Tuesday, April 26, 2005
ANZAC Day Long Weekend Super King-Rad-Awesome Post!
Going into the weekend, even with the knowledge that it was going to be 3 days long, I was feeling pretty morose. The source of all things saturnine and sullen was the knowledge that my SAAB was going to (and still does) require a bit of work - meaning that not only can I not drive it, I am going to have to part with some money. Bummer. Nothing like a snapped timing chain tensioner to kill your buzz.
As a result of the aforementioned troubles I resolved that I would have a quiet (read: inexpensive) weekend.
By about 4pm Friday afternoon I thought "Fuck that shit. No mechanical melodramas are going to prevent me from enjoying myself - party on!"
Friday:
After some rushed preparation (ie. me rushing Katrina to get ready after springing the change of plans on her) we made it up to Brisbane and were happily esconced at O'Malley on the Queen Street Mall with a few of the LanSmash crew and some jugs of beer. There is nothing like a large quantity of the amber nectar to make you feel better about everything - it also turns out that one of my friends may know a guy who can do the work on my car quite cheaply. Win.
It's been a while since I have indulged in a good drinking session at a typical pub. Throwing back some beer, half-watching the All Blacks get soundly thrashed by the Wallabies and talking crap while losing control over the volume of my voice (it's an alcohol thing). By the time we wandered out (sometime after midnight) I was pretty convinced that I had made the correct decision by throwing caution somewhat to the wind.
Saturday:
Somehow we managed to be awake at a reasonable hour on Saturday morning, and as you are almost obliged to do whilst being hung over in Brisbane, we went into The Valley for a nice greasy breakfast. Not only does the Royal George (RG) serve beer from about 9am, they also make some especially tasty burgers. There is nothing like a greasy burger for breakfast. It's unbeatable.
Sated, we wandered through the Valley markets before heading into the city. Once we had established that there wasn't a great deal that we wanted to see at the movies, we wandered through a few shops (well, I wandered, Kat actually looked at stuff) before heading back 'home' (aka. Kat's mother's apartment).
After a nap we were ready to hit town again, so after grabbing a bite to eat, armed with concert tickets, we headed to The Zoo. I must say, that as far as venues go in Brisbane, I much prefer the Tivoli to the Zoo. The layout overall is far more conducive to watching some live music. The one advantage the Zoo has is that it is set up very well for you to have a few drinks during the gig.
The gig itself wasn't too bad. Nicole Thibault opened, with her one-woman keyboard/synth/electronica/vocalism. As far as opening acts go, I've seen much worse. (Jerk, who supported Marilyn Manson when he was in Brisbane, for example).
The middle act where a fairly eclectic 5 or 6 piece dubbed The Golden Circles. While they provided some good background music, as far as getting the crowd ready for the headline act, they could've done a bit better. A lot of their songs seemed pretty similar, which shouldn't be happening when you have such a range of instruments to choose from. I guess that's why they were only the supporting act.
The main event came on eventually (after some technical issues) and just in time too - after the wait and the lacklustre second act I was feeling pretty zonked out. I have been following Architecture in Helsinki for a little while now, having bought their first album and enjoying their second (which Kat picked up a couple of weeks ago) and when the opportunity to see how they stacked up as a live act came along, I was pretty content to part with the $18.
Not bad at all sums it up pretty well. Architecture have a pretty unique sound, in part because they are an 8-piece with a fairly wide array of instruments and also because their vocalists have very distinctive voices. As a band they were relatively energetic and this helped to pull the crowd up a bit, although due to the nature of their music they only really rocked out on one or two tracks.
Definitely a worthwhile concert. If you are looking for something a little different, full of elfin vocals and some potent brass, they are definitely worth a look.
Sunday:
To make up for getting up early on Saturday, we got up a bit after 11 to meet Steve and Dawn for lunch. After a good feed at Eagle Street Pier, we headed into the city to have a bit of a wander around, Dawn and Kat did some shopping, Steve and I wandered around talking crap and offering commentary. There really are some hideous clothes out there.
