What a windy hell of a day. So cold we forgot it was springtime, so windy the outdoor sun-shelter blew off its groundings and hurled itself across the yard to shatter some pottery, just before Jude and Jody arrived for the pancake brunch. “What’s that?” everyone else asked about the frame with no canvas, “.. your meditation dome?”
There’s nothing like mango pancakes to kick off the windiest music festival this side of the Yarra, and we had a gorgeous spread. The best moment was when Tim flipped his pancake and it went behind the stove. No, wait the best moment was watching Tim use giant chopsticks to recover his pancake from behind the stove – no chance, it’s gone!
Wind and rain and hail surprisingly made for a really good festival, because you had to be inside to survive, and inside was where the best music would be found. (oh, that’s why i saw no music last year, i was drinking in the sun all day)
Describe Eliza were fun and funky at the Peacock. Toy Band (jazz plus lots of toys, balloons, streamers, on and around stage) and Tzigas (Russian Gypsy music – plenty of this around Northcote at the moment) at 303 were terrific.
The Town Bikes and Die Roten Punkte impressed the crowds no end at the new Ballroom venue (usually only Italian receptions, but they opened it up for the day), and finally Martin Martini at Open Studio (Eloise’s bar) – wild gypsy funk with a gravelly and skeletal voice. i liked these guys so much i bought the CD on the spot.
The Open Studio crowd kept going of course, when Tegan came out from behind the bar with her clarinet to draw the musos together for one or two final sets. Dance dance dance. Baby. Yeah.
Last night, here in Melbn, Oz, the world capital of art and culture, we experienced the Snuff Puppets’ version of the Twin Towers – very irreverent and moderately shocking. Two people dressed in enormous skyscraper costumes were battered by an Arab puppet with an aeroplane on a stick. Tremendous Art.
(But we should remember, that it’s not okay to laugh about that day because, “the world changed from that day on“, as Marylou Badeaux reminds us in this Herald Sun article.)
As well as the Snuffies and, again, the amazing Town Bikes (Suxy and Fuxy go Clubbing – you has to see to believe), The Spanish Club also saw the astonishingly insane Dilapidated Diva emerge from retirement for a glamorous performance of La Vie en Rose.
After encouraging seven volunteers to lie on the stage with their legs in the air, so she could lick and caress their shoes, my favourite moment was when the Diva pulled apart her microphone mid-song, and throwing it on the stage in frustration, continued to sing at full voice, while dancing with a man in a yellow raincoat. The woman is a genius.
Her parting shot was of course, the middle finger up at her loving audience, “You are all assholes!” she cried.
Tim, Sam, Nathan and Michael joined the crowds to boogie at Spanish Club (Kenny Lopez’ Cuban All Stars), Laundry and then the Old Bar. Going wild with Leanne on the dance floor, when the DJ came up with two beers and said, “These are for you, for being the BEST dancers EVER.” She was playing AC/DC mixed with 1950’s Rocknroll, what could we do? I’ve got to say this was easily the best award i’ve EVER received in my LIFE.
so how can i be grumpy on a day like today?
much love from michael
erudite grumpy
Well, Well its the end of season blues..
how soon will the spring blossoms come with their delightful pollen and distract you away from this glum mood with their playful sneezes. Too Bad that the Bulldogs and the Saints suck – almost as much but actually nowhere as near my fallen from grace team that shall remain nameless.
Everything here seems a hurdle even good things emerge later as a hurdle in disguise. The latest thing is that the ATO has LOST my tax return!! Good luck hey!
Leaves are changing colour and there is a snap to the air, but there are still sunny days. We are moving into our house in two weeks and with some luck our stuff will be here by december so moving in this time will be easy as there will actually be nothing to move or unpack, or even sleep on!!
Anyway back to the weather….
Paul
well i’m devastated, i had to crawl under the covers for the whole of Saturday following St Kilda’s painful display of losing the first elimination final. They had to work pretty hard at messing up all their opportunities to take control. Crikey malikey, i’m pissed now. i mean pissed in the american sense, ie pissed off. No i’m not drunk on a Sunday arvo.
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My mother’s about to come around and visit. i know she’s just out of hospital, and i should visit her instead, but how can i drive over to her place now my car has a canary splattered all over the windshield? They only give you a month to get it fixed before you’re not allowed to drive any more. How am i supposed to get it fixed if i can’t drive it? Bloody hell!
This YouTube video is one i enjoyed – Life in adult community education office.
with heavy-hearted tears for the fallen saints, crap final game you guys, regards michael
it’s friday night, so michael joins Tim and Sam on the Edward St. couches for some friday night football. The western bulldogs look like they might lose to essendon, who are fighting to avoid the wooden spoon. Tim is annoyed because the Dogs are not playing well enough.
The highlight of the evening is this crazy dvd called ‘The Critic’, about Jay Sherman, NY Film Critic. Jay, a cartoon character, is bald fat and unpopular. His boss hates him because he cans all the holyhollywood films, and his highest rating is a 7. i loved the show. Jay is dark, depressed and funny. Must have been made last century because the twin towers loom over the NY cartoon skyline.
The bad news is Tim and Sam house being sold from under them again. Bloody property owners.
So Paul and Fiona left the wintry shores of Melbourne and headed to a small fishing village on the Atlantic, to become fishermen. It had been their dream for a long time, and they looked forward to the opportunity to hit the high seas during major storms.
no, wait Halifax isn’t a fish, it’s a university town. (i’m thinking Halibut with Gravlax)
Sorry .. so the Martini-Maher bunch departed the cloudy village of Melbourne, and headed off to enjoy a huge new experience lecturing peasants in the way of the first world.
i’m not getting this right, you’d better tell your own story.
Melbourne is getting a bit springy, and the darebin music feast has leapt into being with its first night in the new old town hall. Eloise’s very new bar across the road picked up the late night scragglers with a wild evening of gypsy music, clarinet and tuba.
sorry to make youse all jealous, says michael
