Day 12 - Rifflandia

Rifflandia, you will point out, was three months ago.

Yes it was, but I only tweeted about it, and never wrote any blog updates about it.  And with 24 posts to make, it's going to mean I review some stuff that's well past. Plus, as the super save passes are on sale for 2014 right now, may be this will be useful information for the future.

I got the Night Pass for Rifflandia 2013, as there was nothing on the main stage that was essential to see for me.  I did want to see USS, but that wasn't worth the $80 or so extra to get into Royal Athletic Park.  Instead, I contented myself to various night shows around Victoria.  And hanging out with some awesome friends at the same time as well.

Thursday night I specifically aimed to see the Belle Game in the tiny Metro Theatre.  But before then I just wandered into the Alix Goolden Hall to see Anomie Belle. Just because the name fitted, and she had an interesting right up of mixing up dance music and activism.  I expected nothing much. I was treated to 40 minutes of live sampling and looping and singing and violin playing.  By one small lady left alone on the stage surrounded by a set of key boards and electronic gizmos. I was blown away, and went out and brought her albums, which take a different side of her music. Still shades of Trip Hop and Portishead, with a voice that cuts through to the stories she's trying to tell.

The Belle Game were LOUD. In such a tiny space, I would say far too loud.  The sound engineer seemed to agree, shaking his head as the band seemed to want to go even louder, determined to pin us to our seats.  Still, they put on a great show with great music... a sort of pop music with to many embellishments to hit the charts, but makes you smile and nod along.  They finished with 'I would wait up for you', in which a rare sight was had.  Me dancing.

Friday night was a long haul for me.  Met friends at the Phillips Backyarder for a beverage or three, and sat through a set of some random Victoria rapper shouting.  I was instructed to put my hands in the air. But, I actually didn't care.  So I didn't.  Then we had 45 minutes of mix DJ mash up goodness from Z-Trip.  He mixed in everything... Mario sound tracks, 90's classic Indie, Bon Jovi, and tonne of dance breaks.  Music to make you smile and feel good about the world.  And drink another beer.

We then broke away from the mad party, two friends very merry from their day in the park, and me carrying a light buzz with our non-drinking friend wandering why she was hanging with such louts... Pizza refreshment and back to Alix Goolden for Cold Specks.

The anti-thesis of Anomie Belle.  Minimal production, just her, a guitar and one hell of a voice.  Doom soul she calls it.  Powerful, visceral, rhythmic. Low key and almost shy, she asked for no photography or movement, and put together a set where moving around or otherwise disturbing her felt out right rude.

Then we had Beth Orton.  I love Beth Orton.  I love her fingers down the next vocals that make me shiver.  Her alt-country leanings and songs about love, devotion, loss and forgetting.  She, however, was after midnight in a huge venue that was slowly emptying of tired people.  And she's not the act that brings the energy.  She gets on and plays.  I think she was confused by the people leaving and feeling it was a bad gig.  It wasn't. Just ill-timed.  I enjoyed it, but she wouldn't have won any new fans.

Finally Saturday. I got into the Metro with my friends early, getting a good seat with the aim to be there for the final act, one Hawksley Workman.  Thinking that maybe we could take a break with another show later and come back.

No chance. By the end of the second act it was clear that the line up outside was at least an hour long. With the VIP queue jumper passes, it might be that we'd never get back in.  So we rode it out.  The other act varied. I liked Tyson Motsenbocker's singer songwriter stuff enough to grab a CD.  Which has been played more than once. Himalyan Bear was odd and deep noisey stuff.  The other two acts have slipped from my memory so much that even looking up their names (Steph MacPherson and Vance Joy) hasn't brought them back.

And then, finally, Mr Workman came on.

It was an hour of brilliance.  I grinned from ear to ear. I borrowed other people's ears to grin from.  He played with just a pianist and his range of guitars.  He did some of his hits.  He rambled on about Deezer's really odd logos that were sponsoring the room.  He played the piano in some sort four handed duel.  He strutted and stomped around the stage, banging out his favourite songs. He got his colleagues from 'The Mounties' to do a version of 'This Dance'. He flat out entertained us.  A great intimate setting with a guy who knows how to play and sing and perform.

Was it worth the wait?  Yes.

Was the night pass worth the money? Yes and yes.  I've just been recalling some of the memories from that weekend, and still smiling about it.

Will I go next year? Probably, but I'll wait for the line up to see whose the two or three essential bands for me to go and see, and take pot luck with the others.