Gaz.

human jukebox 2

My Dad and I went to see Kim Salmon at the Old Bar last Sunday. It was really, really good. Maybe one of my favourite gigs for the year.

He played two sets of Scientists stuff, and it was really cute seeing him play Frantic Romantic, 'cos it's such a teenager song and he's getting on in age now. Still looks good though (obligatory creepy musing).

When he finished Rowland S Howard was playing over the speakers. He's defs been following me this last week. First at the Tote, then the Old Bar, and on Wednesday I saw his photo in one of my Uni lectures offices.

Weird times.

human jukebox

We were on the door for Buried Horses this weekend, so we went, if only to emanate the importance of being on the door list (to ourselves).

While I was waiting for my friend I could the bass of my favourite/least favourite song of theirs and by the time we were in it was over. I don’t know if that was good or bad. They were good, again (I don’t know any other adjectives aside from good and great, anymore. From a scale of 1-5 I guess it’d go: bad, not that good, okay, good, great) and they have a great cover of Ghost Riders In The Sky.

Afterwards I performed a monologue or two to a few unlucky people, then Jim, Ella and I spend $10 playing the ‘best of’ the Tote jukebox. It was mainly Rowland S Howard and it was good.

Great.

trips to spain and china.

Half of the enjoyment of seeing bands is not the bands you go to see, but the crowd—who you see.

I still don’t know that many people in Melbourne, so when someone recognises you it’s quite a nice feeling. I think I knew at least seven people when Buried Horses played as part of the Spanish Festival on Friday night. The band was good too-- I think it just takes a million listens to get used to, like many nice things.

Later on in the night I discovered the mystery of the second floor rooms at the Old Bar, and uncovered a plethora of GV gossip. The secrets mainly revolved around failures of sorts, and because I was so intrigued with these jaw-dropping hearsays I missed out on Midnight Woolf. I heard their cover of Gloria though, which sounded fun.

On Sunday my friend asked me to go to China Town Getdown. There was too much floral, lace and high-waisted pants. I’m pretty sure every band there would cite the Velvet Underground as a major influence. They weren’t bad, bad—Dirt Farmer are nice, but the bands were just all too similar and I was too tired.

Plus, it was kind of boring compared to the previous night.

Sorry.

last liddiard post.

I know I harp on about Gareth Liddiard like my life depends on it, but this will be the last post regarding him for a while- I promise!

I saw him at the Thornbury Theatre on Friday with my parents, where he playedStrange Tourist in its entirety, followed by an encore of some of favourite Drones songs; I am the Supercargo, Locust and Jezabel. It would be in my top 3 gigs of the year. He displayed so much emotion in the songs, especially the Radicalistion of D (which is intense enough on CD- hearing it live nearly made me want to cry when it got to the 'you're living in a nightmare...' part).

One of my favourite parts of seeing Liddiard live is his wonderfully witty banter littered between songs. I think my favourite was when he spoke after playing Supercargo and he said he was in Mexico hopped up on drugs when he wrote the song, and when he played it back it was so slow.

Fuck, I can't do him justice. I'm making him sound like a wanker.

He's not though.

I don't think.

and you're all fucked anyway.

Digger and the Pussycats 2am Pony show was definitely the best time I’ve had in ages. We were watching a friend’s band in the city beforehand, and I was worried we'd miss the 'good' songs .

I’m not a huge fan of Pony- it smells and it’s always chock-ab-block full of creeps, but it was so busy on Friday it didn’t matter.

We were all a bit drunk, and nearly lashed 10 minutes after arriving there in favour of getting food and going to bed, but as we were walking out of the room we heard the seductive guitar notes of ‘I want to be your slut’, so we came back and the song cured our sickness.

Our new friend Lucette was there (we see her nearly every time we see a band), and she played a bit of drums for them in a later song.

When they played ‘Coming to get you’ they said, “This is for Madi”, which was exciting know that finally my high intensity fandom has paid off haha.

Good times.

freedom in the loot

Whilst on my Liddiard obsession, I 'spose I should mention I saw him with the rest of his super good lookin' band mates at the Forum.

