Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Friday Music: Walking Distance

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  • Martin Lindberg,

    Walking distance

    Stumbling distance even...

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    handbag techno

    Damn, another genre I hadn't heard of.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    If they want it to be something different from the Big Day Out, then re-launching and calling it the Big Day Out is a bit silly.

    My guess would be that C3 are the ones behind this? Having just got back from the WMC in Miami and seen what was spent on production at Ultra (not to mention the sort of money the DJ’s are charging these days) It looks to me like the US festival scene is awash with money right now. EDC, lollapalooza, Ultra, etc etc. Hell, even the smallest boat party in Florida seems to involve 300 people on a pint sized ship with free booze and food, and the monster they had parked out the back of Ultra as the artists lounge took up the entire viewfinder at ranges shorter than 200 metres.

    Anyway, outside the usual suspects of commercial radio (Swedish House Mafia and co) There is so much dance music talent at the moment in the US you want to cry at its lack of presence here, hopefully any tie up with US management outfit will see a bit more of the explosion that is happening in the USA here.

    Oh and having seen the visual production standards at Ultra, all I can say is wow. We’ve got no idea what we are missing out on with the crappy visuals we get here. Just no idea.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    If they want it to be something different from the Big Day Out, then re-launching and calling it the Big Day Out is a bit silly.

    I know what you mean, but i think there's still some value in the brand. "The Big Day Out is coming back" got them a lot of press yesterday, in a way that announcing some other name wouldn't have.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    There is so much dance music talent at the moment in the US you want to cry at its lack of presence here

    The BDO organisers have consistently crapped on that genre compared with any flavour of rawk. Putting Fatboy Slim in a tiny tent next to the supertop is but one example. Any reason for optimism that will change under the same management?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • diversitynz,

    Definitely stoked to have BDO right down the road in 2014. Hopefully I may even be able to just sit on the deck and soak up the sounds, depending on the wind direction.

    Since Dec 2006 • 28 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Sacha,

    The BDO organisers have consistently crapped on that genre compared with any flavour of rawk. Putting Fatboy Slim in a tiny tent next to the supertop is but one example.

    A notorious misjudgement, but that was years ago. Dance music 's actually had a good run -- huge Boiler Room bills ever year -- but not so much reggae or hip hop, for which there was rarely a place, physically or philosophically. I think that was where the lineups missed local tastes.

    Any reason for optimism that will change under the same management?

    Now that "EDM" has gone fucking massive in the US, the market there has come around to something like the fare of traditional Boiler Room headliners like the Chemical Brothers (who I found really tedious live, but whatever). So I guess there'll be one or two dubstep/brostep/EDM stars in 2014. Which is fine. But imagine if there was, like, a little deep house tent for grown-ups ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell,

    Coalminers Song has The. Best. Riff. And variations. And the rest.
    Well deserved Gordons- classic in the very best sense.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens, in reply to Sacha,

    No, none whatsoever.

    The integration of "live stage" with "DJ" at Ultra was great to see. In particular, seeing what treating the visual mixing as an integral - and live - part of the performance brings to a show was a real eye opener.

    Watching the best visual mixers in the world in action was awesome.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    But imagine if there was, like, a little deep house tent for grown-ups …

    I don’t know about this. The days of walling off the doof doof crowd with their it-isn’t-really-music-is-it from the rest are well and truly over. Put them on the main stage, get out the dancing girls, fireworks, lasers and a fuck-off light show and the crowd would go bananas over a Carl Cox.

    Well, a younger crowd would – I got the distinct impression that by the time of the final tragic BDO the promoter had no real idea anymore what anyone under 40 might want to see.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • bob daktari,

    I think the major failing for the electronic/dance fraternity was the need to put that shit under a (tent) roof - electronic music lives & breathes as much outdoors as in, party lights and dancing girls or not (personal preference is for the not, but I is old)

    auckland • Since Dec 2006 • 540 posts Report Reply

  • Alan Perrott,

    I'm liking the notion of a BDO within walking distance, but I really hope it isn't targetted at boomers and early doors Gen Xers. I quite like using events like that as a tasting plate of new sounds - especially if curated by people who's taste I can trust - so the idea of hearing the same ol' same ol' acts they know will get a crowd leaves me yawning.
    I'd also like to see a programme that busted out of the standard 4/4 riffarama and white boy rock to maybe include interesting jazz/ left field genres. at risk of coming off as a jaded curmudgeon I find Laneways to be largely tedious, aside from the glorious exception of Holy Fuck, them I could see again.
    anyway, putting my mouse where my mouth is, I've been digging around some old Polish music and came across this track - it kicks off all Donovan but hits a cool, if po-faced, choral pop groove. must explore further.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 438 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    Put them on the main stage

