Well done dr b!
Monday, December 18, 2006
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Friday, December 08, 2006
Thursday, December 07, 2006
And Your Bird Can Sing
Presenting: the Rubber Soul Beatles Show, in honour of this post’s theme of My Favourite 20.
Yup, it’s another headscratching list, this time prompted by the ABC’s My Favourite Album which featured two Beatles albums in the Top 5.
I must admit, it doesn’t bother me that much that people are voting for Anthony Callea or Delta Goodrem. I can’t say that I understand it but I can appreciate that taste can encompass all kinds of music. Pop isn’t all bad juju. There are an equal number of el crappo indie/alternative/punk/rock bands yeah?
We have SERIOUS radio wars at work – the commercial radio kids vs the cynical community radio stalwarts. As one diplomatic colleague says – there’s no such thing as good or bad music, it’s all down to personal taste (what do you think?). Having said that, it would be interesting to see whether modern day entries can stand the test of time.
:: So to My Top20 ::
The criteria for favourites? Those albums (dare I say tapes?) that have been played ad nauseum and where songs can be named from one chord.
No surprises then that subsets of this list can be mapped to particular time periods. A good test would be to revisit and see what survives.
West Side Story = Movie Soundtrack
Blur = Blur VS Oasis = What’s the Story, Morning Glory? c.a.n.'t. p.i.c.k.
Rail = Bad Hair Life
You Am I = Dress Me Slowly (tough choice out of all their gems)
Dirty Three = Ocean Songs
Ice Cream Hands = Sweeter Than The Radio
Jason Falkner = Author Unknown
Bjork = Post
Crowded House = Together Alone
Beck = Odelay
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong = Ella & Louis
PJ Harvey = Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
Beth Orton = Daybreaker
Flaming Lips = Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings = Naturally
Teenage Fanclub = Grand Prix
Jeff Buckley = Grace
Radiohead = The Bends
Blackeyed Susans = Mouth to Mouth
Pernice Brothers = The World Won’t End
So predictable yeah?
Couldn’t decide which Wilco album out of the last four and so endow them with a big honourable mention instead. Oh and Beach Boys = Pet Sounds – that is a melodically dense, wonderful album.
Better stop now.
Check out the lists of Cassiopeia Gegenbauren III, Yossarian, Serenity Later, Sartorial and Flygirl for more opinions on favourite sounds.
:: Addendum ::
In my youth (!), I used to see heaps of bands live and then tape them live from the radio.
Armed with trusty walkman on the train to uni, I listened to
* Pulp rained out at Glastonbury 1998
* Jeff Buckley on the 3RRR Rooftop
* Blur at their peak at the Astoria 1997
* an extremely charismatic Frank Sinatra at Festival Hall
* the beauty of Portishead with orchestra at the Roseland Ballroom
* The Fauves or
* Rebecca’s Empire both at the Espy.
When the walkman batteries ran low, I’d switch over to the 3RRR Breakfasters stifling guffaws of laughter between the Chris Hatsis playlist of power- , brit- and electro- pop that formed the basis of my musical taste for a long time.
So Cassiopeia, I’d like to stretch the rules to include these as a postscript to a favourites list, because for a long time I didn’t listen to anything else.
Summer nights
It's already been a year since this blog started which means that the Night Market is back. Food all down one side and stuff to buy on the other. Last night we enjoyed paella, Roo steak sanger, yakitori and okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) and honey dumplings. No sign of the Persian fairy floss though - disappointing!
High-tail it down to Queen Vic and indulge in a cupcake or two!
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Early Christmas Cheer
Despite a fire, the Melbourne General Post Office remains a beautiful building in the centre of town. Converted into a fancy pants shopping centre (as cute as they are, who can really afford Campers shoes?), its owners have also taken advantage of a lofty ceiling and used it as a space for art.
My favourite so far would have to be the long opened umbrellas balanced precariously along criss-crossing wires strung from all four balconies. Being Melbourne, they had to be black and lent the usually light and airy ceiling an ominous feel. More recently as part of the State of Design Festival, bird cages were hung from the rafters. I quite like the absurdity of a mass of open umbrellas inside a building - multiples of seven-years-bad-luck notwithstanding.
After banana crepes yesterday morning and a surprise birthday greeting, I diverted on the way to work and noticed that there were strangled plastic christmas trees hanging not only from the outside pillars but also in the building itself.