I missed out on the Twerps and PK14 because I went to my friends before heading off to the Forum, which was sixty times better for my self esteem anyway.

The Drones were really good, but apparently the sound sucked. I couldn't tell though 'cos I was close to the front.

Here is a picture from the Melbourne International Arts Festival's Facebook:

Radicalisation of D

Listen to the Radicalisation of D by Gareth Liddiard. Despite it coming in at just short of sixteen minutes, it was probably the most beautiful and harrowing sixteen minutes of my day.

A million dollars that kids in VCE will be studying his words in years to come.

On a lighter note--what a babe. I'm really into this whole Ned Kelly/ Australian look at the moment. I've got the boots, the background, and necessary aussie classics on my bookshelf, but i jut can't grow the facial hair.

Lucky I'm a girl, I spose.

greed, money, useless children

My life is in a complete musical lull right now- we haven't even had a band practice in a month and i've seen next to no gigs. I've been listening to Nancy Sinatra. I think I'm getting soft.

I'm going to talk about other shit now.

Lucky you.

i'm livin' on the breadline.

I've been to as more Digger and the Pussycats gigs than my age in years, and only the other week did I start to tire.

Except that I didn't really tire of the band, I was more tired from catching a plethora of trams to meet my little brother in the city and take him out to see his first overage gig (I'm such a joker!).

He assured me that he didn't want to go, that the band would be a piece of shit (LOLOLOLOLOL), and i-won't-get-in-anyway-you-idiot-i'm-only-sixteen!

He did get in, and he handled his first use of an I.D. much better than I did. He still wasn't keen on being there, so I got him a glass of water and a seat, so he could text all his friends that he was in a real life bar and take a photo of the stamp on his wrist and post it to his Facebook wall.

Once Digger and the Pussycats finally took to the stage, they said some rude stuff, played some songs, and got sweaty as. Sweaty as what? Sweaty as... a band... i guess.

I think my brother was pretty impressed with the vulgarity of the songs and the chit chat between them, and Andy's unseated drumming. He couldn't stop smiling, and I think they're pretty good to see as your first pub band. I can't remember much about the first time I saw Digger and the Pussycats, because I was three-quarters totaled, but I do remember having a good time and harrassing the band and being general embarrassment.

Thanks Digger and the Pussycats for uppin' my cool cred with the bro, I will be taking credit for any purchases of your CD in JB HiFi Shepparton.

Send me a cheque in the mail.

re-treat

Mike Noga was super cute last night at the Retreat. His music probs isn't what I'd consider to be amazing, but he seemed really lovely and glad that people were there to see him play. He was pretty funny, and had a cool song called 'Wake Up Dan' that he recorded on his iPhone.

Buried Horses also played and they were heaps better than last time I saw them, so I guess that means that I like the band again.

Lucky them!

brian hooper (is super)

I don't know much about makin' music, but every single bass line Brian Hooper played on Pop Crimes was wonderful.

deadwood

The Stabs are one of my favourite bands in thee whole world. I'm just fresh from seeing them at John Curtain Bandroom, and they were, as envisaged, amazing. Unfortunately I went with my BFF so we spent half the time making fun of shit (espesh plaits), and I lost a heap of limited edition Mentos in my excitement.

Have I not yet been creepy enough in this post? Well, the bass player's kinda cute...

off the hip bbq

I had to go printer shopping with my Dad on Sunday, so I arrived at the Off the Hip BBQ at the Tote kinda late. It had been going all day but we only arrived at the demise of the Cheats set, in time to catch Russian Roulettes.

Russian Roulettes completely slayed it, and I'd defs go see them again. The drummer had a super cute lisp, and some real tight hairdo. Midnight Wolf and Johnnie Casino followed. Then Spencer P. Jones secretly took o the stage and it was really exciting 'cos he's amazing. I've never seen him without a cowboy hat before, so I guess that made it all the more special! He played a few songs on his lonesome on a cool transparent guitar, then a couple with backing from Los Chicos- at this point there was four guitars on stage- but too many cooks didn't spoil the broth.


