It’s Friday, I’m in love

Last Friday

I went to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned. Having to bite down, for three minutes, on some weird rubber device with fluoride (I think) on it is incredibly uncomfortable.

 

In the evening, Annie and I went to the city. I was wearing these stockings that have a rip in them that looks pretty good but then I was playing around with it and it ripped a little too much. I got paranoid about the stockings just coming apart so we had to find a new pair somewhere. 7-11 comes in so handy sometimes. There were some really weird noises in the sky as we walked to Kings Cross; we couldn’t figure out if it was thunder, fireworks or bombs. Anyway, so we got to Candy’s and in a hilarious incident with the security guards, got our precious vodka taken away (but they were nice enough to give it back to us later). Then we got free entry thanks to Darren. (I later found out Outrun put me on the guest-list – awww.) Inside we met up with my friends-from-the-ghetto Jasmina, Nenad and Drazen who had surprisingly decided to come along that night. Drazen and Nenad bought me a lot of drinks and let me drink theirs too which was nice.

 

A band called Yen played a really long set. They were pretty good. Kind of mellow and interesting. Sujin and Marie joined us also. Towards the end of Yen’s set, Annie and I went outside for a bit…to…get medicated…and then we went back to Candy’s and saw Outrun play. AND THEY WERE REALLY FUCKING AMAZING. The only downside was the length of their set – nowhere near long enough. But they were so, so good, especially considering that chatting to Josh beforehand, I found out he’d had three hours of sleep! So, rather impressive. I fucking love this band! After their set, we stayed around for a while drinking and dancing and being amused by Drazen’s antics. Was fun!

 

The night ended with an hours-long gutter party, with my friends-from-the-ghetto leaving Annie and I…I don’t think they appreciate the beauty of gutter parties. One day they will learn! It was a really good night but I had a killlllller hangover the next day.

 

This Friday

  

Last night ended really early but for some reason, it felt like we’d been out forever. I guess we did a lot in a short amount of time.

 

First, Annie & I went to see Ohana play at Spectrum and they were so good! That was the first time I’d seen them play live and I was as impressed as I was when I first heard them on FBi. I need to discover more bands like them (suggestions, anyone?).

 

Then we went down to the Oxford Art Factory to see The Vignettes play and they were, as always, heaps of fun and completely incredible. There was a little fan club happening at the front of the stage and they were adorable. After they played, we talked to Natalie and Aaron for a bit, from The Revolution Artist Services, about music and TEETH and other good stuff. They’re both so lovely, and I was completely jealous hearing that Aaron has seen Nirvana live! There’s some good stuff being planned between The Revolution Artist Services and TEETH so…stay tuned!

 

Then back to Spectrum to see Die! Die! Die!, a fucking brilliant band that I absolutely love seeing live because it is always complete insanity and sweat, bruises, spilled drinks, loss of inhibitions, etc. They always put on such a good show!!!!!!! They need to come to Sydney more often. I very rarely see people lose their minds that much at smaller gigs and it’s amazing! Ran into Taps, Andrew and Myers there too which was cool.  

 

After that neither of us could stop talking about how amazing it was and so we regretted going back to OAF where The Protectors were playing because it kind of ruined the good vibes a bit. Seriously…just because you look interesting doesn’t mean you should be a band. Also, looking like the lovechild of Steven Tyler and Mick Jagger doesn’t mean you are either of them.

 

Then we had to leave early because Annie’s sister was offering us both lifts home if we came back not too late, and since we both hate the amount taxi drivers charge, and since yesterday ended with me having 85c to my name, we took up the offer.

 

How I survived with no money: bottle of vodka left over from last week + Annie buying me drinks (thanks dude!) + my father’s spare change jar for Spectrum entry & train ticket. Whoooo!

 

(Photos by ANNIE LY.)

Ivana Stab’s Favourite Sydney Bands, PART 1

 

I’ve decided to start my Ivana Stab’s Favourite Sydney Bands segment with a band whose gigs I somehow keep missing. It makes me a little sad that I’ve only seen them play three times. I’ve known their music for quite a while and it’s definitely not right that I haven’t been to more of their gigs. They are called The Spirits and they are lovely (formerly known as Chequered Leopards). Thinking about this band brings back good memories – waltzing slowly to their faster songs at Hot Damn with a bunch of other kids I’d never met; insisting on seeing them play before going to a birthday party on the other side of the city to which we ended up being very late and most people had already left so we had to down a lot of vodka very quickly to catch up; seeing The Vignettes play for the first time on the same night and being very impressed; doing the best TEETH interview with them. They make lovely music and they’re nice guys and it’s all dreamy, fireplaces and hugs and I hope I can make it to one of their gigs sometime soon. Listen to their music here and see the TEETH interview here.

So police think they have the authority to kill a minority

Last night I went to one of the best gigs I’ve been to in a long time. Sydney music…seriously, it’s fucking incredible.

 

   

 

Leesy, Jo & I are from the WEST SIDE.

Zig & I are obvs raging lesbians.

I like to stalk Annie.

 

Annie & I headed to the city on a train that seemed to be headed to Eternal Damnation. The lightning and thunder and dark dark sky were all pretty frightening, especially when stuck on a really old train. But we made it out alive except that when we got to Central, it started raining like a motherfucker out of nowhere and we had to hang around waiting for the rain to calm down. When it eventually did we made the uphill trek to the Hopetoun (where we met up with Zig) and by the time we got there, were pretty much soaked. Fuck this weather! It’s the worst when it’s hot AND raining.

