Springtones

This gets it's own special little springtime post. Like a shy green bud...

Yes, the good folks at Mistletone Records have kept to schedule, and are presenting another in their series of seasonal showcases at the Tote on Sunday, from 3.00pm. You can see what it's all about, right there.

Stuffed

Well, if I was a hot-rodding type, I'd be heading out of town this weekend, up to Newstead for this:

The idea of seeing the Hatchets, Ninetynine, Paper Planes, Bulls and the Stabs play outdoors, at night, with the kind of crowd I'm (perhaps lazily) assuming will go this is very, very tempting. But I'm not. So, moving on...

The Espy will be packed on Friday, and not just with an early crop of English backpackers. In the front bar, you can catch Deaf Wish, Brisbane's Vegas Kings, Kids Of Zoo and Pistons Misfire, with DJ Sam Kamikaze (aka Sam Agostino, of Kamikaze Trio & Digger and The Pussycats) before after and probably during the bands. And that's all free. While out in the Gershwin Room, you can see the Cosmic Psychos, the Spazzys, GUT and Mammoth Mammoth for a measly $10.00. $10.00!

Something tells me that hallway carpet is going to take a pounding.

Across town, at a newish place called Yah Yahs, Crystal Thomas and the Flowers Of Evil are launching their (excellent) debut CD:

It's at 99 Smith St. Fitzroy, and apparently is pretty OK. Supports from the Stu Thomas Paradox & Andrew McCubbin and the Hope Addicts. And as you can see, they'll be launching in Sydney and Adelaide over the net few weeks, too.

On Saturday I may go to this ridiculous thing:

which is on at Birrarung Marr, and sees a bank celebrate it's 150th birthday by sponsoring a half-arsed, semi-arty and patronisingly indigenously-themed mini festival in a park. But the awesome Wagons are throwing in a half hour set, so it may be worth a quick look.

MOPBA

Yes, it's that time of the year again.

For the fourth year running, Helen Round is presenting the Museum Of Particularly Bad Art show. I think this is the first time that it's been roped in as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, but the idea is the same as ever.

The criteria are simple(ish):

• Completely devoid of technical skill (Colour, tone, perspective and shading)
  
• Unusual, poor or tasteless subject matters (Preferably all three!)
  
• Undeniable passion, driven by an uneducated hand.
  
• That ‘special’ feeling that forms in your gut
  

Launch night is Friday 3rd October, at the Chapel Off Chapel, in Prahran. More details, and plenty of examples,  at that link above.

Webcam update

Hmm,I forgot that I said I'd do this now and again.
Incredibly detailed and informative update:

Tear It Up

There's a lot of Cramps stuff on YouTube. But this one comes up first in the list, and rightly so.


This is them at the peak of their powers, live in 1980, doing "Tear It Up" for the "URGH- A Music War" movie. Still sadly unavailable on DVD, and probably never will be.
They were my favorite for so long, and I never had another favorite like them. Enjoy.

Unavoidable sport

Remember in school, when you absolutely had to do sport every week? Some things were cool, but often those sessions were just a wet muddy hour running round a paddock. Well, the late September football finals are kind of like that if you live in Melbourne. After sitting out the Olympics, the Grand Final is inescapable. I guess it's some sort of penance inflicted for an enduring lack of team spirit and rah-rah-rah. Anyway, if you have to watch, you may as well do it somewhere worthwhile:

SAT SEPT 27 FROM NOON – 11PM
HOSTED BY SPENCER P. JONES
GAME LIVE ON THE BIG SCREEN
PRIZES, COMPETITIONS, GIVEAWAYS
HALF TIME ENTERTAINMENT
AFTER MATCH ENTERTANMENT

Sadly, I think that's fully booked now. Other options- well, a bit later in the day, idGAFF will be it's usual oasis of excellence:

Or there's a soul night on over at the new look- well, under new management, anyway- Birmingham Hotel in Smith St:

But that's about it, I think.

Don't wanna go out?

