Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Bill Callahan (aka Smog) live at the Rooftop Cinema





Was very, very blessed tonight to be one of only about two hundred or so punters who witnessed Bill Callahan (AKA Smog) performing live on the Rooftop Cinema at Curtin House.
This was his only Melbourne performance, and from what I hear he really had to be coaxed into this one as he isn't really out here on tour, rather he is accompanying his extraordinary partner, the wonderful Joanna Newsom.
The Rooftop Cinema is such a beautiful setting for Bill's dark acoustic wanderings. Bill spent the entire gig seated, with the twinkling city lights providing the backdrop. (As you can kind of see from my crappy mobile phone pictures.)
He started off with one of my all time favourite Smog songs, Hit the Ground Running from 1999's Knock Knock album.
Other highlights included The Well and Rock Bottom Riser from his last album A River Ain't Too Much to Love.
At times the sound of the exhaust fans was a little annoying but Bill wryly joked that it reminded him of the tape hiss on his first album.
Joanna Newsom spent most of the gig sitting on the fake grass directly in front of him.
For me the absolute highlight of the evening was the end.
After performing Dress Sexy At My Funeral as a kind of encore without leaving the stage, Bill abruptly stood up and walked off.
But here's the funny part...
Because the Rooftop Cinema is on a... well, rooftop, there is no real backstage area, so to leave the roof Bill had to walk down the middle of the aisle, with Joanna following closely behind, to the rapturous applause of the audience. And some members pleading 'please don't go Bill!'
It was quite a sight to watch the two darlings of the neo-folk scene, indie royalty, walking down the aisle together.
Joanna slightly wobbly in high heels on the spongy fake grass!
Looking to all the world as if they'd just got hitched.
Lovely.

ps. I know the pics are really shitty, but my mobile was the only camera i had on me, okay!

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Disguise

There are two detectives standing outside my house.
They look like two sixteen year old school girls.
But I see through their disguises.
So I put on my sister's dress and I walk out onto the front yard, just to show those two lousy coppers that I can disguise myself just as well as they can.
The two 'girls' laugh at me in a convincing fashion.
I think to myself, those detectives are good.
I decide to really throw them by turning up the Lolita factor.
I turn on the sprinkler and start skipping to and fro through the water.
The dress starts to cling.
The detectives turn to jelly, they know they haven't got the goods to match that.
They turn and run.
I go back inside and return to the backyard.
I lose the dress and put the labcoat back on.
The time machine is almost ready.
If I can just get the clothesline to spin fast enough.

new audio poem published


Just had an audio poem released on the new edition of the Rattapallax DVD. It's a live recording of 'A Dick of Her Own', recorded at Babble, way back in 2001, or thereabouts I think.
Although for some strange reason the publisher has re-titled the poem to 'Buried Underwear'. I have no idea why.
The DVD has got a lot of interesting stuff on it, including poetry film clips and documentaries.
You can purchase it right here, for only $6 (U.S.)

Monday, January 22, 2007

New Zealand, here we come!



Yes, for the very first time, myself and my sexy creative partners , The Mime Set are taking our poetry/rock 'n' roll show on the road.
In a very short while we'll be doing several dates in Wellington for the Fringe Festival there and a show just outside of Wellington at Paekakariki for the Out There festival.
Really looking forward to it, if you're in New Zealand, please come along and say hello!
See the poster above for dates and venues.

Saturday, January 06, 2007

MC Babble III



check-check-check it out...

MC BABBLE III
While the regular organisers (that's me) and patrons of Bar Open's monthly spokenword night 'Babble' take a short summer break, Melbourne's hip-hop community sneak in to hold their own version of the event under the guise of 'MC Babble'. Hosted this time by Elf Tranzporter(Combat Wombat), 'MC Babble III' features local hip-hop MCs performing spoken-word pieces, telling stories(both personal and comical), accapellas, beat-box and the occasional song with a beat CD. Special guest Wayne Lotek(Big Dada — UK) joins the line-up to perform live and to share a few anecdotes from his life on tour. Ivens also performs a short live set on the night, whilst GM Grumble Pipes takes care of intermission on the ones and twos. Any MCs interested in getting involved should email brendan@awakeningscrew.com MC BABBLE III, Wednesday January 10 at Bar Open, 317 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. $8 Entry, doors open at 8:30pm.

MC BABBLE III
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 10
BAR OPEN - 317 BRUNSWICK STREET, FITZROY
Featuring Antics, Awbs, Class A, Crixus, Mattriks plus many more TBA.
Special Guest: Wayne Lotek(UK)
Intermission by GM Grumble Pipes
Your host: Elf Tranzporter
$8 Entry
Doors at 8pm til 3am