I'm not sure how to respond to this one, but I did say the art pieces tended to the absurd!
My favourite so far would have to be the long opened umbrellas balanced precariously along criss-crossing wires strung from all four balconies. Being Melbourne, they had to be black and lent the usually light and airy ceiling an ominous feel. More recently as part of the State of Design Festival, bird cages were hung from the rafters. I quite like the absurdity of a mass of open umbrellas inside a building - multiples of seven-years-bad-luck notwithstanding.
After banana crepes yesterday morning and a surprise birthday greeting, I diverted on the way to work and noticed that there were strangled plastic christmas trees hanging not only from the outside pillars but also in the building itself.
I'm not sure how to respond to this one, but I did say the art pieces tended to the absurd!
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Paper Cuts
How great is it: the sun's up at stoopid hours, flowers are blooming and it's that lovely temperate weather to get the BBQ going for a cruisey afternoon in a park.Time to dust off the sandals and the summer gear - how about this mini-skirt or these heels?
If updating your wardrobe isn't your thang, maybe consider some of these other wondrous items.
What's with all the origami? I happened upon an amazing(ly nerdy) book by origamist Robert Lang who has designed newfangled ways to fold paper. We're not talking about making cranes here - he has dense, 100-plus-folded instructions for insects, elephants and cuckoo clocks (BIG piece of butcher paper that). It's all to do with vectors, angles and circumference - I can't convey how mind-blowing it is to flick through his books.
Check em out and become a paper-nerdo yourself!
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Kid Koala
I never really understood why hordes of cameras gravitate towards these fuzzy creatures and when overseas folk often excitedly associate I'm from Australia with Have You Held A Koala?, I politely ?shrug? and say, I live in the city.
This all changes of course when you see the fuzzy creatures in person.
On the way to the lighthouse at Cape Otway, we spied this very cute family. They must have been bored by yet another group of excited random passerbys snapping away.
[Thanks to Elmo for the pic!]
Monday, November 13, 2006
Got em!
Finally!
Months ago, I discovered a small hole at the top of my trainers. Now I'm pretty lazy and since summer was approaching, I thought I'd be able to hold out until winter. Plus, we're in a drought right? It probably won't rain any time soon!
This was all before a lovely bushwalk on the crater rim at Tower Hill Reserve just out of Warrnambool where my shoe proceeded to fill up with dust and dirt. Hence a quicksticks hunt for a replacement (refer above).
Bonus: A goodget to boot - only 40 bucks from Smith St.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Just Might Do
Due to a delicious banquet FEAST last night, I missed most of the ARIAs. And although I am generally out of touch these days due to studies (Youth Group? and when did Eskimo Joe become so big?), I was most excited to hear that Clare Bowditch won a gong for Best Female Artist. My favourite memory of Clare Bowditch is from a HiFi Bar gig where exiting punters were treated to birthday cake which Clare had presented to her mother earlier that night. Even if she didn't write lovely songs, she deserves some kinda award for punter appreciation!
** Oh and The Audreys won for Best Roots and Blues Album too! This has to be one of my favourite albums from this year - really cruisey soundtrack to a Sunday afternoon BBQ and bevvy.
** Oh and The Audreys won for Best Roots and Blues Album too! This has to be one of my favourite albums from this year - really cruisey soundtrack to a Sunday afternoon BBQ and bevvy.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Ole! Tarantula
My friend Pierre Burkensoir is a music connoisseur. Across most genres, he knows all the old stuff and keeps up to date with the new stuff. This has extended to trawling the internet discover something new or maybe download a mash-up or three. He even likes that four letter word, jazz. (Sorry, I like Ella and Louis but I don't get the modern noodling).
Pierre is a also font of musical knowledge, an amalgamation of Mojo/Uncut magazine in one source: "Hey Pierre, who is this Billy Childish guy?" and after a particularly bad episode of Australian Idol "what exactly is disco anyway?"
It's a shame then, that Pierre has an anti-gig stance. He reckons he's too old! too tall! but mainly he can't be bothered. In fact, in six years in Melbourne, Pierre has ventured out to only four bands. F.O.U.R.
So it is significant that the announcement of a couple of gigs by Robyn Hitchcock woke a dormant enthusiasm rarely seen in Pierre whereby he not only purchased tickets for one gig, but was seriously considering attending the second.