Dinner was a much-anticipated event. Apart from the fact that we were catching up with Amanda, I was looking forward to getting my laughing gear around a Pig'N'Whistle Beef & Guinness pie. These things are all that is, ever was, and ever will be Pie. Crisp, flaky pastry, huge chunks of tender cow and thick gravy. Mmmm, pie.
After a bit of a feed, a chat and being assured that I had the right demeanour and paisley shirt to fake being an upholstered piece of furniture, Kat and I took our leave and headed back into the The Valley to be snobby cocktail bar patrons. The Bowery has a lot going for it - charming semi-derelict-while-unflappably-fashionable interior, extensive cocktail list, equally extensive range of beers and prices just unreasonable enough that the general bogan bar-going riff-raff tend to stay out.
Not much of that mattered though, we were there for the jazz. I am not sure how organised the gig was, as at times it appeared to be a 'bring your piece of brass and join in' kind of jam session. Nevertheless, the (when we left) 8 guys jamming away on an assortment of horns, guitar, bass and drums made an impressive team. Live improv jazz can be very difficult to do at all, let alone do well. If nothing else, the night highlighted how many talented, yet totally unheard of musicians there are out there, while incredibly untalented folks continue to do well on the charts. Such a waste.
Monday:
Finally, the business-end of the weekend was rolling round, and we had only one thing left to do - grab a little Aussie flag and watch the ANZAC March. Katrina's grandfather, who fought (and spent a long spell as a POW) in WW2 was among the thousands in the march, and among the select group of people drinking beer back at the apartment later that day. For me, it was the first large ANZAC ceremony I had been party to, and I was stunned by the number of people who turned out to line the streets. I was also a little confused, bemused and amused by the small group of young Japanese girls taking photos of the old troop carriers as they drove past.
After a few beers, we packed ourselves up and headed back down the coast in preparation of another week of work. All in all, a great long weekend.
I could use another one.
As a result of the aforementioned troubles I resolved that I would have a quiet (read: inexpensive) weekend.
By about 4pm Friday afternoon I thought "Fuck that shit. No mechanical melodramas are going to prevent me from enjoying myself - party on!"
Friday:
After some rushed preparation (ie. me rushing Katrina to get ready after springing the change of plans on her) we made it up to Brisbane and were happily esconced at O'Malley on the Queen Street Mall with a few of the LanSmash crew and some jugs of beer. There is nothing like a large quantity of the amber nectar to make you feel better about everything - it also turns out that one of my friends may know a guy who can do the work on my car quite cheaply. Win.
It's been a while since I have indulged in a good drinking session at a typical pub. Throwing back some beer, half-watching the All Blacks get soundly thrashed by the Wallabies and talking crap while losing control over the volume of my voice (it's an alcohol thing). By the time we wandered out (sometime after midnight) I was pretty convinced that I had made the correct decision by throwing caution somewhat to the wind.
Saturday:
Somehow we managed to be awake at a reasonable hour on Saturday morning, and as you are almost obliged to do whilst being hung over in Brisbane, we went into The Valley for a nice greasy breakfast. Not only does the Royal George (RG) serve beer from about 9am, they also make some especially tasty burgers. There is nothing like a greasy burger for breakfast. It's unbeatable.
Sated, we wandered through the Valley markets before heading into the city. Once we had established that there wasn't a great deal that we wanted to see at the movies, we wandered through a few shops (well, I wandered, Kat actually looked at stuff) before heading back 'home' (aka. Kat's mother's apartment).
After a nap we were ready to hit town again, so after grabbing a bite to eat, armed with concert tickets, we headed to The Zoo. I must say, that as far as venues go in Brisbane, I much prefer the Tivoli to the Zoo. The layout overall is far more conducive to watching some live music. The one advantage the Zoo has is that it is set up very well for you to have a few drinks during the gig.
