vivid 2011

i guess this might be sacrilegious being a melburnian and all, but sydney - what a beautiful city!

we went to the opening weekend of sydney's vivid festival to catch Jason Pierce/Spaceman 3/ Spiritualized perform their wonderful Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space album in full - strings, choir, band - the whole deal. awesome!
light shows, i thought? meh! this photo does no justice to the absolutely stunning creations by Superbien beamed onto the Opera House sails. and there were fantastic interactive installations all over circular quay. even the most hardened cynics (er, perhaps myself, elmo less so) were super impressed!

and of course, what holiday is complete without adding to the stash, first: this beautiful bunch of lovelies from Leura in the Blue Mountains.**
and secondly, more japanese books from kinokuniya.
** this blog was intended as a means of creative discipline, so i hope to post completed projects soon and not just that which fuels my fabric/book obsession! (but seriously, aren't they cute?)

rave on

yay, first gig of 2011***!

m.ward's hold time was on high rotation at ours last year. it's much more upbeat and summery than the songs i've heard previously from mysterious mr m. (who falls neatly into Dan Kelly's Rockwiz Master Blaster subject, Men Who Sing High), and heartwarming string arrangements get me everytime. if you do yearn for m.ward in his doleful, wistful mode, there's a beautiful duet with lucinda williams on this album.

big thanks to dr c's gig alert: we scored tix to m.ward's first tour to aus in five years, can't wait!



*** unless Dan Kelly at the Aus Open Tennis counts??

Flaming Lips

Flaming Lips @ Festival Hall
29th July 2009

My two hopes for this gig: Wayne Coyne in a bubble strolling over the punters (check), and a live rendition of Race For the Prize (woohoo, check!).

We used to listen to The F'lips every Friday afternoon in the lab. It was the perfect way to end the working week and, of course, we secretly hoped that Coyne was singing about us and our research when he says:

Two scientists were racing
For the good of all mankind
Both of them side by side
So determined
Locked in heated battle
For the cure that is their prize
But it's so dangerous
But they're determined

We can dream can't we?

The Flaming Lips are famous for their spectacular live shows: dancing furry animals situated stage left and right, "magical spheres" gently punched in the air and regular bouts of confetti/streamers snowed on the happy crowd. To the punters' delight, the band delivered all this and more on Wednesday night. All aspects of our aural and visual senses were assaulted: video projections, strobe lighting, giant caterpillars - you could even feel the bass through the floorboards.

In some ways, all this spectacle might equate distraction and render the band as mere soundtrack. During some parts of the evening, all this fervent energy threatened to outdo the true core of an amazing awesome gig: so, was the music any good?

The music of the F'lips veers from sweet, wobbley melodies and characters (think Yoshimi) to crashing, crunching white noise - sometimes within the same song. The production on the night was definitely not as slick as some of their records, and the songs had quite a rough sound at times. The set included a few new songs, and plenty of sing-a-long moments including: The Fight Test, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and Do You Realise?.

My favourite aspect of this gig how inclusive it felt - Coyne is a charismatic front man and speaks to everyone in the room (even the poor souls on the outer edges of Festy Hall). The energy in the room was simply amazing. I think this is what separates the Flaming Lips from other, more pedestrian bands: it was an incredible, intense experience - the animals, the music, the confetti, it was just so much fun. Everything you might expect from the F'lips. I have been finding random bits of orange and yellow confetti in my jacket and purse the last couple of days, and am happy to be reminded of this wonderful gig this week.

So when Coyne asks us all to join in a mass karate chop during Yoshimi (it's our only chance to karate chop in the evening after all) - who are we to say no?

Sound Relief, MCG

in between drenchings - an amazing glow from the grounds...

Even 25mm of rain did not deter the punters too much, there was a great vibe from the happy, poncho'ed up folks unlucky to be in the open. Each time the black clouds rolled in, we all pulled on our raincoats and continued enjoying the music at Sound Relief, the benefit concert for the Victorian Bushfires.

There were so many highlights from this incredible bill, but it's hard to go past the reformation of Hunters and Collectors, Split Enz and Midnight Oil. Their songs are so ingrained in our culture, it was stunning to experience these songs live. We crossed to the more sunny SCG during the day for the sister event, and were witness to Farnesy singing 'You're the voice' with Coldplay as the backing band.

We soaked up the crowd sing-a-longs: Paul Kelly singing "Leaps and Bounds", an impromptu Crowded House appearance following Liam Finn's drum and theremin solo (the punters roared when Finn jnr began introducing Uncle Nick, and the Finn snrs...), Kylie and "I still call Australia home", Midnight Oil and those distinctive three chords announcing "Beds are burning" and the Hunners' "Throw your arms around me".

A fantastic, exhausting experience.

laneway festival

Sunday last, I was a lucky ducky and scored a freebie to the sold out, happy vibe of the Laneway Festival (BIG cheers jas!). Who says no to ‘we have a spare ticket to the laneway festival, are you free?’

From humble beginnings at St Jerome’s in Caledonian Lane four years ago, the festival now spills out onto Lonsdale Street with crushing people traffic to and from multiple stages. Most folks are pretty friendly and cruisey: hang on tight and go with the flow.

