    Dunedin, NZ • Since Feb 2007 • 63 posts Report Reply

  • Daniel Webster,

    Pendulum primarily covered their first album material, which is a shame as I find their second album, 'In Silico', which is closer to Muse-esque arena rock than D&B, a lot more interesting. It's worth checking out.

    Christchurch • Since May 2007 • 4 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    all Aussie cops are armed, all the time (even off-duty)

    Isn't that rather awkward when they're playing rugby, or having intergenerational sex, or whatever other leisure activities the Australian boys in blue enjoy?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    all Aussie cops are armed, all the time (even off-duty)

    Well that's not correct.

    In WA at least, cops only carry their weapons when on active duty. The ones that I interacted with at the state headquarters weren't armed at all.

    Perhaps some of them take their weapons home with them, but by no means all of them do.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Venetia King,

    Thanks to Russell for linking to Tony's Neil Young set list (and to Tony for producing it!) - that tells me I only missed two of his songs in order to catch 9½ from Headless Chickens. They were well worth it - "Choppers" was my song of the day :)

    Did anyone else find a lot of this year's sets were too loud? I had proper music earplugs, but they only worked during Neil Young (best sound EVER at a BDO I've been to), and I had to get some of those foam ones that turn you deaf to conversation. Wished I'd got them earlier in the day.

    It's a young peoples' game, largely, isn't it? Loud music, and mashing and stuff.
    we went with a friend's 70 year old mother who had a wonderful time.
    Well, that settles it. Now I have to go to one. I am officially in awe.

    Please do! I predict that you won't feel out of place at a BDO. Sure there are plenty of young people, but there are also plenty my age and older (I'm 38) and everyone always seems to be having a good time. Moshing is definitely not compulsory - or mashing for that matter :) It's a pretty easy place to be for the most part. Sometimes it can get a bit squashy - I was glad this year's headliners failed to appeal to quite so many people as a band like Metallica might, since that meant it was easier to move around. But there's always something else interesting that you can wander off to see when there are too many people in your way.

    Oh and I recommend not waiting till an act you love is playing BDO - often the experience is not what you'd hope for, under the constraints of the festival setting. It's sometimes better to miss your fave band than to see them perform a disappointing show. I'd pick an indoor headline gig over a BDO slot any time, but we don't always get that choice... Anyway, in my experience of BDO it's better just to show up and enjoy what the day throws at you, than to pin your hopes on one or two acts.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 117 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Harris,

    As raving about shows is the order of the day, Leonard Cohen this evening was simply awesome! Best lightshow I have encountered (not flashy but perfect for the show, subtle and suitable), fantastic musicians and singers (the Webb sisters! ZOMG!) an, of course, the man himself. All of 75 and not looking a day over 60. Just magic!

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Loud music, and mashing and stuff

    I thought mashing might mean standing between two performances at once..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    Not BDO but Leonard Cohen. I agree with Mark.

    I apologise to all those who couldn’t afford or missed out on tickets to Leonard Cohen. But his Wellington Concert was amazing. His great voice and poetry, his nine superb musicians (with backing singers who also turn cartwheels) provided an exceptionally enjoyable and memorable concert. Coming on stage soon after 8 pm they were still doing encores at 11.15pm with only a short break. And at the end the 75 year old - who joked about his age, and stature, and Te Papa’s giant squid - skipped off stage.

    We had to wait for about the 4th encore but at 11 pm he got to the highlight for me (only a few hours before Obama’s inauguration) ‘Democracy’ (is coming to the USA). The twirly harmonical bits were almost drowned out by the cheering.

    "Sail on, sail on
    O mighty ship of state!
    To the Shores of Need
    Past the Reefs of Greed
    Through the Squalls of Hate
    Sail on, sail on, sail on, sail on."

    The concert covered a large proportion of his extensive repertoire mixing the old favourites and less known with some innovative treatments. Reciting ‘Thousand Kisses Deep’ rather than singing it was particularly powerful. The Webb sisters (sort of a female Everley Brothers) harmonised beatifully on ‘If It Be Your Will’. Another highlight was his political ballad 'Partisan'.

    We could see, we could hear the words, and the sound and lighting were just right. A raised platform for wheelchairs gave a great view.

    My only gripe. Why do so many people not get seated on time? The first 35 minutes was Sam Hunt’s – and what we could hear and see was great. Yet for the whole time people traipsed in front of us in the dark, some chatting, some calling to their friends, stumbling to their seats. Ggrrh.
    But forgotten as the older crowd dispersed happy and humming at 11.30.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Tony Kennedy,

    For all you people going to Leonard Cohen on Thursday, you are in for something special if last night’s Wellington performance is anything to go by and yes it was well worth the price of the ticket. To many high lights to list, indeed the whole performance is just one super highlight.
    It’s the first concert I have been to where all the “roadies” are onstage providing vocals for the final encore. It was that kind of night.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 225 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Harris,

    As a reference, Simon Sweetman raves

    As we left last night, I said to my wife "If Sweetman doesn't like this one, I'm going to kill him", so I'm glad I don't have to ;-)

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    I wonder if Kim Hill managed to get an interview with him. Her listeners were helping with the lobbying at the end of last year. Would be great to hear if she did. On the other hand the concert revealed quite a lot about about him and his life.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    No, he even turned Kim down. But she can still play his music on Saturday mornings.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Blake Monkley,

    Not least that this kind of be-very-afraid tactic runs a serious risk of nasty unintended consequences. How many kids necked their entire supply before going in? Or decided to risk buying drugs on-site?

    It took only two weeks before Mr Brown premonition resulted in a death. A very tragic set of circumstances.

    Auckland • Since Jul 2008 • 215 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    It took only two weeks before Mr Brown premonition resulted in a death. A very tragic set of circumstances.

    How awful, and how awfully predictable.

    That Green MP sounds like she's on the case though.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Blake Monkley,

    The Green MP on ABC radio

    Auckland • Since Jul 2008 • 215 posts Report Reply

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