The gig itself wasn't too bad. Nicole Thibault opened, with her one-woman keyboard/synth/electronica/vocalism. As far as opening acts go, I've seen much worse. (Jerk, who supported Marilyn Manson when he was in Brisbane, for example).
The middle act where a fairly eclectic 5 or 6 piece dubbed The Golden Circles. While they provided some good background music, as far as getting the crowd ready for the headline act, they could've done a bit better. A lot of their songs seemed pretty similar, which shouldn't be happening when you have such a range of instruments to choose from. I guess that's why they were only the supporting act.
The main event came on eventually (after some technical issues) and just in time too - after the wait and the lacklustre second act I was feeling pretty zonked out. I have been following Architecture in Helsinki for a little while now, having bought their first album and enjoying their second (which Kat picked up a couple of weeks ago) and when the opportunity to see how they stacked up as a live act came along, I was pretty content to part with the $18.
Not bad at all sums it up pretty well. Architecture have a pretty unique sound, in part because they are an 8-piece with a fairly wide array of instruments and also because their vocalists have very distinctive voices. As a band they were relatively energetic and this helped to pull the crowd up a bit, although due to the nature of their music they only really rocked out on one or two tracks.
Definitely a worthwhile concert. If you are looking for something a little different, full of elfin vocals and some potent brass, they are definitely worth a look.
Sunday:
To make up for getting up early on Saturday, we got up a bit after 11 to meet Steve and Dawn for lunch. After a good feed at Eagle Street Pier, we headed into the city to have a bit of a wander around, Dawn and Kat did some shopping, Steve and I wandered around talking crap and offering commentary. There really are some hideous clothes out there.
Dinner was a much-anticipated event. Apart from the fact that we were catching up with Amanda, I was looking forward to getting my laughing gear around a Pig'N'Whistle Beef & Guinness pie. These things are all that is, ever was, and ever will be Pie. Crisp, flaky pastry, huge chunks of tender cow and thick gravy. Mmmm, pie.
After a bit of a feed, a chat and being assured that I had the right demeanour and paisley shirt to fake being an upholstered piece of furniture, Kat and I took our leave and headed back into the The Valley to be snobby cocktail bar patrons. The Bowery has a lot going for it - charming semi-derelict-while-unflappably-fashionable interior, extensive cocktail list, equally extensive range of beers and prices just unreasonable enough that the general bogan bar-going riff-raff tend to stay out.
Not much of that mattered though, we were there for the jazz. I am not sure how organised the gig was, as at times it appeared to be a 'bring your piece of brass and join in' kind of jam session. Nevertheless, the (when we left) 8 guys jamming away on an assortment of horns, guitar, bass and drums made an impressive team. Live improv jazz can be very difficult to do at all, let alone do well. If nothing else, the night highlighted how many talented, yet totally unheard of musicians there are out there, while incredibly untalented folks continue to do well on the charts. Such a waste.
Monday:
Finally, the business-end of the weekend was rolling round, and we had only one thing left to do - grab a little Aussie flag and watch the ANZAC March. Katrina's grandfather, who fought (and spent a long spell as a POW) in WW2 was among the thousands in the march, and among the select group of people drinking beer back at the apartment later that day. For me, it was the first large ANZAC ceremony I had been party to, and I was stunned by the number of people who turned out to line the streets. I was also a little confused, bemused and amused by the small group of young Japanese girls taking photos of the old troop carriers as they drove past.
After a few beers, we packed ourselves up and headed back down the coast in preparation of another week of work. All in all, a great long weekend.
I could use another one.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Artichokes, Yellowfin and Manga
Kat and I went out last night for a meal, a nice meal. Whatever that means. Because it has won awards, and is a short cab ride away, we went to Oskars in Burliegh Heads. The evening can be summarised by 'Mmmmmm, tasty.' If you are on the Gold Coast with some $ to burn and want a tasty feed, check these guys out. The coconut creme caramel was so utterly delicious that it is probably illegal in a number of countries.