    Yes

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Alan Perrott,

    I'd also like to see a programme that busted out of the standard 4/4 riffarama and white boy rock

    Amen

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Barnard, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    You're probably right, but I doubt they could sell the festival on the back of that sort of thing. It'll be interesting to see how much they try and change the whole dynamic.
    Big stages in big fields need big crowds, and given a kind of collective taste is becoming less and less common, acts who'll appeal to a younger crowd & pull massive crowds may not be simple.
    You're seeing it with the likes of Glastonbury and other European festivals increasingly falling back on the safety boomer era rock, as a safe bet.
    I'm sure part of it is that people making the decisions are out of touch, but I also think people's tastes being more fractured plays a part as well.
    It's of course not a bad thing, and loads of festivals make it work by not relying on a small number of acts to pull huge crowds.
    Question is can they make BDO work that way?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2012 • 72 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    Well, a younger crowd would – I got the distinct impression that by the time of the final tragic BDO the promoter had no real idea anymore what anyone under 40 might want to see.

    I quite enjoyed that day, tragic as it was. Checked out Nero while all the dad-rockers were shuffling around in front of Noel Gallagher. Got very excited when they dropped the 'Blinded By the Lights' remix.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Barnard,

    Big stages in big fields need big crowds, and given a kind of collective taste is becoming less and less common, acts who’ll appeal to a younger crowd & pull massive crowds may not be simple.

    It works at the level of Rhythm & Vines, where they're happy to mix up genres. Personally, I think the local BDO should take a leaf from the newer festivals and budget for closer to 20,00 people than 40,000.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    I don’t know about this. The days of walling off the doof doof crowd with their it-isn’t-really-music-is-it from the rest are well and truly over. Put them on the main stage, get out the dancing girls, fireworks, lasers and a fuck-off light show and the crowd would go bananas over a Carl Cox.

    Don't you think a lakeside groove tent would be sweet too, though? It doesn't have to be a full-noise EDM rave-up. But, like I said, I thought the Chemical Brothers were boring.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Alan Perrott, in reply to Sacha,

    mate, sounds like we need to get a band together...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 438 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Stewart, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    I don't know about lasers and dancing girls - I prefer my dance music dirty and grimy at 3am in a poorly lit dive - but a DJ can sure work on a regular festival stage without a sweaty tent.
    I was lucky to see DJ Click at Womad last month and it absolutely went off. I've never heard of him before (he's French but has spent a bit of time in Rajasthan sampling traditional beats and chants) but he sure mixes up the genres.

    Pt Chev • Since Feb 2012 • 73 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    [From Santa Monica]. Hmmm. Aren't we getting a bit ageist here, with the references to dad rock? I can recall Jeff Tweedy sounding off about such a lazy slur recently. I cannot comprehend the appeal of dance/electronica but everyone to their own tastes...

    So, Neil Young was tremendous in Wellington, but in chronological terms he should be grandpa rock?

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

  • Sacha, in reply to Alan Perrott,

    wouldn't want to impinge on you and Liam's DJing partnership :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Stewart, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    I heard Wilco refereed to as Dad Rock recently, lamenting the popularity of boat shoes at their gig

    Pt Chev • Since Feb 2012 • 73 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Rhythm & Vines, where they're happy to mix up genres

    That's on NYE, when all the people who never go to gigs go to a gig. So they (and others) try and book a wide range of acts so that lots of people can notice that their favourite B&G/metal/BBQ reggae/commercial rap act is playing and will go along.

    It doesn't make for a flowing dance experience when you've got psy-trance seguing into rugby-match music (as happened the last year of Canaan Downs).

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

  • Russell Brown,

    Meanwhile, I found security at Vector a bit stressy even when Neil Young was standing/GA on the ground floor (albeit with two classes of GA) -- clearly it's worse when the place is booked as a seated show, as Robert Plant was last night. Only selling seats at a show like that sucks, and having over-zealous security enforce it is even worse.

    By comparison: Elvis Costello at The Civic, where people managed the whole standing up thing themselves.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

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