With their fourth album, it’s clear that Daft Punk has wisely set out to prove their humanity by embracing warm, live instrumentation over computation.
A giant disco ball hangs above a crowd of perhaps 1,500 people dancing on the disc, reflecting beams of light into the night the sardine-tin crowd means that the effect of the floor LEDs can’t be seen from a distance, only by those up close – but perhaps that’s the intended effect. The floor is filled with LEDs, programmed to broadcast Daft Punk-related imagery and flash in sync with the array of swiveling lights and strobes built into the surrounding scaffolding. In the center of the noise is an enormous black disc, perhaps 25 metres (82 feet) in diameter, which organizers claim is the largest outdoor dance floor in Australia. It’s quadraphonic, surround sound in its true sense, played at high volume. The first notes of “Give Life Back To Music” boom through four enormous speakers stacked in the middle of a clearing that’s usually reserved for showcasing cattle. The album begins playing moments after the final explosion of the annual fireworks display. One guy with "Daft Punk" spelled out across his leather jacket in blue LEDs is a favorite of photographers once he powers up so too those who opt for giant, furry animal suits. Robot helmets feature strongly, from aluminum foil creations to motorbike headgear equipped with internal cameras, external lighting and impressive home wiring skills. While many attendees wear the cowboy hats, leather workboots and flannel clothing readily associated with rural Australia, a faithful few have taken the extra step of dressing up for the show. The Wee Waa Show committee discussed at length how the showgrounds would cope with the influx of tourists local accommodation was fully booked soon after the news broke. Sony first floated the idea with the Narrabri Shire Council in February, two months before the news was made public in mid-April. The choice to host the album launch here had everything to do with sheer disorientation – hence the global headlines. Situated 560 kilometers (347 miles) north-west of Sydney, Australia’s most populated city, Wee Waa was previously known for its cotton production, and little else. I figure that saving that crucial first listen for the first night will be worth it. I resist, though, out of respect for the album and the experience ahead. During the seven-hour drive to Wee Waa, the temptation to listen to the album is powerful.
When I wake up on the morning of 79th Annual Wee Waa Show, I add Random Access Memories to my to collection on the streaming music service Rdio, a process that takes only minutes. What had been sold as a world premiere now seemed humdrum, an experience that anyone with an internet connection, BitTorrent or iTunes could have.
A journalist from the local newspaper The Narrabri Courier told Wired that the Wee Waa Motel experienced 37 out of 60 cancellations in the day following the leak. The impact on the planned celebration was immediate. Imagine Sony's frustration, then, when Random Access Memories trickled onto the internet on May 14, three days ahead of the intended world premiere in Wee Waa, and Daft Punk hastily started streaming the album on iTunes to tide over listeners till the actual release date. The event (and its marketing) was always about more than just two French guys releasing an album: It was an attempt to breathe life into the idea that a distinct collection of songs could still be relevant in 2013, when digitally downloaded singles dominate and launch dates have become almost meaningless. The unconventional choice of locale made worldwide news, as intended. WEE WAA, Australia–The world premiere of the latest Daft Punk album, Random Access Memories, was originally scheduled to take place on May 17 at a farm show in the rural Australian town of Wee Waa, population 2,100.
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