 

First, The Vignettes played and they were awesome, as always! As someone later said “he’s a great little guitar player, isn’t he?” They’re so much fun to watch and their music is great. Go down to your local JB Hi-Fi and grab a copy of their EP Out of Home, On Our Own. I assume Red Eye should also have some copies. It’s really good. Or come to their next gig and you could get a copy for free! I did the mailing list rounds for them after they played and gave away a bunch of copies of the EP.

 

Then Leesy, Jo and two of their friends whose names I’ve unfortunately forgotten rocked up. Leesy brought her grillz, yo! Her ghetto alter-ego is Rude Boy and last night she wrote a new song on the back of Feels Like Friday #8. I feel so honoured to have been part of the process! BALLZ DEEP!

 

Chaingang played next and they were really, really good! The singer’s stage presence is just amazing. I’d seen them once or twice before but I was never as impressed as last night. Despite the ridiculous heat inside the venue (seriously Hopetoun, some air-conditioning would be nice. Or a fan at least!), they put on an incredible show. I’m so excited to hear their future recordings.

 

Then the headlining act of the night – The Wahas. It’s no secret that I love this band and think they’re pretty much the best band in Australia at the moment. They just get better with every gig they play. This was their first headlining gig and it coincided with their End of the HSC celebrations. And it was fucking amazing! Seriously, this was the best gig I’ve ever seen them play. They were INCREDIBLE. The set was a nice mixture of new and old songs, with the highlight being “Cheap Stuff” (that ending is brilliant) and the fact that they played “Loads” (I think it’s called) made me happy. Just…wow, they were so, so good! If you haven’t seen this band yet, WHAT THE HELL MAN?!

 

After the gig, we hung around outside the Hopetoun being ghetto for a while and then we all headed home. The rain before just made me really unwilling to do anything afterwards except take a long warm shower and sleep.

 

  

 

On the way home, Annie and I got stuck in Merrylands. When the train doors opened at the station, a guy ran out yelling “HELP! HELP!”. The train had to stop until the guards and drivers figured out what was going on. All we knew was that some guy was bleeding all over the place, claiming to have been attacked in the last carriage. There was a lot of confusion, paranoia on my part, boredom and annoyance at the mystery of what happened. Annie and I befriended a girl on our carriage who was coming home from work, and two kids outside the train who had come from the last carriage but hadn’t heard anything happening. One of them thought I was someone who went to her school and then it turned out we knew some of the same people. The Serbian community in the south-west is rather small…

 

After quite a while, the ambulance and police arrived. The police ran through the train, looking like they were desperately trying to put on an image of importance but seeming rather incompetent. They ran straight for every Samoan kid on the train, demanding to see their tickets, asking them questions. They completely ignored us. We could have murdered someone and they wouldn’t have asked us a thing. Apparently girls aren’t violent. Oh and it could be all this N.W.A I’ve been listening to, but – racial profiling, anyone? It couldn’t have possibly been the white girl and her Vietnamese friends, nor could they have possibly seen a thing; let’s harass the Samoan kids, they must be the violent ones. If they figured we didn’t hurt anyone, that’s annoying but sort of understandable, but the fact that they didn’t ask us a thing, nor check our tickets like they did with those kids is just fucked up.

 

All photos by ANNIE LY, except the one I took as I was stalking ANNIE LY…

This music is the glue of the world, Mark. It’s what holds it all together. Without this, life would be meaningless.

 

 

The weather people told me yesterday would be twenty-three with rain. Lies! I almost died of heat exhaustion. Still, that was probably better than rain during the Newtown Festival which happened yesterday. It was good but not as good as the last couple of years. I’m not sure why. The stalls were pretty much the same and the music was good (except the awful skip-hop that hurt my ears) and the crowds were as impossible to move through as always. I think maybe it was the police presence. Fascists on every corner. The police have this impressive ability to instil fear in me when I’m doing absolutely nothing illegal. I was also in a bad mood for no apparent reason. I need to control my angst. Maybe it was the sugar comedown from eating nothing all day but a bag of fairy-floss and a slurpee? (A public apology to Annie, Zig & Kylar for my moodiness.)

 

The Wahas played a great set at the Essential Stage. They played a few new songs which sounded really, really good & the ending to “Cheap Stuff” is always so impressive to watch. Every time I see them play I get even more excited about Sydney music. I don’t want to spend my life chasing after things that have already happened. You know, The Doors and friends, Hole and friends, The Libertines and friends, etc. Those bands were amazing and I love them to bits, but I don’t want to only dream about how wonderful it would have been to experience that from its beginnings and to be a part of it. And that’s why the Sydney music scene is so exciting to me; because I CAN be a part of it and because the music is really fucking good! (I’m going to be writing about my favourite Sydney bands in instalments soon, so stay tuned!)

 

The Wahas are playing their first headlining show this Friday (14^th November) at the Hopetoun with two other great Sydney bands – The Vignettes and Chaingang. It’s their End of HSC celebration show as well! TEETH interviewed Joel from The Vignettes a while ago and you can read the interview here. (We also did an interview with The Wahas which can be read here.) Anyway, it’s only $10 and it will be a great show so you & all your friends should go! And get there early so you don’t miss The Vignettes who will be playing first!

 

I’m currently listening to the Empire Records soundtrack and wishing my DVD was back in my hands. I don’t even know who has it anymore. The last I saw of it was the case at Nenad’s place but no disc inside! “In the immortal words of The Doors…the time to hesitate is through!”