Aug
29
2007

SMS TV

(Add / View Comments) (0)PhotosWednesday, August 29, 2007 - 01:33:30 pm
(Posted Under: No Category)
Photobox ImageToday on my lunch break, I headed down to Federation Square, for Text Me's SMS TV. I am in good with the text co-ordinator, after all. [wink] Awesome day for it, as which has been a bit of trend lately.

Arriving there at 12:20, things were already in full swing. A whole bunch of school kids were texting away to the questions.

I wondered whether what was going up on the big screen was being censored, to which Katie said it was, though, with a lot of the responses (from the aforementioned school kids [wink] ), you had to wonder.

In anycase, it was really cool, and a totally perfect day for it. It seems forever simce Katie has been working on the Text Me project, and it was really cool and fun to see the outcome of that work. And even get one of my SMS's up on the big screen.
Aug
28
2007

Luna Eclipse

(Add / View Comments) (0)PhotosTuesday, August 28, 2007 - 08:23:51 pm
(Posted Under: Photography)
Photobox Image
This morning Katie heard on the radio that tonight was going to be a luna eclipse. I've been waiting in anticipation all day. Well okay, I actually didn't give it another thought until the walk home, being greeted with a huge full moon, which in itself was photo worthy.

As fate would have it, by the time we got home, or at least by the time I went andn grabbed my camera, the moon was completely covered by clouds. Which was rather unbelievable, because of how large and bright it was.

That has hardly stopped me though, and waiting out here for the cloud to move on hasn't been totally unproductive. There was a little break in the clouds while we ate out here (second night in a row), enough to witness the darkening of the moon. Before the clouds came back through, right before show time. As the moon became mostly covered, the clouds really set it, making totally obscuring it. Of course, I was expxecting a 2 minute event, and thought the whole thing was happening behind the clouds. At around 7:55 the clouds diserpated partially, as I snapped away, still thinking that time was limited. A couple of minutes later however I noticed some red forming around the edges in the photos I was taking, and then was able to see it with the naked eye. So thankfully I hadn't missed the main event like I thought I had.

However, from there it's got nothing from better, the clouds progressively clearing up, revealing the significantly red sun. Having decided earlier, when things weren't looking to good, that I was going to stay out here for the duration, in an effect to get something, I grabbed my laptop. Which in itself has been awesome - sitting out here, beautiful night, blogging. This is the shit!

Around 8 the clouds began to clear up, and after a few shots I started to notice a red tinge, and by 8:23, the clouds had really cleared up, making for some really good shots of the moon, completely red. Definately an errie sight to witness. Around 9, the a bright reflection started to form on the right bottom of the moon, give it an unreal sphere look, like a strange orange sphere suspended in the black sky. As time passed this took over more of the moon, getting brighter and brighter, again a really errie and fantastic site to witness. Aside from the obvious excitment in terms of photography, the site was just really great to witness.

The entire show started to wind down at around 9:50pm, with the light starting to encompass the entire moon, just as the clouds from the west started to roll over. Despite the annoyance earlier tonight, I'm definitely glad that the clouds held off for the main event.
Now Playing: Violet Wild - Luna
Aug
26
2007

The Office

(Add / View Comments) (0)Sunday, August 26, 2007 - 08:48:33 pm
(Posted Under: TV)
After only talking about it last week, The Office has finally returned! Something to watch on Monday night's again.

It's kinda freaky how we've just had to talk about shows, and they've returned to TV a couple weeks later. Have I mentioned that I miss King Of The Hill?!? [wink]
Aug
24
2007

What Congratulations I'm Sorry Means To Me...

(Add / View Comments) (0)Friday, August 24, 2007 - 09:01:38 pm
(Posted Under: Music Music, Tempe Music Scene Tempe Music Scene)
Some of the best quotes come out when least expected. Like listening to Congratulations I'm Sorry while playing Uno.

"Car with the windows down, cocaine, heroin, midgets...doing sexual things to you where people can't see - THAT's what this album means to me.
-- Katie on Congratulations I'm Sorry.
Now Playing: Gin Blossoms - Virginia
Aug
17
2007

Collingwood Vs. Melbourne

(Add / View Comments) (0)Friday, August 17, 2007 - 11:41:53 pm
(Posted Under: No Category)
Tonight after work, Katie, Cath and I went to the footy, particularly so that Katie could see a game. Something organised quite quickly as the reality that there weren't many games left in the season set in.

