Big Day In!

I love reading a band’s setlist.

From a young age I was captivated by the way a great concert would flow from the opening track to the final song. It was fascinating to watch how a musical act would entertain and manipulate an audience consisting of thousands of individuals. You knew each person in attendance had an idea of how they wanted a concert to unfold and the songs they desperately wanted to hear. There would be the songs they could really have done without but on the flip side the songs they were surprised to hear. As an example my friend Amy loves Radiohead and has seen them all over the world many times, but if she hears Karma Police one more time there will quite possibly be a karma crash of epic proportions.

There’s a much larger discussion to be had in regards to the responsibility of the artist with their audience. Do you give them exactly what they want? Do you give them mostly what they want? Do you just go the full Billy Corgan and only play the songs that you want to play? Personally I side with wanting to hear the songs the act is emotionally attached to but I have to admit that if I saw Faith No More and they didn’t play one song from Angel Dust, I’d feel slightly disappointed.

There are numerous examples of artists making artistic choices that have infuriated their fan base. Whether it was Bob Dylan in 1965 going electric at the Newport Folk Festival (Dylan was booed by some members of the crowd who accused him of being a traitor to the folk genre and elicited songwriter Pete Seeger to say, “If I had an axe, I’d chop the microphone cable right now”. Yikes!) or the Beastie Boys who dropped “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)” because people mistook it as an anthem when it was written as a piss take aimed squarely at frat boys. The fine line between artistic integrity and giving the audience bang for their buck is fraught with each song choice.

Each setlist has its own rhythm. Whether you open softly in the shadows or hit the audience right between the eyes with your opening number, there’s a decision made from the first song to the last that reveals what the musical act wants to achieve. Watch as they open with three killer hits before dropping in a B-side. Listen as two thirds of the way through their show they deliver a long jam before throwing in two crowd pleasers to hype the audience before they leave the stage to prepare for the inevitable encore. Experience the thrill when you finally hear the song you’ve waited all night for as the closing number. I believe a set list for a tour is a palimpsest that slowly reveals where your favourite act is at artistically and emotionally at that point in time.

Fun fact: I learned to put together comedy sets from studying set lists. In bigger rooms I’d go into my show with as many rapid fire jokes as possible, then lean into a longer routine. Follow that up with some punchier material, leave room for “a jam” that could go anywhere and then finish off with a story that builds to a final joke/crescendo. Bring up the lights and thank you very much. In smaller rooms I’d start gently which is my equivalent of a few acoustic numbers. Win the audience over, bring out the punchier material, build with some longer stories and then finish with a tight routine. You’ve been great and don’t forget to tip your waitress on the way out. Anyway, that’s how I learned to put together a comedy set list. I don’t know if this approach is unique, common place or supremely weird amongst other comedians.

With all of this in mind, I spent the weekend putting together a play list of music that gave me comfort as I sat locked indoors riding out the early days of this social isolation. I needed music that uplifted me. I wanted to go on a journey as I looked longingly outside at the stagnant world. This was going to be the music festival that would suit me right in this moment.

Before I began I made myself some arbitrary rules. I decided since I was 47, I wanted the venue to be somewhere I knew well and could get in and out of easily. All the acts I “booked” would do 45 minute sets, except for the headliner who scored a massive full hour. There’s a 15-minute gap between the acts so I have time to go the toilet, grab a drink, have a chat and get comfortable for the next act. I’m not missing anyone at my imaginary half-day festival! I wanted the musicians to compliment each other but also bring their unique flavour. I also wanted artists at certain points in their career. As an example, if I booked The Beatles circa Help, they can’t play Golden Slumbers. These were my rules…that I then broke whenever I wanted. Hey, it’s my festival! I wield my power with the confidence of a groovy Thanos snapping his fingers along to his favourite songs.

I entitled the concert “Big Day In!” and you can find the playlist on Spotify right here. You can either listen without looking ahead or peruse below to see who is playing.

To get you in the mood my festival begins at 3pm at Adelaide Oval on the first day of spring when the trees are tattooed with leaves and the green grass is soft with a slight bounce to it. The sun reflects the deep colours of the world we’ve missed during the winter months. I’ve capped the show at 20,000 people so we can all have a good time but still move around. There’s food and drink but I reckon more people are stoned than drunk. I’d much rather deal with someone who can’t follow a conversation because they’re high than anyone who needs a liquid laugh by 5pm. (Maybe I should have called this A Day We’re All on the Green? I’ll save that title for another day) Just so you know, you’ll be done by 10pm and have plenty of time to let your night kick on at your favourite bar or at home to continue the party in the confines of your lounge room.

