There's no Homebake this year. Boo! All we can do now is relive the memories of Homebakes past...
My lords, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Brag Towers
First up: the Animal-From-The-Muppets Crazy Drummer Award, which goes to Taka from Little Red! Rarely can a band member have enjoyed himself as much as this guy. Without a mic, he sang along to every word of every song, pausing only to grin from ear-to-ear and occasionally stand on his drumkit to lead the crowd in some gleeful hand clapping. This man is a gem and his band was one of the day's high points. The crowd was eating out of Little Red’s hands well before the set closed with the 1950s school dance romp of 'Coca Cola'.
Now, let's move on to the My Chemical Romance Award for Band Who Look Most Like Their Audience. And the winner is: British India ! Fresh faced, long haired, spotty, excitable and an apparent average age of 18. But hey, in a punk band that is a good thing. The four boys delivered a raucus, pacey set full of energy, with the highlights being 'Tie Up My Hands' and the splendidly obnoxious closer 'This Ain't No Fuckin Disco'.
Without further ado, we have the Kate Moss Award for Best Festival Outfit, which goes to - who else? Nick from Pnau! Making his entrance suspended on wire from the ceiling, Nick was resplendent in white tunic, yellow-feathered headdress and furry green fake eyelashes. The band's whole set was candy for the eyes: a delirious mixture of dancing human strawberries, sunshine, cowbells, green skulls and red Indians. Meanwhile, the sight of giant colourful balloons bouncing across the crowd was a delight. The Flaming Lips had better look sharp, because they've got competition.
As for the Courtney Love Worst Dressed gong, that goes to Mercy Arms. Thom sported a lurid, oversized Vinnies shirt; Kevin wore black and white leggings; while Ash opted for the Miami
Next up, the St John's Ambulance Award, which goes to the moustachioed ranga in the crowd whose head was spectacularly sun-scorched by 3pm (we don't call it Homebake for nothin' kids!). Naturally, he did the sensible thing after that: he poured a can of beer into his 'Sun Sense' water bottle and removed his t'shirt. May he rest in peace.
It's painful to report that the Ian Brown Award for Most Overrated Underperformer goes to You Am I. However bad they sound, the crowd still whooped and applauded. People, are you so blind you cannot see? The emperor has no clothes! Beset with sound problems from the start, even the band's decent recent tunes sounded stodgy, and when they murdered 'Heavy Heart' it was time to leave.
The Too Big For The Big Top Award goes to Cut Copy. The tent was absolutely overflowing with people as the trio blasted through a sparkling set of early-Depeche Mode-style electo-pop. The crowd went positively ape shit during 'Out There On The Ice'.
For the squillionth time in their career, Crowded House scoop the People's Choice Award. Every song was met by twenty thousand voices singing along. When a setlist glows with 'It's Only Natural', 'Don't Dream It's Over', 'When You Come' and 'Fall At Your Feet', Julius Caesar and the Roman Empire couldn't conquer the happy festival vibe. And neither could a flying thong thwacking Neil in the face. The assailant was led away by Security, but not before Neil commended him for his accuracy. Soon after, 'Better Be Home Soon' drew the night to a suitably warm and fuzzy close.
By Andy McLean. Copyright held by author.
Article first published in The Brag, Sydney, 2008.
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