I love Los Chicos, I saw them twice while they were in Australia, and I wish they were here forever and ever so that they could be my boyfriends (especially the singer). They were super trashy and did an appauling cover of My Pal, but it had so much heart and fun in it, you couldn't help but smile.

Buried Horses were last, weirdly. It kind of seemed as though it should have ended on the Los Chicos high. I'm still not keen on the new songs- I like the music, but the vocals are just too RAAAAH, and make me feel like I'm getting creeped on in the outback by John Jarrat in Wolf Creek.

big sexy noise- lydia lunch

I've recently watched the doco Blank City at Melbourne International Film Festival and decided that Lydia Lunch is an okay person. I thought she was a wanker, because in the We're Livin' On Dogfood doco she was a complete tool and her voice was really grating. Howevz, in Blank City she was quite funny, and she has done some pretty cool stuff. I love her cover of Some Velvet Morning that she does with Rowland S Howard. It gives me shivers.

cold and sober.

Just in case you don't know by now, this is Gareth Liddiard from the Drones (not that you should have any excuse not to- dreamboat!). I saw him do a solo sesh at the Post Office Hotel on Sunday and he was wonderful! He played a few of his new songs, including one that stopped mid-way 'cos it's "not finished yet!", alongside Drones songs, and witty banter.

My favourite Liddiard saying- "They're a pack of cunts!"

I also saw the Drones the previous weekend at the Inpress Warehouse, playing with Batrider and The Dacios,where the picture is taken (note Mike Noga in the background- my new love).

They are so amazingly sad and beautiful.

i think you're cute

I saw the Johnny's at the Tote last night with Dad, and I was close to the youngest one there. Nice to see that that hasn't changed like the carpet (which was quite nice to walk on).

The first band was Vice Grip Pussies, and they said the word cock a lot. They were kinda New York Dolls-ish, and all had long hair, and the bass player had really lovely hair, and I can't wait 'til my hair grows that long, and after their set they all donned leather jackets with 'pussies' splashed across the back. And, and, and.

Archer was next. It was just a countryman and his small guitar thing. He sung country music, like he had hitched a ride on a freight train in the '20s (don't quote me if I'm wrong, my dad said that). He was pretty cute and funny.

Finally the Johnny's played, dressed up in shirts and cowboy hats. They were really, really, really good, and all the old folk in the audience loved it and were dancing.

The bass player, Hoody, kept smashing down beers between songs, and he also gave a minor shout-out to Shepp 'cos his mum came all the way to see him (could of hitched a ride with my dad).

If I had to pick one to fall in love with I would say Spencer for his voice, but Slim was real good lookin' for someone his age, kind of like George Clooney.

eddy current suppression ring

http://longexposurephotos.blogspot.com/

bands, books and fireplaces.

Tuesday was Sabrina's birthday, and after eating the hugest meal I had ever eaten in my life, we decided to visit some pubs to escape the cold. Firstly we saw Peter Ewing at Labour in Vain, he sang quite pretty and was accompanied by a man with a violin who was amazing. He played with Spencer P Jones and James McCann in previous weeks which would have been cool to see (especially ol' Spencer Jones, because he plays all the time, but I never get to see him!).

On the way home, we stopped by the Old Bar to stand infront of the fireplace, and the band there wasn't too bad. They played a cover of 'Dirty Old Town', which was fitting, as that seems to be played by a band every time we go out for someones birthday.

We continued our weekday band freebies on Wednesday and went out to the Old Bar upon recommendation from a friend. Loveless Marriage played first, and it was the strangest act I have seen. It started off with some poetry reading, then an instrumental with a guitar, violin and double bass (maybe? i don't know my string instruments), then magic tricks. It was amazing, and they had a smoke machine.

Mass Cult Suicide played next. They played quite a short set, and weren't as good looking as I remembered them to be, but they were still quite good. Last, but not least, was Plague Doctor. It was their last night of residency, so the bar was relatively full for a Wednesday. They were lots of fun, and during their last song one of the girls dancing ripped up a Star Wars novel and threw all the pages around like book snow.

