The most notable thing about
Roisin Murphy was her collection of bizarre couture (or, in a see-through sheer white "clothing malfunction", a lack of) but the laid-back lilt suited the miild-stretch/drinking part of the day. Under grey skies the tense
The Jesus and Mary Chain seemed right at home, with Jim Reid even mentioning "It's so fucken cold here. What's goin on? It's like fucken Scotland." The frosty vibe was apparent onstage also with the band barely making eye contact. But unlike certain headliners later in the day, they seemed at least united in their lack of communication. After this sneering performance
Air came across as faintly hilarious, in their white pants and Roger David stage wear. Especially when the dowdy ginger spoke in a robot voice “We are the synchronisers” while looking like he'd be more comfortable with a glass of Chardonnay and the New Yorker in place of his bass guitar.
Queens of the Stone Age were the odd men out on this line-up. Too loud, too rough, and too brash amongst the fey dance types. Or as Billy Corgan later said "Queens of the Stone Age. Proving that the drugs
do work." From the moment they began, Josh and Co had the audience on side and licking the sugar-rock from the palms of their hands. Featuring hirsute new bassist Michael Shuman the band tore through “Burn The Witch”, “Feel Good Hit Of The Summer” and set closer “No One Knows” like they were the headliners. "How's my favourite city in Australia doing?" Josh cooed. Men and women alike quivered in response. Likewise to 80s superband
Duran Duran who had their stage decked out like a loading dock from
Aliens. The band looked equally futuristic, all shiny-faced, black-clad and frosted tips. Still, it was hard to tell if they actually sounded relevant or that amongst the synth-pop revivalists framing them that their nostalgia-trip passes as present. Whatever the case, on this day they seemed a lot more fitting than their co-headliners.
The
Smashing Pumpkins were utterly disinterested. From a distance their glammed-up silhouetes could trick you into thinking it was the exact same spot in 1994 again, when they owned the Big Day Out on the back of
Siamese Dream. The early performances of “Today” and “Hummer” even more so. But the giant screens side of stage showed a Billy Corgan looking scruffy and just kinda....sad. Even drummer Jimmy Chamberlain, normally a powder keg of kinetic energy, seemed subdued. A limp solo "1979" from Billy and an invite for his brother to join him on stage slowed things down even further. The new songs were bloated and muddy. So much so I left.
To go see
The Presets. And a hall packed to the brim with people going nuts. Where the Pumpkins were a slog, this, the "Other Stage" was overflowing with joy/beer/glowing lightsabers. The Presets as showmen were on display tonight, their simple set up of a synth and a drum kit providing all the focus needed for the crowd to get their dance on. Which they did. In raptures. With label mates Cut Copy going number one last week with
In Ghost Colours it seems a sure thing for The Presets upcoming
Apocalypso to perhaps follow suit. Proving maybe that bloated reunions are unnecessary when the current lean crop have your measure.