For the first time the first big summer festival has gone for 2 days. With it came a $200+ price tag. Hilarious as on the day scalpers were desperately selling their tickets, and friends were snapping up tickets for as low as $40.
I dressed up as a Banana, because the costume was just lying there.
Call me Eric
In summary
– Two days (Saturday and Sunday) was a bit too long for me (I did go clubbing after the first day on Saturday, though).
– $8 cloak room
Drinks:
– Expensive as usual $8 for half strength middies
– $11-$12 for Vodka Red Bull cups.
Food
– $12 for lamb souvlaki hot dog
Disappointing things
– David Guetta / Armin , as much as I like them … just never sound as good on an open air stage. Though “ping pong” by Armin van Buuren was a highlight of his set.
– Nobody seemed to enjoy Empire of the Sun until they played their big hits.
– The price of drinks and food. At least some bartenders gave discounts to me 😉
– Security policing two person ladders in some rooms!! Boo
– Cigarettes everywhere
– It was absolutely so shit that the Ferry Corsten Room / Kabuki Room was relatively ‘small’ and was closed off earlier in the day.
Good things
– Axwell (played a lot of Swedish House Mafia Songs)
– Andrew Rayel
– Gareth Emery
– Zedd. Nice save in the middle of his set when the music cut off. He got the crowd to sing along to Clarity until music went back up again. Some crazy German girl grinded my banana suit for about 20 minutes and forced me to hold her. I only wanted to enjoy the music.
– That temporary DJ that stood in for Alesso, mainly cause he played hit after hit.
– Calvin was alright as well
– David Guetta looking like Jesus, as per Champagne Showers.
– Nandos is cheaper than normal shops here. (it was the same price as normal Nando outlets)
Videos
Me Harassing someone at Stereo
Stereosonic Sydney Main Stage Music Timeline
Full On /Kabuki Room presented by Ferry Corsten (Day 1 only)
Photos
Would I go again?
I was quite hesistant to go this year (I have seen most of the acts already from previous festivals), and I am less likely to go next year unless its an epic line up or price drops considerably. But you never know.
My advice (if you have been to a festival before) is to wait until some of the headliners announce side shows, as they usually stay in town for a few days to play surprise last minute side shows. Armin has done it two appearances in a row and some others have done sets at other clubs as well.
If you haven’t been before, its good to go for the experience, and then don’t go again. Unless you’re into shredding and parading your gainzzz.
We Love Sounds Winter Festival Sydney 2009 @ Hordern Pavillion
Heavily promoted, we decide to buy tickets for the event! Last festival I dressed up on my own as an Indian, so this time I wanted to get as many others on board. A friend jokingly suggested a Pirate theme for ‘Arrrmin’! I took it seriously and went ahead with it.
About We Love Sounds Winter Festival
Music: House, trance, some other forms of house, etc. 6 or 7 areas of it!
Ticket Price: $110 first release, $118 second release? The event had sold out
2009 venue: Horden Pavillion. The pavillion itself had Armin van Buuren for a 4h 30 minute set !
Cloak room: $4
Drinks: $9 for a can of smirnoff.
DJs: Armin van Buuren, Armin van Helden, Armin Van Burren, James Zabiela, Laidback Luke, Kissy Sell Out, Guy Gerber, Dirty South, Popof, Bobmo, Danger, anja Schneider, In Flagranti Live, Guns N Bombs, Grafton Primary Live, Justin M, Pivot Live, Matthew Dekay, Hijack Passions,
Sascha Funke, Aston Shuffle, Ajax, Goodwill, Bang Gang, Emerson Todd
Time: 12pm-10pm
Dress Code: anything and everything goes
Atmosphere: Pretty much got pumping and really busy around 4pm onwards. Before then the venues, besides the Armin Arena (Horden) were not very packed.
Review:
On lining up:
We got there at 12am, and there already was a line. We were close to the front. Doors actually opened around 12.30. It was smooth sailing from there.
Lining up to get into We Love Sounds. We were at the front
A girl in line joins our group
We met a girl, Devo, whose friend had dogged her. She was pretty cut up about it, so we let her join our group. Aren’t we so nice 🙂
Checking out all the areas:
I can remember 7 areas where you could dance.. 6 main areas plus the soul bar. crazy.. that’s what festivals are for I suppose.
My favourite rooms to dance in:
Lost Baggage
For me probably my favourite room to dance to was the Lost Baggage room (I think thats what it was called!) There was never a dull moment for me to whip out my legs and dance a piratey dance. Unfortunately though, this was probably the least popular room for the general public, and the big room, was at best of times, only half capacity.
Bang Gang Room
Just generally good beats, and a good crowd. This was basically an open hangar like thing. anyway later in the night they even mixed some rnb with house, which was totally awesome.
Soul Bar:
My friends and I hung out here for a good hour or so, just dancing away at around 6 or 7pm. This was just a simple bar, but they were pumping out all the party tunes, in case you were getting sick of the house music. The atmosphere made it what it was – it could hold probably 20 or 30 people inside the floor, with a small area out back to relax. We actually had a chance here to talk to our fellow festival-goers, which is important!
The Armin Arena (Horden) (only during the armin set!):
Armin was to start playing at 5.30. I got into the Arena 4.30 and friends were resting from pure exhaustion – already!? anyway I leave and tell them I would come back in half an hour. BIG MISTAKE! Half an hour later, the line outside is massive. So massive they closed off one of the entry doors – i was not going to get in on time. So I went to Bang Gang to dance there a bit. I finally got in at around 8pm! The place was packed as just to see Armin play. Music, the sheer massive crowd and the lights made an amazing atmosphere.
Experiences as a pirate
Dressing up.. as a pirate
The plan – invite everybody to join me in dressing up as a pirate!!
Actuality – I turned up in a pirate suit, and the only other person who turned up was C, and she came halfway through the day. Did my friends (except C) think I could really could have converted them to dress up with me? I suppose not. I was more than happy to be an attention whore.
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Look out for me and my friends this saturday at we love sounds – we’re dressing up as pirates. COME DRESSED AS A PIRATE TOO AND TAKE PHOTOS WITH ME – – I’LL STICK EM UP ON HERE!! DO IT FOR ARRRRMIN!