One thing I love about restaurants is the opportunity to eat food that you will practically never have either the skill - or more importantly - the time to make yourself. When was the last time you saw someone whip up an artichoke, spinach and caramelised onion tart in their own kitchen? Seriously, who could be bothered? Can you make a tart on the barbecue? No? Sorry, not interested.
I once made ravioli at home, from scratch (ie, I made the actual pasta and everything) and while it was tasty, it was undoubtedly not worth the time and effort. For those of you out there who want ravioli, here's a few words of advice: Go to a restaurant or buy the stuff from a shop.
Summary - Oskars make good food.
On to the manga! I must admit, despite my long-running ties to Japan, I have never been a huge fan of manga or anime. Just not my thing. From time to time, I do run across something that I like though. Nadesico was, for me, quite an entertaining anime series. However, that's not my topic for today.
Today I am going to breifly extol the virtues of Paper Eleven. Is it manga? Yeah. But not what one normally expects. It is exceptionally minimalistic, very dark, relatively abstract and quite entrancing indeed. It is only about half-completed at the moment, with 6 of 11 chapters completed (about 180 pages), but definitely worth a look if you have a few minutes.
One thing I love about restaurants is the opportunity to eat food that you will practically never have either the skill - or more importantly - the time to make yourself. When was the last time you saw someone whip up an artichoke, spinach and caramelised onion tart in their own kitchen? Seriously, who could be bothered? Can you make a tart on the barbecue? No? Sorry, not interested.
I once made ravioli at home, from scratch (ie, I made the actual pasta and everything) and while it was tasty, it was undoubtedly not worth the time and effort. For those of you out there who want ravioli, here's a few words of advice: Go to a restaurant or buy the stuff from a shop.
Summary - Oskars make good food.
On to the manga! I must admit, despite my long-running ties to Japan, I have never been a huge fan of manga or anime. Just not my thing. From time to time, I do run across something that I like though. Nadesico was, for me, quite an entertaining anime series. However, that's not my topic for today.
Today I am going to breifly extol the virtues of Paper Eleven. Is it manga? Yeah. But not what one normally expects. It is exceptionally minimalistic, very dark, relatively abstract and quite entrancing indeed. It is only about half-completed at the moment, with 6 of 11 chapters completed (about 180 pages), but definitely worth a look if you have a few minutes.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Pictures of Walls
From time to time I find a website that I genuinely like, but am totally unable to explain why. Pictures of Walls is one such site. The name of the page doesn't have some kind of amazing existential and obscure-Pink-Floyd-reference type meaning. It is literally a bunch of photos (153 at last count) of walls. Not just any walls though - graffitied walls.
I am not sure why, but I have always been a bit of a fan of graffiti. Let me clarify this by breaking graffiti into several basic categories - tags, art and ravings.
Tags, for the most part, are utter shite. Simply a squiggle of paint on a surface somewhere - they mean very little to all but very few, they are generally ugly and have no real merits whatsoever. I don't consider this graffiti, tags are just vandalism with paint cans. Some tags can transcend this, but I would file these in the 'art' category.
Art can be anything from obscure faces peering from walls to some of the coolest pictures you will ever see. Anywhere. Period. There is some great stuff out there if you look - you would be amazed at what you can see on the average train journey. Even though I have, for the most part, left my arts-student, left-wing past behind, I do enjoy some of the political and social commentary out there too. This kind of stuff isn't so bad in my opinion, and generally looks more interesting than the average blank wall.
Ravings however are something that I love. Usually the only positive thing about visiting a public toilet (alone) besides the relief is the writing on the walls and doors. Seriously. But these things appear everywhere. Normally smaller and less obtrusive than the tags and art, you can find anything from real pearls of wisdom from spraycan-wielding sages to some of the most random and amusing bits of reading on Earth. No really. Nothing brings up a grin more than a bit of cheekiness on an otherwise dull wall.
