It takes just a moment, just one performance. Amongst all the wandering between
stages checking off the highlighted names, just one of them needs to shine to make the
day worth the while. On a great day the sum equals the greater than it’s parts; the
festival is magically bigger than the star-studded line up. However, to walk away at
closing time with a smile it takes just one inspiring show. Enter on the Green Stage The
Go! Team.

Perhaps it was the timing with the first late afternoon relaxing beer but their arrival
on stage seemed no coincidence. The British six-piece oozed fun, funkiness and good
time mayhem. Led by dynamic singer/MC Ninja in her action themed workout kit and
featuring two drum kits on stage, the eclectic variety in the music they dished out was
like a live mashup mixtape. Their energy was infectious and there seemed no way you
couldn’t smile and get your groove on. Other reports from the day had “that
performance” attributed to sets by The Presets, The Mars Volta, The Beasts of Bourbon,
The Magic Numbers and more, all reportedly responsible for inspiring shows. Sometimes
such moments are planned or expected. It’s even better, as with this case of the The Go!
Team, that they hadn’t even made the highlighted itinerary yet became one of only two
acts witnessed in their entirety for this reviewer.

Big Day Out 2006 was lower key affair than the past few years. Whilst featuring a
long list of familiar and “big” names there were no obvious headliners. No massive acts
that in recent years have seen an extra 10,000+ people than the reported 25,000 people
in attendance on Sunday. No complaints though, it by no means felt empty and there
were few whinging of over crowdedness.

The major set up change this year was the repositioning of the Boiler Room. Those
turning up to it’s past home of Robinson Pavillion were treated to a nice display of
vintage cars and hotrods. Instead, it was moved to an outdoor stage set up in the grass
area between the train station and the main arena – the location for one of the side
stages featuring The Music and Jimmy Eats World in 2003. This shift seemed to have
divided dance music fans. With memories of last years Boiler Room debacle still fresh it
was pleasing to see a less restrictive area (no fixed walls around the area meant
everyone could pack in nice and tightly). However, some of the dedicated nocturnal
clubbers seemed a bit lost without their sheltered refuge from the rest of the population
and the lovely summers sun. A more minor set up change was the repositioning of the
Green Stage and Converse Stages. Instead of being side by side they were back to back,
allowing them to overlap a little in set times but also creating more traffic between the
two.

Musically there was a suitable mix of “must sees”, “not heard of’s”, “curious abouts”,
and “avoid at all costs”. After a year of solid touring and album accolades, Wolfmother
took full advantage of their mid afternoon main stage promotion. Despite a personal
indifference to their music, there was no denying the showmanship and ease to which
they took to their surrounds as they worked their way through a set of now familiar
standards. The mass migration that followed after they finished might have been little
disheartening for The Hilltop Hoods, but they seemed to have little trouble in getting
those that stayed jumping around and having some fun, beginning cheekily with the
White Stripes Seven Nation Army and finishing with their hit “The Nosebleed Section”.
The Kings of Leon had also earned an arena billing after a wooing crowds two years ago
on the side stages. Despite a nice tight sound, their onstage personality was somewhat
lacking and they were seemingly in automatic mode.

Meanwhile Sarah Blasko had been softly charming punters on the Converse Stage,
to be followed on the Green Stage by End of Fashion, who’d caught the migration from
their mates Wolfmother and wooing with just as much charisma. The Boiler Room Stage
at this time of day had a few dedicated dancers but most seemed content sitting back or
roaming elsewhere. French tech/electro jock Vitalic had a steady midafternoon groove
going, infusing distorted rock sounds at times. Ajax followed on in the side booth left of
stage with his trademark mash up of electro house. M.I.A was next and certainly proved
to be distinctive! The Sri Lankan born Londoner was shining as she marched the stage
chanting, screaming, rhyming and singing her way through her set of edgy beats.

There was only one way to follow such a performance – the silent disco. Having read
reports of them overseas it was only a matter of time before they showed up in Oz, a
dancefloor that to the outsider seems remarkably quiet. To those dancing away with
headphones on there were two choices of DJs (playing side by side) to whom you could
tune ito. Fun it was (short term). Fad or the future? Time will tell.

James Murphy had brought order to the Boiler Room stage with an evenly paced mix
of electro (that word again!) and a few faves thrown in for good measure, Talking Heads
was a treat. Belgium’s Dewaele Brothers had their band Soulwax on stage next, kicking
off with club and remix favourite “E-Talking” and continuing in much the same fashion.
With matching black outfits and big smiles to boot, the Boiler Room Stage was
showing some life.

But by now Franz Ferdinand was calling from across the field. Slick, tight, polished,
neatly dressed and even with a bit of banter, Franz Ferdinand made their way through
the highlights of two albums. Everything that could be hoped for in a memorable
performance yet they were well and truly blown away by Iggy & The Stooges. Old
enough to have fathered the Franz Ferdinand boys, Iggy Pop gave them a lesson or two
in working a crowed with energy befitting an 18 year old. As Iggy did his best to offend
every nearby Claremont resident within a five mile radius with constant screams of
“FUCK!”, he gave a little lesson in what punk rock was really about. One only hopes that
fans of the 2manyDJs infamous “Live at Radio Soulwax Vol 2” mix CD appreciated “I
Wanna Be your Dog” as it was originally intended. The White Stripes had a hard act to
follow and whilst Jack White undoubtedly proved what a talented bastard he is, at times
he tended to drift and lost site of the arena crowd he was meant to be entertaining.
Moments of brilliance, but sadly not a true headlining performance.

Back at the Boiler Room Stage the Dewaele Brothers had ditched the band in the
guise of their alter ego 2 Many DJs. They dished out a fun set mixing rock classics into
dance hall faves (Windowlicker, Song 2, etc). A fun way to finish the night, but similar
sentiments to the main stages in that a truly mind-blowing headlining performance it
wasn’t.

Bleary eyed and hoarse, packing the trains to get home before the witching hour and
get at least a few hours sleep before work the next day, a smile crept across the face.
The camera and phone were still working despite overzealous security guards with water
cannons (a 21st century festival feeble concern?) and most importantly, once again, the
musical pulse within was beating with enthusiasm and lust for more. The Go! Team had
been the home run into left field but there’d been plenty of single first and second base
runs to ensure another win for the Big Day Out. Bring on 2007!