Then get to bed early on Saturday night, but not before catching Steve Lucas on SBS' Rockwiz at 9.20- just after Iron Chef.

The punk rock Beau Brummell - he's not quite Dorian Gray- has been in fine form lately and this should be top entertainment, especially if you are still recuperating from Sixfthick. Steve's also playing in the Pure Pop courtyard on Sunday at 6.00pm.

Witch Hats get high

Well, the Witch Hats survived their recent US tour, with many tales to tell, and are among a bunch of acts playing for free at the Northcote Social Club (and other places) on Sunday, as part of the High Vibes festival. I don't usually have a lot of time for Northcote, but this may be worth it.
The full list:

The Barons of Tang, Clinkerfield, Witch Hats, Tic Toc Tokyo, The Lucksmiths, Jess McAvoy, Wellyn, Sal Kimber, Princess One Point Five, The Band Who Knew Too Much, Seagull, Pablo Discobar, Johnnie & the Johnnie Johnnies, Symbiosis, Ned Collette Band, Fireside Bellows, Marcelle & the Blow Waves, The Ukeladies, Country Burnout, Redfish Bluegrass, King Marong, April Maze,Eva Popov Band, djak, Dj KLMNOP , Dj Aurora, Jordie Lane & Band, Bass Bin Laden, Mista Savona & Rootbound System, Drumheller, ii, NKABOM – Asanti Dance Theatre, ARCapella & the Keytones Choir, Kinematic, Sol Nation, The Night Sky, Amalgama, The Woohoo Revue, The Moonhops, Tzigas, Rapskallion, Flap!, The Melbourne Beat Carpel, The Renovators, Candice Monique & The Optics, The Sure Shot Hunters, Chelsea Drugstore, Richard Lightbulb Fishwyck, Jane Dust, Major Chord, Kylie Auldist w/ Lance Ferguson, Tobias Cummings, Laura Jean and The Eden Land Band, Guy Blackman, The Russian Roulettes, Kids With Guns For Hands, The Sonic Manipulator, The Sinking Ship, Great Men, Voluptuous Torpor, The Wishing Well, Michael Fein, Live@Subs, Rob Draper, Fred Leduc, Oliver Jones, Jord Allen, The Ralph & Rockstar show, Jessica Paige, Stu Harcourt & Sarah Carnegie, DJ Jack, Shaun Kirk, Nicola Watson, Pete Olsen, The Jayden, Damien Van De Geer, Chris Cavill, Jess Hieser, Benson Campain, Ben Smith, Dan Cassey, Victor Tang, Brother Tony, Son Corners, Elm Street

And no, I don't know who half of that lot are either. Playing times and full details here.
Just watch out for fire twirlers- I'm sure High St. will be full of them. Oh, and when I say "free" I mean "entry to venues is by donation".

Hound Hoss Hicks

I dropped into the Hound last weekend, for the first time in a while. This stuff  all seems very long ago now- so far, nothing there has changed, although i see they are now seeking planning permission to put some fuck off big advertising billboards on the St Kilda Rd facade. Anyway, I've managed to miss all the recent sporadic appeareance by HOSS, who are playing there on Friday night. Which would be great, except that I'm probably going to miss them again as it clashes with Sixfthick's farewell show at the filthy Roxanne Parlour:
Medical advice is that their livers have recovered sufficiently from last year's trip for them to take another crack at the unsuspecting French & Germans. The show is being filmed for JTV, apparently, though what possessed those dullards to show an interest in the Hicks is anyone's guess.