I went along to an instore at Basement Discs out of curiosity - what could be so great about this guy that would induce Burkensoir to actively go to a gig?
Most well known for his eccentric lyrics and floppy hair, Robyn Hitchcock of seminal late 70s band Soft Boys, recently toured Australia with the Venus 3 in support of his new album "Ole! Tarantula". True to Pierre's words, Hitchcock's songs were melodic and lyrical with an added bonus of a Bob Dylan cover and entertaining banter in between - my favourite line: "This song goes out to....all the people behind that pillar".
Afterwards, the band greeted fans and signed ceedees and it was at this point that I acquired this seriously goodget.
For those with good eyesight, this is an enhanced goodget: Peter Buck of REM fame is in Venus 3!
Pierre is a also font of musical knowledge, an amalgamation of Mojo/Uncut magazine in one source: "Hey Pierre, who is this Billy Childish guy?" and after a particularly bad episode of Australian Idol "what exactly is disco anyway?"
It's a shame then, that Pierre has an anti-gig stance. He reckons he's too old! too tall! but mainly he can't be bothered. In fact, in six years in Melbourne, Pierre has ventured out to only four bands. F.O.U.R.
So it is significant that the announcement of a couple of gigs by Robyn Hitchcock woke a dormant enthusiasm rarely seen in Pierre whereby he not only purchased tickets for one gig, but was seriously considering attending the second.
I went along to an instore at Basement Discs out of curiosity - what could be so great about this guy that would induce Burkensoir to actively go to a gig?
Most well known for his eccentric lyrics and floppy hair, Robyn Hitchcock of seminal late 70s band Soft Boys, recently toured Australia with the Venus 3 in support of his new album "Ole! Tarantula". True to Pierre's words, Hitchcock's songs were melodic and lyrical with an added bonus of a Bob Dylan cover and entertaining banter in between - my favourite line: "This song goes out to....all the people behind that pillar".
Afterwards, the band greeted fans and signed ceedees and it was at this point that I acquired this seriously goodget.
For those with good eyesight, this is an enhanced goodget: Peter Buck of REM fame is in Venus 3!
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
George Orwell's 1984, 13 October 2006
Melbourne International Arts Festival
The Actor’s Gang
“George Orwell’s 1984”
In the dust of the raucous energy of public Singing or Dancing in recent times, this years Arts Festival seems restrained in comparison.
In 2006, one of the flagship productions of the Melbourne International Arts Festival is a presentation of ‘George Orwell’s 1984’ by The Actor’s Gang, adapted by Michael Gene Sullivan.
1984 is one of my favourite books and describes the creation of a futuristic world where the population lives under constant surveillance by the omnipresent Big Brother. It is within this totalitarian social order that Orwell explores the relationship of an individual to the state. It was frightening in its portrayal of a society where law, media and even language were designed to prevent free will and freedom of thought. Although it has been a few years since I’ve revisited the story, I still remember feeling completely devastated at its conclusion.
This adaptation is set during an interrogation of Citizen Smith, where four Party members re-enact the events leading up to Smith’s arrest at the direction of Big Brother. P Adam Walsh is convincing and heartbreaking as Smith, with the four other actors believably slipping in and out of characters from Smith’s past as his confession is extricated.
The set is designed to situate and thus implicate the audience within this process, as if we could be Big Brother. We are voyeuristically watching and made to feel as if we are participating - the audience flinched in response to the ‘torture’ perpetrated. It was confronting: at one point, Smith is presented in an electric chair at the front of the stage and the Party Members are standing directly in front of the first row, as if the audience are the jury at Smith’s trial. This was not a passive experience, it wasn’t always easy to sit and watch this play - the lady sitting next to me did not return from interval.
In our ridiculous world where the internet broadcasts real-life, real-war torture, it was worrying how much the themes connect to current events. In particular, the use of periodic interruptions from the telescreen selling state propaganda was effective in setting the tone of society outside the prison cell, but also striking in its familiarity of its fabrication or stretching the truth of war and how governments can manipulate media to generate fear as a means to justify the end.
The strength of the novel lies in its imagining of this future society and although the play is timely in some of its themes, I did find some parts in the second act a bit preachy and wordy. When Big Brother is revealed to be merely another Party member and comes out from behind the walls of the set, the story became less compelling and somewhat diminished the idea of the pervasiveness of Big Brother in society.
