The second annual Camp A Low Hum has been and gone.

 

I remember talking to people before hand about how much they were worrying about how it wouldn’t be as awesome as it was last year blah blah blah blah.I told each and every one of those people to shut the hell up, suck it up and come with no expectations. It’s silly to worry about something like that. Just plain ol’ silly.

 

So, same as last year, I went along with nothing but sweet anticipation. All I was sure of was that Blink would have put together a stellar line up that would make the excitement gland in your brain explode as soon as you got the booklet with the line up.

 

And ho ho ho I wasn’t disappointed! Maybe last year was the glorious year that everyone blissed out on – but this year the bands were top notch! I was glad it was a four day camp this year. It took everyone a wee while to get over that “We need to have a pool party cause it was so awesome last year” attitude, and really get into the “vibe” of this year. Even though I heard the pool parties were actually quite good…

 

Below I have compiled a list of my favourite things on camp. I’ve probably forgotten a WHOLE heap of things too. And so what if it’s only a highlights list? If you have a problem with that you can fuck off. I don’t think there were many lowlights.

 

I left this year feeling really excited and happy about what this year had in store. I also left royally fucking tired after 4 days of camp. So I was quite ready to go home, but fulfilled about the awesome time I had! The day I left I had already started hearing rumours about next year…

 

Anyway.

 

The highlights…

Teenwolf

First band I saw at camp – the played a stonker of a set! I felt like I was on fire or something. Maybe that was just my hangover… Bradley is a gosh darn great front man!

 

Circular spoon.

Want to get to know people? Want to form a special bond that can never be broken? Want to find out what a Mexican Hump is? Ask someone who took part in the circular spoon. One of the greatest things in the world! I think the world should hold a “Spoon day”. Then we would have no more hate. Only spoon.

 

Ladybird!

Oooo dose lurverly Freeench men! They make me want to want to be in a perpetual state of Camp Low Hum forever! Their songs are sickly sweet cute – but a Ladybird could sing lollypops and sugarplums to me all day everyday and I’d still get the warm willies! A toaster is a great percussive instrument.

 

[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=a0N_2Es_LNQ]

 

Reduction Agents

I’m pretty sure that this was most peoples’ favourite show on camp! A magical moment when you are with your friends and you are all singing ‘Waiting for your love’ together and holding each other… its so GODDAMN PERFECT you want to puke because your body can’t handle something so pure… so precious.

 

The Brunettes

DAMN they were on fire. Maybe I’m writing rave reviews about everyone but this is the ‘highlights bit’ bro. They had so much energy on stage. Was funny to see everyone on stage that has ever played for them.

 

The Cosbys

LIARS! This will be our last ever show my ass. The power of The Cosbys shall never fade!

 

The Conjurers

“It’s too hot for pants tonight, it’s too hot for pants tonnniiigggghhhtttt, it’s too hot for pants tonight, so I’m going to take them offfffffffffFFFffff”. Pure gold songwriting.

And how much can one band sweat? How do you think they re-filled the pool after the mystery “poo”? It’s not just any ol’ water in that pool. It’s soul sweat.

 

The Poo in the Pool

Do you know what? Tthe “poo” in the pool was actually a Picnic bar! Hehehehehehehe.

 

The renegade room (aka the rene-GAY-de room)

So you ain’t playing at camp. Get a couple of people together – you have 4 days! Practise for a bit and then BOOM! You will become one of my new favourite bands. I saw some magic happen in this room. Princess Chelsea and the Aristocrats, Sam & Joe with their hit “Domesticated Cats”. Even though these bands had myspace presence before camp, seeing them live was great.

 

[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=xFAsRX2xYjg]

[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=meywAoZ1xSU]

There is a FUCKING GENIUS in my balls

One great thing about camp are the bands you decide to form. I actually want to carry this one through though. If anyone steals this name there will be hell to pay.

 

Little Picture and their music video!

People have no inhibitions and are probably drunk – prime time footage!

 

Levin being so close

“Hey Gemma and Emily, I want some beers.”

 

“Yeah Gemma and Jordy, but we need to keep them cold as well! How bout we go to the Warehouse and buy a big container and put some party ice in it.”

 

“Hey you know what Emily and Jordy, that’s the BEST FREAKIN IDEA EVER.”

 

BIG FLIP THE MASSIVE

Now one of my new favourite bands. Here’s some video footage of them playing in a forest before Golden Axxxe.

 

[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=FsMaJ-vFx80]

 

Golden axe

New line up – tighter than Brazilian bottom. Footage below!

 

[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=HHIVf-tD2K8]

 

Brand New Math (aka Brand New Friends)

When Tim gets his shirt off – you know its PARTY time! How dare you retire ‘Rowdy Tim’ after camp? Actually I don’t know if anything outside camp could handle the party wrath.

Brand New Math are all class. Their songs are pretty choice too.

 

Man love

There is nothing more touching than seeing two dudes form a friendship that is full of pure admiration for each other… and the sexual tension that comes with that.

 

So So Modern RETURN!

I missed the ‘live feed’, but saw them on the nice stage. “If the power goes out I’m gonna keep drumming!”!!! I’m glad to have you boys home for a wee while.

 

Not drinking so much

Yeah – I am going to admit it. I didn’t drink that much this year. Well… no, it’s true. When I sat down to watch Somethingorother on the Nice Stage I was as sober as a nun who had drunken hard the night before but was sober that day. DING – I had an epiphany. Oh yeeeeaaaaahhhh – this is a MUSIC FESTIVAL.

 

BOXWARS

Whoever came up with the idea to make giant cardboard costumes and beat the shit out of each other is the most amazing person in the world!

 

Trans Am

Wholly FUCK these guys sounded AMAZING. I have no idea what else to say. Nathan’s smile won me over completely. He was SO HAPPY!

 

Disasteradio

I only saw Drad with Alphabethead. Who the hell hooked that shit up! Who would have thought the combo would turn out so awesome? I was having so much fun I didn’t even realise how much dust was going up my nose.

 

Have you seen Disasteradio’s twin ‘Disasterodeo” around?

 

The ‘No dicks, just good cunts’ rule

Maybe it sounds like a feminist statement – but it is the basic rule of camp. Just be a nice person. Don’t be a dick. It is so great how everyone sticks to this simple guideline.

 

James Goldsmith

Mixed 39 bands in 4 days. What a freakin champion.

 

BLINK

You know what Blink – I think you deserve 5 million dollars and everything good in the world. People from overseas, people from NZ, the international acts – EVERYONE thinks that this is the best music festival in the world. You put on a right stonker of a festival.