Sound Relief

The Sound Relief concerts, the biggest concerts Australia has ever held (120 000 people combined), held in Syndey and Melbourne on Saturday 14th raised 5 million dollars for the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal.






The SCG was filled to the rafters with a particularly friendly crowd. There were your die hard fans squished at the front of the pit, but there was minimal pushing and shoving. The crowd-surfers weren't your standard larrikans or first aid patients, but teen-bopper girls smiling away as they were hand delivered within spitting-distance of their idols on stage.

Speaking of idols....



Coldplay started the day. Which was great, the whole crowd was there as soon as the concert kicked off.


John Farnham joined Chris Martin on stage to sign "Your the Voice." 40 000 people chanting along, I was surprised the kids knew it! None the less, they loved it. Sentimental for an era long before their time.



Wolfmother followed, with their new line-up. Andrew Stockdale pulling the same charismatic Zeplin moves as before. They really amped the crowd up.





The keyboardist had a rather Jesus-like look about him



Hoodoo Gurus. My oh my! The way they held the crowd and moved on stage was incredible. I can only but imagine them some 20 years ago. On fire. The guitarist was like a Fabio of the rock world. Tight white pants, red shirt and some of the oldest and greatest moves in the books.





Architecture in Helskini were as quirky as always. There was a flood of girls crowd-surfing and doing the whirlwind.




You am I followed. Tim Rogers was looking mighty fine. Though something was wrong. I turned around, and the kids who had been screaming two minutes ago were standing there, staring at the ripped Tim, mute. I asked them if they had heard of You am I, and they harmonized a no. Unbelievable. After a bit of encouragement from me, the girls started cheering and dancing around, screaming 'we love you!' that was my good deed for the day.





The gorgeous Josh Pyke came out next, excited to play to the largest crowd he had ever performed to.


I actually spent more time wandering around the crowd shooting whatever caught my eye...







And then suddenly the sky opened up and the entire crowd ran for shelter (bar the 50 die hard fans of Marcia Hines who stuck it out at the front).





The clouds then parted as Taylor Swift pranced on stage.



At first clad in loose jeans and t-shirt, I thought that I would try and look past her music, and give her a chance. But then, off with the modesty and on with the show....



I turned around and spoke to my teen friends whom I had earlier educated in You am I, and asked them what they thought. They said they loved her. I asked why. They said she was sweet. I asked them if they knew what feminism was, and lets just say, I did my second deed for the day. Budding little Germaine Greers I made out of them. Swift's fanbase is down by ten.

Then some great Aussie rock started to heal my ears and eyes.

Jet were restyled and looking as great as they sounded.





And Eskimo Joe seemed to have the same stylist on board; Kav wearing a gypsie vest and white jeans with rocker finesse.



All in all it was a great day. The crowd was one of the best crowds I have ever come accross (might have something to do with the 'no alcohol policy' in the pit, and I still have a treasure chest of shots to upload. So keep tuned.