After missing last weeks Big Day Out (please do not mention Underworld or Kraftwerk to me) I was looking forward to having an awesome day at Vibes. Although I was a little skeptical on the lineup for the promoter’s (top lineup, just not a crowd drawing lineup…esp in Brisbane) I was still amped and ready to shake my thang down by the river. After arriving in the city a bit before 2pm and learning that they had shut down one area due to low ticket sales my heart suddenly sank a little. Was this fantastic day that I had planned going to hit the gutter before I could started? Well read on I say.
I had reached my destination of the river stage a tad after 2pm. The gates had only just been open (and charging $80 still mind you). Who was playing I wonder and where is everyone? I went to get my pass and had a look at the new lineup. Although it was lacking somewhat, they still retained most of the main acts, albeit a little obscure with the set times. But what can you do in a situation such as this one. Jazzanova was first up. A little dissapointing seeing as he was what most people I spoke to wanted to see. Yet still he played in fine form, dropping in the funky beats and getting an eager few on to the dance floor. Feeling a little parched, I made my way to the fancy blow up beer tent for a hard earned cold one. It was an obstacle in itself. Completely inflatable (including the seats) and containing two pedestal fans spraying out a fine mist of cold water and bar stocked full of ice cold plastic bottled beer. It was a perfect place to escape the scorching Aussie heat, and it seemed I wasn’t the only one who thought the same thing. But Vibes isn’t all about cold beer so lets get on with it.
After wondering around saying g’day to various people I wondered down to the paved dance floor, just in time to catch the start of Zephyr Timbre, a local funk fueled band who is fast gaining popularity thru out Oz Land. These guys know how to get a crowd funken. Although not a hugely packed dance floor, there was still enough to create a little funky vibe, driven by the funk fuled positive lyrics and sounds of the band. I proceeded to have a boogie with the rest of the smiley faced punters before sitting down and having a rest from the immense heat. Nice one Zephyr Timbre by the way. Some friends found me and we proceeded to make our way to the cooler hill side for some good R n R. UK House DJ Jo Mills followed ZT.
With people slowly filing in, Vibes was starting to look just that little bit better, the floor was starting to look healthier and the grass was beginning to form a small sea of chilled out punters. Jo Mills was pumping out some wicked tech-house music, her mixing was a little ordinary yet on a day like this who really cares. The people were dancing and that was the main thing. I was chilling on the hill during most of her set, having chats and enjoying the greenery. This seemed to be the most popular option for a lot of others as well. Which was good as it made the atmosphere very relaxed and not as tense as some bigger, fuller parties. Plus with the heat who really wants to move when you can chill with a beer and bop to the funky choons being played. After Jo came one the worlds most respected House DJ’s, Ian Pooley.
On the original lineup he was meant to play at 7pm, but with the changes he was on at 4.30pm. Which in my opinion was great. The music he played completely suited the time of day, atmosphere and location (although a beach could have come in handy). The floor was starting to look quite healthy and it was at this time that the bulk of the punters came charging through the gates. I couldn’t help but dance to his choons as not only were they funky, it was as though I was compelled to move with the crowd. I mean with all those smiling faces how could you not. Plus the sound system was sounding so nice you just had to show your appreciation. After a while I went to chill on the hill.
I spent the next hour or so on the hill with friends listening to the next act, Will White from the Propeller Heads. Although the beats where phat and full of dance floor funk, I was too content with just relaxing and oberving everything else going on. By about 6.30 or so pretty much everyone who had planned to be at Vibes had arrived. Off hand I’d say a tad over 1000 people were there grooving away and having a ball. Mr. Scruff was next to come on. Once again he was another act who should have been on a little earlier, perhaps he and Will should have swapped places. Even though he was playing some funky ass stuff, it was slightly more down tempo compared to Will White. Still the crowd was getting into it which was the main thing. And the vibe was well wicked. The Atmosphere was starting to become a little more intense thru out Mr. Scruff’s set as it was nearing night. There was a slight build up in excitement as the next act, the one I’d be hanging to see, X-press 2 were about to come on.
After the introduction and very loud cheer from everyone, X-press 2 launched into a full on house attack. Starting off with a funky filtered house mix of ‘Lazy’ to amp the crowd, they soon launched into an all out dirty house assault. With 6 decks, effects and 3 DJ’s including Ashley Beedle on the mic as well, they managed to turn the floor and the hill into a sea of swarming bodies bopping away like there was no tomorrow. This was one act that you just couldn’t sit down to. Dropping in big choons as well like ‘2 Months Off’ and Donna Sommers ‘I feel love’ went down a treat with everyone as the sea of hands went up in the air as a sign of appreciation. The energy was unmistakable, even just after they had finished in order to make way for Masters at Work (MAW). But could Masters at Work maintain that energy and vibe that had set the place alight just before. Unfortunately they couldn’t. X-press 2 should have closed the night.
MAW was another act that really should have been on at a different time. Preferably right on dusk while the crowd wasn’t as amped up. But alas as they say. MAW are a top quality act. They command a lot of respect in the house circuit but I really do not think that they were suited to the atmosphere and environment at the time. As Peter Mogg put to me, they should be appreciated in a concert environment and not a party such as Vibes. MAW started off quite well with chunky Latin grooves but quickly proceeded to move more into a really deep house sound complete with guitarist and male vocalist. The energy had all but completely disappeared and people were left sitting down and not working themselves into a frenzy as before. Although I was enjoying them a little, I too could not get my self full immersed into their sound. It was an intimate sound, something which just cannot be done in place such as the River stage. Yet still they were continuing with their craft, probably unaware of most peoples thoughts on it. After about an hour, myself and my friends made for the exit.
Overall, despite all the setbacks, Vibes was a very good day/night. The music was good and the people were all having a great time in what could have been even a worse situation. Even though they were 8000 people down in numbers compared to last year, the promoters still pressed on to provide Brisbane with the best they could offer without turning the party into a complete shamble. Lets just hope they bring Vibes back up next year because it was a great day and was greatly appreciated by those who attended.