Despite the draining nature of the production, this production was well worth seeing and, if anything, will inspire people to return to the original novel.
As a side note, is it really Melbourne without an abundance of festivals? A stroll through Federation Square, previously populated with aforementioned enthusiastic Singers and Dancers, reveals fledgling festivals muscling in. Situated opposite St Pauls was the slinky-like white tent flogging the State of Design Festival, nicely echoing the new Design Centre at the East end of Fed Square. And how delightful to see the Fringe Festival burst out of the cool inner suburbs and claim a small stake in the heart of town (though one too many celebrity comedians in the program – the Fringe should be strictly for amateurs!).
The Actor’s Gang
“George Orwell’s 1984”
In the dust of the raucous energy of public Singing or Dancing in recent times, this years Arts Festival seems restrained in comparison.
In 2006, one of the flagship productions of the Melbourne International Arts Festival is a presentation of ‘George Orwell’s 1984’ by The Actor’s Gang, adapted by Michael Gene Sullivan.
1984 is one of my favourite books and describes the creation of a futuristic world where the population lives under constant surveillance by the omnipresent Big Brother. It is within this totalitarian social order that Orwell explores the relationship of an individual to the state. It was frightening in its portrayal of a society where law, media and even language were designed to prevent free will and freedom of thought. Although it has been a few years since I’ve revisited the story, I still remember feeling completely devastated at its conclusion.
This adaptation is set during an interrogation of Citizen Smith, where four Party members re-enact the events leading up to Smith’s arrest at the direction of Big Brother. P Adam Walsh is convincing and heartbreaking as Smith, with the four other actors believably slipping in and out of characters from Smith’s past as his confession is extricated.
The set is designed to situate and thus implicate the audience within this process, as if we could be Big Brother. We are voyeuristically watching and made to feel as if we are participating - the audience flinched in response to the ‘torture’ perpetrated. It was confronting: at one point, Smith is presented in an electric chair at the front of the stage and the Party Members are standing directly in front of the first row, as if the audience are the jury at Smith’s trial. This was not a passive experience, it wasn’t always easy to sit and watch this play - the lady sitting next to me did not return from interval.
In our ridiculous world where the internet broadcasts real-life, real-war torture, it was worrying how much the themes connect to current events. In particular, the use of periodic interruptions from the telescreen selling state propaganda was effective in setting the tone of society outside the prison cell, but also striking in its familiarity of its fabrication or stretching the truth of war and how governments can manipulate media to generate fear as a means to justify the end.
The strength of the novel lies in its imagining of this future society and although the play is timely in some of its themes, I did find some parts in the second act a bit preachy and wordy. When Big Brother is revealed to be merely another Party member and comes out from behind the walls of the set, the story became less compelling and somewhat diminished the idea of the pervasiveness of Big Brother in society.
Despite the draining nature of the production, this production was well worth seeing and, if anything, will inspire people to return to the original novel.
As a side note, is it really Melbourne without an abundance of festivals? A stroll through Federation Square, previously populated with aforementioned enthusiastic Singers and Dancers, reveals fledgling festivals muscling in. Situated opposite St Pauls was the slinky-like white tent flogging the State of Design Festival, nicely echoing the new Design Centre at the East end of Fed Square. And how delightful to see the Fringe Festival burst out of the cool inner suburbs and claim a small stake in the heart of town (though one too many celebrity comedians in the program – the Fringe should be strictly for amateurs!).
Friday, October 06, 2006
gelateria
It didn't seem enough to sit in the park to pass a sunny lunchtime, we strolled down to a new gelati shop. I put it down to reconnaissance for the summer ahead.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Kool Kimono Bits
I bought these fabrics in a textile/homewares-type shop in the country - they are vintage kimonos that have been cut into pieces *gasp*. Beyond quilting and patchworking, the small sample size of these delightful pieces could test the boundaries of your imagination/creativity. There's just not enough of each one! Anyway, I don't think I'm quite at the patchworking stage of my life just yet...
Some questions: if they really are 'vintage', shouldn't they be deemed too precious to cut into small squares? And when does 'vintage' embody value and not just o.l.d.?
As much as it pains me to think that these beautiful handmade garments are being butchered, some of them are quite pretty to look at, aren't they?
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
An Everage Day in Moonee Ponds
I went lawn bowling again: this time in leafy Moonee Ponds. Thanks to Soapy for organising such a lovely BBQ and lovely afternoon.
