From: raphael@research.canon.oz.au (Andrew Raphael)
Subject: Big Day Out - Sydney
Organization: Canon Information Systems Research Australia
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 09:12:44 GMT

Just to follow Brian's time-stamped format :-)

10:30am Walk up Cleveland St to the Showground.  I could have caught a
bus, but it was such a fine morning.

11:30am The Welcome Mat start on Machinery Square stage.  I arrive during
the first song, pausing only to put the lens on my camera.  Cory wearing
special BDO Wellies shirt that says "You Should Have Seen Us Last Year."
Good set, new songs, mention of album.  Fair amount of audience surfing,
special note taken of man wearing top half of dinner suit.

12:45pm Swordfish on Machinery Square.  They played very well.  Congo
player/dancer from Trout Fishing In Quebec guesting, attracted much
audience attention.  James's run off stage and into audience confused
all the security staff, who sent a posse to get him back.

1:30pm Clouds on Main stage for 15 minutes.  The furthest away I've ever
been at a Clouds gig.  I watch the gig through a 210mm zoom lens (Canon,
of course!).  The new drummer, Raf, put on a good show, and caused several
people standing near me to air-drum.  Lots of mosh & audience surf.

2:00pm Hummingbirds on Machinery Square.  I liked this gig much more than
the last time I saw the H'birds.  Tight, enjoying themselves, playing
new stuff.  The promised EP didn't appear at the Waterfront stall, sadly.
Audience very subdued. No mosh at all.  The H'birds have been out of
the limelight too long to attract those people.

3:15pm Fauves on Machinery Square.  Band of the day for me.  Two blokes
with a megaphone harangue the audience: "Anyone not wearing a black
T-shirt, will you please leave the area!" and so on.  The Fauves come
on and start by bellowing "WE'RE THE FAUVES!  COME AND SEE US!  HURRY!
WE'RE STARTING, YOU'LL MISS US!"  Then straight into the set.

I was wondering why the guy with the goatee was wearing knee boots, but
it was made obvious when they played "Crossdresser".  He stripped off.
Down to a pair of women's lace panties.  Which goes to show why there
aren't Her Pants For Him.  The bass player, who looks a lot like my
friend Tom Cohen, said "We're from Melbourne."  The crowd got a lot more
interested after that, and Mr. Goatee stayed undressed for the rest of
the set.

I saw some of St. Nick from a long way away, heard some thrash/grunge
in the Hordern Pavilion, ran into lots of friends and acquaintances,
including Melbournians and a woman I thought was in Britain.  Eventually I
went home, sunburned and with a splitting headache.  I was curious to
see Sonic Youth, but my good humour was going, and I don't like being
in crowds then.

Impressions?  My friend Liz Dowty was there, and she'd gone to the
Melbourne BDO too, and she said it was much better in Sydney.  There was
no nonsense about no-alcohol areas. I didn't see much drunkeness anyway,
but perhaps I saw the wrong bands for that.  :-) I didn't bother getting
a drinking tag, they only had Mercury cider (gag!).  The lemonade was
fantastic.  The food was excellent.

It was better than last year.  If it's as good next year, I'll be a
happy punter.  Next year, I'll try to get a photographers pass.  :-)

-- 
Andrew Raphael <raphael@research.canon.oz.au>
    "She's probably not what she seems, though she tries..."