I'll let you know when the files are linked.
Me Mu Miou
You have never heard of them. I saw them three times I think. You love them or hate them. I love them. Twin sisters on keys and stuff and a drummer who is a joy. DIY Jazz Noise or something. Recording bands like this for posterity whatever that is is essentially why I do this. I hope they find a few more fans.
Clash Of The Titans
This was a monster show featuring The Hoodoo Gurus, The Stems, and Radio Birdman in a beer barn on the edge of town just like the old days. Probably an even better bill than the up-coming Stoneage Romeo tour. You be the judge. Unless someone dies and leaves me $69.30 + b/f I won't be at the said show unfortunately. Saving up for Golden Plains 2012.
Golden Plains Festival Merideth March 8 & 9 2008 and Pre Shows
What can I say apart from WOW, what a festival. Easily the best weekend of music I have had the pleasure of attending. I will return. Nice crowd. Great music. Magic setting.
I was in Melbourne for the two days before and saw Jay Reatard, The Dirtbombs, Future of the Left and supports [including the great Ooga Boogas] at Northcote and East Brunswick. Both good venues. Those shows are included here as well.
Northcote Social Club
East Brunswick Club
Golden Plains 2008
Gold Coast Big Day Out Jan 2008
You go to BDO these days cause it's BDO. Seriously if you can't find a few hours of decent music and enjoy the atmosphere somewhere on the site then you have a problem that no amount of bitching will fix.
I have a distinct preference for tent shows rather than the main arena and this year that preference was reinforced by the lack of detail in the Arcade Fire sound. I could see violins but stuffed if i could hear them. What you do hear is clear enough but there's no details. I know there were complaints of the patchy sound in RATM as well.
So apart from Bjork and Arcade Fire [who i didn't record] all I saw was inside and this is what they sounded like.
Spoon - Live @ BDO GC 2008
Kate Nash - Live @ BDO GC 2008
Paul Kelly - Live @ BDO GC 2008
Cut Off Your Hands - Live @ BDO GC 2008
Die! Die! Die - Live @ BDO GC 2008
Bjork - Live @ BDO GC 2008
NOTE Fans only. The sound is muddy which is exactly how I heard it.
I didn't get any more cause I was enjoying myself wandering around and I try not to record partial sets.
The Grates Go Out In Style
Out of 2007 that is. Cause they'll be back next year better than ever. To a sold out house that still seemed less than full [what happens perhaps when you give so many tickets to industry types] they ran through their hits and debuted 6 new tracks.
The new songs are recognizably Grate but different. Some are a little more complex in structure and John and Alana certainly work for their money. Pae is up to it and as a result the new stuff got almost as many cheers as the Gravity material.
I say almost cause there is nothing like the tingle you get down your spine when the intro to 19/20/20 rings out or Pae tells us "Some Motherfuckers think they're born to dance" [personally my favourite Grates song if not just favourite song period]
Highlight was Pae in sweaty red silk? dress launching onto the crowd and surfing about 15 feet before a perfect backflip to the floor thus ending the show.
Other bands appeared of course.
Yves Klein Blue did a good job warming up the crowd. Quite a few fans there who enjoyed their work.
Whitely I haven't seen before and was impressed though his band is a little quiet and the room was quite loud at times and it was difficult to follow his quieter stuff. Nice solo version of Bjork's Hyperballad.
Dr Dog from the US I wasn't so impressed with unfortunately. Fairly standard US style rock with some blues influences. They are quite competent and I liked their vocals and harmonies but it's not my thing.
So not so much a Xmas party as a celebration of a big year for a wonderful band.
The Grates - Live @ The Zoo - 11 Dec 2007
John Cale at The Tivoli - 8 Nov 2007
Contrary to every article I saw promoting this concert John Cale has appeared in Brisbane before. He did a show at the Rialto Theatre in West End, a solo set just John on piano. It was a magical night. Last night was no less magical .
The concert material spanned his career commencing with a drone piece which was probably from his first LP. I recognized the beat but the melody escaped me. My wife who is not familiar at all with John's earlier work asked why they were doing that to her. I found the textures oddly soothing.
He finished with a gentle encore of the ballad, Gravel Drive, from his latest LP, Black Acetate.
In between was the weirdest Heartbreak Hotel I have ever heard, plus songs from Fear, Helen of Troy, Hobo Sapien, Black Acetate, a beautiful Chinese Envoy, and a whole lot more i now have to look up dammit Mr Cale. I only have so much money you know.
I don't know if Hey Ray and The Common Cold have been recorded yet but if not I can say John still has a lot left to give us.
I like the Tivoli as a venue. The sound is great. John's band gave him a solid base to work on with some nice work from the guitarist and a drummer who was obviously enjoying himself. The bowed bass in Gravel Drive was beautiful.
The crowd was a bit strange. Everyone was obviously enjoying the show but I'm not sure that was seen from the stage. A couple of odd interjections [is Baby's On Fire a John Cale song in some universe?]
The only disappointment was no second encore which on the set list at least included Fear, Pablo Picasso, Leaving It Up To You and Chorale?. Don't know why he didn't come back for that one. I suppose I wouldn't have known what I missed if I hadn't asked the sound guy for a copy of the set list.
On balance a great night and I'd urge anyone even half interested to get out for it. The man is a genius.
John Cale - Live @ The Tivoli - 08 Nov 2007
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