Are we ready to start? Good, let’s do this.

3pm: Elvis Costello and the Attractions

Elvis and the band open with Uncomplicated from the Blood and Chocolate album before a quick succession of pop hits bookended by Oliver’s Army and High Fidelity. We slow things down with Shipbuilding before another round of short, punchy songs including Accidents Will Happen, Beaten to the Punch and Next Time Around. Elvis’ set concludes with I Want You and a rousing (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding.

4pm: Crowded House

This is the band circa their first two albums. They open with When You Come and follow that up with Mean To Me, Sister Madly and Now We’re Getting Somewhere. In the middle we have Into Temptation and eventually finish with the one-two punch of Better Be Home Soon and Don’t Dream It’s Over.

5pm: Duffy

I love her album Rockferry so we’re watching Duffy just as her album is hitting big. I wanted a full soulful sound to follow our first two acts and that’s why we’re slotting her in at the 5pm mark. Beginning with the hit Rockferry and finishing with Mercy and Distant Dreamer, we’ve had time to sit back and catch our breath while listening to her voice fill the oval.

6pm: Arcade Fire

I’m bringing in the band right around the time that their first two albums are massive hits and they’re about to release The Suburbs. That way I can slot two songs from that album (Suburban War and Month of May in the middle) with their set opening with Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels) and closing with No Car Go.

7pm: Bjork

This will be my controversial pick for the day. I know you’re either into her music or you’re not, and I think every festival should have at least one of these acts. I think Bjork is a genius and her music is full of drama and emotion. She’ll be perfect coming off the back of the previous act with songs from her first few albums. Bjork opens with the fragility of Unravel before hitting us with Army of Me, Human Behaviour and Hunter. Her set concludes with the tandem of Hyperballad and Bachelorette. Another fun fact: when I saw her live I thought someone had spiked my drink I was so filled with joy watching her perform. Then I realised I didn’t have a drink and couldn’t have been spiked in anyway. If someone was on my street corner selling some liquid Bjork live, I’d be hocking my stereo to get me a taste.

8pm: David Bowie

Our headline act is Bowie from 1983 which coincides with the first time I saw him live on the Serious Moonlight tour. When Bowie died this was the era I immediately gravitated to and played over and over again for the next month. Since this is my festival of comfort I’m bringing this tanned/blonde haired version back. Let’s set the scene. It’s nighttime. The stage is dark. We see dark purple and red lights bathe the oval. I cheat slightly with Bowie’s opener as we hear the original Cat People and the drama that is inherent within this song. As the chorus kicks in the lights come up and we are away. Bowie unleashes Rebel Rebel, Look Back in Anger, Breaking Glass before hitting us with hits China Girl, Ashes to Ashes and Fame. Bowie slows things down by presenting Life On Mars? before ramping things back up with Station to Station, Let’s Dance and Stay. He finishes with Modern Love. (For the record, on the playlist this is the only set of songs that are live versions taken from the Serious Moonlight album except for the versions of Cat People and Stay which I cribbed from another live release.)

9.15pm: Curtis Mayfield

Since we’re already in a great mood we’re just going to dance the rest of the event away with Curtis. From the opener (Don’t Worry) If There’s a Hell Below We’re All Going to Go all the way down to the three part closer of Superfly, the extended version of Move On Up and finally We Got to Have Peace; we finish the night on a high.

So there you have it. Maybe you’re into all of it, some of it or none of it. Here’s the deal: don’t write to me and tell me what I did wrong because I didn’t do anything wrong, it’s my festival! Instead I want to throw the challenge out to you and see what your festival would be. Wil Anderson has said he wants to curate a hip hop festival. Maybe you want to do an all Australian festival. I’m sure some of you would prefer a dance festival. If you have the time and inclination put yours together and send me a link. I’ll share any you send through in upcoming blogs especially if you include a short preamble on your rules, venue and what mood you were trying to reach through your choices. I want to be surprised, thrilled and shocked with what you present. I think the more creative you are, the better.

As Reservoir Dogs’ Joe says, “Alright ramblers, let’s get ramblin’.”

Justin Hamilton

31st of March 2020

Surry Hills