postcard poetry #1

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!

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.)

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.

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

Book Magazine Book

Was fortunate enough recently to have the first issue of Book Magazine Book handed along to me. BMB is a fascinating art project, a book that is collectively created by handing the book along to somebody of your choice once you've made a contribution to it.
Each book is themed but it's entirely up to the individual what you place in it.
Previous contributors to me were Ladycracker and EZB. I've handballed it to the more than capable Klare Lanson.
Fifty Two of these books are being sent out over the next year.
Who knows where they'll end up?
Here's some pics of my contributions to the book, plus a higher res image of one of the visual poems I placed in it.
If you want to be a part of this project then check the website.

Launch of Going Down Swinging #24

Although my name isn't on the flyer (yeah, thanks Steve) I will be appearing as DJ Price Check (my new DJ name) at the fabulous event that is the launch of the brand new issue of Going Down Swinging , issue #24. I also have a poem appearing in this edition - 100 Random Cows.
You want any more reasons to attend?
How about a specially commissioned performance by Klare Lanson! Yeah, that's right.
I don't think you need any more reason than that.
So, I'll see you there.

sometimes, I swear

Seven Dead Astronauts, Seven New Stars - the play!

Okay it's time to dust of this blog and get it started again. And what better way to do that than to announce a brand new writing venture of mine. Theatre!
Short and Sweet is an open invitiation writing competition based around 10 minute plays. It's held in both Sydney and Melbourne.
This year I decided to adapt one of my poems and create a ten minute play from it. The process was much more difficult than I thought. But I was lucky enough to have my adaptation of the poem 'Seven Dead Astronauts, Seven New Stars' accepted.
The play is being performed Saturday 16th Dec at the Fairfax Theatre within the Arts Centre at 2pm. On the program will be nine other ten minute plays. So you get a lot of bite size theatre for your buck.
If you'd like to come along, my advice is to book as I'm advised it will probably sell it.
I've been very lucky to work with fantastic director called Alix Stirling. She has brought such amazing energy to the script and wasn't afraid of having to deal with seven dead astronauts on stage. And the cast have been fantastic too, including my own housemate Stefanie Robinson who randomly landed a part in my play! I can't wait to see them in action.
It's been quite amazing for me, having never written for actors before, to watch these characters I created come to life.
If you do come along, then please vote for our play too! If you like it, that is, of course.

LCUK: Falling In and Out of Luck

Hello all, I'm very excited to announce that this Sunday my brand new show written with The Mime Set is debuting at Bar Open as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival.
We're doing three dates during the festival, Sunday 1st, 8th and 15th. 10pm start and every show is absolutely free!
Be great to see you there.

La Mama poetica - 3 generations of poets. The doco!

Last year I participated in a very special event at La Mama theatre celebrating 3 generations of poets. The whole evening was filmed and cut together by the ultra talented Klare Lanson and is now to be publically screened for the very first time at Loop Bar, Meyers Place, City, on Monday 18th Sept.
Below is Anthony O'Sullivans description of the night which he will be hosting.

This monday, the 18th of Sept, brings with it a fantastic
opportunity to see the premiere screening of a fine piece of Melbourne
poetry history.
Most of you are aware of the massive input and importance of the
long-running, highly respected La Mama Poetica, which has been running
since 1989, and has existed as a poetry venue in some form since the
mid 60's. And if you're not... are you lost?
Anyway, the people behind said La Mama, as part of the recent
Melbourne International Arts Festival, put together a gorgeous cast of
some of the biggest, brightest, most "good God, they're grand" poets
our dashing literary town has to offer. Under the title "La Mama
Poetica - 3 generations of poets", the night featured Sean M Whelan,
Angela Costi, Steve Smart, Klare Lanson, Jez PA Speelman, Alicia
sometimes, Jennifer Harrison and the sadly missed, wonderfully gifted
Lisa Bellear. Amazing cast? Brilliant!
Even better, valued reader, talented visual artist, poet and all
round champion, Klare Lanson captured the evening on a camera-doo-
hickey, and in conjunction with Borderline Productions, has produced a
doco for us all to enjoy. Double Brilliant!
And now to monday night. I, meaning me, Anthony O'Sullivan,
invite you all to sit a spell at Loop Bar, Meyers place in the CBD and
witness the first ever airing of Klare's fine film. Hosted by me (oh,
stop, I'm blushing), with a talk by one of the brains behind La Mama
and that very special night, Jeltje, and introduction by the one and
only (I've checked) Klare Lanson, this will be glorious! And all this,
fine young animals, for the laughable pitance off $5!!! It starts @
7:30, and we will be on time!!! Come, bring friends, bring your
eyeballs, see what vibrancy in art is all about!

Performing at Voiceworks launch this Thursday

This Thursday night at Trades Hall I'll be doing a short spoken word set in support of the launch for Voiceworks magazine - The Superfunhappy issue!
This is my buddy Tom Doig's last issue as editor and should be a wild, wild night. There's plenty of stuff to entertain, so come on down!
Cnr of Victoria and Lygon Street.
Starts 7:30pm.
$5/$8 with magazine.

Death to Your Dreams comes to Geelong!

