SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS

My first Splendour In The Grass (SITG) experience was in 2009 when the festival was held at the Belongil fields, just outside of Byron Bay. Despite not remembering about 80% of the weekend and our car breaking down half way home, I still recall it as being one of the best times of my life.

Last year was the first time SITG was held at Woodfordia, their name for the grounds just outside Woodford in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Entrance to last year's SITG site was a shit fight. To give you an idea, our crew of about eight left Brisbane in the Winnebago at around 4pm on the Thursday and we didn't make it through the gates until 11pm that night. A one hour trip that took seven? Now there's an opportune time to break out "FML". Again though, we had an epic little crew, and it was another splendid few days.

Come 2011 and entry to the site went seamlessly. So seamlessly in fact that we managed to smuggle in a few cases of beer and about six bottles of vodka between us. Winning! I'm not sure why (I'm sure they have a super sensible reason for not allowing alcohol in the camp sites, other than that fact they don't make any moolah off it) but every year it's the same challenge... How do we get our grog inside?! Not because we're all bad asses who don't have respect for rules (although I'm sure it comes across this way), but because when the festival finishes up at around midnight each night, some of the most memorable moments happen when you're drinking in the wee hours, sharing stories around the campfire. Oh, hang on, we weren't meant to start fires either were we? Camp SITE. Sharing stories around the camp SITE, I mean.

While we're talking breaking rules (again, I swear we're not normally like this) special mention has to go to, um, let's call him Thomas, because that's actually his name. Thomas was kicked out of the Smirnoff Cocktail Bar on Friday night for being too intoxicated. Intoxicated? At Splendour? Surely not? Anyway, after being escorted out, young Thomas decided he really wasn't ready to wrap it up, so he went back. Copping a $400 fine for "trespassing" and having his passes taken from him a few moments later, Thomas would probably tell you it was worth every second. On Saturday, after an arts and crafts session constructing a new wrist band from the remnants of other people's - Thomas again decided to pop in to the Smirnoff Cocktail Bar where he was spotted, yet again, and this time was taken to the local cop shop at nearby Caboolture. After a night in lock up and released on the condition he doesn't show his head at Splendour again, brave Thomas found his way back to Woodfordia and accepted the challenge, heading back into the festival for the final night of play. Rounding up some spare passes and covered in what closely resembled a niqab, Thomas soldiered on throughout the Sunday night festivities and lives to tell his tale. Thomas has just been signed to write a book about his SITG 2011 experience. It is scheduled for release in early 2012. Watch this space...

Other than the VIP Gold Bar, which was convenient purely because you didn't have to queue too long for the bar or loo, our crew's favourite hang out was the Jagermeister Hunting Lodge. Totally NOT because our bestie is the Brand Manager for Jagermeister. Honestly! In all seriousness, the Jagermeister Hunting Lodge was another massive improvement this year. If you cast your mind back to 2010 I'm sure you'll remember "that smell" wafting from what used to be the Jager Cube. It had been raining all week prior to the festival and, very sadly for our favourite between-sets-pit-stop, once you stepped inside the Cube, all you could smell was a mixed scent of rubber and mud. Devastating really. Anyway, the Jagermeister Hunting Lodge this year was unreal. I think I was especially in love with it because it felt like both a ski lodge and an old Queenslander home at the same time. Throw in an avid snowboarder originally from the bush in Queensland and you have one happy little Vegemite. Well done Jager! Here's some of this year's posse looking totes relaxed at the Lodge...

Okay I know this is already turning into an essay so I best get to some chat about the beats. I have to say, I thought The Kills and James Blake were pretty disappointing. Each to their own. Just sayin, not the best start. Redemption, however, when Kanye stepped out on stage that night. Pretty sure he silenced any critics he may have had and, well, if he didn't, they're just mad haters who need to lighten the f*ck up because he was clearly killing it. Also on Kanye, I heard a rumour on the weekend that he turns up for international flights 20 mins before departure because he "doesn't like waiting around" ha! Such a cool cat... So anyway, nuff airtime for Mr West...

Loved Architecture In Helsinki, plan on listening to more of their tunes in future. My favourite band of the moment, Foster the People, pretty much blew my mind. (Safe to safe I'm naming my first born Cubbie after one of the band members.) Actually pretty sure they blew everyone's mind who tried to pack into the Mix Up Tent for their set. Do yourself a favour and listen to their album "Torches" if you haven't already. Although I don't know a lot of their stuff yet, Friendly Fires were apparently ridic, as was Kele and Yelle, both whom I missed. I crashed early Saturday night and sadly missed Pnau too, which I am quietly (or not so quietly) devastated about. Fail Sara. When Sunday came around everyone was pumped and we kicked off the day with Cloud Control, definitely one to watch. Cut Copy are one of my all time faves and they didn't disappoint. Ripping, really. We finished the festival in the Amphitheatre with Coldplay. I didn't think I was a huge fan of theirs but their live performance put me in my place. This was at the finale... Epitome of epic...

Will leave you now with some of my pals' Most Memorable Splendour Moments. They may not make a lot of sense but, if you were there, you'll probably get it...