It was pretty.

kim salmon

I wish Meredith would just hurry up.

you're making out like you don't want to be licking on ice-cream and sitting next to me.

I saw Legends of Motorsport, and the Bowers last night. Bunny Monroe were also playing, but we didn't get there in time

The Bowers were a lot different from last time I saw them. The singer (a.k.a most beautiful person at Yah Yahs) was dancing the sickest moves, and made me smile the whole time, but I still couldn't like the music, no matter how attractive he was.

Then Legends played, but I got sick of them by the end. I don't think I'll go see them for a while, unless they are playing Remnants of the Big Bang in entirety.

Brunswick ladiiiies.

tee ay ess tee ee bee you dee

I scored some freebies to the King Khan and BBQ show, so Nell and I went out last Wednesday in hopes of catching a glimpse of King Khan's belly again.
I met King Khan earlier in the day while I was working reception, and he smiled and said hi to me. I didn't even say it first, or have to stare at him to make him greet me. I think we fell in love.

Their show was at the Corner, and it was pretty full. We missed Woolen Kits, 'cos we were eating dinner, and nearly missed out on Royal Headache (who are amaaaazing, and I love them), because appaz you're not allowed to take in larger cameras. What a photography monopoly!

Being the clever cats that we are, we managed to get in with Nell's huge, fancy camera. Here are a few of her shots of the super babe that is King Khan, and his performance partner, the funny, albeit not such a cutie pie, Mark Sultan a.k.a. BBQ.

The costumes, songs and backdrop were all so amazing. Plus, they bagged the fuck out of Xavier Rudd, which was funny. It was probably my favourite show of the year thus far. We played 'Tastebuds' in the car on repeat all the way home, which is now the new favourite cunt song.

"If you have a problem with this song, you have a problem with your sexuality"- King Khan

www.nellgracephotography.blogspot.com

the golden age.

meet me at the corner of smith and johnston

if i had to shop for prescription lenses, i would shop for them here.

rats.

I caught tram 112 to the hairdressers today. I expect a few weirdos to be on that tram, but they never normally sit near me, let alone speak to me.

A man my Dad's age got on with a big camera bag and sat opposite me. I didn't pay much attention to him 'til I saw two massive rats appear out of the bag. He saw me staring at them, so I felt like I should feign a smile and say something so that he didn't think I was rude.

-Do they have names?

The white rat was called Sid, and the black rat was his brother. Sid was sleepy, but his brother was jumping around like a loony. The whole time I was just hoping for the tram to hurry up and get to Johnson street before one of these rats jumped on my face and scratched out my eyeballs.

The man was actually really nice though, he told me how he took them with him everywhere, and had even introduced them to Molly Meldrum. He then began to talk to me about the fear of the unknown.

- Some people will walk around with dogs-rottweilers, and no one gets afraid, even though a dog can bite you to death. I should be able to take my pets out, just like they do, but when I walk around with my two rats, people avoid me and give me strange looks- but at least I always get a good seat on the tram!

It's kind of true isn't it. I was so afraid of him, and weirded out when he sat down near me, because he was lugging around two massive rats, but he was probably the nicest person I have ever met on a tram.

He even grabbed the rats arms to motion a wave goodbye to me at my stop.

seen better legs on a table.

So, It looks like the Old Bar is becoming our new haunt for the time being. I've been there more in the last month that I have is the past year and a half, but not enough so that my outfits haven't had to be repeated.

I was there Sunday, for the last night of Buried Horses residency. I missed most of Death Valley Band, but was able to catch the Orphanage. They were okay, I don't actually remember them because I was too busy being surprised and bitchy, but the songs I heard over the internet were pretty good.

Buried Horses were really good (my vocab. just isn't the same anymore- i need to start reading again!), and I wasn't hit by anything. My friend and I played our usual copycat game during their set, and I think we're good enough to do the moves without the live band backing now.

