Things I will miss.

Things I will be missing in the near future include, but are not limited to:

The excellent Peep Tempel doing a free in-store at Missing Link on Friday.
And there's a fairly massive bill on at Ding Dong on Saturday:

I am hanging out to check out some of the Witch Hats new "Coldplay fanclub"-phase tunes live, by the way.
And then on Sunday, Dave Graney finishes up his august August residency at the Old Bar:

He has a new album "Supermodified", out this week and I'm guessing this show may well be a de facto launch show.
I will distract myself from all these lost opportunities by instead concentrating on enjoying my trip to this:

Updates from the road will follow.

All hail.

Crazy times in the daytime right now. I'm just glad that today's earthquake didn't turn out to be much.
Anyway, I'll be looking for some downtime this weekend. Like this:

Howard was a founding member of Crime & The City Solution, These Immortal Souls and Pink Stainless Tail, as well as stepping in on occasional Birthday Party guitar duty. True to his pedigree, he will be backed by Dave Graney and Clare Moore who are “back in post-punk mode”. Supports by Stu Thomas (The Surrealists) and Bad Orchestra. Cost: $7 on the door.

Although, despite some questionable aims, as a stand-alone show, this has it's charms, too:

Mainly because I plan to throw Tim Rogers in the lion cage while the lights are out. Naah, just kiddin'.

Whoops.

Sorry, I musta been asleep. Busy. Drunk. Whatever.
Let's get this thing up to date with details of an event that's on this very night:

In advance of the May 30th release of his new album, "Knock Yourself Out", Dave Graney is giving a talk on the art of songwriting at the Ian Potter Gallery in Federation Square. That's at 6.00pm tonight, 14th May, and will be followed by a show by the Lurid Yellow Mist. It's part of their "Late Night Thursdays" series- details here.

Graney in hell.

Hmm, as ever, just when you think you have Dave Graney pegged, he makes a suprise move, and comes up holding a set of nunchuks that you never suspected he had. This is not part of the Melbourne Comedy Festival- I'll let him tell the tale:


"Live in Hell" is the sequel to the narrative show "Point Blank" and will be playing at the Butterfly Club from Thursday 26th March to Saturday 28th March.
The Butterfly Club fits 50 people and the show is performed without microphones. POINT BLANK was about a performer walking onto a stage and fighting for the territory. He wins it. It engulfs him. This is what happens next. Dave Graney tells the tale and sings his songs and some by fellow travellers in HELL (Elvis Presley, Roxy Music, the Fall, the Doors) accompanied by Clare Moore on a tiny kit, Stu Thomas with a fuzz baritone and Stu Perera on nylon string guitar.

Summer shows.

On what is shaping up as the hottest week in Melbourne for 100 years, the weekend's shows are pretty damn hot too.

On Friday, two of my favorites from last year come together when the Sand Pebbles join with the Lurid Yellow Mist over at the Thornbury Theatre:

While Saturday sees the High Fangs launch a six track EP at the Birmingham, with support from the Bowerbirds, Wrong Turn, and Pretty Green:
Or if you prefer something a bit, err, noisier, Kim Salmon and the Surrealists are at Ding Dong with the Stabs: And yes, the Stabs are also launching a new record.

If you still need more, there are a stack of acts playing the 2009 St. Jerome's Laneway Festival in the city on Sunday, including the Drones, Stereolab, and Jay Reatard:
Really, you are spoiled for choice. This city amazes me sometimes, you know. Don't forget the sunscreen.

Throw up, throw down

There's a few diverse things on this week.
The Old Bar is having a series of benefit gigs this week, to get the place a/soundproofed then b/a new PA. And there are some top bands playing:

The slushie machine will be set to "purple" all weekend. You have been warned.

On Saturday afternoon, Crystal Thomas and the Flowers Of Evil play Pure Pop Records in St. Kilda, at 4.00pm.

And that's free, as usual.

Then on Saturday evening, there is a "yacht rock throwdown" between Karma County and the Lurid Yellow Mist, at the Toff:

Now that's a phrase you don't hear everyday.

Four way action weekend

There's a lot going on.

On Friday, The Double Agents play a farewell show at Cherry before heading off on their second European tour.

The Double Agents are bidding farewell to their beloved Oz, as they head off on their second sojourn to Europe in early June. Taking a stellar new line-up, regulars Dave Butterworth, Kim Walvisch and Chris Loughtman will be joined by Callum John Barter(Ancient Free Gardeners) on the skins and Dave Larkin (yes, he of Dallas Crane infamy) on bass guitar. Playing their blistering brand of garage country swamp in one final Melbourne show before heading to France, Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Italy & Belgium, the tour will also celebrate the vinyl release of their last album “Seemed Like A Good Idea…” on prestigious French label Beast Records. Dave Larkin kicks off the evening with a solo slot before The Agents smack you across the face with a set (or two). ‘Tis an early show - done and dusted by 11:30pm. Expect their usual bar-rattlin’ shenanigans as well as a raffle of rare and unique Double Agents memorabilia to help raise touring funds.

See? It's an early show. So a bit later on Friday night, you can probably make it across town to see Sydney's Johnny Casino bring his Secrets to Bar Open in Fitzroy for a one-off freebie with the Shimmys and Midnight Woolf.

This is an opportunity that's impossible to pass up- did I mention it was free? Here's some YouTube of them doing "Cowboys And Indians" to whet your appetite, if you need it.
Then on Saturday, there's are two more excellent lineups. At Ding Dong:

Rowland's stick insect silhouette is a familiar enough sight around certain parts of town, but I haven't seen him play live for ages. And he's playing with Kes, too. I really shouldn't have to say any more- this is guaranteed to be intriguing, and entertaining.

BUT there's stiff competition from the Espy, where you can see Dave Graney & the Coral Snakes with the almighty Wagons, who are headlining if the relative sizes of the band names on the Espy's gig guide wall is anything to go by:

That's for free too, by the way. And no, I don't know who that bloke is.
Finally, on Sunday, there's an open day at St.Kilda police station in Chapel St., from 10.00 til 3.00, if you fancy it. All sorts of entertainment is planned- but I just want to see if my phone number is still scratched into the wall of womens' cell number three.

Hmm, a wet weekend looms

Well, there's a wet weekend on the horizon, which will probably see me staying at home.
I have a stack of 11 new CDs to get through, including the Killer Birds ep and new albums from the Kamikaze Trio and The Super Insurgent Group of Intemperance Talent, with a few more on the way from Rich at Dropkick Records as well.
There are a some things that might tempt me out, though. Tijuana Souvenirs for free at the Pint on Punt tonight is an option, or maybe the Apartments with Dave Graney & Clare Moore's Lurid Yellow Mist at the Northcote Social Club

Saturday there are a few things happening- not least of which are the almighty Dynamo at the Greyhound, maybe, or Nation Blue and others over at the Arthouse. Or try getting drunk and taking a ride in that big Ferris Wheel in Birrarung Marr, in the rain. In the dark. And the howling wind.

And I have long, slow, cold-brewed high hopped batch of beer to bottle...

Looks like this will have to wait until next week, then:

Music for January

There are a few things going on this week/month.
Of note, Pure Pop Records in St. Kilda have a string of free shows going on every weekend, all the way into February.
There is a good line up including Dave Graney, Conway Savage, Lisa Miller, Darling Downs & lots more out at the Red Hill Harvest Festival, if you find yourself down the Peninsula way on the 21st. Those Red Hill Brewery ales are worth the trip on their own.

This Friday night? Saturday? Who knows? Check back closer to the weekend, I'll see what I can do.