We caught Okkervil River, The Panics, a bit of local doo-wop-sters Little Red, Broken Social Scene, CYHSY! and Feist. We found ourselves wanting more from all of these bands – the organisers were pretty keen to stick to the tight schedule.

The Panics and CYHSY were favourites – The Panics are a great band to see on a sunny afternoon (finally got to see them – yay!); and though the vocal stylings of Alec Ounsworth of CYHSY can be difficult to listen to on record, on stage, the band was compelling and exciting.

Feist was clearly a highlight for many in the crowd: her short set had such a fun, sing-a-long vibe, even a hardened cynical heart like mine could not hold sway. When fellow Canadians Broken Social Scene and Stars were invited to join Feist on stage for the finale, the kids went nuts and all the tallest-men-in-the-world sighed (they follow me around at gigs those tall guys, I swear. Damnit being a shortie).

A chill out area –somewhere- anywhere- would have been good to just get out of the crowd and rest the legs (very overwhelming for someone who has been solidly working on the phud with a laptop for company ;p). An exhausting but fantastic day!

Words and Music

Paul Kelly @ Corner Hotel
20^th October 2007

I must confess that my appreciation for Paul Kelly is only new. This is an atrocity given that I’m surrounded by massive Paul Kelly fans (dr b, pierre burkensoir and elmo to name only a few ardent devotees); and that his words and music are so intrinsic to the place and character of Melbourne, the only town I would ever really call home.

My new found admiration comes via his words. When plotting a birthday surprise of tickets to the Corner Hotel gig, I wanted to plant postcards bearing Kelly’s lyrics all around Elmo’s abode. It was through this process that I began to appreciate the universality of his stories and the simple, poetic economy with which he uses language. Kelly says so much without saying anything at all.

As a new recruit, I don’t feel that I deserve to comment too much more. Only to say that the gig at the Corner Hotel was amazing; there was an incredible energy from the crowd. Kelly’s set opened with They Thought I Was Asleep and featured plenty of material from recent album Stolen Apples such as You’re 39, You’re Beautiful and You’re Mine, Stolen Apples Taste the Sweetest, The Ballad of Queenie and Rover. Other treats included How To Make Gravy, Deeper Water, Leaps and Bounds, Before Too Long and Careless.

Support act CW Stoneking and band joined Kelly during the first encore highlight ‘Stumbling Block’; the tuba from CW’s band providing a carnival-esque, ominous sound to the rousing chorus. The second encore featured an acoustic sing-a-long version of Everything’s Turning to White and From St Kilda to King’s Cross, ably backed by nephew Dan (Lovely Dan) Kelly.

The band, composed of established musos, sounded incredible, so crisp and clean, with a driving rhythm section from drummer Peter ‘Lucky’ Luscombe and bassist from Bill McDonald. I was excited to see ex-Even singer/songwriter Ash Naylor, resplendent in a ratty but smart pin-stripe suit, providing appropriate rock flourishes. All the band members variously sang harmonies, of particular note, Dan Kelly’s falsetto during Careless; and it was wonderful to see such a genuine camaraderie onstage.

Kelly’s songs elevate the familiar into poetry, hearing the opening words of Leaps and Bounds, I felt immediately at home: I’m high on the hill /Looking over the bridge / To the MCG / The clock on the silo / Says eleven degrees. I can imagine that ex-pats would feel a pang upon hearing even a flicker of Kelly’s words and music.

No wonder his gigs regularly sell out, the mutual warmth between Kelly and the crowd was undeniable; we’ll be sure to see him again soon.

in a nutshell: ryan, hoodoo bruise, dig it

excuse me for being slack, i never did end up writing up ryan adams and the cardinals at the palais, or the hoodoo gurus / radio birdman / the stems at the forum {sorry yoss!}.

in a few nutshells:
1. ryan adams has a beautiful, heart-melting voice and his band is amazing, but the evening was lacking a certain something. however, to my delight, the band played plenty of tracks from Cold Roses and their recent album Easy Tiger.

2. hard to believe the stems/radio birdman/hoodoo gurus originally started gigging around in the 80s - they all sounded so dynamic and present. i couldn't believe how RAWK the hoodoo gurus were. ever the consummate professionals, they even happily played requests from the very noisy crowd (this was unlike at the Ryan Adams gig where a Cardinal remarked, "we appreciate your requests. but we will not be honouring them"]
it was an all-killer-no-filler-set spanning most of their recordings and included leilani, like wow wipeout, i want you back, what's my scene and waking up tired.
to my embarrassment, i sustained my first gig injury during the hoodoo gurus - two big bruises on my right foot from the over-excited crowd. not sure if this is a testament to the frenzy whipped up by the band or my own old-aged-ness :)
maybe i'll go and see behemoth and aim for an bruise to brag about!!
[in fact, this is an extremely unfair stereotype that testosterone fuelled bands are more dangerous gigs to attend. we went to see the datsuns a few years ago, and the punters there were the most polite and thoughtful we'd met at any gig. they variously stood aside to let us through, and made sure we could see dolf de datsun striding around on stage.]