As part of the launch celebrations for the new issue of Going Down Swinging I'll be performing with The Mime Set in Geelong on Thurs night. A bitchin' lineup it is too because joining me will be world famous poet Pio and the amazing Klare Lanson. As well as local Geelong poets and the usual GDS mayhem. Check tha' details down below.



This Thursday, the GDS launch bandwagon rolls over the Westgate for a big springtime gig across the bay, as part of National Poetry Week! Ahh, Geelong - where rock'n'roll and poetry meet, shake hands, and do something lewd behind the sea wall ... Where is it? Why, it's at the Limelight Lounge, 155 Moorabool Street, Geelong! When is it? Well, its from 7.30pm on Thursday, 7th September, that's when! Who is on? SO Glad you asked! We have a sultry and salty lineup of poets and music for you on the night, with: + Sean Whelan and the mime set, with their poetry/music show 'Death to Your Dreams' + Australia's techno-poet Klare Lanson + The [In]famous TT-O + Jess Dunn & Matiss Schubert + Brendan Ryan How much will it cost me? Why, a mere $5 will get you through the doors, whilst $10 will furnish you with a copy of GDS #23 book+CD as you pass! We hope to see you there, to help us swing into springtime in true GDS style!

This Wed Sept 6th it's Babble time!

This Wed night Babble returns with a very special guest I met in Brisbane at the Queensland Poetry Festival, the lovely Hinemoana Baker. Hinemoana completely dazzled the punters in Brisbane and she will dazzle you too if you get along. Also appearing are an incredible duo I first saw perform at Glitch called Twilight Mockery. And special guest DJ KLare Lanson! Yeah! What more do you want? Oh, you want a 'Celebrity' themed open mic too? Okay, you got it. Hosted by, as always, yours truly.

Queensland Poetry Festival - a triumph!

What can I say? Brisbane was an absolute blast. I loved the Queensland Poetry Festival from start to finish.
I was lucky enough to meet some fantastic individuals. If i was ever in the habit of sending Xmas cards, (which I ain't), but if I did, I would surely be sending them this year to the following people whom I met for the first time at QPF. Mandy Beaumont, Jules Beveridge, Graham Nunn, Marc Smith, Emily XYZ, Myers Bartlett, Hinemoana Baker, Peter Minter, Marc Kelly Smith, Andy White and many more! They're just the participants too, i met some amazing punters at all the gigs too. As well as hanging out with some of my Melbourne buddies in the form of alicia sometimes, Amelia Walker, Ian McBryde and my roomie for the weekend Grant Caldwell.
I never attended a writers festival which was run as smoothly and professionally as this one was. Great facilities too at the Judith Wright Centre where most of the gigs were held.
All my gigs went swimmingly well. My first night in Brisbane I co-hosted a slam with David 'Ghostboy' Stavenger and with the Slampapi himself, Marc Kelly Smith from Chicago, the founder of Slam Poetry! We had a huge crowd that night and the whole room was totally into it.
And everything just got better from there.
My hat is off to everybody involved and to the punters of Brisbane who came out to support it.

Queensland Poetry Festival

This Wednesday I leave for Brisbane for the Queensland Poetry Festival! I'm really excited about this event. I have several readings, one panel and on the night I arrive I'm co-hosting a slam with Brisbane's very own Ghostboy. If you're in the Brisbane area and feel like checking out some of the festival go here and have a look at the program online. The poster above is only for one of the many events happening over the week. Brisbane here I come!

Death To Your Dreams at the Overload Poetry Festival.

Just a quick note to say that as a part of the Overload Poetry Festival, I'll be performing with The Mime Set at Dante's this Friday night August 18, 150 Gertrude Street (cnr Napier Street), Fitzroy. It's an early show, show starts at 8 and will be all done by 10, so you can still go out and do whatever it is you normally do on a Friday night. And it's only $6 to get in. Would love to see you there. SMW.

I heart Manchester Lane

Here's my long overdue post on my last gig with the Mime Set at the lush setting of Manchester Lane. The gig went exceptionally well and I'd like to take a moment to thank anybody reading this who happened to be there on the night for coming along to support us. It was a great crowd. I felt so blessed to share a stage with five incredibly talented musicians such as Andrew Watson, Sam Wareing, Chris Chapple, Justin Avery and Jon Shannon. It was the third time we've performed the show and definitely the best we've performed so far. I also felt confident this time that I wasn't going to forget any of my poetry! This allowed me to take my time and enjoy the gig a lot more too. (I even added some terrible dance moves at no extra charge.)

monkey punch dinosaur!

for my latest online publishing credit visit here.
it's not really poetry.
or is it?


* after i posted this entry it was brought to my attention by my good friend Michael Nolan that without a little bit of background my comic strip did not really make a lot of sense. This is true. Not that all things need to make sense but for the sake of... something or other, i will give you a bit of background anyway. My good friend Adam Ford decided one day recently to create a blog that only contains pictures of monkeys punching dinosaurs. Why? Because this is the sort of thing that Adam Ford does. Bless him. The blog has the rather cryptic title of Monkey Punch Dinosaur and relys on contributions from people. For the sake of... i don't know... (science maybe?) I decided to contribute a little comic strip based around... you guessed it... a monkey punching a dinosaur. My strip is loosely based around the Socceroos losing to Italy in the recent World Cup.
Hope that clears some things up for you, including that nasty rash.