A weekend and a half

Well, that was a weekend and a half. 15 goddam bands in 2 days. Late nights, a few beers, and a lot of fun.
There are some pics and words of the Visitors here  if you need background - for all the reformation/reissue angle,  there was not one minute of their set that felt gratuitous or nostalgic.  Maybe it's because they have been dormant for so long, but they brought real freshness to a solid set, which took in about everything I could have hoped for:

Despite ripping off/paying homage to his "Minister of Defence" tag for my "Minister of Offence" role with GOD many years ago, I've never seen Mark Sisto perform before. He was excellent- in great voice, punchy, sly and very funny too. Pip Hoyle and Deniz Tek didn't disappoint the Birdman tragics in the crowd either, though having said that I'd reckon that you could enjoy these guys for the class act they are, without any knowledge or experience of their past activities. CD details are here if you are interested.
It was a bit of a struggle getting my arse into Flip Out for the 3.00pm kick-off the next day, but I made it and I'm glad. In the past festivals have been a bit "meh" for me- they all seem to go on too long, have too much dead time, may involve standing round in a field, or a combination of all three. This thing really hit the spot though. Highlights were the Pink Fits bruising, high-energy set, the return of the Stabs, US legend MOTO's deranged guitar riffery/perversion and ECSR's killer closing set. There were old friends and new friends, there was "Creature From The Black Lagoon" on the big screen, there was beer, there was the promised free CD- all good. 

Flip Out

Now, ordinarily, this show, at the Espy on Friday night, would be head and shoulders above the rest:

The Visitors were one of a clutch of bands (see also- the Hitmen, the Other Side, Comrades of War, New Christs and New Race) formed from the debris of Radio Birdman on their return from Europe in 1978. They played a dozen or so shows, recorded an album, released an EP's worth of it, and then disbanded. The album eventually emerged years later, and is now being reissued, on Citadel Records, to mark their reunion. I never saw them, and am really looking forward to this. I mean, it's not often you get to see legends play. Vocalist Mark Sisto's role as Birdman's "Minister for Defence" led to me being christened "Minister for Offence" during my time roadieing for GOD. And, it's free, yet. Make the most of it.

But even that looks like being relegated to warm up status, because on Saturday the first (of many, hopefully) Flip Out Festival hits the Corner Hotel.

A solid attempt to get a decent festival going in Melbourne, without the big bucks and sponsorship. There is so much going on here, in addition to the music. The first 200 people through the door will receive a free 18 track Aarght Records/Stained Circles sampler. There's a record fair 2 – 6pm, a rooftop BBQ will run from 5 – 8pm, and the Gimme Shelter and Primitive DJ’s will be playing tunes in the front bar.

PERFORMANCE TIMES - OVER 2 STAGES:
3.00 SUPER WILD HORSES
3.45 THE UV RACE
4.30 THE STRAIGHT ARROWS (SYD)
5.15 THE FROWNING CLOUDS
6.00 THE PINK FITS (SYD)
6.45 DEAD FARMERS (SYD)
7.30 KNIFE FIGHT (NZ)
8.15 THE STABS
9.00 KING AUTOMATIC (FRANCE)
9.45 DEAF WISH
10.30 M.O.T.O (USA)
11.15 BEACHES
12.00 EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING

And if that isn't enough for you, the Straight Arrows are using Flip Out to kick off a tour to launch their new single, and you can go and see them again on Sunday at Bar Open in Fitzroy.

That starts around 8.00pm, with the Arrows on at 11-ish.

Monday morning is far away as I write this, but I suspect it won't be a pleasant awakening.

Casino culture, and another movie

Gig of the week has to be Johnny Casino & the Secrets, who are doing an in-store at Off The Hip at 6pm on Friday, and a freebie down on the floor of the Greyhound front bar on Saturday- which is also free.

Word about Not Quite Hollywood- a history of Ozploitation movies has been around for a while, and now it's in cinemas. Lots of cinemas, but sadly, no drive ins. A labour of love, it fills in the gaps of teenage memory, detailing a particular but not exclusive or hidebound slice of Australian movie history.

