Charity.

That's a nice word too, and what a coincidence that there are two worthy causes being addressed this week. The first one is on tomorrow:

Melbourne's music community has joined ranks to raise funds for local muso Dimitra Bucolo, who has been hospitalised due to complications from lupus. Dimitra has been performing since 1996 in various bands and solo projects in Australia and internationally, and is in need of significant financial help with her urgent medical and rehabilitation costs.
A gigantic benefit gig dubbed Dimitron: A Benefit for Dimitra is coming up at The Corner on Wednesday 1st December featuring The Drones, Zond, Hoss, Love of Diagrams, The Stabs, Kes Band, New War, Matt Bailey and Breathing Shrine, plus Eddy Current & Twerps DJs.

Just to make the night even more awesome, the great Dimitron Raffle has been announced with some mouth watering prizes to be won.
Dimitra was kind enough to play with Aktion Unit at the first Last Tram Home presents... show back in November last year. Here's wishing her all the best.
And then on Thursday:

After a few fairly painful if not downright agonising years, X frontman Steve Lucas has finally managed to get his crippling back injury operated on, but has been left financially crippled, so a bunch of friends are lending a hand. This would probably be worth going to for the Ears alone, I reckon, let alone Dollsquad, Brian Hooper and the rest.
If you can't make it along to either of these shows, you can still help out, by donating via Paypal- to Dimitra at dimitrafund@gmail.com, and Steve at slxaust@hotmail.com.
It's not a community unless you share, you know.

Don't wanna go out?

Then get to bed early on Saturday night, but not before catching Steve Lucas on SBS' Rockwiz at 9.20- just after Iron Chef.

The punk rock Beau Brummell - he's not quite Dorian Gray- has been in fine form lately and this should be top entertainment, especially if you are still recuperating from Sixfthick. Steve's also playing in the Pure Pop courtyard on Sunday at 6.00pm.

Another plethora

Do you like that title? Looks almost like a palindrome. Well, maybe not, but I bet it would make some good anagrams.
ANYWAY, as the chill and fog settles in (warmed only by the flames from the Palace) there is a lot going on.
Something a bit special upstairs at the Tote:


Also on Saturday, Johnny Casino and the Secrets launch their new album at Cherry Bar

There's a post-hangover rockabilly BBQ on Sunday,at the Route 66 store in Prahran:

Or you could hit idGAFF on Sunday for some Steve Lucas solo- he starts another month's residency.

And next weekend looms large too. I may be down in Geelong for something a bit special next Saturday, but this is already pencilled in for Friday 20th:

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:

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.

The return of X

Last night I was lucky enough to be sitting in the right place at the right time, and so to be invited to watch X rehearse for their upcoming dates.
In a stinky pub back room, that usually holds about 200 people, there were five of us- Steve Lucas, Kim Volkman, John Hall (drummer for these dates) a sound guy called Wal & me.
You can quibble all you like about whether this is the "real" X, but don't ignore the music. For my money, this sounded like the real deal- an opinion confirmed by (long term fan & friend of the band) Fred Negro when he stuck his head in for a minute. Really, though, they needed nothing from me, or Fred, so I just sat and enjoyed it,
"But what did they play?" I hear you ask. What I saw went like this:
"TV Glue"- spiky ringing guitar to the forefront, Steve taking the spoken vocal.
"Degenerate Boy"- again, that guitar sound, wrung out of a new Epiphone.
"Moving On"- some trouble with the final few bars' speed metal assault, quickly ironed out.
"Dipstick"- played faster than I've ever seen it done before.
And more- "Oxford Street Nick" "I Like You And You Like Me" ("Oh, I light up so easily-ah...") "Halfway Round The World" (all slashing old style punk chords) "I Don't Wanna Go Out" (I was grinning like a schoolboy for the duration of THAT) and a very sharp take on Del Shannon's "Runaway"...
Questions?
Yes, Rilen is absent, but yes, I think Kim is a great fit as his replacement. Yes, Steve can still be a bit tetchy at times, but yes, these are his songs and he still enjoys- loves- playing them. Worth noting this is not the only project he has on the go, either. Cathy's absence from the stool was explained to me but it's not something I want to go into here.
You would be a fool to miss your chance here.
Dates, links etc- well, here's the band , here's Steve, here's Kim and here's Cathy .
And this is probably a good place to note that the Aztec Music reissue of "At Home With You" with bonus tracks, is now scheduled for May.

You won't be seeing me on TV

A couple of months back I heard that the Lifestyle Channel were holding auditions to find hosts for a new program about barbecuing.
I wasn't going to bother (honest!) but on the day we happened to go past the area where they were set up, outside the Palais in St. Kilda. It looked kinda interesting, but still I balked at it.
Then an hour or two later a friend who did audition rang and explained the set up. You had to cook a sausage & an egg while talking to the cameras. That was all. AND you got a goodie bag...I was swayed by the thought of a new set of tongs, so went and signed up.
Steve Lucas from X, resplendent in a red tartan suit, and with a raging hangover from the Ian Rilen benefit show the night before, had decided to have a crack too. I'd love to see that tape.
I won't go into details, but will just say that when the producer guy said "We'll call you", I thought I was in.
Sadly, it was not to be. Jamie Oliver and Neil Perry can rest easy.
But the friend who sold me on the idea apparently got a look in. Her name is Janet A. McLeod and she is a very funny lady. If you have cable, and have nothing better to do than watch TV on a Saturday night, the program is called the Great BBQ Challenge, and is on at 7.30pm tomorrow, 2 December.
I'll sign off with a pic of some real BBQ. Here's one I made earlier, as they say. That's Underwater Jesus admiring some pork ribs.