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Despite the overwhelming good intentions of the 2009 Queensland Music Festival's headline event, it's difficult to overlook the fact that we're mostly rich white people watching mostly rich white people play a comparatively poor black man's songs. Originally proposed by Paul Kelly and tonight introduced by Deborah Conway, this concert is a near-carbon copy of the January 2008 event staged in Sydney to celebrate the collaborative Kev Carmody tribute album, Cannot Buy My Soul. Ordinarily I'd discard the race card, but when we've got an amicable Carmody gently ribbing us about the differences between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians for two hours, it's hard to ignore. I get it: tonight's a celebration of his work as a singer-songwriter, respectfully translated by modern musicians. It's a beautiful moment when 9000 of us partake in a standing ovation. But what does continually pointing the finger at a race divide achieve?
My spot on the grass in the far corner of the general admission area informs my bias. I'd be telling a different tale had I been located among the plastic seats further down the Riverstage's natural amphitheatre. But it's at the back, among the average punter, where the true nature of contemporary Australian culture reveals itself. It's whistling at the appearance of Missy Higgins, Bernard Fanning, John Butler and other celebrity figures that the everyman thinks he can relate to. It's ignoring the inspiring stories told by Carmody over the PA before each song, as he and the rotating roster of musicians play charades to the accompanying footage. It's loudly proclaiming to love celebratory set closer 'From Little Things Big Things Grow' when you haven't the slightest fucking idea of its history or message. It's calling your mates "fucking cunts" during the acknowledgement of the traditional owners of the land – ie. not the white folk pouring beer into their faces - to the utter embarrassment of every human within earshot.
Funny how The Drones' sonic flagellation of 'River Of Tears' shocks many of these obnoxious loudmouths into silence. They fill six minutes with the slow-burning intensity they'd usually fit into 80. Lodged midway through the set, it's the night's most confronting performance; for a few moments, the entitled, the disrespectful and the ungrateful can't find enough rocks to hide themselves under. And then it's straight back into the bar queue.
by Andrew McMillen
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You're right, this is a ballsy piece of writing.
I think this is a good review.. although it's sad that one of the few events that genuinely honours one of our most prolific indigenous songwriters can be summed up like this. 9000 seated people getting up and giving a standing ovation sounds like a triumph.
Or is it like someone talking behind you at the cinema, crap no matter how good the movie is?
So this is where the lurkers hang out eh?
apologies, did I walk into your room?
Elefants - there were many excellent performances during the concert, so there's no way I could honestly call it 'crap'.
I figured that since musically descriptive reviews are plentiful elsewhere - like this one from Brisbane's Rave Magazine - I'd write about my observations of the audience and how it reflects on Australian culture, in an attempt to contribute something more than a blow-by-blow account of the action.
is kev poor? are gareth and dan from the drones rich?
Gareth was drinking Chivas at ATP, so he must be swimming in dough, Scrooge McDuck-style.
Erm.
cashed-up bogans.
How did I miss this? Interesting review.
drinking chivas you say fez, fuck, he must be loaded. Is Kev poor though?
Wow, the stylesheet on articles fucks quoting into a cocked hat.
hmmm.
wow. you call that a review? it was an incredibly ambitious show that succeeded on all fronts, and you choose to review the audience? this show, besides being incredibly entertaining, has helped to get important australian stories to the bogan crowd that you refer to. kev's stories are stories that need to be heard by mainstream australia, and it is because of this that the level of artists that are a part of this show chose to be involved.
it feels like you're trying to make a name for yourself as a writer. please don't do that at the expense of writing proper reviews.
I think Andrew has approached this review from a really interesting angle, highlighting the still existing divide between (small L) liberal good intentions and the reality that the majority of our society still doesn't give a fuck one way or the other.
It was a problem 20 years ago for Midnight Oil, and it still is a problem now, that the music listening public generally aren't interested in politics, causes, or paying respect, but only care about their hedonistic enjoyment.
It's a valid way to write about a gig.
It's not the first time such a show has been performed, though. The last round in Sydney received glowing reviews: why not approach it this way, in contrast?
what, like a review from the street press?
Exactly. It should start by saying that he got there too late for the opening act, but he heard they were great. Then there should be a bunch of references to ''the boys'', then just run through the setlist. Also, for bonus points, a great literal - ''floorless'' remaining my street press fave.
The local supports should exhibit huge potential, always.
http://andrewmcmillen.com/2009/04/20/how-to-be-a-live-music-critic/