Free-wheelin’ sex romps! Bloodsoaked terror tales! High-octane action extravaganzas! They’re the main ingredients of NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD, the first detailed examination and celebration of Australian genre cinema of the 70s and 80s.
In 1971, with the introduction of the R-certificate, Australia’s censorship regime went from repressive to progressive virtually overnight. This cultural explosion gave birth to arthouse classics, such as PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK and MY BRILLIANT CAREER, but also spawned a group of demon-children: maverick filmmakers who braved assault from all quarters to bring films like ALVIN PURPLE, THE MAN FROM HONG KONG, PATRICK, TURKEY SHOOT and MAD MAX to the big screen.

As someone who grew up with Barry McKenzie, Alvin Purple & Max Rockatansky, I can only applaud. Screening times are in that link, with a wealth of other stuff.

Some culture

It's not all rock and roll here, you know.
There's an interesting exhibition on at the Block Projects Gallery until September 9, called The Aliens Can Smell Our Blood. Here's a sample:

Provocative yet still pretty low-key, it's worth a look. Directions are in that link.

The Astor Theatre in Windsor makes me feel guilty every time I go past it- because I'm usually going past, not going in. Though I did see "Iron Man" there a few weeks back. Anyway, they are hosting the inaugural Swedish Film Festival this weekend. No, not that sort of Swedish film- real ones.

I mean, how often do you get a chance to mingle with the Swedish consul-general?

This weekend

Hmm, shaping up as a bit of a quiet one.
X and Dollsquad are playing at a relatively new place in Lygon St. Carlton called the Curtin Bandroom, which is upstairs at the John Curtin Hotel. Not sure what that costs. I've heard some of the tunes X's Steve Lucas has just produced for Dollsquad's (hopefully) forthcoming new album, and they sounded pretty good to me. X fans can get a double dose this week, of course- see the post below.
Also on Saturday, the Ooga Boogas are at the Great Britain in Church St. Richmond, with Super Wild Horses. I haven't seen SWH, but I want to. Of course the Oogas are playing tonight (Thursday) at Bar Open, with the Useless Children and while it's probably too late to get there now, I do like the poster:

What else...hmmm, I plan to go on a Vietnamese food safari in Springvale this weekend, and watch some DVDs, but that's not of great interest to anyone but me and my stomach. And eyes.
But there are some great things on the horizon- like this:

Benefit show

Local snapper Melynda needs some money to stage a couple of photographic exhibitions. She's pulled together a pretty awesome line up for this Sunday at the Tote, for a benefit show that will hopefully raise her the cash.
X, GUT and the Losers on one bill is probably worth $10 of anyone's money, any time. Get along if you can.

A month off

So, I took a month off from this, and a few other things, for various reasons. But I'm back, and as of next week will have some shit hot new portable wi-fi tools to play with, so may end up posting even more.
Anyway- THIS:

Really, nights like this come along all too rarely. Get there if you can.
On Saturday, if you rug up warm you can probably trot up and down Johnson St. and catch some of this, too:

C30? What?

oh, you young 'uns...that's cassette talk.
As part of an internet based swap, I'm making a mix tape for a complete stranger. Now, I don't know who they are, or what they like, so I'll just be sending them what ever I feel like throwing in the mix. I'll post the track list here when it's done.
But anyway, thinking about tapes, and rummaging through my boxes of old tapes, led me to think about Bow Wow Wow.
They're not cool, but then they never really were. And I don't think they ever really produced anything that captured what they were capable of. But regardless, they did some great stuff. Like this:

It's hard to convery just how strange this sounded at the time, and maybe it's that quality that's helped it last so long. I always wanted the Spanish single version, "C30, C60, C90 Anda!", for some reason, but had to settle for the cassette. Obviously.

Get Gone

Recently I was sent a parcel of CDs (and tshirts, and stickers) by the good people at Goner Records, in Memphis TN. There was a stack of great stuff in there, but here’s a note about a few I want to mention in particular.


CoCoComa are a three piece out of Chicago, playing frantic 2 and half minute garage songs mostly about girlfriends- well, relationships, at least. It’s sharp and sweet and hugely entertaining. Two of my faves, "Too Tired" & "Read My Mind" are up on their myspace for your perusal.


