And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for.. 18 months after first chorus band of singers recorded this album with Emma Tonkin.. the Album Party Launch. Cave of Lights is a beautiful album (i reckon), with songs by Emma, arranged for 4 part harmony by Virginia Bott. (I’ve heard that doors open at 8pm, and we sing at 8:45pm.)
I was in the audience for the launch of Emma’s first album at Bar 303 about 5 years ago, and i’ll be singing in this one. There are 25 voices in the band this time round.
8:00pm Saturday 17 Nov, in the Wonderland Spiegeltent (Docklands). Make sure you head to the Docklands, not the Arts Centre.
grab full size flyer here (link on pic)
The official blurb:
For one night only in the magical surrounds of the Wonderland Spiegeltent, Emma Tonkin and First Chorus Band Of Singers are joined by a great band of melbourne musos to launch their 2012 release CAVE OF LIGHTS, a collection of their work together as long-time collaborators of Melbourne’s independent fringe. The night will kick off with an improvised solo set from guitarist and noisemaker Jed Palmer and the party will continue after the show to the tunes of DJ EDDY. Don’t miss all these folk in the one place creating the magic of this panoramic album live.
For one night only in the magical surrounds of the Wonderland Spiegeltent, Emma Tonkin and First Chorus Band Of Singers are joined by a great band of melbourne musos to launch their 2012 release CAVE OF LIGHTS, a collection of their work together as long-time collaborators of Melbourne’s independent fringe.
The night will kick off with an improvised solo set from guitarist and noisemaker Jed Palmer and the party will continue after the show to the tunes of DJ EDDY. Don’t miss all these folk in the one place creating the magic of this panoramic album live.
Relevant links:
Here are some songs you’ll hear on the night, from the album: Latest tracks by fc band of singers
Read the rest of this entry »
Look i’m one of these people who believes that Barack is genuine. Because i’ve read his accounts of working as a community organiser in the South side of Chicago. Here he talks about that experience with a bunch of kids who just got him re-elected. And i know that success for him is not just gaining the presidency, it’s training these individuals, this new generation of people who can change the world. Who will make a difference.
Via the Huffington Post: Obama Tears Up While Addressing Campaign Staff.
No, he’s not perfect. He’s just an individual, just a man. But i like the way he works.
Okay, i’m going to gather all those US election videos in the one post. Yes i did get a bit obsessed during the election.
We’re waiting outside a 5 story carpark in central Newcastle (NSW). At night. Everyone’s dressed up, this is a big event. I’ve got no idea what’s about to happen, but there have been rumours of cling wrap. And everybody’s been saying, “Are you going to Mothlight?” So here we are.
Walking up the stairs in the dark, we enter a strange world, Imagine the world of a moth nest, with webbing and cocoons. There is a lot of cling wrap here, perhaps hundreds of dollars worth of cling wrap, strung from pole to pole across the car park, between the pillars. And in the middle, a figure standing swathed entirely in plastic, suspended from a long cling wrap rope.
They let us walk around and explore for half an hour before anything happens. The crowd mills around at the sign of any kind of movement or light. I’m scared for the performer wrapped in plastic, and feeling protective when i see people reaching for their cameras. Later i found out the “no camera” policy was to prevent the clicking camera sound, and i’m wishing i’d taken a bunch of images.
And of course because i’ve found my way to the front row, i’m the first person called on for audience participation. Naomi Moth takes my hand and shows me how to clutch Skye Moth’s arm – along with 3 other volunteers – as she does all kinds of circus tricks along the long cling wrap rope attaching him to the wall. Beforehand, i was worried about people touching this rope, and now she’s jumping up and down on it.
The whole experience is totally engrossing.
Before too long, Skye Moth is walking on the ceiling and juggling enormous moth balls with his feet. Together they ceiling-walk into a lift and disappear.
Turns out they’ve performed this all around the world. Here’s a video from previous showing:
..and a set of production photos too:
Link to the production photos at flickr.
All taken from Skye’s own site.
Just noticed that Virginia’s putting some of the songs from Emma Tonkin’s “Cave of Lights” album on soundcloud (the collaboration with first chorus band of singers). You can listen to the song “I will be one” here below. We’re currently rehearsing all the songs with a bunch of wonderful new singers joining the original cast.
Mark this date in your diaries: Saturday 17 November in Melbourne, at the Wonderland Spiegeltent (details to follow – it’s somewhere in the Docklands). Also Saturday 24 November in Castlemaine.
Here’s the link on soundcloud: I Will Be One by fc band of singers.
Aaaaah! Sally played this for me at work the other week. “You won’t be able to get it out of your head,” she said.
And that’s true.
Then i watched it again with Tim and Sam up at Elphinstone the other day. How we laughed.
Apparently the song spent weeks at number one in NZ Aotearoa, and raised about $1 million and a hundred and ten and twenty one. In a bowl.
via Flight of the Conchords – Feel Inside (and stuff like that) – official Cure Kids long version – YouTube.
I love Murray at the start, “Yes and i gave some money back in 1988, so that’s all done now?”
And Jemaine talking about the songs in the Muppet Movie, “They were pretty derivative though, don’t you think?”
[not really 8FootFelix, in fact a different band]
Listen to the rambunctious folk from 8 Foot Felix playing live on 3PBS:
Trans Europa Express for Tuesday, 14 August 2012 | PBS 106.7FM.
An interesting story by Jane Jervis Read in this month’s Overland.
A strange story.
The piece is unsettling and unexpected, a little mysterious. But it draws you in and leaves you wondering, “What the..?!”.
Here, read it for yourself (recommended!).. Little people at Overland…
I’m a fan of Jane’s work, and recently attended a reading for the Winter edition of InScribe – the Darebin literary journal. Jane read her piece “Hartington Street”, which was short-listed for The Age short story competition.
Saw Sean & Damien perform live the other week at the Wesley Ann and loved it.
Here’s some video from the night. Is this the Michael Hutchence performance? Ah no, it’s “Elemental”.
via Elemental – Sean M Whelan & Isnod on Vimeo.
..from James Tresise on Vimeo. James has a few different poems of theirs…
We’ve been watching this one as a household, which is nice. You have to let 3 episodes build up though, to make it a big evening.
Found an interview with Jessica’s actor, from “Young Hollywood“.
..and on season 4: interesting character progression: “Really who is she as a woman”.
Apparently she was asked to pose biting Chevy Chase, who really didn’t know what was going on…
A few people know that for several years i’ve been exploring a different kind of meditative practice, known as “Siramarti”. I’ve found it to be very healing, balancing and restorative in many ways. I find the traditional “think about nothing”, or “focus on a candle” styles of meditation don’t work for me, but these guided visualisations are just right. You feel active and involved as you get into some fully conscious problem-solving.
Fundamentally, the visualisations are about:
