The first day of BIGSOUND 2013 is over and has kicked off the conference in style. For those not lucky enough to be a part of the action, we thought we’d provide a succinct wrap-up of some of the happenings that caught our attention. From interviews with acts, to professional discussion panels with industry greats, to some amazing gigs we’ve caught, here are the five things we learnt at BIGSOUND 2013 day one.
1. King Gizzard Really Are The Hardest Working Band In Australian Music
We know the Victorian boys work really hard at making slacker tunes, having released two albums this year alone; the first being the Spaghetti western, spoken-word odyssey Eyes Like The Sky (which blew everyone’s mind and was Tone Deaf’s Album of the Week) and the second being the about-to-be-released and heavily rocking Float Along, Fill Your Lungs. Last night, the boys played not one or two, but three live BIGSOUND Live shows, ranging from a house party, to a packed out gig at Electric Playland, to a sweaty-as-hell 2am show at Alhambra Lounge. We were lucky enough to catch them at all three performances, and were wowed by how they were able to bring their unique brand of dense yet always fun rock ‘n’ roll to any setting at any time.
2. Bloods Are Really Good At Freestyling
Yesterday we were lucky enough to interview Sydney trio Bloods before their incredible show last night. During our music trivia quiz, the hilarious threesome of MC, Dirk and Sweetie busted into a rocking rendition of the Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air theme song, complete with beat boxing, vocal harmonies, and air drumming. Look out for the video of the interview on the video section of the site in the near future.
3. Rainy Day Women Are Ones To Watch
We’ve been obsessed with these Perth indie dudes since we heard their single ‘Friends’ from the EP of the same name and they lived up to hype in their showcase last night. The boys are embarking on a national tour following their appearance at BIGSOUND, so be sure to check them out in a venue near you. All details here.
4. Brisbanites Throw Really Good House Parties
We’re still not sure if it was official or otherwise, but late yesterday afternoon, rumours started swirling that there was a house party where some of the most hyped bands at this year’s conference would be playing a secret show. After hauling ass away from the Valley and into a stranger’s basement, attendees were treated to some rockin’ tunes, beer in red cups, and a reminder of why bands playing at house parties is still one of the greatest things ever. Especially when you add in Melbourne rockers Damn Terran and The Demon Parade, the noisy guitar rock of Zeahorse, and homegrown heroics from Crass Creatures.
5. Canadians Are Awesome
We already had a feeling that Yukon Blonde would be a really hyped band this year, after a run of successful shows throughout their homeland as well as Australia, but we were also lucky enough to catch The Harpoonist And The Axe Murderer, an amazing two-piece roots inspired band that brought the house down at the CMC Stage. Capping off the Canadian wave was Saidah Baba Talibah, an incredibly soulful Toronto-based act.
Check out our photo gallery from BIGSOUND Day 1 here, featuring Billy Bragg, Regurgitator, Stonefield, King Gizzard & The Lizard, Busby Marou, and more.
