by Booney » Mon Mar 03, 2014 9:34 am
Soundwave 2014
Firstly, the smallest crowd I have seen at any festival I’ve been too. That’s about 8 BDO’s and 5 Soundwaves. I would be surprised if there were 15,000 there. From parking (just off West Thebby Road near the Southwark) to the walk in, straight through the gates (where at 38 years of age I get asked for I.D…wtf?) and straight through bag checks/pat downs, everything was easy to access. Food, drinks, bar and toilets all had no lines ups at any stage of the day. Sweet.
Got there at 1 at my daughters request (she’s 13) to see Asking Alexandria. I hear a bit of them around the house so know some of it, surprised to enjoy their set as much as I did. Singer split the pit in two and in some type of Braveheart like battle scene summons both sides together in this brutal mash of bodies. Junior Boon (he’s 17) in amongst the thick of it with his mates. Crazy bastards. 1-1:45
Then back to the main stage for the Living End. 2-3:00. As always, fantastic show from them. Seen them over a dozen times, but they never get old. Chris Cheney is one of the best frontmen/lead guitarist combos I’ve seen. He’s brilliant. I also think the Gretsch he chooses is as classy as they come.
As noted, having seen them numerous times I took off just before 3 to go and witness the most remarkable of events. GWAR live on stage. If I had a $ for every person I saw mouth the words “What the f***?” or simply pissing themselves laughing I would have paid for my day, easily.
Let me start by saying GWAR are pretty talented musically. I’ve seen a bit of their performances on Youtube but have been more engrossed by their stage show, watching them live and listening to their music, they can play, they’re tight. They’re also batshit crazy and ******* hilarious! Queen Elizabeth joined them on stage with the Royal Baby, as the lead singer launches into “**** the Royal baby. **** all of you!”. Classic. The queen has both breasts severed, spewing blood about 8-10 deep in the crowd, she gets choked with the baby’s umbilical cord. I’m sure they’re not promoting senseless violence, just out and out mayhem. 2:40-3:20
Caught up with the Mrs and mates to watch some of Panic! At the Disco. Not a fan of theirs really so only caught about 4 songs of their set before I headed off to watch another of the daughters wish list, and mine. 3:30-3:50.
Back to the main stage set up for A Day to Remember. I’ve had their latest album spinning for the last week in the car and have really got into it. I saw them several months ago at Thebby Theatre and wasn’t sure about them, honestly hadn’t heard a lot of them I was there purely as a chaperone for my daughter and a friend. I rate them now, rate them quite highly. Not in an all time perspective, but they know how to put on a live show. Got in amongst the throng close to centre stage for the first part and then tailed off to the side with a lager sitting in the shade for the last bit of their set. They’re worth checking out if you have the chance. 4-5:00
Back to stage 6 for Suicide Silence. Again, hear them around the house coming out of various I-pod docks in the kids rooms, so I know a bit about them. Just over the “scream” line for my likes, throaty and incomprehensible lyrics are not my thing. Musically they do that breakdown type of stuff pretty well, I like them more now having seen them live. They go ok. 5:20-5:45
Made our way back to the main stage set-up for the last 15 minutes of Alice in Chains. I don’t know what they are, either I miss getting them or they’re shite. I think they’re shite.
Jimmy Eat World followed with their set of pop-punk-rock stuff, they must be Greenday’s side kicks as they toured with Greenday for the American Idiot tour. They’re tight, have a few songs everyone would know and play to the crowd well, but people clearly were waiting for Greenday. 6-7:00
The crowd was so small that at 6:45 ( 15 minutes before Greenday ) we easily found a spot about 10 deep centre stage for Greenday. The crowd swelled a little in the next 15 minutes but any other headline act I have seen at a festival would never have had people walking up so close, so late.
To be honest, a little disappointed with the show. Simply, it’s almost blow by blow the same show they’ve played the last 3 times I’ve seen them.
With 3 hours on stage and the type of back catalogue they have you’d think they would roll out 40 or more songs, nup. Billie Joe plays up to the crowd with plenty of “whoa whoa whoa” he sings it > the crowds singe it stuff.
King for a Day see’s Tre Cool chuck a bra over his shirt and take to the mike singing as poorly as he can, basically just playing the clown, which he does well.
They pick a kid out of the crowd to sing / stage dive / crowd surf. They get someone to play 3 chords for a chorus and then give them the guitar.
Don’t get me wrong, they do a great show but when you’ve seen it before and know whats coming it doesn’t really hit the mark. Still, they are one of my favorite bands and I’d see them again at any stage. 7-10
All in all I had a great day. One of my best mates and his wife came to their first BDO/Soundwave type thing and loved it. My daughter, at 13, came to her first and loved it. She got too see everyone she wanted, I got to see some of her and my lads stuff and enjoyed it. Really enjoyed it. Got exposed to some completely bizarre shit with Gwar and found some appreciation for A Day to Remember, Suicide Silence and Asking Alexandria.
PAFC. Forever.
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