Global Gathering @ Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne (22/11/08)
2008 has seen more large scale dance parties than most years before it and, heading into summer, getting a crowd along to Global Gathering was always going to challenge. Never mind the fact that it was the worst day of weather that Melbourne has seen since the opening hours of 2006, when it pissed down all over Fatboy Slim at Summadayze. Like I cared though. A new baby in the family has seen me take a 6-month hiatus from the clubbing scene, and I was gagging for a bit of fun. The line up was a real smorgasbord of old and new acts across a broad section of genres, and it was just great to be out – with my emergency poncho in hand.
If you were there, skip to next paragraph. But if you weren’t, then delight in the fact that when I left home at 10am, it was hailing. When all the ITM contributors met up at a nearby rotunda for a glass of champas at 11am, the rain was coming in sideways. As we entered a bit after midday, it hadn’t improved and really, it was on and off all day. Did it affect the party? Definitely. Negatively? Not necessarily.
Early on we wandered around main stage where Agent 86 played to not many dancers, because there was no main stage dance floor. Now I know Future throw great parties and know their shit, but I don’t understand a dance party at the bowl with a dance floor that literally measures 4 metres by 10 metres. I’d love to know the logic. Cost cutting? Another storm had us rushing under cover to the umbrellas of the VIP section… which we couldn’t actually hide under as a wind warning had anything that could potentially fly away being tied down. But our short time there saw us entertained by the Ashton Shuffle, who I get the feeling may have stuck around for three entertaining hours on the decks.
At 2:30pm, the venue was pretty frikkin empty which can be mildly disconcerting, especially with no trance stage open yet. The Cloud 9 Stage though, situated behind the bowl on the high ground, rocked out their own party with Andy Peters vs. Nick Young and then Nick Jones vs. Tom Evans drawing a crowd. All good fun, phat sounds in just a hint of sunshine.
But 3pm was when it started for me with Steve Strangis hitting the decks. This guy is a talented and enduring artist who always delivers. Steve was framed beautifully by the Godskitchen stage with some skyline behind. Clear sounds, not too loud (the geeks with the noise monitoring equipment and clip boards made sure of that) and outdoors really suited Strangis who built it up, gave us something to boogie to and then expertly handed the reigns over to Tydi who brought it back and played some lighter, trancier sounds that the crowd just dug. I loved his work when he stepped out to the front of the stage and gave us some love.
Once Tydi was done it was time for sit down at the top of the hill. That was my first moment for the day – a chair, a table and a heater right the top of the hill. A beautiful thing, the crowd wandering by with a clearing sky and Sasha getting it going on the main stage. It took half an hour of rejuvenation until Sasha’s tunes hit their mark, and we started getting into it. So it turns out the main stage minus the dancefloor actually wasn’t so bad. You can still boogie near the fold up chairs, so once I got used to it I had a ball, and Sasha complimented it beautifully with all sorts of tunes, from the traditional progressive to tribal with the odd piece of funk. It was just what the crowd was after from a veteran DJ/producer who’s known worldwide.
Continuing the theme of sampling as many artists as I could in a day, I cruised off to catch The Orb. This time the umbrellas were out at the MOS stage and VIP area and it made for great value, sitting on a comfy couch and catching an seminal old-school electronic act. They were trippy. Let’s face it, they were always going to be. But an appreciative crowd lined up and got into it, and it was made all the more entertaining by a certain few trippers in the crowd itself. But then, Above & Beyond were calling…
In some respects I wanted them on main stage, but that little side area with the city backdrop and a devoted crowd just had it rocking. The sound was typical Above & Beyond – flawless execution, great track selection, moments of driving bliss and plenty of hooks to get the punters going nuts. However, the moment was owned by the crowds. Even as it rained, the intense body heat kept us together and warm, evaporating the showers that were falling almost constantly, creating a mood of “they are here and so are we and we aint leaving”. ‘Twas the bond that brought the trance crew together. A great thing to be part of.
I was cut that I couldn’t be at the mainstage to miss electro forefathers Kraftwerk – but it turns out I didn’t miss anything. The German four-piece were one of the most anticipated acts on the bill, but they ended up missing their headline set to due a serious illness.
So in the end, the elements (especially the weather) combined to mean that the odds were against Global Gathering for a great party. The lineup was varied but quality, the crowd got there late but the ones who did make it along wanted to be there, and once the party started there was no where else I wanted to be. See ya at Global Gathering next year hopefully, this time pray with a big fat main stage dancefloor.
dj_jabbo says...
It was a shambles.....
em_bem says...
Anyone who didn't have a ball dancing in the rain to Above and Beyond MISSED OUT!
Medea312 says...
badly organised event....but awesome sets by Steve, tydi, above and beyond..and ATB till about half way...
Kat_in_Japan says...
Above
Elliot G says...
kudos on the review - i wasnt there, but you certainly painted the picture.. *thumbs up* ... hoping for better weather this week in Sydney-town..
Kitty99 says...
Good review, its spot on about how the day unfolded. A smallish turnout from the crowd did make it noticable and dispice the rain, i did see smiles amung the crowds. The Godskitchen stage was the place it was @....the organisers should have known Trance was the popular choice. If the trance acts were on the main stage, the turnout in the crowd would be better thus resulting in higher revenue for the organisers but it's their loss
hamo32 says...
I had an awesome day and the rain didn't bother me. Mark Ronson was the stand-out for me. I feel sorry for Gorillaz Soundsystem (and Kraftwerk), that was the worst set I've seen at any festival but it wasn't their fault, they would have had all their stuff ready to go at the MOS stage and were then told to go to main where they had nothing and gave us nothing.
brenly says...
great review! the only thing that was exceptionally amazing about this festival was the lack of dickhead-tops off-muzza hero-wankers! the crowd was awesome!!
barkus says...
yes the total lack of muzza's and wankers was fabbo. in some respects a samaller crowd at a bigger venue can be better than a packed house. but hey, its one viewpoint among many. thanks for the comments guys