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I met Karen many years ago in the garden of the Rainbow Hotel one evening whilst there for a gig. We got chatting about this and that and she was (and still is) a very interesting, engaging and entertaining person. I don't know her very well, but we chat occasionally. She is a publicist and is the one who brings Glenn Tibrook (of Squeeze fame) over here for shows. One night when Glenn was doing a gig at the Espy, I was bak stage before the gig and spent a good 20 minutes chatting to Glenn - so thanks for that above all else Plus that was the one night I got to talk with Julia Zemiro as she was back there too - lovely.
Anyway, one of Karen's sons is sick and she needs to take him to the US for treatment and she arranged a gig at the Corner Hotel to raise funds to help her out. What a great collection of acts put their hands up to support (The Darling Downs, Charles Jenkins, Kerri Simpson, Kim Volkman, Suzannah Espie, Dan Brodie, Sherry Rich, Krista Polvere, Quincy McLean and Blind Kiwi and his Cigar Box Guitar). I went along to support Karen, but didn't stay long as it was an afternoon gig and it was the most glorious sunny day and I didn't want to stay inside in the dark so headed off for a ride in the sun.
I headed to Port Melbourne as there was a bike festival on and I had no idea what that involved - or what would make it interesting. Anyway, it was interesting and they closed all of Bay Street down and filled the road with events and stalls and this and that. I was just about done with it when around 60 cyclists came down the road making a lot of noise - oh my! They were all nude - some with body painting and some with just all there for the eye to see - brave and entertaining - I caught some on film and you can view it here to prove that it wasn't just me imagining it.
Georgie is somebody I met many years ago as we used to frequent the same venues and gigs - we struck up our friendship at a series of backroom Chris Wilson gigs at a pub on Brunswick Street. Soon after that, I introduced her to Chick who owned the Rainbow Hotel and she started working there. Over the years we have shared lots of times at various things or just catching up for dinner. Over the last 4 or 5 years, she has been studying art and is not an installation artist who has been invited to New York on more than one occasion to put up an installation. It's an interesting side to art and I must admit to not really getting a lot of what is done, but I go to Georgie's shows and enjoy experiencing what goes on.
I hadn't seen her for a few months, though we chat over facebook a bit. She invited me to a show in Collingwood so off I went only to find that it was an exhibit that I had seen before but it was good to catch up with her and meet her new man, Kyle and some of her newer friends.
James Makin Gallery
Each year when the Grand Prix is coming to Melbourne, I always love the atmousphere that it generates despite the disruption that occurs. The track is created using the roads that go around Albert Park and the lake - hence the disruption as I go through the park quite a lot. But there is certainly a buzz around the place as the stands start to built and the temporary buildings are constructed. And the weekend itself with the noise and the helicopters and the people and the practicing and all of that. I do get excited. As I sit on my couch, looking out the window, I can see one of the corners - I love that. And the view from the roof of my apartment block is stunning every day but the fact that it overlooks the track is just wonderful.
Well, this year I was going to be missing out on all the build up as I had to work over in East Melbourne and it was going to be close as to whether I would make it home for the start . As I was nearing home, the fighter jets were going past and then the big Qantas jet did it's low fly past and I heard the race starting as I was about 5 minutes away - damnit.
Anyway, the rest of the race time was taken up with me waiting for a locksmith as when I got home, the bloody lock had jammed and I was screwed until $401 later when I was in and poor.
But there was no time to sit around as I was rushing off to West Brunswick to attend an Archie Roach gig. My experience tells me that there is no such thing as a bad Archie gig and this was more evidence to back it up - he is just an incredible man, performer and story-teller. I don't think that I'll ever tire of going to see the man - fantastic.
I have been a huge fan of Mary's since back in 1985 when she brought out her first album, Tired and Emotional after having seen her sing a song on Jonathan Ross's show. I have loved all that she's done since then and have had the pleasure to see her twice in Melbourne having seen her a number of times in the UK. I have been to see her a couple of times with my cousin Julliet when we both lived in Leeds back in 1992/3.
She has a great voice, but it is the choice of song and how she presents them that I love more - there is a lot of character in all that she does.
This gig was different as I went to it having never heard the artist before. A mate from the UK, Jezz, contacted me to say that I should go and check him out and that I'd like him. Knowing what music Jezz likes, I was quite comfortable to take his advice.
It was a good gig - the chap in question is an American blues act who was just on his own , singing his own songs and playing the banjo some of the time and a guitar the other times. He also sang without any instrument on one occasion. He was good - very talented. The gig was slightly spoiled for me as I was next to a group of 4 pissed people who knew just about every song and thought it would be good to sing along to them - that really annoys me.
This catchup was a blast from the past - coming from the NAB project that I worked on in 2003. I catch up with Sharon fairly often and back then she worked with Adam and Peter. I used to join them for coffee and enjoyed their company. Since the project ended, I have seen Adam a couple of times at gigs but that was that. A while back, I bumped into Peter with his work friend Deb on St Kilda Road and said that we should all catch up again. Adam actually knows Deb too and Sharon has worked with her, so it was all linked together with me a bit of the outsider.
Anyway, we caught up at Fed Square and enjoyed a very pleasant evening - these are fine people indeed. That project has certainly enhanced my life through the people I still see from back then - and those people also talk about it fondly for what it gave us all.
Lisa, Steph, Georgie, Sharon
I've known Lisa since around 2001 and we've had many an interesting conversation over the years and much laughter. She's an interesting soul and has interesting ideas that make you think. She's a good friend.
Frank worked at Coles Myer when I first arrived in Australia and started working at the same office in Tooronga. A down to earth man who faces life head on and goes for it. And he is the only person I know who has represented a country in sport - he represented Australia in the walking world championships - impressive effort.
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