Digital Leather, aka Shawn Foree, is essentially a one man studio based act, who’s bolstered by a band when he plays live, as he does on the second half of this disc. Songs like “Simulator” & “Styrofoam” evoke the best of 80s synth pop, but with a much harder stranger edge. Just what “She Had A Cameltoe” evokes is a bit harder to explain, but here’s a shot of the single cover art:

And finally there’s “Make It Stop!”, a 24 track collection by mushmouthed raconteur and Memphis legend Ross Johnson.

He has a bit of a past- some of this was recorded as long ago as 1979, when he was part of Alex Chilton's band during the recording of "Like Flies On Sherbet". The tunes vary from sloppy rockabilly to lazy funk, but it’s the lyrics that are the killer here- check out “Goin’ To The Get High Shack” and “Signify”. Some of the funniest and truest things I’ve heard in a while.

And while we’re on the subject of great new CDs...

Get out.

The Sand Pebbles launch their new album "Ceduna" on at the NSC on Saturday. They went to the beach last summer and made a concept album inspired in part by an old travel diary- wait, wait, come back. It’s really nowhere as pretentious or silly as that makes it sound. Its much better indeed. So let’s re-phrase that- as the Drones did with ‘Gala Mill’, the Sand Pebbles went to a place and took some inspiration from it, which they have channeled into their new album. But there’s no over-arching narrative or theme beyond that, though- as they say in the liner notes, they got high, and they wrote these songs. All of which are well worth your eartime.
The launch features well-chosen supports from Ross McLennan (whose recent Mistletone LP, “Sympathy For The New World” is also truly excellent) and Andrew McCubbin and the Hope Addicts. All for $10.00

Also on Saturday- UV Race kick off the first week of their month-long Saturday afternoon residency in the Tote front bar. That’s free, from around 4.00pm. They don't have a CD out, but this is what their "Lego Man" single looks like:



From the youngest to the oldest- across town the legendary X are playing at the Espy with a few friends:

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.

From hibernation to observation.

Those of you who check in here regularly will have noticed this isn't a stream of consciousness blog, wherein I record everything from my morning cup of coffee to the noontime piss it engenders.
And for good reason- those kind of blogs bore me to tears.
I see and do too much to ever try and capture every blink and breath here- hey, I'm busy actually doing things. What you get here at the Tram are edited highlights- or lowlights - of that.
But recently I made a determined effort to capture some of the things that I do see and hear, over and above those I want to talk about, or that I get paid to report on. Here, then, is a notebook sketch of a 45 minute trip into town to see a show in the city last week:

• There are four or five teenage Asian Guido types in the local liquor store, arguing amongst themselves over who has what cash to buy a $40.00 bottle of Jagermeister. When I go to the counter, the Sikh bloke who runs the joint (and who knows me) winks and says he can't wait to ask them for ID.
• At the train station, two Maori girls with a slab of bourbon & coke ask me if I want a drink, but then one of them changes her mind- "Buy one, mate, buy one". I walk on, the train pulls in.
• In the city, I walk down Bourke Street, past an overtanned, overweight, overmoneyed but unhappy couple. Her- strapless, facelifted, him- red faced, wearing a blue blazer. Both are talking at about wine and taxis.
• There are a bunch of wannabe gangsters outside a notorious cafe a bit further down. No sign of any real trouble, though.
• When I cross the street, I find a couple of chunky-knit, chunky-jewellery type middle aged lesbians are having a hissy argument over the outside ashtrays, while a lost and lonely tourist family wander past, with the teenage girl whining about not getting to go to the Hard Rock Cafe.
• In a alleyway just off Chinatown, I see four men sitting at one table in a busy restaurant, deep in heavy conversation, while a huge bald guy sits by himself at a table set for five just next to them, watching every word. Bodyguard? Who can tell?
• Outside the Exford, a spotty backpacker holds an armful of (cheap, thin, greasy) takeaway pizza boxes like she's trapped them herself, while her buddies inside forget to buy beers and watch the rugby game playing in the back bar's huge plasma TVs instead.
• I turn around and see a huge ad for a strip joint pasted three stories high over the intersection.
• I buy some Pretz, (savoury cousin of the Pocky) from an Asian grocery, but then, 20 metres up the street, save a Chiko Roll from certain extinction in a dodgy bain-marie, and then head on through the drizzle.

