Harvest Time, good crops, celebratory moments at Werribee Park.

 

 

The train was full of music lovers, hipsters and ‘people WTF is happening in this train’… as the station were further away, the city distances increased and it was amazing to see some hipsters saying good by to the train as they were leaving… it was drama… our thought was: ‘Oh! a hipster in this train is not going to Werribee, what a terrible feeling for that poor guy/gal’
 
People anxious, people looking the time tables, people screaming in the wagons with a stubbie covered by paper. I saw an old man chatting with some pals and showing them his cup of Winnie the Pooh, an awesome moment, he was going to gather shellfish near Altona.
 
At the moment we got into the Werribee area the sky was perfect and everybody inside the train step out with a smile. The buses were waiting for us and the way to the park was slow but I really didn’t care. It could be worse. No queues at the entry and the backpack check was very quick. Free Lipton Tea welcomed you… good.
 

The place, was fantastic, full of shade tree areas, a lagoon and the Mansion. But suddenly something disturbed us: the music at the Wind Mills stage sounded bad… really bad, was the band? This Town Needs Guns were playing at the moment… was it the equipment? we needed to wait some more minutes to discover it was the equipment. No bands sounded good at this stage, including Flaming Lips… very disappointing, a ‘Low-light’ for the festival.
 
In the Great Lawn we enjoyed the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble meanwhile we ate some sandwiches… we realized later that our food was a very good idea! The queues for food and drinks were loooooongggg
 
People hugging some old friends just now reunited for The Gathering, crowds waiting for money at the ATMs, but most of the people lying in their blankets, enjoying the music. When The Family Stone began to play Melbournians were mostly arriving to the event, but some minutes later the young fellows were cheering the old band and a funky atmosphere surrounded the mansion gardens.
We went to listen The Walkmen, poor sound… check… going to PVT. This musicians were really awesome, the development of the music, the joy they were showing… We love u PVT!
Seekae was also a Highlight of the festival, we were amazed for these 2 bands. Ah! Our Lady J was impressing people in the Le Bourdoir, great voice and performance!

Personaly, I was a little bit anoyed because the overlap timing between Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Bright Eyes, and during the time TV On The Radio were playing I felt CYHSY needed that stage, the same feeling with The Nationals, for me they were just another band I can give it a miss, specially because they were the only band sounding like s#it in that stage.
 

Well, Bright Eyes were brilliant, I was having all the fun, all the emotional moments, trumpets and guitars, I like it, I think we all missed songs, but, what can you do in just 1 hour? good set for the festival :) When they finished we ran to listen to CYHSY (what happened with the sound in tat stage!!! OMG :( ) But the guys are full of cheerful and complimentary feelings. The people were so happy, dancing, kissing each other, the guys playing another song, the guys saying: and special thank to you and you….

 
The time into The Nationals and Mogwai we were in a toilets queue… then Mogwai showed a powerful repertoire. In the Secret Garden I was dancing… in the secret garden they were eating, in the sg they were looking to the crops…
 
I was waiting for years for a Portishead show, I felt nervous and it was like a revenge from my past disappointment when I needed to cancel my trip to Coachella in 2008 (I had my invitation and credential…) I cut the Mogwai show and we were near the stage, ready to observe, to be there and not to loose a second in fights or deficient sounds… I was happy in this stage the equipment sounded really good.

 
When the band appeared it was a such a moment! The set was emotional, strong. I was happily surprised, I thought they would be playing more themes from Third, but this setlist made me cry. All the show was sublime, my neighbors were the ideal ones, listening, respectful…
For the last song Beth abruptly disappear from the stage she was giving hi fives! and hugs, running to say hello to the fans. Then she went back to the stage just jumping with a big smile to then just hide again her face with her hair and to drink some refreshments.

The set list you can find it here: http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/portishead/2011/werribee-park-werribee-south-australia-23d1809f.html

With a blissed heart, rapture and beautiful memories from my teenage times we walked to the Wind Mills Stage just to find a huge celebration clattering, like a headphone overloaded. Poor Flaming Lips…

We were there for some minutes trying to find a good place to listen better, a privileged spot, but no… it was time to go home, catch the bus, then the train… both full of nice people having conversations about the highlights… yeah, Harvest time, to clean the fields, enjoy the crops and to have a party.

Also! we have a photo gallery!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeckafou/sets/72157627996235723/