It was Katie's first game. Not suprising, having only been in the country for the last 6 months. However, it was also my first game - having been in the country for the last 30 years! [wink]

Despite my expression of proudness last Friday about never having been to a game, it was pretty exciting, especially with Katie seeing the game. I doubt I would have to succumed to going to a match otherwise.

After the debarkle of Cath loosing her wallet, we filed into the MCG, realising fairly quickly the seats were really good. And then that realisation changing somewhat as it started to rain. [wink]

We had gotten there earlish, given the going straight from work, but it wasn't too long before the game started - Collingwood vs. Melbourne. All in all, it was a quite enjoyable experience, and a lot different to what I expected I guess.

Katie certainly enjoyed it, thinking it was most interesting sporting event she's been to, even if the non game entertainment didn't live up to her US expectations. [wink] Not to say that she didn't enjoy the half time Aussie Kick deal.

Aside from the coolness of the experience, Melbourne, who were down by about 45 points made a comeback in the last half, making it a really good game. Not by enough to win, which was fine because we were rooting for Collingwood. Final score was 81 to 70.

While nothing has changed in terms of the fact that I don't have to rush out to another game, and certainly not without Katie, it was actual a good experience and really worthwhile.
Aug
12
2007

A Night With The Cure

(Add / View Comments) (0)Sunday, August 12, 2007 - 11:47:56 pm
(Posted Under: Music Music)
Photobox ImageTonight was the big Cure show - which as it's grown closer we've gotten more and more excited about. Testament to that is my Hitter list, where The Cure are already, by far the most played artist, and have shot to the #8 played artist in the last year. Which is pretty impressive, as I hadn't played them excessively at all in that period, save the past two months. Which has been a cool thing in itself, dusting off Galore, which I played a whole lot in the day, but haven't listened to much recently. It's one of those things, like when you haven't listened to New Miserable Experience or Fizzy Fuzzy Big And Buzzy in forever, do so, and wonder why the fuck you haven't! And that the album sounds just as good as the day you brought it. More on that later I guess.

We showed up to Rod Laver Arena at around 6, a fair while before the show was scheduled to start (7:45). But that worked out well, to do the merch table thing before the show and crowds. There is something to be said for not being rushed and stressed while choosing merch. Walking around the arena, picking out merch (choosing the same t-shirts - how shocking, that's never happened before! [wink]), getting a drink and having a smoke, it really didn't seem to be that long before the time for the doors to open rolled around.

On getting in and finding our seats, the tickets seemed pretty good, at least for non general admission seats. I'd opted not to take my camera because of Rod Laver's no camera / no recording devices policy. Apparently I should have just taken it, as there was no pat downs or anything getting in, and cameras around the venue were a dime a dozen. Oh well, not the worst thing in the world, but it would have been cool to get some shots.

It was surprising how right up until 8ish both general admission and the seating around the venue seemed rather under occupied. Which didn't seem to make much sense, since it was The Cure, and general admission at least had sold out by the time we ordered tickets (the night pre-sale started). Was the Cure no longer cool and selling out stadiums all of a sudden? No. By the time the band went on, right on 8:15 it was a quite different view around the venue, one much more like what I'd expected.

One of my first thoughts that, while the seats were really good, seeing any detail, particularly of Robert Smith was still difficult. We'd expected obviously to have the band up on screens, however there were none. If there was to be any disappointment with the show, that was it. (It's kinda ridiculous to have any show at Rod Laver without screens, if you ask me). Still, it wasn't hard to remember, as I thought when we ordered the tickets, that being front row and seeing everything wasn't terribly important - the Cure music is just that good. (I will say that I would have still enjoyed a better view of Smith). And by the second song I wasn't at all bothered by the fact.