I think I have seen them so many times that soon they will be overtaking the live play count (a la iTunes) of Digger and the Pussycats. I'm stuck in a complete social inertia when it comes to liking things, but I guess this is keeping with the animal theme, so it's not too difficult to handle.

Another thing that has been incessantly happening is Johnny Cash covers. Bands are all over him, the last four times I have been out three bands have covered the man in black. Not that that's a bad thing.
Unlike some people I know.

cuddles beach- a good place to take your girlfriend (and stab her)

My Dad and I went and had a geezer at the Tote exhibition, and there was so many cool posters. I got Tote-stamped for the last time, and like I was actually at the hotel, I felt like I was about five in comparison to everyone else who was there.

Then I went and found my new boyfriend, Gareth Liddiard. He was playing at the Northcote Social Club, doing a run of special solo shows. I've loved the Drones for quite a while now, but things are never in my favour when I want to see them live.
There was a girl with a guitar, followed by Jacky Winter. I recognised a lot of his songs, and he did a really cool cover of a Mum Smokes song. I was kind of worried at this stage though, because I brought my Dad along for his birthday. He's a bit more into punk (I think) than all this guitary stuff, but I needn't have worried- Gareth Liddiard was so much more amazing than I ever would have imagined and I bow my head in shame for ever doubting him.
His banter between songs was hilarious, I never really thought he would be so funny, as all the interviews I have ever read of his seemed serious. He joked about Australian music icons, roughnecks and tightrope walkers who tightrope walked over Niagara Falls, the back over again, walking with boxes of their feet and cooking an omlette. Plus, he had the cutest laugh I have ever heard.

I'm definitely in love with him.

fuck 'er in the eye.

I saw all the extremities last night at the Old Bar. There was a guy who had the biggest feet I have ever seen. If only his shoes were painted red, he would be a great clown. On the other end of the scale, there was a man with the tiniest toes ever. There was also heaps heaps of torso's ranging on the hair-o-metre from gorilla to school-boy.

Buried Horses played first and were great, as per usual. I'm not overly keen on some of the new songs, but they're good to see and I was relieved not be hit with any tambourines. They tuned by playing bits of Pop Crimes, which was exciting/cool.

Teen Archer played next. I think I had the confused with the Twerps, so I wasn't really prepared for their sounds. Some of the songs were alright, but mostly I didn't like them. I spent most of my time in courtyard during this.

Assassination Collective were pretty cool. The drummer from the Stabs was in it, and he was so hairy (not as hair as Sam from Digger, though. He showed us- or the guy talking to me, Liam- his chest at one stage). There was also this girl who looked liked my year seven Geography teacher in the band. It was cute because she yelled when she sung.

Digger and the Pussycats were the same as they were last week, but I think the reason that I never really get sick of them is because of their amusing banter between songs. This time it mainly revolved around BJ's, and getting naked.

There was this drunken buffoon lady trying her hardest to get fifteen minutes of fame. She got up to sing at the end of the last song, instead of saying "oh yeah" she was shouting, "fuck 'er in the eye". It was funny at the start, then she just got annoying and kept speaking when the song had finished. The sound guy cut off the mike, but you could still hear her.

You sing like a cunt!

this song is for all the sluts out there.

Yah Yah's is really starting to frustrate me in how they state that their show will be free, then hit you with a charge at the door. I don't care about paying, but I'd like to know how much I need to save over the week to get my feet in the door

I went there to see Digger and the Pussycats for their album launch and a plethora of other bands/men that I love. Lucky I had twelve dollars in my pocket.

Precious Jules was Kim Salmon and another smaller, hairier man. Kim Salmon is shorter than expected, and aside from that and his overgrown hair-do he was LOVELY. I really think that I wish he was my husband, but the height difference (and i suppose the age difference ha) is just too much. Bad luck, Kim.

I had waited so, so, so long to see Legends of Motorsport live, and I think I was a tiny bit disappointed. All I wanted them to do was play Brunswick Ladies and they didn't do it. They were cute, nonetheless, and the singer still has the worst/best voice ever.