And that, dear reader, was what I saw on the way, before my evening started.

Graphics free weekend

Well. No pics this week, for various reasons.
Joel Silbersher and HOSS are doing a bunch of shows in the next few weeks, starting tomorrow:

FRIDAY 20TH OF JUNE ESPY FRONTBAR, ST KILDA W/THE BLACKLIST, KILLER BIRDS.
SATURDAY 21ST OF JUNE THE TOTE, COLLINGWOOD W/THE BAKELITE AGE, FAMOUS CRIMES.
JOEL SOLO SHOW AT LABOUR HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
ALSO, SYDNEY WILL SEE HOSS GIGS FRIDAY 4TH OF JULY THE EXCELSIOR HOTEL, SURREY HILLS.W/POKER HEARTS, KILLER BIRDS.
SATURDAY 5TH JULY DIRTY SHIRLOW'S, 32 SHIRLOW ST, MARRICKVILLE.W/WHOPPING BIG NAUGHTY, HELLCRABCITY, KILLER BIRDS.

But I couldn't find a handbill for any of these. Still, I would love to go to that Marrickville one.

Also on Friday, Cabaret Nocturne is on at somewhere called La Di Da's in Little Bourke St. I was going to post the flyer for that, but the more I looked at it, the less I liked it. Check it out here and you'll see what I mean.

On Sunday, the Local in St. Kilda is holding it's first "Spectapular" beer festival, with 40 Australian microbrews on tap from 12.oo noon til 1.00am. $25 gets you 20 samples. There's a link to the (crappy .pdf) handbill here.

And that's your lot.

Witch Hats US tour dates

Nice poster.
But those dates are a little hard to read. Never mind, there's a full (very long) list here, as well as a request for help. Anyone got a spare stage, or (more importantly) a spare bed or five? Get in touch- they're pretty much house trained.

Hibernation

I have just spent a cold, quiet week pondering a few things.
The incredibly warming combination of roast pumpkin and tandoori spice, for instance, which is almost better than the traditional lamb and pearl barley.
And what would Mexico be like if it was run by communists instead of drug dealers?

I borrowed that pic from here, by the way.
Anyway, some shows on this weekend.
Tonight, Ninety Nine and friends are at the Old Bar:

No, it's nothing to do with that stupid new "Get Smart" movie.

And tomorrow night sees the first personal test of the new lockout legislation.
Can I make it from the Spencer P Jones & the Escape Committee/Johnny Casino & the Secrets show at Ding Dong, to Gimme Shelter at the Exford, before 2.00am?

I don't know, but I may give it a fucking good try. I mean, it's only a few hundred metres, and it's downhill. Wish me luck.

Shindiggers- "Maximum Beat"

Well, this was bound to come along one day.

51 tracks from this frantic mid '80's Melbourne combo, includes complete studio recordings plus lotsa rarities with most tracks appearing on CD for the first time. Comes with 16 page full colour booklet and liner notes from mainstay singer Bill Leggett. All tracks remastered from original source tapes.

I knew the Shindiggers knew 51 songs, at least, but didn't realise they'd recorded quite so much.
These guys were a mainstay in the Melbourne live scene of the early/mid 80s, playing a potent and trashy R & B/R & R blend, usually at a breakneck pace. If I saw them once, then I musta seen them 40 times- here's a setlist from back in the day:


The "Australian Milkshakes" tag doesn't do them justice, and neither did being lumped into the "psychobilly" camp with a bunch of their contemporaries. Their live shenanigans- which for a while included Bill being carried on stage in a coffin in homage to Screaming Lord Sutch, and occasional bouts of inter-band fisticuffs, were always entertaining.
Ahh, they don't make them like that any more. All credit to the crew at Off The Hip for cutting through the (still ongoing) feuds to get this out there.