The show, which was exactly 3 hours long (8:15pm - 11:15pm - no opening act) was absolutely amazing, and worth every dollar spent. I needed to see The Cure live regardless, but gee, talk about worth the ticket price! The show was no bullshit and down to business - Smith probably said a total of 20 words throughout the whole show, 95% of which was "thank you" - it was just a train of song after song after song. Not that I'm against show banter at all, but geez, these guys so now how to give their fans what they should get. And with the amount of Cure songs you want to hear, in addition to playing such a long show, the packing as many in as possible was awesome. The other notable part of the whole show was that it's easy to expect just moody alternative, or fun pop songs, and forget that The Cure can totally rock out. There was no fucking shortage of that, and was just as much a rock show, if not more, than any other show I've been to. The selection was also great, with a perfect mix of the pop hits and hard and good runs of the hard and dark material. This is one show that I've been to where the consistency of the show / band was phenomenal - some of the earlier stuff, and stuff off of The Cure (2004) which I'm less familiar with was just as good as the rest of the show, and there was not one part where you could stop your foot from moving.

Highlights from the show - there are the obvious ones - Fascination Street (awesome that it was played so early, especially how I've been enjoying it even more recently), Lullaby, Pictures Of You, Inbetween Days, Just Like Heaven, Friday I'm In Love.

The highlights that took me a bit by suprise: Push - absolutely awesome, the album version (as great as it is) doesn't measure up after hearing the live version tonight, The Blood, A Night Like This, Boys Don't Cry - just sounded incredibly good - I can't put my finger on why, or qualify it, but it was definitely a stand out.

Of course, picking highlights is hard, because while there were some, the whole show was so good.

The three hour setlist went like this:

  1. Open
  2. Fascination Street
  3. alt.end
  4. The Blood
  5. A Night Like This
  6. The Walk
  7. The End Of The World
  8. Lullaby
  9. Lovesong
  10. Pictures Of You
  11. Hot Hot Hot!!!
  12. Push
  13. In Between Days
  14. How Beautiful You Are
  15. Just Like Heaven
  16. Shake Dog Shake
  17. Us Or Them
  18. Never Enough
  19. From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea
  20. Wrong Number
  21. Shiver And Shake
  22. End
  23. Encore 1:
  24. If Only Tonight We Could Sleep
  25. The Kiss
  26. Encore 2:
  27. Friday I'm In Love
  28. Let's Go To Bed
  29. Close To Me
  30. Why Can't I Be You?
  31. Encore 3:
  32. Three Imaginary Boys
  33. Fire In Cairo
  34. Boys Don't Cry
  35. Jumping Someone Else's Train
  36. Grinding Halt
  37. 10.15 Saturday Night
  38. Killing An Arab
And the sound check, of which we heard some of, albeit quite muffled, was:

  1. Lullaby
  2. How Beautiful You Are
  3. Jumping Someone Else's Train
  4. Open
So, there checks of one thing on my list of things to do before I do (or more appropriately really, is "before they call it quits") - "See The Cure" live. Definitely if I got the opportunity again, I wouldn't hesitate.
Now Playing: The Cure - The Kiss
Aug
02
2007

The Persuaders

(Add / View Comments) (0)Thursday, August 2, 2007 - 10:11:25 pm
(Posted Under: Tempe Music Scene Tempe Music Scene, Music Music)
Today while reading the Watering Hole I noticed that Ghetto Cowgirl were (now off the bill) playing Last Exit soon. It's always shocking to see a Ghetto show scheduled. I also saw that The Persuaders were playing - boooring.

Well, until Katie phoned me 5 minutes later in excitement - as The Persuaders is the Thomas Laufenburg, Scott Andrews, Lawrence Zubia and Phil Rhodes project, that we never thought was going to happen. It's funny actually to think it was nearly a year ago (around October '06) we were first talking about this, and their debut gig is August 10, 2007.

Rock 'n roll! [smile] Such an explosive and destructive mix. The burner question is while the band last longer than Disasteroid, who was an equally dangerous combination concoction. It might only last 2 gigs, but however long it does last, I'm certain it's going to be pure rock 'n roll - the way rock n' roll.
Now Playing: Scott Johnson - Sweet Melissa
Aug
02
2007

It's True!

(Add / View Comments) (0)Thursday, August 2, 2007 - 10:05:52 pm
(Posted Under: No Category)
A cool "It's True!" snippet in today's MX.

Film comedian W.C Fields drank 2.3 litres of martinis a day, even working on the movie set. In his final years. he suffered from cirrhosis and kidney trouble, and had to wear heavy make-up in his last filns to conceal swollen veins and gin blossoms on his face and nose.
Although I did read through the MX on the train tonight, I missed that. Trust Katie to spot it though!
Now Playing: Scott Johnson - Get Drunk All The Time

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