The Mundi Mundi Bash!

What a great festival!  I have now been to my first bash and have experienced the interesting phenomenon of a campsite holding 9000 people, probably 500 dogs, every version of camper or caravan ever made and some of the most lethal prickles I (or rather Maggie May) have ever encountered.  Hence the embarrassing boots ... everyone was wearing them ... which she came to appreciate!  In fact, she was very reluctant to head off on a walk without them.  Carolyn Jerome (in the Yellow Peril) and I (I had even bought Van Morrison lights to make him more jazzy) joined the queue into the Mundiville campsite on Wednesday, 17th August.  It was surprising efficient with volunteers directing us to the dog section and our enormous site.

The campsite was huge!  There were streets and paths and composting toilets on many corners.  Then down to the plaza where there were food stalls, information booths, artists and (most importantly) the Merch tent!  I planned to spend a bit of money on the merch ... merchandise for those a bit confused.  

The first night, we took our chairs down to the stage area and watched the movie Paper Planes before the ABBA tribute band, Bjorn Again, rocked us.  It was a gentle introduction to the next three days with a few lessons.  Firstly, saying "we'll find you" to Robyn and Simon Price was just plain ridiculous!  Secondly, location, location, location!  We were in Row 5 and had a great view as well as good sound.  So that's where we ended up for the rest of the bash ... it might have taken some queuing to get 'our' spot and maybe a bit of a dash across the concert area, but it was worth it.

I could go through the lineup band by band, listing and critiquing each performer, but let's just introduce some favourites and some new (well, new to me) ones.  The very first band on Thursday was Leroy Johnson & the Waterbag Band, which wowed me with their combination of double bass, didgeridoo and great harmonies, blending traditional music with a bit of country.  Then Ash Grunwald was a dynamic favourite before the talented and very musical Busby Marou.  Unfortunately Richard Clapton hadn't realised that he REALLY should have retired years ago but who cares ... because the last act of the day was Midnight Oil ... and they were FANTASTIC!  Let's just leave it at that.

Unfortunately, the Eurogliders were just awful, as predicted by my new friend in the mosh pit the previous night.  He also told me to look out for Joe Camilleri's teeth ... they are perfect!  I asked him if he was a dentist, but no, he just admired his teeth.  And he was right!  Beautiful teeth and the Black Sorrows showed that you can be an older band and still rock 'n' roll with the best of them.  As did Russell Morris the next day.  Great voice, wonderful music.  The Pierce Brothers were dynamos (I bought some albums they were that good) and the Rolling Stones Revue was fun although it showed that aging rock stars really shouldn't take off their shirts!

I've missed out heaps but you get the drift.  Would I do it again?  Absolutely!  But, I'm sorry to say, not to see Jimmy Barnes.  Two hours of him screaming into the microphone was too much to bear, although the sound improved immensely if you put your fingers in your ears!  Sunday morning came and all the vans started leaving.  Again, it was a measured and well organised exit.  I left Mundi Mundi to head to Cockburn and a shower (!!!!) only to discover that the park was closed on a Sunday ... so I travelled on to Olary and a camp in a rest stop.  At least there was a pub!