Soundtrack to your studies - 2005

There was one big difference at Orientation events this year - smoking had been banned in bars, after a new law was enacted in December of the previous year. Suddenly you could come home from an evening at Shadows and not smell of tobacco … that is, unless you’d been sitting out in the smoking area. The line-up of O-week gigs at Shadows showed the popularity of guitar rock at the time, with acts including: Opshop, D4, The Dukes, The Have, Uncouth, 48May, Autozamm, and Goodnight Nurse (fronted by future Lorde-producer, Joel Little). Here’s a little taste of the retro-rock that was in fashion at the time.

There were more events throughout the year too. The most memorable was the Princes Street Carnival, which had a section of the road closed for a mini-festival headlined by Australian group, The Cat Empire and which also included amusement rides. Dei Hamo was also on the line-up and he returned later in the year for the End of Daze concert in October, alongside Misfits of Science, Fast Crew, Batucada Sound Machine, and Goldenhorse. Dei Hamo had reached No.1 the previous year with ‘We Gon Ride’ which was promoted through a stunningly expensive music videos filled with local celebs.

Students were also given discounted entry to a King’s Arms gig by the Mint Chicks and The Checks. Mint Chicks were essentially a post-punk band and had recently surprised everyone (including themselves) by having a radio hit and top selling album, providing an early hint of the success that guitarist Ruban Neilson would later find with UMO. They won five categories at the following year’s music awards and performed their breakthrough song ‘Crazy? Yes! Dumb? No!’ though their success didn’t stop Kody from chainsawing down one of the advertiser’s signs at Big Day Out, when he thought it obscured the stage too much.

Later in the year the Electric Six performed at an End of Daze concert held in the quad, along with The Sneaks and Odessa. 

If the headliner’s name doesn’t sound familiar then check out this video and I’m sure it will all come back to you.

What was on your turntable while you were on campus? Suggest songs to add to our 2000s playlist, and you could win $100 Flying Out voucher.