Hmm.

Not 100% sure what I'll be up to this weekend. Seems like some of my usual steady standby options are not available. Time for something new?
This "Everyday People" thing on Saturday could be good:

Guy Blackman, Always, Rat Vs Possum, Keith! Party, Flying Scribble, Space Cactus, Owl + Moth, Scout! Scout!, Isle Adore, Hammocks & Honey, He Said, She Said, Loveletting And The Weeping Hearts, Fuckyouastrology, Courtney Barnett, + More To Be Announced, + Performances By Spill Collective.
All that for only $16.00, at Penny Black in Sydney Rd. Brunswick.

On Sunday, there are two distinct and mutually-exclusive choices.
A boat trip on the bay:


And a record fair/gig at Yah Yah's:


Depends on the weather and the state of my wallet, I guess.

Interstate action, pt. II

Geez, I'm gonna run up against a federal beef one day, with these interstate movements. Thank fuck the Mann Act doesn't apply here. And anyway, officer, her mum told me she was 19, and she looked at least 17...
So (ahem), to business. While Flip Out kicks off in Sydney this weekend, Melbourne is not dead. Oh, no. I would gladly be heading over to the Tote for Mother And Father's CD launch, if I could.

Great supports, and a great record label too. If you do go, please feel free to whack my retarded nephew, DJ Ka-Plosion, over the head with a Saints record or an empty beer jug for me.
But I will be elsewhere- a warehouse in the arse end of S-Town:

I have no idea what Dirty Shirlows is like, but this looks killer:Pink Reason, Fabulous Diamonds, ZOND, and Bedwettin' Bad Boys. Seems like a good mix to me, and an ideal appetizer for the main course of Flip Out on Saturday.
If I were to be in Melbourne on Saturday, I can think of nowhere better to be than at Yah Yah's, for the launch of James McCann's excellent new album, "Bound For The Blues"

Also featuring Crystal Thomas and the Flowers of Evil, wrapped up with a great Rick Chesshire poster, and for free, too. Get plenty of that, while you can. I would, if I could.
Wish my liver luck, people.

Sometimes it's OK to be a racist.

I like UV Race. I like them quite a lot. They have been busy of late- their debut album is due out soon, they got profiled in hipster rag Vice ( a publication I would never wish to appear in) and have a very busy weekend lined up.

On Saturday they are supporting the Late Arvo Sons on the first of their April Tote residency shows. Future supports for the Sons will be Flying Scissor Kicks on the 11th, Chinese Burns (18th) and Super Wild Horses on the fourth and final show on the 25th, by the way.


The Race are then part of the bill at the afore-mentioned Super Wild Horses own single launch, at the Lithuanian Club, along with the Twerps and Noah & the Arks, as well as "Eddy Current DJs", which I'm guessing is basically Mikey Young with some records- good ones.
They are also doing a private party gig later that night. Fuck these kids have stamina.

Distant shores.

A bit of a mixed bag on a fairly quiet weekend, but there a few gems.

Beaches are playing their last show for a few months at the Tote on Friday 27th March- one of them (Alison, I believe) is taking some time out to travel. This looks pretty good:

On Saturday, a couple of old hands are out and about- Conway Savage is playing at Pure Pop Records at 6.00pm, while later in the evening- though I'm unsure exactly when- the Primitive Calculators continue their run of low-key reformation shows at the Rear View Gallery, 244 Smith St. Collingwood. That kicks off at 8.00pm, and is a bargain at only $5.00
On Sunday things will get fucking noisy for a while on the southside. Might be a good time to head over to Yah Yah's for the last of Nathan Hollywood's residency gigs.

Too much choice

Coming up on the midway point of this year, and things are looking as healthy as ever. We're spoilt for choice here on Friday night.
After work drinks are easy- at Off The Hip, being entertained by the Ransome Brothers and the Reactions. That's free, from about 5.30 onwards.

After that, it gets a bit tougher. Two highly regarded local bands, both of whom are playing in peak form at the moment, but on different bills. You've got Eddy Current Suppression Ring and friends at the Espy:

or Witch Hats at Roxanne, playing one last show before they head off to the States.

The Espy show is sold out, with only a few tickets available on the door, while Roxanne is a dive of a place, if that makes it any easier to choose. I know where I'll be- but I'm not saying.

Something new on Saturday- what I understand is the second outing for the Sweet Jelly Roll club night, at North Melbourne's Public Bar. As they say:

Sweet Jelly Roll is a monthly night of down and dirty dancing and drinking to the finest tunes from the 1930’s to the 1960’s. Featuring resident DJ’s Razor Totin’ Slim and Pearl Jackson playing rhythm & blues, surf, Vegas grind, latin rythms, doo-wop, rockabilly, gypsy swing and soul plus special guest bands and authentic burlesque performance.

That's a combination that will be hard to beat on a cold winter's night.