Big Day Out is back and better than ever.
Western Springs is perfect, and so is the weather.
The guitars of Manchester four piece The 1975 floated over West Auckland as the festival started to warm up on a hot (if it wasn’t for the breeze, Snoop would drop it) Auckland day.
Earlier today Big Day Out organiser Campbell Smith rued not having moved the festival to Western Springs 10 years ago. And, as the venue filled up with people, but hectares of green space were left for people to picnic and watch the bands, it was easy to understand his regrets.
The main stages sit in a banked amphitheatre and Aussie rock band, Tame Impala, set the sweat slinging.
Half Glass of Wine from their 2008 debut EP went off. Frontman Kevin Parker was stoked. The crowd knew track.
Drummer Luke Epstein, (who was less than excited to meet me once at a Gisborne McDonald’s restaurant), kept the snare drum hotter than the punters, and the band’s long hair kept time with the bouncing crowd.
Auckland band The Naked and the Famous pulled a big crowd out of the shade. Their thick synths and bass had everyone sweltering in the sun.
The new venue really does make a difference to the big day.
The crowd flows freely between acts. And in spite of the usual greasy stomach liners there are a host of high quality food options from some of Auckland’s favourite restaurants and takeaway joints.
The stages are spread out but the walk is enjoyable in the surroundings.
Traffic around the event was light as everyone seemed to be walking from Grey Lynn and Pt Chevalier and the free buses were an ad for better public transport in the city.
A noticeable population of excited Westies were especially pleased with the new location.
And there is grass for weeks. Green hills encircle half of the venue, the other flanked by a lake.
And the weather couldn’t be better. A swift breeze keeps you cool in the sun, but if you haven’t arrived yet, don’t forget your sunglasses, and it is shorts not jeans, for sure.
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