Soundwave Festival @ RoyalMelbourne Showgrounds,Melbourne (04/03/2011)

Sun 6th Mar, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Clash – tis a funny old word. Once a favourite of the ancient Greek scholars, it’s become a noun unlikely to be heard in any great prolificacy over the course of a year, save for when leafing through a collection of classic punk records. Until, that is, festival season rolls around and all of a sudden the word is EVERYWHERE. On the lips of kids on the street, filling up online forums faster than dodgy avatars and bitchy tweets. Soundwave in particular, with its 8 stages and international appeal always draws mention of the ominous Clash, and this year in particular the sheer breadth in quality of music on display means the average punter is going to have at least one big decision to make.

Saxon don’t help matters by cancelling their appearance at the last minute, rendering the printable online timetable for Stage 4 and its ‘annex’ inaccurate and throwing up the first big league clash between Monster Magnet, BlessTheFall and now Sevendust in the veteran rockers’ cancelled spot. With the Showgrounds providing a relatively compact space for the numerous arenas, it isn’t far to go between bands making the catching of parts of simultaneous sets possible… as long as you’re prepared to navigate a heaving throng of black shirts on the narrow paths en route. Onstage at what you might call the ‘Main Arena’ of Stage 1, a semi-bloated Dave Wyndorf leads MM through a nice blend of new and old with the foot-stomping Tractor leading the charge. Maybe it’s a little early for the post-apocalyptic stoner tones of Space Lord et al, but there isn’t a whole heap of activity at Stage 1 and it’s a similar picture at Stage 4 for Sevendust where old school hits like Denial reverberate across the semi-seated pavilion.

‘It’s too fuckin’ early! This is no time for rock’n’roll!’ declares Matt Tuck to the general approval of a much swelled crowd in expectation of an explosive Bullet For My Valentine set. For the most part, they wouldn’t be disappointed although even at this moderate hour of 2pm there is still a damp, picnic atmosphere as people continue to pick the sleep from their eyes or hunt for those most precious of commodities – coffee and beer drinker’s wristbands. BFMV don’t rollover too easily though, delivering a series of brutal assaults on the ears. Waking The Demon in particular blows some of the cobwebs out by virtue of its omnipresent drumbeat which has the punters whirling around in unadulterated good spirits. Some of the sound is lost further back as the powerful kick drum drowns out a fair bit of the guitar work, but this isn’t a problem for subsequent numbers where every lightning fast, harmonised solo incites a full-bodied circle pit at the foot of the stage.