All that I just blathered about aside, check out Writing on Walls. No, seriously. It rocks.
I am not sure why, but I have always been a bit of a fan of graffiti. Let me clarify this by breaking graffiti into several basic categories - tags, art and ravings.
Tags, for the most part, are utter shite. Simply a squiggle of paint on a surface somewhere - they mean very little to all but very few, they are generally ugly and have no real merits whatsoever. I don't consider this graffiti, tags are just vandalism with paint cans. Some tags can transcend this, but I would file these in the 'art' category.
Art can be anything from obscure faces peering from walls to some of the coolest pictures you will ever see. Anywhere. Period. There is some great stuff out there if you look - you would be amazed at what you can see on the average train journey. Even though I have, for the most part, left my arts-student, left-wing past behind, I do enjoy some of the political and social commentary out there too. This kind of stuff isn't so bad in my opinion, and generally looks more interesting than the average blank wall.
Ravings however are something that I love. Usually the only positive thing about visiting a public toilet (alone) besides the relief is the writing on the walls and doors. Seriously. But these things appear everywhere. Normally smaller and less obtrusive than the tags and art, you can find anything from real pearls of wisdom from spraycan-wielding sages to some of the most random and amusing bits of reading on Earth. No really. Nothing brings up a grin more than a bit of cheekiness on an otherwise dull wall.
All that I just blathered about aside, check out Writing on Walls. No, seriously. It rocks.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Half-Arsed Review: Ben Folds - Songs for Silverman
Greetings and welcome to a half-arsed album review!
Purchase of the latest Ben Folds album was, for me, a mere formality. Arriving home to find that my girlfriend had purchased it for me was really a nice surprise. Thanks Kat.
So, Songs for Silverman. As albums go, it's pretty good. As Ben Folds albums go, it is ok. A neat little 11-track package. To be honest, I was hoping Ben's cover of Dr. Dre's 'Bitches Ain't Shit' would make it on as a secret track (it made it as a b-side somewhere along the line), but there was no such luck.
What is right with this album? Well, lots really. Ben Folds is brilliant musically and he has some solid support - as always. (A certain Al Yankovich does backing vocals on 'Time'). The album is full of beautiful songs - 'Gracie' being one of the sweetest. The overall beauty of the album however, is (in my humble opinion) its downfall.
One thing that I have come to love about Ben Folds (and Ben Folds Five) albums is the amazing contrast he can put on an album. In the past few releases, for every bittersweet ballad, there was something a bit rawk to balance it out. Songs for Silverman lounges in a mellow cocoon, only venturing out for the opening track 'Bastard' and the occasional loud chorus here and there.
While it is a beautiful album, Songs for Silverman felt a little reserved. Perhaps Ben is mellowing. His recent live performance would not indicate that in the slightest, but it is possible. The days of screaming "Give me my money back, you bitch!" appear to be gone, and this is very much reflected in this soft and sweet new offering.
The album came out in Australia yesterday. Go pick it up, it's landed.
Purchase of the latest Ben Folds album was, for me, a mere formality. Arriving home to find that my girlfriend had purchased it for me was really a nice surprise. Thanks Kat.
So, Songs for Silverman. As albums go, it's pretty good. As Ben Folds albums go, it is ok. A neat little 11-track package. To be honest, I was hoping Ben's cover of Dr. Dre's 'Bitches Ain't Shit' would make it on as a secret track (it made it as a b-side somewhere along the line), but there was no such luck.
What is right with this album? Well, lots really. Ben Folds is brilliant musically and he has some solid support - as always. (A certain Al Yankovich does backing vocals on 'Time'). The album is full of beautiful songs - 'Gracie' being one of the sweetest. The overall beauty of the album however, is (in my humble opinion) its downfall.