3. finally, may i present: the latest project from the shed of jfox.
a camera pouch for a lovely, generous, surprising gift (thank you bellas!). a grey, stripey sock wasn't really doing the shiny digital camera any justice!

although i wouldn't normally plan too much, it was well worth it taking a few basic measurements. this is also the first time i've tried my hand at using quilt wadding (such a deliciously odd/not-quite-right word!).

feel well chuffed with the result, though i'm not quite ready to launch into quilting territory; just not sure about all those florals and pastels ;)

:: almost finished, unplanned stitching begins... {and no idea what i'm doing!}

:: pouch perve...

:: the finished product, a snug-as-a-bug fit

too old for band teeshirts? :: Wilco (again) at the Palais Theatre

sometimes i get carried away with anticipation.

wilco's melbourne gigs are a case in point. i marked any calendar i could get my hands on in an effort to disperse the excitement. some might argue that that only makes it worse!

for wilco's first show at the palais theatre last wednesday night, there was a palpable sense of excitement amongst the crowd milling outside the palais theatre. though this may also have been amplified by our indulgent muso spotting (look! the dudes from The Audreys! the drummer from Gersey! that guy that we always see at gigs!).

so much so was our excitement that we rushed over to join the queue to the merchandise stand - should we get a hoodie or a poster or a tee? oooh is their new album for sale here? i love checking out the merch but i must confess that i have been remarkably resistant.
snout socks? nuh.
dallas crane beach ball? nuh.
rebecca's empire tea towel? nuh.
the grates' screen printed tote bags? nuh.
you am i footy scarf? nuh.
yeah yeah yeahs rack of clothes for the karen o wannabees? NUH!
dan kelly and the alpha males sticker? ...um, OK!
see. _remarkably_ resistant.

while cass and elmo went to check out the luxurious seating in the bar upstairs, my good friend dr b and i convened to the queue where i thought out loud:
you know, i think i might be too old for band teeshirts.
she immediately pooh-poohed this idea "noooo. [waves hand. shakes head. looks generally shocked] you're never too old. I'm going to get the hoodie. i've been looking for one, it's fate"

let me provide some context about this 'too old' statement. another good friend is losing the 2 in front of her age this month - HAPPY BIRTHDAY EKY! - and this event is looooming for yours truly as well - eek. and you think of those middle aged dudes from the 'burbs on RockWiz (cass excluded of course ;p) in their Motorhead teeshirts...and i wonder if i'm seeing the future. i'll be a crusty jaded 60 year old holding onto Radiohead, Dirty Three, Teenage Fanclub, Even and Never Letting Go. Those were the days when music was music, i'll say to my grandkids. when we had analogue. none of this newfangled stuff, what do you call that anyway? and what machine do you play it on? and how do you turn it down? what makes someone choose to wear an emblazoned tee? announcing that you're such a fan that you advertise proudly on your person - i guess it's no different to those who wear their polo collars up to display their brand of choice? then again, these days it seems that you can purchase a ramones, stones or velvets tee from an alternative chain store as a fashion statement or maybe even a means to get some rock'n'roll cred (god knows, that seems a difficult commodity these days). i got a wilco tee-shirt anyway ;D

Wilco, Palais Theatre, 18 and 19th April, 2007

the second gig was awesome! wilco played a different set to that of the night before, a good sign that a band appreciates their audience.

kicking off with "misunderstood" and "via chicago", we were also treated to "passenger side" from AM and tracks from A Ghost is Born and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot such as "'kamera" that weren't aired the previous night. within the context their new album Sky Blue Sky, older songs like "jesus, etc" appeared to take on some of the new 70s west-coast styling or perhaps this was already implicit. seeing them live really made me appreciate the complexity of their music, i sat there thinking i could hear something new if i saw them every night. i love the song "hummingbird": it's so light and airy in the opening verse only to swell and swoon upon the chorus, 'she appears/in his dreams' , it is one of my favourite songs. i particularly loved the military-like drumming during 'i am trying to break your heart". it sounded so amazing, as if i were hearing it for the first time. this song also serves as a great example of how wilco play as if deconstructing each song by the distinct sound contributed by individuals in the band. they layer instrument over instruments, melody over melodies, riff over riffs to create a warm, buzzing sound that isn't exactly absent in their albums but somehow more present in the flesh.

not to say that were all bluster, they also know how to be quiet and elegant allowing singer/songwriter jeff tweedy's melancholic voice more prominence. the second night audience missed out on the gorgeous outtake from mermaid avenue and the acoustic, un-miked uncle tupelo song tweedy performed the night before. tweedy again engaged at length with the crowd, apologising for comments from the previous night, asking dancing folks to turn to their neighbours for permission 'to stare at their [dancing] butt all night' and stating 'we all want to live here [in australia]. this is what america used to be like, don't f**k it up!' it was such an enormous pleasure to see how much the band themselves were enjoying their music. really looking forward to the new record, sounds like it will make a great driving tape!