Were you there? Find yourself in williamb’s gallery

With dance music festivals having such prominence in the festival market over the past few years, they are becoming incredibly predictable. One attends knowing full well they will be met with shirtless gym gurners, wannabe facebook celebrities, general drunk people and those who are there – œfor the music’ rather than to be seen. So this eternal battle between the narcissists and the purists continues on into 2009 and it was the stereotypical crowd (with a few very weary Southbound punters passed out around the place) that sardined into an arid and open Supreme Court Gardens/Esplanade hybrid for the mammoth Summadayze bill. It had been downgraded from gargantuan to mammoth earlier in the week as a result of the aviophobic Eric Prydz being unable to comprehend the 19 hour flight to our island.

By the time Cicada hit the Summadayze stage (Esplanade) at 3:45 the grass appeared to be feeling pretty damn good between the revelers toes and the sun was frying the shit out of everyone who were already fried enough! It seemed an uninspiring set by Cicada though, being a rare live act for the day, one expects some stage dynamics and a lot more energy. A band should equal movement, a dance band from London anyway. Gorgeous leading lady Heidrun Bjornsdottir could only be admired for so long before more was needed to complete the act. Hats off to them for allowing a bunch of kids up on stage though, this never gets old and will win a crowd over no matter how lacking the music may be.

It was a not a long wait at the mainstage after Cicada for worldwide crowd favourite Armin Van Buuren. With that naturally friendly demeanour all Dutch seem to have, he had the crowd at his beckoning before he even set his 138bpm running. Continuing with this beat for the entirety of his enduring 3 and a quarter hr set (making up for Prydz’ empty slot) he smoothly pasted his feel good trance through intoxicating build ups and exalting highs. It was amazing to see how one man who spends more time jumping, clapping and putting his hands in the air than actually tqueaking buttons on his production desk while on stage, can keep a crowd held for so long. It seems the hard work for these guys comes in the original production of their tracks and once that is laid down they can travel the world with them and enjoy moments most could only ever imagine. The Perth crowd was extremely accommodating for Van Buuren, joining in the unsaid game of Simon Says that was going on without hesitation; clapping when he clapped, jumping when he jumped and always keeping their hands raised. My what it must feel like to have this effect on so many people.

Those who weren’t up for 3hrs of Dutch love trance left halfway through to catch electro-house brat or whatever the hell he is, Calvin Harris to perform a dj set over on the Future Music Dj’s stage (Supreme Court Gardens). He didn’t really need to do much by this stage really as everyone was well on their way to a happy place (maybe with midgets doing the bull dance and Chubbs Peterson on piano). If shirts weren’t hanging from belts, they were being worn as native American Indian headdresses or Chuck Norris headbands, but they definitely weren’t being used for their intended purpose. The pharmacist in everyone was also very noticeabley alive and well, it seems just as the sun starts hanging as low as everyone’s soaked shorts, Amcal employees are a dime a dozen. But yes, Calvin Harris, he spun what one would expect, Acceptable In The 80’s, Girls and a bit of the grimey Dizzee Rascal. His live set at Good Vibes last year though was far far far superior to this dj set and ultimately it could have been anyone up there dropping those tracks; Harris’ dj skills are not the impressive. But no one was actually paying attention to the stage anyway so… meh.

The Hot BBQ tent (Esplanade) was exactly that, it was absolutely stinking in there both aromatically and physically. With it almost bursting at the seams by the time Digitalism took the stage it was like trekking through a Vietnam jungle trying to move through the crowd but it was well justified once this German powerhouse group took the stage. With an arsenal of super tracks, a massive following and an ever increasing amount of festival experience they absolutely shredded the sweltering air inside the Hot Barbie. The customary climbers were out in force, shaking their fists from high up on the pylons like it was their job and the jungle cleared somewhat once the band started and people were finding their own dance space. This felt to be a better set than their Parklife one in 2007 maybe as a result of crowd response, venue or more experience but it definitely had a more intense buzz around it. Pogo and Zdarlight sent the crowd into hysterics, these are quite simply just two good songs that guarantee to get the heart racing. It is tough to find anything better than enjoying live dance music in this way… wait… no it really is.

So Underworld time came upon the crowd rather suddenly for everyone one would assume. That’s the thing about these days they take ages to get here then fly past in a flash of drugs, booze and hugs. The lords of 90’s rave culture were looking very much like lords and very cheesey but naturally they had to be. For most it really was a choice between waiting around to hear Born Slippy, or going and checking out Ferry Corsten and risking missing it. There was a fair smattering of minds on both plateaus it seemed with the cheer for Ferry Corsten’s Fire from the Future Dj’s stage being heard over at the Esplanade. But eventually when the mood was right and the sky had gotten dark, some giant white balloons were released to surf through the crowd and the familiar chords made famous by Trainspotting rang out over the fields. It wasn’t some torn to pieces 2008 remix, it was in its glorious original form and there were many with receding hairlines and knowledgeable faces that looked to be having a very nostalgic moment. A lot of the kids jumping around to the track would have only been 5 or 6 when it was first released but it has lost none of its appeal and will continue to be a staple for generations of ravers to come. There was an unfathomable mass exodus once the track had sadly ended as they followed it with arguably their best track in Jumbo. It was the sublimely perfect song to wind up what was for a lot of people one of the busiest new year periods of their lives.

Mellen have been doing this for a few years now and they have got it perfect: the acts, the crowd, the venue, the atmosphere.

RIP Ron Asheton.

Were you there? Find yourself in williamb’s gallery