Parity.

There's a nice buzzword for you.
Anyway- first things first. Congratulation to Claire Bowditch, Bruce Milne and Jon Perring for being elected to the Music Victoria board at this week's AGM. It was a tight run thing, apparently, and all I can really say is that they are three of the best people imaginable for the role.
Now, to the weekend.
If you are of a mind to head north to Mount Macedon and watch Leonard Cohen play in Michael Gudinski's backyard- with the aforementioned Ms. Bowditch, among others- why not make a day of it by dropping into the Kyneton Show earlier in the day?

I'll probably be in town myself, taking it easy, unlike my buddies in YIS, who have a lot going on:

I have got to get me over to that Thornbury Bowls Club sometime soon, I think.

In other news, Kirsty Stegwazi & Rene Schaefer are bringing their old outfit Handhell back for a one-off show as a two piece at the Old Bar on Friday night:

That's also a single launch gig for Iowa- and on red vinyl, no less.

Vote for something.

I have better things to do on Saturday, so I already voted, at a little place I know- only in Melbourne can you find a polling booth down a laneway off the arse end of Bourke St. I just hope nothing too shocking emerges between now and then- on the form of this campaign so far, I shouldn't expect anything will.
Anyway, I'm more an MC5 guy than a Billy Bragg type when it comes to politics in music, so that's enough of that.
Although the theme is unavoidable this weekend. This looks like a good place to lose your shit over the ranga v. ratbag battle:

Though I can't find out what that costs, I'd guess $12 or $15 would cover YIS, Dynamo & Legends Of Motorsport.
Then a massive Off The Hip party at the Tote on Sunday, to drink away your hangover:

Australia's premier garage rock label and record store - Off The Hip Records - celebrates it's 100th release with a party Sunday 22nd August at the newly re-vamped, re-opened Tote Hotel Collingwood. All punters will receive a free 24 track Off The Hip Records label sampler when they join the festivities starts at 1pm!Featuring-
LOS CHICOS [Spain]
JOHNNY CASINO AND THE SECRETS
MIDNIGHT WOOLF
RUSSIAN ROULETTES
LITTLE MURDERS
THE CHEATS
MASS CULT SUICIDE
WRONG TURN
THE LIVING EYES
SOLE STICKERS
BURIED HORSES
And again, no price details to be found. Chance it anyway.

Accept no imitations.

Hmm.

I guess I should be flattered.

Last Tram Home presents...#5

Sorry for the short notice- it took a while to get this one all squared away:

LAST TRAM HOME PRESENTS... #5 featuring:
YIS: over educated brat rockers, no doubt 'busting out' their hit track ''Terry Black's Rubbish Bins'', or whatever it's called.
Wrong Turn: two young men with a hundred years of playing experience behind them.
Cash Savage & the Last Drinks: there is no last drink on the Last Tram Home.
And of course me, playing a load of my tatty old Australian vinyls til 3.00am.
Old Bar, 30 July, doors at 8pm, $10 entry.
This will sell out, as usual, so you may want to get there early. And buy me a beer, perhaps.

JJJ- an apology (kinda).

Like no doubt many of you, I've often been less than complimentary about our national "youth broadcaster", JJJ. I rarely if ever listen to it, and indeed have been known to suggest (on more than one occasion) that it would be a far better enterprise if it was being run by that young, gothy-looking girl who works behind the counter at JB HiFi in Chadstone.
But- but- allow me to go on record as saying that presenter Dom Alessio is clearly someone who knows what the fuck he is on about.

Competition.

There's some stiff competition for your attention this Saturday.
At Pony, Spitfire Parade are simultaneously launching their debut album...and splitting up.

Which seems to me an odd way of going about things, but there you go. Support from YIS, Deep Where All Drown and the Sunday Reeds.

But then again... Kim Salmon and the Surrealists are taking an ATP-style run through their 1988 album "Hit Me With The Surreal Feel", over at the Northcote Social Club. And that has supports from Sydney's Holy Soul, as well as Witch Hats, who are playing their last show for a while.

For a change of pace on Sunday, the National Gallery of Victoria is hosting a "Last Day Of Summer" show. Being broadcast live on RRR, it features Henry Wagon, Beaches, Crayon Fields and Ned Collette & Wirewalker. And it's free.

YISYISYIS

I believe that I am somehow contractually obliged to mention this show, at the Birmy tomorrow night, where the kind people from YIS will be giving away limited copies of a new CD. You can listen to one of the tracks here.
I can't see what all the fuss is about, really.

Overload.

Guh.
It's been a busy few days. Lemme see if I can remember it all.
Thursday- Rowland S. Howard at the Prince of Wales.
Friday- Witch Hats and the Stabs at the Tote.
Saturday- YIS at the Tote.
Sunday- Mark Steiner & Thomas Borge at the Sporting Fox.
Monday- the first "Last Tram Home presents" night at the Old Bar.
I've been busy. Last night at the Old Bar was great- Aktion Unit played as a four piece, Crystal Thomas teamed up with Kim Volkman, and the Late Arvo Sons blew the roof off. Then I got to play old singles til 3.00am Thanks to everyone who came along- we are already planning the next one.
But now, I am going back to bed.