Gaffstock 08

Yes, it's on again this weekend, featuring too many bands to list, over three days and nights:

This place is one of my favorite bars, and it seems to go from strength to strength. At $10 a session you'd be a fool not to drop in for a while at least.

Click to enlarge the (excellent) poster for full details

Why march when you can riot?

Well, there’s another music-based protest group in town. This time, it's a mob called Melbourne Locked Out , whose cause is the recent legislation which venues clubs from letting punters in after 2.00am, in a bid to stop the rampaging hordes of party heads who roam the streets from bar to strip joint to all nighter in a desperate frenzy of entertainment lust.
Seriously, though, I don’t think that people who move on from place to place are the root cause or the major cause of trouble. That goes back to our old friends, young men and alcohol, as well as the fact that the venue which gets you pissy drunk has no responsibility for your behavior once you walk out the door.
I myself rarely do the rounds- once I’m at a place I usually stay there til the bitter end. Though having said that, last Friday I went to the Double Agents gig at Cherry, caught part of Spencer Jones’ set at the Spanish Club, and ended the night watching Johnny Casino & the Secrets at Bar Open. All this was before 2.00am, though, so I guess it doesn’t count.
Anyway, you know the form- Friday afternoon, meet, march, yell, then go home. No, go to a club, til at least 4.00am. Good luck.

Janine Hall

My friend Janine died last week. While the circumstances are still a little cloudy, they’re not really important. What matters is that she’s gone.

Born in New Zealand, she was an enthusiastic and notable part of the Australian music scene. She was a member of Melbourne’s legendary Young Charlatans back in the early days, playing her bass alongside Rowland Howard (pre-Boys Next Door/Birthday Party) Ollie Olsen (pre-Whirlywirld/NO/Max Q) and Jeffrey Wegener (pre-Laughing Clowns). Janine later joined the Saints for two albums (“The Monkey Puzzle” and “Out In The Jungle”- yes, that’s her playing on “Always” and “Follow The Leader”) and plenty of live shows in the early 80s, before moving onto Mick Thomas’ Weddings Parties Anything. That’s some CV- and that’s only the edited highlights.
She trained and worked as an acupuncturist in recent years, and as a sceptic I was surprised by the difference a few treatments from her made to my tinnitus. And she never really let me pay her for them, either, preferring a few beers and a game or two of pool at the Tote to cash.
Her funeral is private, but there will be a wake held for friends at idGAFF on Thursday afternoon, 29 May, from 3.00 til 7.00pm. See you there.

Pic- Janine and co. on the back cover of "The Monkey Puzzle"

Update- this just came to my attention:
There will now be a funeral service for Janine Hall.
The service will be at Lonergan WG Raven at 187 Queens Parade Clifton Hill at 2pm sharp on Thursday May 29.
A wake will follow at IDGAFF 160 Hoddle St Abbotsford from 3pm.
All those who knew Janine are welcome.

Please pass on the info.

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.

Underbelly

As one of the main players in Melbourne's gang wars heads home to jail, it's time to confess my part in the drama- I once lived in the same street as his sister-in-law. Yes, that ugly house that was put up (and lost) as bail surety was just up the road from me. I remember the day they had the fully-grown palm trees hoisted over the fence and planted next to the pool. In Coburg.
The TV series itself is excellent, though admitting you've watched it here in Victoria may lead to some interesting outcomes- possible prosecution for breaching a Supreme Court order, and certain exemption from jury service on any future trials being two options. It's certainly notable for being so Melbourne based- the story comes from and was completely filmed in Melbourne- yet avoiding any of the usual cliches. I've yet to see Luna Park or Flinders Street Station in the background, for instance, although both the Westgate and Bolte bridges feature a fair bit. "Neighbours" or "Secret Life Of Us" it isn't.