A COLD DAY IN BNE: 2024
I stepped through the Triffids inner doors to Dire Straights beckoning me in - its a baller way to start your set and it put instant respect on SKORNS name. Steel City meets Blue Steel, their set warmed me up despite the cold snap. Now look at them yo-yos, that’s the way you do it.
A Cold Day in BNE isn’t just about the music, it’s about the community. My day was spent surrounded by friends both old & new - meeting on common ground before beautiful heart-to-hearts unfolded before me. The brutal soundscape provided a space for me to connect with new people on such an impactful level. I missed a few bands because I was connecting so deeply - it’s a testament to this community and how different walks of life, from different states, 2 decades apart manage to walk away feeling inspired and wholeheartedly supported. From strangers to voices of reason/s, to other friends allowing me to chew their ears off with my insatiable need for creating uniquely personal circumstances I then need help navigating - If only you knew - it was a big lovely cold day.
Hardcore is always a community affair, which is the whole basis of A COLD DAY. It’s not easy putting on a festival, getting sponsors, and providing a full lineup of legacy, local, and interstate bands - yet A Cold Day manages to bring us all together on the coldest Brisbane afternoon to enjoy the Triffids tasteful beer garden and iconic tin roof. (The vegan choices; they’re seen, consumed, and appreciated).
Its second consecutive year in a row was another successful event, with those rallying around the festival breathing life into our active and flourishing scene. It’s the ideal place to foster those new friendships, catch some interstate hardcore bands who are on the rise, and support the local scene in a setting that allows a wider scope - maintaining that DIY ethos whilst providing a larger scale stage to showcase the momentum and talent that we’re truly lucky to have. It’s proud, it’s mushy, but it’s all true. Why does everyone sound so good? We are all (mostly) so cool, talented, and gorg? From a rise in AA shows to a full-blown day festival, we are living in a great time and I’m thrilled to play a part in documenting the music and scene we all connect to and are a part of.
There are a few reasons I didn’t document everything with my camera - I will say it was crowded in that pit and I felt like putting my camera away and participating in a more analog way (using my eyes) and exercising my mental retention. Less exciting than looking at a photo or two, but I’m here to document the day in script from my POV, I always follow my heart and the day called for me to participate as a body on the floor, not a camera in the pit. I think at the heart of it, I want to remember watching through people and not through a lens the whole time. I love to capture music, it’s my livelihood - but balancing that between being present is what counts to me more.
My standouts for the day were SKORN, 50 LIONS, THRESHOLD, Phantoms + SHITGRINDER. I did arrive gracefully delayed, rolling in about 2 pm, as I am a working girl trying to fund an overseas move, unfortunately missing local favourites MUD (sorry!).
I’m always enjoying HC, but these sets stood out to me. Sonically I am driven to specific vocals, specific groove, which is what made the soles of my shoes unstuck from the molasses flooring despite their tact - I may not seek out a blood nose like 15-year-old Day did at The Lab (RIP), but she still lives inside of me, channeling her way into an aggressive head bop, foot tap and a ‘locked in’ unbreakable gaze thing. (This will all be undone when Pain of Truth arrive in AUG and suddenly my 15-year-old spirit will be unleashed - to be cringe, is to be free or whatever).
During these bands, I was in full, locked- in mode. They all carried their own electrical currency that vibed with me most - a particular air of boss / good riff / strong voice & originality.
Legacy act 50 LIONS were incredibly hard - a headline act I pushed through sore tummy business for - IB no S, 50 lions I love you !!!
Overall, it was a stunningly brisk Brisbane day, and I wholeheartedly appreciate the position I found myself in, happily taking it all in, wether that was in a philosophical beer garden conversation, sitting alone at the back deep in thought or laughing with my friends all backdropped by beautiful RIFFRAFF.
If I’m here for next year’s event - you can count on my presence being there <3
Day x