BDO and Aussie pride

I went to the Big Day Out at the Gold Coast this year - certainly was an experience, if not for the bands, but for the people watching. There were amazing sets from bands that I really wanted to see (even though the sound was pretty poor) but the punters were something else. Big Day Out in Sydney is usually a couple of days before or on Australia Day, but the Gold Coast patriots were out in full force on the Sunday a week before Australia Day. It was more common than not for everyone to have their symbol of Australian pride on them somewhere; whether it was tattoos of the southern cross, outlines of Australia or the Australian emblem. Patriotism was the theme for the day.
This is something I have never understood; I am happy to be Australian, and happy to live in a democratic society but usually to be ‘proud’ of something, you actually have to do something to be proud of and I’m thinking that a piece of land doesn’t really fulfill that. When I also hear about the scenes that happened in Manly on Australia Day, it makes me even more reluctant to jump into the socially constructed pride and celebration of being ‘Australian’. Tony Abbot stated that the group of 80 kids are ‘ratbags,’ rather than racists, although it’s hard to see how the slurs being chanted at Manly Corso - ‘Clap your hands if you’re white’ and ‘Fuck off, we’re full’ - can be misinterpreted.

BUT at Big Day Out, all the acts that I went to see lived up to expectations. I had been told to go and watch My Morning Jacket, and I'm sad to say that I hadn't listened to them before seeing them. But they have inspired me to listen and have been since seeing them - such a good set, and such interesting musicians. Even a bit of theatrics thrown in for good measure - donning a vampire-inspired cape.

Never been the greatest fan of the Arctic Monkeys, but travelled with someone who adored them, so by default, knew most of the songs the played (which usually is the making of a good show). I was happy to watch them, very fun.

I was hanging out for Neil Young, who was awesome - drew a small crowd as most people were at the Prodigy. His guitar playing is incredible - nothing makes me more content, happy, exhilarated and awe-struck than the sight and sound of someone playing the electric guitar well.

The Prodigy were just insane... wandered over there after Neil Young. So so hectic. I was slightly skeptical of them - I tend to group together techno/trance/house/dance, but whatever you label the Prodigy, you can not get their full potential unless seen live. The Presets may consider themselves as dirty, underground music, but The Prodigy have to be the hardest and most intense music, as well as being the scariest people I have ever seen live.