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.

Centralised.

There aren't many reasons to live in Collingwood, but if you are a/ a resident of Melbourne's black & white suburb, and b/ a music fan of similar tastes to me, you have a bit of a dilemma this Friday.
On the one hand, a fine line up of the Models is playing in the Gershwin Room at the Espy in St. Kilda, along with the Dames and the Minibikes.

Should you choose to go about the same distance north instead of south, however,the East Brunswick Club is hosting the Puta Madre Brothers farewell show before an overseas tour:

Supports there are the Ukeladies, the Red Brigade,and the Toot Toot Toots.
Tough call- the 246 bus or the 86 tram?

So Grong, and yet so right.

DO YOU SEE WHAT I DID THERE?
Anyway, I'm either losing my touch or getting much more selective. This is another week where one show stands out- another visit by mighty back-from-the-grave Adeladians Grong Grong.

It's all there on that rather fine poster, I guess, expect for the fact that Saturday's Old Bar show now also includes ZOND as well as the Stabs as supports. And, er, me, DJing afterwards, from 1 til 3.00am, when I will be playing the most unholy mess of filthy noise I can dig out. Do come.

NYE and slightly beyond.

Hmm, probably the last post of 2009, and as expected, there are a shitload of shows on for New Year's Eve. These all either a/caught my eye for serious consideration, or b/had easily-grabbed art online. Cast your eye over this little lot- a rough count tells me there are over 30 bands listed.






Do not ask me why Bama-Lama go for the landscape layout, instead of portrait. Similarly, do not ask why I couldn't find any artwork to use for Yah Yah's or the Tote.

And afterwards? Well, there are a few recovery parties and such going on...this one at Ding Dong, on Saturday, looks good:


As to where I may end up, I'm still not sure. There are a few parties to check out first, and it's usually a long night for me. Have a good one, regardless of what you do. Salut!

Sixfthick poppin' cherries

Brisbane's finest, SixFtHick, hit town this weekend, for two shows.
First up, at Ding Dong, on Friday 18th, with Ben Corbett's side project, Gentle Ben and His Sensitive Side supporting

Then on Sunday 20th. they'll be gracing the AC/DC Stage at Cherry Rock 008.

If you can't wait until Sunday to see the Supersuckers, they are playing at the East Brunswick Club on Saturday 19th, with Dynamo and Nici Blue Eyes. If you are really keen, why not take the kids along to the 'Suckers instore at Route 66 in Prahran on Saturday afternoon, and introduce them to the scarey men who sing "Born With A Tail"?
Not a lot of other sideshows confirmed for other acts, though. I thought the Hitmen might have jammed one in, but apparently not. And I didn't look too hard for any Galvatrons shows.

Pick a nerd and save the country

or something.
One excellent election night show: Mink Jaguar at Pony, with a few others

Or another- the return of Sixfthick over at the East Brunswick Club

The choice is yours.
Personally, I'd prefer to be down at the beach with Mirka Mora. It looks like a lot of fun.

She has great taste in swimwear, that's for sure.

Ed & the Drone Hats

Look, I know I go on about Witch Hats a bit, but trust me they deserve it. Last week's Tote show was excellent, as is their new single, "Before I Weigh", out now on In-Fidelity.
And you've got to hand it to a band who score a prestige support with the Drones for one big Melbourne date, at the Corner

and come up with their own poster:



My, Fiona Kitschin must be feeling flattered. Or should that be "flattened"?

Tomorrow (Friday) night sees a fairly special show by Ed Kuepper at the East Brunswick Club, as follows:

To celebrate the release of ‘Jean Lee and the Yellow Dog’, Ed Kuepper and the newly christened Kowalski Collective (Peter Oxley and Jeffrey Wegener), will take to the road for an extensive national tour. The EBC audience will be even more spoiled when the Collective extends to a seven piece with the addition of keyboard/cellist Jane Elliott and a three-piece horn section. Kuepper, of course, being no stranger to the use of brass having successfully experimented with the format for the Saints albums Eternally Yours and Prehistoric Sounds and using it as the centre-piece for his post-Saints outfit Laughing Clowns. And if that wasn't enough, at select shows, Ed Kuepper & The Kowalski Collective will play two sets each night. The first being a highlights package of past glories while the second set will see a run through of ‘Jean Lee and the Yellow Dog’ in its entirety.

I have a copy of "Jean Lee", and it is excellent. Details on this and more are here at the I94 Bar.