Tim Pittman showing ex-Moff Thee Alan Hislop, a thing or two about lawn bowls...
SPIRITUALIZED – MAIN STAGE ATP MT.BULLER
Live and on record Spiritualized have a reputation for being inconsistent. On this occasion however, with unlimited access to volume and taking full advantage of the headliner’s light show, Spiritualized, in full seven piece band mode (including two former Bad Seeds back-up gospel singers) gave us the show we always knew they could. Raw, powerful soul music at its best.
DIRTY THREE – MAIN STAGE ATP MT.BULLER
Performing their fourth album, Ocean Songs, in its (almost) entirety, the Dirty Three showed yet again that they are the most consistent live act out there. Consistently great that is. Joined by Nick Cave on piano, the Filthy Four attacked their set as if they were the last men standing: desperate and ragged and with Warren Ellis’ tortured violin howling in cries of relief over the rolling rhythms of guitarist Mick Turner & drummer Jim White. Sublime.
THE SAINTS – MAIN STAGE ATP MT.BULLER
They may have been indifferent at their other performances but ATP Mt.Buller brought the best out of The Saints. Loud and tight and with a set-list drawn in equal part from all three of their seminal albums, plus a storming rendition of Ike & Tina’s River Deep Mountain High, the reformed Saints did not disappoint. The adoring crowd thought so too. So much so that the normally poker-faced Mick Turner of the Dirty Three was caught pogoing in the mosh! What greater recommendation do you need?
DEAD MEADOW – THE ABOM, MT.BULLER
The scene inside the 300 capacity ABOM resembled the inside sleeve of the MC5′s High Times: bodies gathered around the low rise stage – standing, kneeling, sitting on chairs, sitting on equipment – all desperate to soak up Dead Meadows psychedelic jams and Hendrix-inspired groove. A late afternoon surprise for those in the know and an inspired choice from Bad Seeds bassist Martyn Casey.
PASSENGER OF SHIT – ABOM ATP MT.BULLER
The Passenger, a friend of Nick Cave’s son, had stayed on the floor of the Bad Seeds UK office and inadvertently left his myspace page open on the office computer. Stumbling across it the next day, Nick was so impressed that the request for an ATP appearance came through soon after. Creating a racket that crossed speed metal with a dentist’s drill whilst wearing a penis mask and giving us all the finger, one-man band Passenger of Shit created so much controversy at his ABOM show on the Friday night that we just had to have him back on the Saturday. The result? More of the same but this time the ABOM was packed to capacity and there were lengthy queues to get in. All this while The Bad Seeds were on the main stage too. He was also great in Sydney.
LAUGHING CLOWNS – ATP MT.BULLER & COCKATOO ISLAND
Arguably the most anticipated act of all ATP, the Laughing Clowns did not disappoint. Featuring the mid-career line-up of Kuepper, Wegener, Elliott and Millar and with Alistar Spence guesting on keyboards, the Clowns played a typically obtuse set from an already eclectic catalogue and included the six minute funeral dirge Collapse Board. Not your normal festival fare. It worked a treat.
AFRIRAMPO
“We love ATP!” We Love Nick Cave!” “We Love Australia!” And the Australian ATP audience loved Japanese duo Afrirampo and their abstract concoction of heavy metal riffs, tribal drums and wailing vocals – all learned from a stint living with some Pygmies in Africa – or so they told me… Genius.
FUCK BUTTONS – ATP MT.BULLER & COCKATOO ISLAND
It was with some trepidation that we placed Fuck Buttons mid-afernoon on the main stage, after all, these are just two dudes working with laptops and programmers and very little else. But they had a show to do in Hobart the next day and such as travel is in and out of that isle their programing was pre-determined. We need not have worried. The ‘Buttons electro-pulse proved irresistible even in the broad daylight and a previously slow selling Melbourne side-show sold out all remaining tickets very quickly. They were even better under the stars in Sydney.
BEACHES – ATP MT.BULLER & COCKATOO ISLAND & WITH MOGWAI
I like this band. They have probably the best Australian release of the last 12 months or so and while their live shows are slightly stilted the songs and sound they generate is enough to overcome any inhibition. A new release is highly anticipated by me at least.
MICK HADLEY & THE OTHERS
Wow, this was great! I had no expectation whatsoever but the former singer for Australian sixties punks, the Purple Hearts, proved a truly entertaining front man with a great voice and The Others finally had the material to show off their talents. A career best for the band and rare treat from Mr.Hadley.
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