2 March 2009

Corinbank 09 - Day 2

| johnboy
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The subject on everyone’s mind is beer.

I hear that on Friday night the long haul campers drank more beer than the whole festival sold last year. Saturday saw perfect weather arrive and the capacity crowds that came with it saw the event run completely dry of beer for a heart-wrenching half hour before normal service was resumed.

High quality problems to have.

One thing has been resolved though. With so many bands playing their last show at the festival there’s a consensus that while the first show is a “Premiere”, the last one can be called a “Derriere”. The Ellis Collective’s last show with Alison Procter was so thronged with professional photographers that we were queuing for the good shooting angles.

A special shout out has to go to the female festival goer who flew in from Adelaide on Friday night and then roller bladed through the night from the airport and up the mountain to get here. As long as I live I will never be that hardcore.

When it comes to hardcore I have to mention the Ellis Collective’s 3am effort this morning kicking each other in the balls for the amusement of the crowd (There’s a photo of Matty taking a kick like a man). I’m sad to report I was the one who said enough was enough and it was time to stop and sit down. The security guard thanked me.

The biggest crowds last night assembled for Blue King Brown, you could hear the cheering a kilometre away. The surprise packages of the evening with the crowd were the ever astonishing Mr Fibby who packed the Gibraltar Stage for a performance which, at the end of the day, is essentially story telling. They got a standing ovation.

In fact the local acts have been showing their class all weekend getting the same crowds as the national and international performers. A special shout out to Germany’s “The Beez” who have been out and about talking to the punters and enjoying the festival.

One thing that stands out is the number of day trippers who came out yesterday but are now vowing to camp next year. We hardy campers smile and nod and try not to be too smug about the errors of the day trippers ways.

The cover photo here is from possibly the most relaxed space in existence, the parachute enclosed chai tent.

Best news of all is that signs have been posted at the drumming creative campsite warning of the dangerous hungover mob which will descend if they start up before noon. The campsite this morning was beautifully still and quiet. Despite having to get up at 9am to entertain and edify you all with this report, things are good.

It’s another glorious day in the mountains, people are having a great time, and there’s a huge lineup of entertainment still to go today. I’m told Sunday night is the biggest party of all when the purple-bellied volunteers get to let their hair down.

(Slideshow below)

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rosebud said :

Looks awwright. Pretty waspish 20 somethings crowd looking at these photos.

You might be right about the white anglo saxons, not about them being protestants or 20 somethings.

J’zuz seekay it’s the negativity of folks like you that are putting a heck of a lot of people *off* the riot-act. Tell us what *you* did on the weekend, and we’ll all have a go at questioning why you made the decisions you did, eh?!

Back on topic, I have to say that this year’s Corinbank festival was one of the best events I’ve been too. The setup was great, the sound was awesome, and the overall atmosphere and vibe was just terrific. Laidback, relaxed, and just good fun. I could sit back with a few frosty bevvies and be left to my own devices, or I could get in amongst it all. Either way, no worries.

Kudos to the organisers for v. reasonable drink prices (I can see why they ran out briefly), good food selection (quick, reasonable service) and a fantastic music line-up. I’m not much into the tree-hugging-gay-whale-saving-hemp-beanie-wearing side of things, so to be honest, my rating of the overall festival is based pretty much on that line-up. seekay, “third divsion” the featured artists/bands may be, but everyone I saw put 110% effort into their performance, and the crowd reacted accordingly.

Four and a half “yeeeeeeeahs” out of five “yeeeeeeeahs”!

seekay said :

Why the f— would anyone other than the crustiest crusties sit in the dirt for a few days to hear a bundle of third division acts?

because they like fun?

Why the f— would anyone other than the crustiest crusties sit in the dirt for a few days to hear a bundle of third division acts?

(Or some severe ballkicking. At least it will take your mind off the cold)

A hippy cold?
You can probably cure that with some reiki, homeopathy, or some herbs waved over your lungs.

It was an amazing experience.

I also now have some sort of god damn hippie cold.

Looks awwright. Pretty waspish 20 somethings crowd looking at these photos.

kean van choc1:25 pm 01 Mar 09

Wicked write up, you’ve certainly sold me for next year – thanks.

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