Digger and the Pussycats were their usual shit self, they played heaps of stuff from their new album but it seemed like a shorter that the usual short set. Andy said it was because they had been drinking for a million hours prior. They played the cunt and slut song, so I was happy.

My friend then touched a punk's mohawk, and went on search for the world greatest kebab. We met a man dressed as a lady on our journey and he took us to a drag queen party in Carlton in exchange for a cigarette, where we drank goon from clotheslines.

Don't tell my mum.

shit harry, i can't find my handbag.

Dad deposited seven dollars in my account under the guise of 'Lifestyle Funds: Harry Howard', so I was more than happy to live out his dreams and wishes on Saturday by heading out the Builders Arms to witness the Harry Howard Band's first performance.

Harry Howard manned the door at his own gig, and he spoke to me, "Hey you!", because I am stupid and forgot to get my arm stamped. He's very good looking. My friend and I then sat on a couch and spent the early days of the gig talking about Dave Graney and wondering if he could smell the Mt. Gambier on my friend (they both grew up there). We walked past him on a tram earlier in the week and he turned around (in his TRIPLE denim ensemble- jeans, denim jacket, denim hat), so I'm pretty sure he can.

Stu Thomas opened and he was really good, knocking over some Johnny Cash along side some of his own. The next bad was Bad Orchestra, they were really good for some songs and really shit for other songs. The songs where the girl sung where the worst- lucky she had nice legs because her singing sucked.

Harry Howard Band was really good! They had Dave Graney and Claire Moore on bass and drums, and Edwina Preston on synth and this cute little machine called a stylophone. I hope they play again so I can take my Dad.

Some more 'Lifestyle Funds' could be nice too.

d.i.y

Holy Fuck. I am so excited! Just quietly, this press release is the best.

"Some people think they’re a pretty fun band to watch (if you’re drunk or bored because you live at home with your parents) but most people agree that Digger & The Pussycats are far from the best band in Melbourne. To be frank, they’re quite shit. But they still try hard and have managed to somehow release their fourth studio album on Spooky Records. Titled DIY, it’s sure to go down in history as a flop. You’ll be able to find it in a bargain bin at JB-Hifi before Richmond win their first game of the 2010 season. But seriously, there’s nothing else good happening on Good Friday Eve and you don’t have to go to work for four days afterwards, so you might as well come down, have some drinks and watch Digger. Or you could just come down and check out the awesome support bands Legends Of Motorsport, Kim Salmon’s new band Precious Jules and the mighty YIS and try to get laid. If you play your cards right (or is that wrong?) you might even find yourselves going home with one of the Digger boys. Now that would definitely be an Easter to forget. "

golden plains, can't complains.

SATURDAY
I woke up at four and walked half an hour to Thornbury IN THE DARK only to drive straight past my house when we left my friend’s brother’s house. Lucky I was excited for Golden Plains…
One of the lovely girls at PBS gave me their Staff Pass, so we could overtake everyone in the entrance line to Golden Plains. Everyone in our convoy (me, my friends, my friend’s bother, my friend’s brother’s friends, my friend’s brother’s friend’s girlfriends) all miraculously ended up with a Staff Pass and got to drive up the right lane like the Queen, or something. There was an insane amount of people there, especially since we arrived at 8.20 and the gates only opened at 8.
We set up camp in Hidden Valley, before heading into a nanna nap to the sounds of the Dirty Three (presented by a boom box).The first band to play were Royal Headache. I think I enjoyed them better last time I saw them, possibly because I was drunker, closer and with more Royal Headache appreciative friends. They were still great though, I liked it when the singer said, “I think I’m gonna vom, ay” because it was completely reminiscent of Shepparton speak.

The next band we saw was Monotonix. I was looking forward to this ‘cos they were just meant to be gross. They played on top of the crowd which was pretty amazing, but all the showman ship really made them sound like shit. I liked them for a little while, and it was pretty funny.

