This weekend

A few things on, but not too much. You could pretty much see all of these, if you wanted, and I think I'm going to try to.
On Friday, the Double Agents play the front bar of the (still kinda open) Spanish Club for free, from 9.30pm.

On Saturday, Sydney's 3D TV do a single launch at the Town Hall Hotel in North Melbourne, with Pretty Green and the allegedly awesome Ooga Boogas. That's free as well.

Or you could hit the Tote, for Little Red, Mink Jaguar & the Spazzys
I guess that may mean Ally & Kat Spazzy will be nursing hangovers on Sunday, when they turn out for the Sacred Heart Community Cup at the Junction Oval in St. Kilda. As usual, the Espy Rockdogs will take on the RRR/PBS Megahertz, and as usual, I'll be barracking for the 'Hertz.
Pre match entertainment is from 11.00am- the Killer Birds, Double Agents, and the Rockwiz Orchestra, half-time sees Mach Pelican play one of their last gigs. Bob Log III will be singing the national anthem before the kickoff.
Only a $5.00 donation to get in. This is always a great day out. Beer, kid & dog-friendly, bring your footy.

Spanish Club to close

This did the rounds a couple of days ago:

Hello Everyone,

After a lot of rumours, the sad news is that the Spanish Club in Johnston Street really is closing down in June. There are many reasons, and too many to go in to. However there will be a bunch of farewell gigs and parties.
The official end of lease party for the Salon (backroom) is on Sunday 17th June with a mighty line up of live music all day from 2pm. The line up includes LABJACD, BOB LOG III, THE MEANIES, THE NATION BLUE, DYNAMO, LITTLE RED and THE GINGERS, with more to be announced. We also have a return of (Xmas) EVEN a little sooner this year on Friday 15th June along with LISA MILLER, THE VANDAS and AMAYA LAUCIRICA.

There will be one more show in the Salon of the Spanish Club on held on Wednesday 20th June - a RRR/PBS Megahertz benefit a couple of days before the Community Cup footy match. This fundraiser was booked before we knew the venue was closing. The first function that was ever held in the Salon of the Spanish Club was a RRR Radiothon party, so it's nice to finish.

The final shows in the Spanish Club front bar will be on Friday 22nd June ( THE DOUBLE AGENTS) and on Saturday 23rd June (THE REEFERS) .

The Spanish tapas kitchen will also be closing down.

So please come down to the club over the next month or so and enjoy the tapas, some drinks and live music for one last time. Thanks to everyone who has played, dined, drank and seen live music, films, theatre and soccer at the Spanish Club Hope to see you all at the club soon over the next few weeks. Cheers.

The Spanish Club, 59 - 61 Johnston Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. open Tue-Sun from 5pm (kitchen open 6 - 10pm)

I understand this may have something to do with a coordinated campaign of noise complaints from some local residents, and difficulties in soundproofing an old building. Whatever, for the sangria and the decor alone, it will be missed.

Tidying up, odds and ends, etc

Well, I got knocked out of the Mess & Noise scrabble competition in the first round on Sunday afternoon, playing up in the Corner Hotel beer garden, but was cheered up by heading downstairs afterwards to see the Good Shepherd Circus Pie Classic- a charity event featuring a long list of local musos and others having a crack at competitive cooking. I missed out on getting a taste of Bob Log III's special chicken & breastmilk dish, but among many other highlights, it was worth going just to see Ron Peno at work:

And I didn't get to see Sixfthick at the Espy the night before(due to an unfortunate and stupid incident I don't want to go into here) so it was good to see them, down on the floor:

In other leisure time news- my pool game is getting better, pub trivia is going OK (second, third & last from three attempts), I'm stuck in a never-ending game of punch buggyand it looks like I may crank up the homebrewing again soon. And this week a parcel arrived from my pal Grrtch, which included a very fine Garagepunk.com t-shirt, amongst other goodies: Thanks, Grrtch!

This stuff is all just a distraction from what I should be writing, of course, a bit of a wrap up of Lobby Loyde's memorial service, which I attended on Saturday- that I am finding very hard going.

Thanks to Tim Chuma for the use of those pics, too.