Well the first ever V Festival on the Gold Coast did not get off to a fantastic start. The main gates opened, but the ticket processing area was not, so we didn’t move too far. There seemed to be some confusion over what was meant to be happening. After a very long wait they finally stated to check tickets and let us in at about 12:30, when the first band was actually meant to start, hence why “That Stage” was running late all day. Also the ridiculous names of the stages made it confusing especially if you were trying to locate your friends on the mobile phone. The stages where called, “This Stage” (Blue), “That Stage” (Red), “Other Stage” (Yellow) and there was a DJ tent called “Virgin Mobile Venue”. You would think the colours would make it easier. Right? Wrong, there were no colours around any of the stages, except for the Blue and Red lights around “This Stage” and “That Stage” respectively, some of the signage was a bit confusing at first, but once we got the layout sorted out all was fine. The price of the food was even more expensive than standard festival expensive. I had a lamb kebab $8.50, other prices of things I didn’t buy, 600mL water $4, Roast Beef Roll $7, and corn on the cob $4 each. It was just crazy prices for food, the Big Day Out isn’t that expensive but I guess that’s what happens when you have the local Lions catering building in the middle of Parklands (keeps it competitive).
Ok enough about what they did badly to the things that were done really well. The use of big screens either side of the two main stages (“This” and “That”) with various camera people working around the stages capturing all the close-up footage you could handle. I think these screens helped control the crowd as there was no huge push to get close to get a good view. The Big Day Out needs to seriously consider having the same/similar thing. The free ponchos where great if you got in early enough to keep you nice and dry from the couple of small showers that did pass over. Since I am not a person who drinks alcohol at festivals, I loved the segregation of the bars and the fact that you were not permitted to remove alcohol from the designated bar areas. The crowd was fantastic all day. I was not once pushed or shoved by a drunken sweaty yob and coping half their beer/rum down my back. This may also have had something to do with the V Festival not selling out, but it was also a great venue with a good layout. (Only gripe with the layout is “That Stage” should have been turned away a little more from “This Stage” towards the entrance.)
The major thing that I am now torn over is the concept of the dual stage set up (like at the Big Day Out). I use to think that this was the only way to go for a festival, whilst a dual stage provides continuous music, but since there is no break the crowd is less likely to disperse between sets. This inhibits fans from getting up close for their favourite bands.
Now to the reviews I will keep them short and I am not going to do the first two bands I saw because I can’t really remember them so they can’t have been that good.
Phoenix (This Stage) performed a tight set. The sound was great and performances had the rock star approval of the crowd. During the last song singer, Thomas Mars, came down off the stage and entered the crowd. The crowd went a little nuts and security had no idea what to do. Thomas was getting hair ruffled by everyone. I guess it was so for the next three days tops those people could be like “Oh my God I touched that singer from that band at V Festival called Phoenix.” Thomas eventually made his way back to the front and security dragged him over the crowd barrier (at his request). Anyway Phoenix was one of the best overall sets at the V Festival. I can only hope that they return soon.
Performance 9.5
Technical 9.5
Nouvelle Vague (That Stage) are, to quote the V Festival descriptor, “Genre-bending at it’s most innovative, the sound of Nouvelle Vague is best summarised as “covers of 80s new wave and punk rehashed into a bossanova incarnation.” Intriguing, non?” Si, very intriguing indeed. Nouvelle Vague acoustic remixes are captivating and singer Mélanie Pain has a very similar sound to Kate Miller-Heidke. Entertaining and a great set that would have gone nicely with a bottle of wine and a cheese platter picnic.
Performance 8
Technical 9
Gnarls Barkley (That Stage) was one of the most energetic acts I have seen in a while got the whole crowd pumping. Gnarls Barkley has the support of a full band including a string quartet. Gnarls Barkley were too big for “That Stage”, hell they are a band with such a huge personality and attitude that no stage is big enough to contain it. What else did you expect when you put Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo Green together on the same stage. I was a little concerned when Cee-Lo Green (Thomas Callaway) started talking the crowd up staying that we all know this song, so he is going to hardly sing it and that he wanted us to do it. Now I am all for crowd participation but there is no way that a crowd can reproduce the vocals for Crazy. Thankfully he realised that not many people were even going to attempt these vocals, so he took over.
Performance 9.5
Technical 9
The Rapture (Other Stage) were by far the loudest at the V Festival. The Rapture produced a high energy performance that really created a buzz. A great act to have seen just as the sun was setting to reenergise everyone before the night-time proceedings.
Performance 9
Technical 8
Beck (This Stage) was good as Beck could be. He must have been recovering or coming down with something because unfortunately his voice wasn’t at its best. However his set was extremely entertaining complete with live puppets, where the puppeteers were copying the bands movements with their puppets. The use of the cameras and the big screens completed the overall experience. You would look at the stage and see Beck singing, then look up at the screen and there was “Puppet Beck” singing along. Another part of the Beck experience was when his band gathered around a table set with plates, bowls, cutlery and glasses, and stated to freestyle at the table using the cutlery to tap anything on the table (including the table) slowly building it up. Beck was polite enough to ask if we could hear the table (which we could). It’s quite amazing the sound you can get out of a dinner table.
The puppets ventured out to the front of the stage and, as the puppets headed back to the back of the stage again, “Puppet Beck” stayed out the front and hopped on the end of Beck’s guitar and was over course copying every movement. (There is only one word to describe it and that’s “cute”.) Beck did announce that he would be back, hopefully sooner rather than later.
Performance 9
Technical 8
Pixies (This Stage) What can be said. The Pixies rocked! Played all the favourites and then some, including my personal favourite “Monkey Gone To Heaven” which I woke up with in my head the next morning and where it remained for the rest of day. The stage was set with only what can be described as “rock musician minimalist” the only things on stage where instruments and the corresponding amplifiers. The lighting was very rock-esk as you would expect. The best thing about the Pixies set was that there was no mucking around they were here to play music and that’s what they were going to do. Here is the huge setlist:
In Heaven'/'Wave Of Mutilation (UK Surf)
Bone Machine
Monkey Gone To Heaven
U-Mass
Head On
Caribou
Subbacultcha
No. 13 Baby
Tame
Hey
The Holiday Song
Here Comes Your Man
Wave Of Mutilation
Planet Of Sound
Debaser
Crackity Jones
Something Against You
Isla De Encanta
Nimrod's Son
Vamos
Where Is My Mind
The Pixies did the best suited encore break for a festival by remaining on stage before playing their last two songs.
La La Love You
Gigantic
I really hope the Pixies enjoyed their first time touring Australia and I hope they will be back again soon.
Performance 9.5
Technical 9