If I Could...
I think at some level I believe that we have led other lives.
This could be on a linear scale, like those that believe in reincarnation might think that we (d)evolve from ant to person to dragonfly. Then again, this idea could be as Terry Pratchett describes, where we exist in many parallel universes that represent every possible permutation of a scenario.
So it's comforting to know that even though I sometimes daydream about being this, that or the other, chances are I have been or are or will be pursuing the following vocations.
* My first childhood dream was to be a writer
* My second childhood dream was to be a concert pianist in the era of Mozart, Beethoven or Debussy
* My dream job in the 90s was to be a sound engineer or journalist during the mid90s 'Britpop' explosion
* Or maybe the lead singer of a punk band... (not too popular mind you haha)
* Dressmaker - anything to do with colours and textures, kool fabrics/buttons/ribbons. Ah, to have clothes that Fit Well!
* Pastry chef without the bad hours and licence for grouchy temperament (!)
Check out Flygirl, Yossarian, Cassiopeia Gegenbauer III, Serenity Later and Sartorial Splendour for more thoughts on dream professions.
This could be on a linear scale, like those that believe in reincarnation might think that we (d)evolve from ant to person to dragonfly. Then again, this idea could be as Terry Pratchett describes, where we exist in many parallel universes that represent every possible permutation of a scenario.
So it's comforting to know that even though I sometimes daydream about being this, that or the other, chances are I have been or are or will be pursuing the following vocations.
* My first childhood dream was to be a writer
* My second childhood dream was to be a concert pianist in the era of Mozart, Beethoven or Debussy
* My dream job in the 90s was to be a sound engineer or journalist during the mid90s 'Britpop' explosion
* Or maybe the lead singer of a punk band... (not too popular mind you haha)
* Dressmaker - anything to do with colours and textures, kool fabrics/buttons/ribbons. Ah, to have clothes that Fit Well!
* Pastry chef without the bad hours and licence for grouchy temperament (!)
Check out Flygirl, Yossarian, Cassiopeia Gegenbauer III, Serenity Later and Sartorial Splendour for more thoughts on dream professions.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Love & War
"Picasso: Love & War 1935-45" is this year's winter blockbuster at the NGV International and centres around a tumultuous decade in Picasso's life. In addition to the political events of the period, the exhibition explores the dynamic relationship with his muse Dora Maar, an artist in her own right.
I came to this exihibiton with respect but also ignorance of the man. I've never found Picasso very accessible and felt too much anguish and/or sadness in the few paintings I've seen here and there. This excellently curated collection was a revelation, showing many facets of Picasso including still life and etchings and also a compelling series of photographs showing the development of his anti-war manifesto Guernica.A whole room is devoted to representations of the Minotaur, a mythological creature that Picasso strongly identified with, and it is within this mythic setting that Dora Maar is first seen in a graceful, bird-like form.
And it's the portraits of Maar that represent the real heart of this show. They are striking in their use of media (photographs, paintings, etchings) and also in the various moods that Maar is portrayed in. I found the use of contrasting colours in the paintings especially inspiring.
One fascinating idea was that of Maar and Picasso's obsession with sleep-watching and documentation thereof - this series is at once tender and funny.
Hightail it down to NGV International to catch the last few weeks.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Everyone loves a (c)log
I am in a bit of a pickle.
My lab shoes have holes in them and as I'm a 'fussy' person (pointed out by a kind, slightly over gel-ed salesman), it will definitely take me a while to replace said item. And it's not raining anymore, so there's no hurry yet.
.
My sib suffers through constant um-ing and ah-ing about shoe#x blah and shoe#xx blah blah. I can't help it! I know what I want when I see it, but it just takes me a while to 'see'. Does anyone else suffer these conundrums? Please say it is so.
In the meantime, I can dream about these bright red clogs. Too bad they were only a temporary loan...
My lab shoes have holes in them and as I'm a 'fussy' person (pointed out by a kind, slightly over gel-ed salesman), it will definitely take me a while to replace said item. And it's not raining anymore, so there's no hurry yet.
.
My sib suffers through constant um-ing and ah-ing about shoe#x blah and shoe#xx blah blah. I can't help it! I know what I want when I see it, but it just takes me a while to 'see'. Does anyone else suffer these conundrums? Please say it is so.
In the meantime, I can dream about these bright red clogs. Too bad they were only a temporary loan...
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