We were off to Campus A Low Hum (CALH). Three days of fine weather, at a great location to experience an unknown lineup of like-minded music from all over New Zealand and around the world. Blink, the man who started it all, has been running this annual event for five-years now and has expanded each year to encompass more than just music. This is the second year at ex-agricultural college ‘Flock House’ in the beautiful lower Rangitikei.
Roger meets the locals
Though no one knows for sure who is going to play, it sells out simply based on a trust that the lineup and experience is going to be great. I love this event because the focus is so absolutely music. Plus, there is now an art aspect, workshops and a television station as well as excellent food and a general all pervading party atmosphere. But, what makes this event great is the music and the fact that audience is there to experience the music, rather than the idea of a festival.
While I have been to CALH before, I am new to the actual camping side of things so this was always going to be interesting, but made safe thanks to a large, modern, self-inflating blow up mattress. The tent however was a problem in that it was a gift from the days of “glamping” in the UK. Glam camping has only ever made sense as an idea. Tents are generally meant to blend in rather than scream; “hey, look at me”. This thing is white with multi coloured flowers all over it and in the dark we somehow managed to erect it in a prominent high visibility location. The loved up mostly excused it as; “wow, beautiful” while late one night someone in a different physic state commented; “f…ing twee c…s” which I appreciated for its brutal, honest appraisal of the design if nothing else. But I still like to think it was more like the Dead C ‘Future Artists‘ album cover than the Cath Kidson design it actually is.
The Dead C tent
The attendees are overwhelmingly young and happy natured. Tolerant of the few older music fans present, and helpful with directions and sun cream. Jovial, smiling and talkative right through the night – which you can do when you are younger.
The music itself starts around 10:30 each morning and runs constantly to 2:30am-ish and later with after party activities in “The Gym” each night.
Video courtesy of Simon Ward
The revolving line up of artists performed consecutively on one of the three main stages – “The Barn”, “The Assembly” and in “The Pool” (my favorite – an emptied swimming pool) with sporadic appearances at smaller side stages like “The Garden”, “The Tennis Courts” and “The Bike Sheds”. Not to mention the side shows at the “Renegade Room”. All within view of the ever present, danger danger, not to be climbed “watertower”.
The all-seeing water tower. Photo: Matthew Kerr
I arrived later on Friday and left earlier than I wanted so missed lots I had wished to see but as much as I enjoy the sight of grown men dancing in their underpants (Captain Ahab) not all of the music was to my own taste but I found it at the very least educational. Highlights for me were Liam Finn (in the Renegade Room doing the drums and guitar thing and singing about a phantom tooth with James Milne), Pond (from Perth), Dear Times Waste, F in Math (Michael Logie from the Mint Chicks raucous electronic solo project), Bachelorette and the Trons (the cover Tall Dwarfs “Nothing’s Going To Happen” was particularly special), Glass Vaults, My Disco (from Melbourne), Grayson Gilmour and his tricky solo alter ego Siamese. My absolute favorites of the weekend were The Coolies and Surf Friends.
Siamese (Grayson Gilmour) in the pool. Photo: Matthew Kerr
I’ve watched the Coolies from a distance over the years and always really liked them but they are producing their best no nonsense, unsettling and discordant pop music right now here in 2011. New to me are Surf Friends who are a duo doing the guitar bass/keyboard/drum machine thing very well with an original and distinctly New Zealand take on the best post punk inspirations and a band to watch in the future.
Got back home in one piece on Sunday (minus the car that we managed to rip the underneath of off in the carpark) and already I can’t wait until next year.