One thing that I have come to love about Ben Folds (and Ben Folds Five) albums is the amazing contrast he can put on an album. In the past few releases, for every bittersweet ballad, there was something a bit rawk to balance it out. Songs for Silverman lounges in a mellow cocoon, only venturing out for the opening track 'Bastard' and the occasional loud chorus here and there.
While it is a beautiful album, Songs for Silverman felt a little reserved. Perhaps Ben is mellowing. His recent live performance would not indicate that in the slightest, but it is possible. The days of screaming "Give me my money back, you bitch!" appear to be gone, and this is very much reflected in this soft and sweet new offering.
The album came out in Australia yesterday. Go pick it up, it's landed.
Saturday, April 09, 2005
Gung-ho Ganja-puffing Granny
I love news. News is great. Especially news like this:
Brilliant.
Thanks to The Australian for that grab. Of course, this little note would not be complete without a link to her site - www.grandma-eats-cannabis.comA 66-year-old British grandmother with a taste for marijuana casserole has been spared jail despite admitting she had shared cannabis-laced cookies with fellow pensioners.
Patricia Tabram from East Lea in the northern tip of England, who said she uses cannabis to alleviate pains in her neck and back, pleaded guilty to possession of the drug with intent to supply.
Judge David Hodson said he would not make a "martyr" of her when she returned to Newcastle Crown Court for sentencing.
Instead, she received a six-month suspended prison sentence.
The white-haired, bespectacled granny was unrepentant, and said she would keep cooking with pot.
"I had it this morning in my scrambled eggs and I'll have it again for lunch. I'm not giving it up," she told Channel 4 news.
Tabram has become a symbol for Britain's legalise marijuana campaign.
On her website, www.grandma-eats-cannabis.com, she promises soon to provide free recipes, as well as tea towels and mugs for sale.
Last year, Britain downgraded cannabis from the same class as cocaine and ecstasy to a lower class of illegal drug, which means police are not expected to arrest people for possessing small amounts but can jail them for supplying it to others.
Police said they raided Tabram's home after a tip-off in May last year and found 31 cannabis plants along with hydroponic cultivation equipment. In a later raid they found 47 bags of "skunk", a particularly strong form of the drug.
The set-up at Tabram's home "bore all the hallmarks of any sophisticated drug dealer", police said in a statement.
Brilliant.
Blenderization
We bought a blender today. 1.5 litres of creamy banana smoothie later things are lookin' pretty good. However, I am half-expecting a downward spiral. Nine Inch Nails style. About two months ago we bought a BBQ. We ate barbecued food about every second night for a month. With the addition of this blender, I see a lot of blended beverages in my future.
In other exciting news, I should be picking up my new car today - the money is sitting at home, waiting to change hands. In an interesting twist, Ray (who is a professional Elvis impersonator) the guy I am buying the little SAAB off has a mate opening an LJ Hooker up here, and I have been offered a job. I declined, I am pretty happy where I am right now, but I will see how I go. It's always nice to have a backup plan.
In other exciting news, I should be picking up my new car today - the money is sitting at home, waiting to change hands. In an interesting twist, Ray (who is a professional Elvis impersonator) the guy I am buying the little SAAB off has a mate opening an LJ Hooker up here, and I have been offered a job. I declined, I am pretty happy where I am right now, but I will see how I go. It's always nice to have a backup plan.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Reclaiming the Weekend!
It's official - I will once again be a member of the '9-5 Monday to Friday crew'. Starting the weekend after this one. My brief ride on the mechanical bull of wholly unpredictable rosters appears to be coming to an end.
To tell the truth, I kind of liked having Mondays and Tuesdays off, because (for all intents and purposes) it is a weekend without having to worry about shops being closed and everywhere being crowded. Still, my social life stands to benefit and that is never a bad thing. The whole "I can't have a big Friday or Saturday night because I am working the next day" claim was wearing a bit thin - moreso, I suspect, with me than my friends.