"Our mate strapped a GOLD branded bar of soap to his wrist and flashed it at security to gain entrance to the VIP Gold Bar. Band wise, Foster The People and Friendly Fires killed it." - Shannan Quinn, Brand Manager, Jagermeister


"The double whammy of the two best acts back to back - The Hives then Kanye. Best crew, best music, best times." - Maude Garrett, Hot 30 Countdown, 2DayFM


"Watching a fake porno play out, complete with a midget in a fake naked bodysuit. Is that inappropriate?" - Ruby Forrest, PR Coordinator, Sara Bray PR & Events


"Chris Martin's tribute to Amy Winehouse - very touching." - Richard Penny, Sales Manager, Zanerobe


"Cut Copy playing Hearts On Fire on the final night in the doof doof tent. The sax kicked in and about 15 of us were jumping around, screaming the lyrics, and fist pumping in perfect unison." - Tom O'Dwyer, Sales Manager, Lee

Til next year kids!!

JAMES BLUNT "SOME KIND OF TROUBLE" TOUR

Four years ago I attended a Veurve Clicquot event with Jess and Chris. Here's a pic from that very night...

It was just an ordinary media/social event (albeit very a very glamorous one, my favourite event to date actually) and all of a sudden James Blunt and his entire band rolls in. The drummer, Karl Brazil, struck up a convo by telling me I looked like some chick from British girl group, Girls Aloud. I wonder which one he meant...

Anyway ever since then we've stayed in touch and caught up whenever they're touring in Oz. So I've been to many a James Blunt concert and I can tell you now, their Some Kind Of Trouble tour is definitely the best yet. It may also have had something to do with being held at the State Theatre because that place is jaw-droppingly beautiful.

James has the most insane voice and it's utterly brilliant live. He covers all of the songs you've loved over the years including You're Beautiful, 1973, Wisemen, Goodbye My Lover (remember the film clip starring Mischa Barton in her "hot" days, yeah well the whole of the State Theatre was singing along) and more recently his impossible-to-be-sad-when-you-listen-to-this tune, Stay The Night. Plus there are some cracking new ones too. They're in Melbourne next so if you're down that way, grab a ticket if they're not already sold out.

"ORGANISED SOUND" BY ERIC GROTHE JNR

I heart Eric. He is one of the ugliest men I know. He's 6 ft something, dark hair, big brown eyes, megawatt smile, you get the picture. His heinous appearance aside though, he's actually incredibly funny. Not funny as in slapstick. Funny as in witty. He's intelligent and he uses his intelligence in his humour, which I find just brilliant. I hope you enjoy hearing his thoughts as much as I do...

Pic courtesy of Pepper Ingham

Organised sound. It's everywhere. In everything. It soothes. It heals. It provokes emotions. It adds to a visual. It sparks memories. I could go on forever... and I will!!

Everything that's happened in my life thus far has a soundtrack attached to it. I'm positive I'm not alone on this one. Music's effects are both obvious and subliminal.

I'll never forget my 4th birthday. Mum and dad bought me a drum kit (idiots!!) and I bashed them 'til they were broken. My blisters were like flesh wounds because I'd continually play the opening drum beat of the Twisted Sister's tune "We're not gonna take it" (me: you MUST look at the hilarious 80s video clip for this HERE). It was the best "toy" I'd ever owned. Mum was stoked as it meant her pots and pans were now safe.

That drum kit taught me rhythm. A skill that would later help me a lot in life, even in my career as a sports person. And now, I'm completely obsessed with music. I must admit that in some ways that isn't always a positive thing. I've been out at night and a great song will come on and suddenly that's all I can think about. The Queen herself could be telling me about a three day bender she went on with Jim Morrison and it just wouldn't matter. In actual fact, I'd be dirty on her for gas bagging and ruining my moment... the old bag... (If you're reading this Queen... sorry... but seriously... stop talking during a cool song)...

Only in the last decade have I been brutally honest with my music taste. I don't care if it's not cool to like a song (me: true, Eric carves up the d-floor to Tik Tok by Ke$ha) after all, we are not the boss of our ears!! (me: clearly, or you would tell them you fucking hate Ke$ha and I would tell mine I hate Bieber). They like what they like. I guess what I'm trying to say is that, in a world so full of hate and plastic values, we need to make time to immerse ourselves in something that consumes us for the better!

At a time when nobody is sure of what's around the corner for us (and for our planet for that matter) now more than ever we need to be able to press the pause button on the mayhem in our lives and "live in the moment" (me: Carpe Diem kids). Take the time to shut your eyes and feel your favourite song. It's great for the soul and paints masterpieces in our minds.

Sting says that when he shuts his eyes and listens to pieces from Bach and Beethoven, he sees enormous architectural structures of fantastic complexity. Keith Richards says that he believes every piece of music is already out there in the universe and, as songwriters, we just reach out and borrow them. Personally, I see unexplainable shapes and colours that no words in our vocabulary could possibly begin to explain (me: did you take acid at the same time?). All I know is that I don't feel right if I haven't heard it each day.

So tune out and tune in people, music is therapy for the soul. Below, in no particular order (me: actually they are Eric, I put them in alphabetical order according to track title, because I'm anal like that), are five older songs out of thousands of other amazing songs that I've been listening to lately. Turn 'em up loud!!

1. Ants in the kitchen - Masters Of Reality

2. Diamonds and Pearls - Prince

3. Love in an elevator - Aerosmith
4. Love will find a way - Yes
5. Ramble on - Led Zeppelin

Here's a kick ass track by Eric's band, Shinobi...

And here's some funny stuff he did for The Matty Johns Show last year...