My friend really wanted to see the Big Pink. I really think this could have been the shittest (not even in a good-shit way) band on the whole bill, just looking at them made me feel a bit sick. I stayed and listened because I am a good friend, and provided an off beat comment after to hide my bewilderment of how excruciatingly lame they were, “I liked the drummer hair!” (which was true- she did have a pretty cute hairdo). We came back to find that our friend had fallen asleep on our grapes, so we put rubbish in his shoes and had a bit of a giggle about it.

We stayed at the tent until just before Pavement. I think I’m a few years too young to have fallen into the oh-my-god-it’s-fucking-Pavement age group, but I knew a fair few of their songs from a child hood event where this family friend I thought was super cool stayed at our house and I asked what was playing on her walkman and she said, “Pavement- you wouldn’t know them!”, so of course I went and looked them up and learnt the words to Cut Your Hair.

We stayed for half of Dinosaur Jr. and then snuck off to bed. If anyone asks- we stayed for the whole set!

SUNDAY
The guys camping by us with coined the name ‘Super Wild Shit House Horses’ for the first band that was playing on Sunday. I’d never heard them previously, but I don’t really like girl bands, so we decided to wait in the coffee line for forty minutes instead of listening to them.

We moved on down to the Amphitheatre to see Jeffery Lewis and the Junkyard. I wasn’t going to come down for this because the band’s name sounded like they would have been playing folky shit. They didn’t, and they were pretty enjoyable! Jeffery Lewis did a rap about Mosquito’s which was really clever, and they also did a mash-up of Louie Louie and Cut Your Hair. This would have been among my favourite acts for the whole of Golden Plains.

Wooden Shjips were alright, I’d never listened to any of their music before, so got a little distracted when my friend and I spent the whole time making up a love story about this purple-dressed girl dancing in front of us. She kept kissing a boy that was shorter and chubbier than her, so we assumed that she was only doing so because he had a backstage pass. She loved dancing.

On the way back to the tent I saw Dan Sultan with his shirt off and I stared at him- so very good looking. I was planning on seeing Nashville Pussy, but we were too busy bonding with our camp site, listening to the Drones and catching Fruity Bites in our mouths.

Tame Impala attracted heaps of children. Like, actual children. It was really weird being at a festival that children were at. They were pretty cute hanging out on their parents shoulders, but they’d all push to the front because people would feel sorry for them for being too short. We talked to a boy call Zedd who was four, and he got his cute little face on the big screen, and couldn’t stop grinning with all of his four teeth.

I don’t know where I was for Calexico. The next thing I remember is listening to Tex Perkins and my mum texting me telling me to blow him kisses for her. The Cruel Sea weren’t too bad. I thought they’d be shit ‘cos I hate their CD’s, but I think I was just a bit out of it, and mesmerized by SEXY TEXY. I’m pretty sure it started pouring during Tex, and afterwards we were all singing ‘Fuck Forever’ in the rain. I didn’t think the rain was that heavy, but I saw some pictures later and it was. Whoops.

We went to bed two songs in of Midnight Juggernauts because we are weak. We found our new friend sitting on a chair, dead to the world, at the camp site so helped him to his car and I’m pretty sure I broke my back doing so. We fell into a pretty blissful sleep (seeming as though out tent was withstanding all that rain) until a someone jumped in the tent singing ‘the Ning Nang Nong’ really loudly.

MONDAY
We had packed up pretty early, but had to wait for our driver. I lost the tent bag, so Dad wasn't too impressed with the garbage bag replacement I had for him.

Seeming that I enjoyed the festival without even thinking about the rain shows how sweet Golden Plains was. I’m so amped for Meredith now. Seeing all four of the boys that I liked the most last year, at Golden Plains was pretty weird. A bit like two stabs in the face and a big, warm hug.

I’m not complaining though.

i've got a golden ticket

The lovely Sales manger at PBS gave me her Golden Plains ticket. Through a quick succession of e-mails we found out that we were both reppin' the Goulburn Valley in Melbourne, and our respective townships were all making the news for gross reasons (attempted abductions, gang murders, drug busts, et cetera, et cetera)- T.G I am fiiiinally back in Melbourne. Anyway, I AM GOING TO GOLDEN PLAINS!
I'm going with a few friends from home so it will be just like going to the SheppARTon Festival, except the bands won't suck and I won't be driven home by my parents at ten o' clock. I have my gumboots, waterproof jacket, and a ride there and back.