It is with no particular emotion at all that I have noted the death of Pope John Paul 2. One would almost think that having attended 5 years of primary school at the esteemed St. Augustine's primary I would have developed some kind of leaning in the very least - but truth be told I am more interested and amused by the myriad of news reporting and general hype that has come with the need for a new Pope.
One of my personal favourite articles related to a story about the most influential Catholic leader in the Philippines being unable to attend the ceremonies in the Vatican due to illness. Sure, it sounds dull until you realise that the name of the gent in question is Jaime Sin. Yes, that's right. Cardinal Sin. Oh come on! That is funnier than you are giving credit for.
I am still standing by my claim from the other night that Ben Folds would be a great Pope. Sadly nobody seems to be listening.
There are numerous other political and social issues that have dominated the headlines during my haitus from blogging. I can't be bothered to comment much, since (as a general rule) I didn't give a damn. I will however offer this link. It's possible that laughing at it will condemn your soul to Hell - but don't worry, I'll be there to keep you company.
To tell the truth, I kind of liked having Mondays and Tuesdays off, because (for all intents and purposes) it is a weekend without having to worry about shops being closed and everywhere being crowded. Still, my social life stands to benefit and that is never a bad thing. The whole "I can't have a big Friday or Saturday night because I am working the next day" claim was wearing a bit thin - moreso, I suspect, with me than my friends.
It is with no particular emotion at all that I have noted the death of Pope John Paul 2. One would almost think that having attended 5 years of primary school at the esteemed St. Augustine's primary I would have developed some kind of leaning in the very least - but truth be told I am more interested and amused by the myriad of news reporting and general hype that has come with the need for a new Pope.
One of my personal favourite articles related to a story about the most influential Catholic leader in the Philippines being unable to attend the ceremonies in the Vatican due to illness. Sure, it sounds dull until you realise that the name of the gent in question is Jaime Sin. Yes, that's right. Cardinal Sin. Oh come on! That is funnier than you are giving credit for.
I am still standing by my claim from the other night that Ben Folds would be a great Pope. Sadly nobody seems to be listening.
There are numerous other political and social issues that have dominated the headlines during my haitus from blogging. I can't be bothered to comment much, since (as a general rule) I didn't give a damn. I will however offer this link. It's possible that laughing at it will condemn your soul to Hell - but don't worry, I'll be there to keep you company.
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
More Regularly Scheduled Programming
I have been neglecting this site of late, and I am resolving to get back into it. (At least, that is the decision I made now that I have a couple of things to talk about.)
1. It's NEEEEWWWW CAAAAR!!
Well, second-hand anyway. I will be taking possession of my '94 SAAB 900S this weekend and am thorougly looking forward to it. I may even be motivated enough to post a picture or two of it. It will be sad to say goodbye to the work Commodore and corresponding free petrol, but you have to let these things go (or at least have them taken off you according to the terms in your employment contract).
2. Ben Folds
It is no secret that I am a bit of a Ben Folds fanboy. What can I say, the man is awesome. I was fortunate to catch him on Sunday night at the Tivoli in Brisbane. I love the Tiv, it is a fantastic venue, especially if you get in early (or have your girlfriend get in early) to secure a good balcony seat.
The support act was Gelbison (well, a 2-man stripped-down version of them). For me they have always been one of those bands whose name you are familiar with but you couldn't hum a bar of any of their songs. I was impressed. They are horribly underrated in my opinion, and for a pair of guys with nought but a MIDI keyboard and some guitars, they were stellar. They even managed to crack a few jokes and put together a cover so brilliant that I gained new respect for the theme song from 'Home and Away'.
No matter how great the support act was, nothing could've competed with Ben. He was accompanied by a very talented drummer and a bassist with a great SoCal accent and a prediliction for the word 'fuck'. You barely noticed them. The things that Ben Folds is capable of doing with (or perhaps 'to' is a better term) a piano are simply spellbinding. He played a fair bit of his new CD (which is on my 'to buy' list) as well as some of the great old nerd anthems like 'Underground' and 'There's Always Someone Cooler Than You'. He had the crowd singing in 3-part harmony. He, in short, rocked.
