Here’s a brief rundown on the rest of January this year.
The last 2 weeks were spent on holidays in NZ. Dave went to the total geek fest (Linux Conference) and I hung out in Wellington with Martin, Gabby & Ruby for the first week. Activities included: Visiting the Weta Cave, eating, shopping, record shopping, art galleries, making cards and hanging out with the small children of Wellington. See a truckload of Wellington pics here
For the second week, we flew to Auckland and hired a cheap and nasty car (that didn’t have a cd player) and drove to the Bay of Islands. We ended up buying an iTrip type thing so we could have some decent music for our road trip. Unfortunately, Dave was in a lot of pain because of his wisdom teeth. Luckily we were staying in some really nice accoms, so we got our money’s worth. As soon as we got home, Dave had all 4 wisdom teeth taken out. Photos from Northland and Auckland here.
You may be wondering why I’m blogging about AC/DC. I don’t even like heavy metal! Well, seeing the hundreds of fans on the train over the last few days has inspired me to write about the legendary band Acca Dacca! When I was in Year 8 or 9, I was “in love” with a boy named Ethan, he used to do BMX bike tricks and he liked AC/DC. I think that we were even “going together” for a week (or maybe that was my imagination). He did let me borrow some of his AC/DC cassette tapes, I duly played them on my Walkman and pretended to enjoy them. Anyway, more than 20 years later, they are still as popular as ever, with 3 generations of fans (so it seemed on the trains) and they’ve been following me around all year. They arrived in NZ while I was on holidays there and now they are in Sydney. Anyway, if you’re a fan, I’m sure you have relived the glory days in the past week at the concerts in Olympic Park. And I’d really like to thank them for a writing a song about me too 
Whole Lotta Rosie!
I’m going to see George Michael in concert next week. I’m very excited! I saw a photo of him leaving Catalina Restaurant in Sydney a couple of days ago. It would be awesome if I happened to see him on the street. Maybe if I hung out at gay bars (again), I would. I have loved his work since Wham, George was on the top of my list of singers I must see in concert before I die! Obviously, I’ve already crossed out a lot off this list already! I’m going to assume he’ll be at Mardi Gras this year.
Well I’m quickly writing a review before too much time passes since the event and I can’t be bothered. It was a really good day, starting with a big brunch at House of Solstain. We were bacon powered! Of course it was boiling hot. Checked out Kylie Auldist & the Bamboos on arrival. I actually paid cash money for her cd last year. A small but enthusiastic crowd danced in 30 degree heat to her tunes. Went into the cooler and dark depths of The Forum for the end of Harmonic 313.
The act I most wanted to see was Cat Power. I have been a late adopter of her. I had heard bad things about a previous tour, something about her hiding behind a speaker and not singing. Anyway, I endured the heat to see her and for the first few songs she seemed to be looking off stage with her back to me. Eventually she warmed up and kindly threw water at the audience. There seemed to be a few technical probs which had her running off stage after each song. The band were a bunch of hairy country blues guys enjoying playing the laid back beats. The music and performance was very laid back and the full sun was burning the back of my legs. But I perservered and got my money’s worth, I think she even looked at me!
Other highlights included Amp Fiddler, a little bit of Theo Parrosh, Joker, MC Markey & Lovefingers.
Overall; a good crowd, organisation and food selection ( much improved on last year’s food crisis). Good times in summer 2010.
See my pics here
Hey I can blog on the bus, with one hand while standing!
Sydney, Summer, yeah. Had a great afternoon/evening at FFN this year. Interesting to note that Sydney Festival has got rid of the “young clubby people’s” stage. I have to admit it was probably a good thing. The crowds were still huge as always but with less young kids on the street getting smashed. We met up with Matt to see Seekae at the Hyde Park Fountain, the sun was beaming down, so most people observed them from afar in the shade. I observed Seekae were a bit Pivot inspired… I didn’t realise that we had seen them before when they supported Pivot at their secret gig at The Hopetoun last year. It was great to meet up with Brad & Danielle (and Kate a bit later) as well, good times in the Hyde Park.
Matt had organised with his posse to meet up in The Domain. We didn’t really intend to do the Domain after last year (where it was scarily jam-packed), we were going to check out the other stages and then go home if it got too hectic. Turned out to be a wonderful night because Andy & Co had settled into a nice area close to a fence where not too many people walked through. We got there about 7pm while a nice picnic spread was shared. I felt a bit bad that we had crashed their party after they had been there all day. We were spotted on the big screens in The Domain by Boris – how embarrassing (because Matt decided to stick his finger up and pull a face or something like that)!
Anyway, Robbie Buck hosted the event and introduced the Welcome Ceremony and the Black Arm Band. Sadly a lot people around me weren’t really getting into it. They did a rousing performance of Treaty at the end. Just before Al Green took the stage, there was a delightful hand shadow puppet performance by unusualist Raymond Crowe, that was projected onto the side of a building that everyone could see from the Domain. Finally the big man, Al Green appeared. Have to admit that I’m not a big fan, but really enjoyed sharing the spirit with 100,000 of my closest friends. His voice was great and loved most of the songs he sang, esp the Motown tribute, but the handing out of roses and the white gloves was rather cheesy. Then it ended and there were no fireworks – hmpf. We walked all the way home with the masses via the new Mexican burrito place & Pie Face on Oxford Street.
Check out lots of great pics from Festival First night here.
Dave gave me a great book called Raving ‘89, The Piano soundtrack, and a new Mario Wii game! Before lunch we went to Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematorium to visit the final resting place of many of my family. It really sucks that I have to go there to see my mum on Christmas Day. While I’m there, I also say hello to my uncle, aunty, grandparents and great grandparents. After that, we had lunch with the in-laws, my dad and cousin. We ate steamed whole snapper, ham, turkey, prawns, salads and lots of dessert. Just resting at home now before part 2 tonight.
Merry Christmas, hope it is a wonderful day for you.
Don’t you know, she’s not a real person. I can’t understand why perfectly tasteful and stylish brands would do a cross promotion with Barbie.
Example Mimco
Barbie loves Mimco
I think there was good start earlier in the year but as usual, the blog entries begin to slump as the year goes on. Let it be known that I still go out occasionally and do semi-interesting things and have my special opinion on them, I’ve just been too lazy to blog hard.
I’m doing this at work (naughty), there is no personal internet access here and no mobile service! I feel trapped!
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