Now all I need is my hair to grow 30cm so I won't look like a homeless orphan once I get rained upon.

I should buy a rain hat.

bad kids.

Being devoid from everything musical that was not in the form of a record or CD lately, I was OTT excited about going to see Black Lips last night at the Corner.

It started out with cups of goon and ended in cups of sweat. I think my friend put it best when he said by the end of the night his shirt was like it had just come out of the washing machine (minus the nice washing powder smell).

The UV Race supported, but they weren't as good as they where last time which was dissapointing as I had talked them up alot to my friend and he bluntly told me that they were shit. But they weren't last time- I promise! I'd heard about The Twerps before but never took the time to listen- they were really good, but I think we forgot to see most of them because it was Sabrina's cigar time.

Black Lips were amazing. It was so hot and squashed up the front, but well worth it. It was so disgusting, but so, so good. I think I am a little bit in love with the guitarst, Ian St. Pe.

It would be weird if I didn't love one of them, right?

goodbye.

The Tote always scared me a little because I never dressed right or looked old enough to be there, but it was one of the coolest places I have ever been in. My last memory of the Tote was seeing Digger and the Pussycats, The Stabs, Gentle Ben and then getting bruises to Sixfthick. It was amazing.

I'll miss walking in the wrong direction from Victoria Park station everytime I went to go see you.

Goodbye Tote Hotel x

yahoo.

I once had a friend in my year twelve History class, and nearing the end of the financial year, of that year, he started a band. It may have been established well before then, but that was the first that I had heard of them.

I went to their second show where they played to like, 6 people, after my English exam and I eventually made the effort to go see them again on Friday at Yahoo Bar.

I kind of hate Yahoo Bar because there is a really wanky bartender and everytime I see him I just want to shoot the orange juice hose all over his stupid face. Although, it is all that Shepparton has in terms of live music and I used to be able to get in there before I was eighteen, so I do secretly like it a tiny bit.

His band isn't really my cup of tea in terms of their music style, but I don't think anything that I like would go down too well in Shepp. So they're not too bad, and I guess they gave Shepparton kids some style tips and can be thanked for that.

I can't wait to go back to Melbourne.

save me a place

j

radelaide.

I had to go to Adelaide to see family after new years. I've yet to have visited a more boring city. My brother and I spent the whole time trying to sneak onto peoples wireless networks. They had a record store but I didn't even like it that much. Dad spent eighty million hours in there, but it was okay because he came out with Brian Hooper's record and a Grong Grong CD.

Radelaide is such a misleading nickname.

rowland s. howard

I'd been on a massive Rowland bender for the most part of 2009, starting from the swindling of my Dad's records from back when he used to be cool. Hee Haw has become one of my favourite albums, and Death By Drowning one of my favourite songs.

My Dad keeps an insane amount of junk from when he was younger, including a bunch of old band shirts- that like his records, have taken up shop in my room. I think it's silly to wear band shirts if you don't know more than an albums worth of songs, so before I could wear the Birthday Party shirt out in public, I decided to read some books about them and fill my little brain full of facts so that I could offer an intelligent answer if anyone where to quiz me.

After all that, I realised I'd never, ever wear the shirt. I think it used to be black or dark blue, but it now rests at a nearly white grey. It would probably fall apart as soon as its nanna-like threads met with the wind (and that could be embarrassing for me because I never wear nice bras).

I had heard a few songs off Rowland's first album, never the whole album in it's entirety, but I really liked it. I've always had trouble getting people to come see bands with me because I'm not very nice, but I really, really wanted to go see him. After giving up of finding someone to take I decided to go alone, and I'm glad I did because he was amazing.

I'm sorry for wedging your beautiful music between You Drive Like A Cunt and Last Night I Got Drunk on my mix CD.

Rest In Peace Rowland x