It was awesome. There is little more to be said on the topic. He remains one of the best live acts I have ever witnessed, and I would unquestioningly rate him as one of the greatest musicians out there. Incredible stuff.
3. 21
Well, it's a few weeks old now, but I did it. I survived to 21. Massive shoutouts to all who attended the bash at Magic Mountain, you can find some photos of that over on Blade's blog - check them out. I must talk to that boy about the use of apostrophes at some stage too....
It was a nice, intimate gathering of a couple of dozen people and I, for one, had a great time. I was surpringly less hung over than I expected to be the morning after, but I guess that is something I can make up for next year. Nevertheless, it was great to catch up with everyone - I really need to get a bit more social, but things invariably happen on my weekends that prevent me from catching up with as many people as I would like. The fact that my weekend has been Monday and Tuesday for the most part has made it difficult, but I believe I am going back to the 'normal' Saturday and Sunday for a while, which will probably make these things a bit easier.
It is perhaps time for me to do some work, but look forward to a few more regular updates here to let you all know what's going on.
1. It's NEEEEWWWW CAAAAR!!
Well, second-hand anyway. I will be taking possession of my '94 SAAB 900S this weekend and am thorougly looking forward to it. I may even be motivated enough to post a picture or two of it. It will be sad to say goodbye to the work Commodore and corresponding free petrol, but you have to let these things go (or at least have them taken off you according to the terms in your employment contract).
2. Ben Folds
It is no secret that I am a bit of a Ben Folds fanboy. What can I say, the man is awesome. I was fortunate to catch him on Sunday night at the Tivoli in Brisbane. I love the Tiv, it is a fantastic venue, especially if you get in early (or have your girlfriend get in early) to secure a good balcony seat.
The support act was Gelbison (well, a 2-man stripped-down version of them). For me they have always been one of those bands whose name you are familiar with but you couldn't hum a bar of any of their songs. I was impressed. They are horribly underrated in my opinion, and for a pair of guys with nought but a MIDI keyboard and some guitars, they were stellar. They even managed to crack a few jokes and put together a cover so brilliant that I gained new respect for the theme song from 'Home and Away'.
No matter how great the support act was, nothing could've competed with Ben. He was accompanied by a very talented drummer and a bassist with a great SoCal accent and a prediliction for the word 'fuck'. You barely noticed them. The things that Ben Folds is capable of doing with (or perhaps 'to' is a better term) a piano are simply spellbinding. He played a fair bit of his new CD (which is on my 'to buy' list) as well as some of the great old nerd anthems like 'Underground' and 'There's Always Someone Cooler Than You'. He had the crowd singing in 3-part harmony. He, in short, rocked.
It was awesome. There is little more to be said on the topic. He remains one of the best live acts I have ever witnessed, and I would unquestioningly rate him as one of the greatest musicians out there. Incredible stuff.
3. 21
Well, it's a few weeks old now, but I did it. I survived to 21. Massive shoutouts to all who attended the bash at Magic Mountain, you can find some photos of that over on Blade's blog - check them out. I must talk to that boy about the use of apostrophes at some stage too....
It was a nice, intimate gathering of a couple of dozen people and I, for one, had a great time. I was surpringly less hung over than I expected to be the morning after, but I guess that is something I can make up for next year. Nevertheless, it was great to catch up with everyone - I really need to get a bit more social, but things invariably happen on my weekends that prevent me from catching up with as many people as I would like. The fact that my weekend has been Monday and Tuesday for the most part has made it difficult, but I believe I am going back to the 'normal' Saturday and Sunday for a while, which will probably make these things a bit easier.
It is perhaps time for me to do some work, but look forward to a few more regular updates here to let you all know what's going on.
