Another big week.

I've mentioned the return of X this week, at Ding Dong, in a previous post.
Cherry Rock 007 is on in AC/DC Lane on Sunday, but if you want to avoid the crowds and are happy to see only see a few of the acts, Eddy Current Suppression Ring and the Pink Fits are at the Espy on Friday night, for free.

Saints reform for Pig City Soundtrack show.

Some interesting news...

PIG CITY Brisbane's Historical Soundtrack
Artistic Director of the Queensland Music Festival,Paul Grabowsky announced today an event that will rock Brisbane like never before.Cult heroes, The Saints founded by Brisbane sons, Chris Bailey, Ed Kuepper, and Ivor Hay will reunite on stage for a one-off historical performance in PIG CITY Brisbane's Historical Soundtrack under the giant Big Top in the grounds of the University of Queensland on Saturday 14th July 2007. In the place where it all began, The Saints will head up an amazing line-up of original Brisbane bands and musicians including Regurgitator, The Riptides, Screamfeeder, Kev Carmody, Ups and Downs, The Pineapples from the Dawn of Time and others.
Inspired by the bestselling book by Andrew Stafford, PIG CITY Brisbane's Historical Soundtrack charts a path through the heady days of Bjelke-Petersen's Queensland. The years when Brisbane dragged itself out of a somnolent country town daze and blazed alight with music and politics.

I read Pig City a while back, and it is a great book. It's not often that I wish I lived in Brisbane, but this is doing it.

RIP Lobby

Don't know if I can add much to the tributes that have flowed for the man following his recent death. I met him a couple of times, and he seemed like a nice bloke- fairly quiet at times, too. "G.O.D." is probably my favorite, though there is a Colored Balls b-side called "Devil's Disciple" that has to be heard to be believed. I'll be at his memorial service on Saturday, at Lauriston Girls School, 38 Huntingtower Road, Armadale. Special performances from Steve Lucas, Sean Kelly, Brian Hooper, Jim Keays, and Gavin Carroll, and this weekend on RAGE there is some kind of tribute planned too.

So much going on this week

that I can't quite decide. So I thought I'd post this early
The Double Agents LP Launch on Friday looks pretty definite.
But Leadfinger and the Swedish Magazines are on just up the road at Exile On Smith Street, too.
On Saturday there is a choice between the Hotel City Wrecking Traders at the Afterdark
or Youngbreeder at the Ding Dong Lounge

I know someone who is planning to go to three of these, I'll have to see how I shape up.

Rock & roll nurse.

Well, never let it be said I'm not open to new ideas.
Yesterday I got acupunctured by the lovely Janine Hall, the former bassplayer for the Young Charlatans and the Saints, among others. It was odd, and good, and seems to have helped calm the ringing in my ear. I could have done without passing out, though- that one needle to relax me worked a bit too well.
This has been a big month for for getting things stuck in me- a flu shot, a tattoo, and now this. Back for more later this week, I think.
After that I went over to the idGAFF to catch some of Steve Lucas' solo set, in front of a disappointingly small crowd. Come on people, where the hell were you all?

And here's another sauna pic, as promised. Those of you with keen eyes will see it features some of the same people, and indeed the same photo.


Edit- well, if Photobucket don't like it, maybe Flickr will. Let's try that again:

Views.

As this thing clicks up over 3000 hits (and more than 5000 individual page views), I have a request.
If you are one of the many Europeans who are visiting via a Google image search for "family sauna party", can you please drop me an email and let me know why? There have been dozens of hits on that post from January in the past few weeks, and I'm curious to know why.
Thanks. Here's the pic again, for your trouble:
This is from a postcard, by the way, one of several sent to me by a Finnish woman called Kiti many years ago. I probably should post those, too, seeing as this one's proved so popular and all.

Scrabble

Not quite sure why, but this week I signed up for the 2007 Mess & Noise Scrabblefest. I haven't played for ages, and I have no idea how good the competition is- an assorted gathering of fans, writers, musos and chatterers, as far as I can tell.
Round 1 kicks off in the Corner Hotel beergarden on Saturday afternoon (followed by Slayer), with more games at Exile on Smith Street on Sunday (followed by Penny Ikinger). I think I'm playing at Exile.
But I also have an appointment with an acupuncturist (hi Janine!) on Sunday afternoon, to try and get this infernal godamned tinnitus sorted out. Though I may then undo all her good work by going to see Steve Lucas at the idGAFF in the evening.

X- "At Home WithYou" relaunch.

Don't think I need to say anything more, do I?

More time out.

Well, it appears I now have bronchitis to go with the tinnitus. So, I'll be spending all day tomorrow on the sofa trying to catch up on some live and CD reviews for the I94 Bar (apologies to the Sacred Cowboys, Cold Harbour, X, the Killer Birds, the Kamikaze Trio and many others for the delay) and trying not to smoke too much, before fullfilling my annual obligations to the shareholders of Lindt and Cadbury.

I guess this means I'll miss the Scientists show at the Espy on Sunday...fuck.


Hopefully I can get caught up and back on my feet for the Double Agents album launch at the Spanish Club on the 20th.
Thanks to Patrick Emery for the use of his Scientists piece

Phew.

Well. What a weekend- three days worth, too.
On Friday I caught GUT, Kim Volkman & the Whiskey Priests, Intoxica & Sixfthick at the Greyhound. All good- and the place was nicely full too.


Saturday I went by the Corner Hotel early to say hello to Vinz and the others from Demi Dero Inc. then over to Exile On Smith Street, where I was too early for Tiger By The Tail. Went down to the idGAFF to see if the rumour of Sixfthick doing a last minute show as part of the GAFFStock weekend was true- it was, and they did.
Recovery session at the St. Kilda Bowling Club on Sunday went on a little too long, though. I had a very quiet day on Monday, I can tell you.
Except that it wasn't really that quiet- the tinnitus that has been bugging me off and on for the past few years is in full flight right now. The loud constant feedback-like whine in my left ear, and sometimes in my right, is making it hard to concentrate, hard to hear, and hard to sleep. It looks like I may have to give the music- especially live music- a break until I can get this fixed.


Thanks to Belinda for the shots of Sixfthicks Ben & Geoff Corbett at the Greyhound