c'mere.

I have woken up every morning since the concert with an Interpol song in my head. Wednesday it was NARC, Thursday No I In Threesome and today Say Hello To The Angels.

PS - these are my super op-shop finds - amazing typewriter, awesome suitcase with crazy asymmetrical zip and a cute Agatha Christie novel, all nicely colour coded. Oh and I bought a sweet embroidered blouse too. It has nice sleeves.

PPS - also, in this Interpol-filled state of mind I am currently in it doesn't seem right to post my Laneway pictures. Due to my camera dying before Feist, Gotye etc and me failing to take many good photos anyway, I don't think I will. The better ones can be found here though.

PPPS - and my other news was that the lovely Amy, who writes my favourite blog that I always, always, ALWAYS check even before my own, featured me in one of her posts! I couldn't believe that anyone else even read this, let alone would recommend it to others! I was as pleased as punch with that. You can find it at Monday February 18. *beams*

loving and admiring.

Every time I try to find the words to describe what Interpol were like, what they have done to me, my head fills with lyrics, riffs and Paul Banks' haunting, wailing voice. I can't think straight when I try to explain them.

They were always up there with my top bands, but what they make me feel now is something above and beyond just liking a band. I'd go so far as to call it a mild obsession. I cannot listen to any other music, and usually I find it hard to decide on just one band to listen to. But there could be nothing other than Interpol on my iPod and I wouldn't care.

I'm sure it will pass, but for the next few days, weeks, maybe longer, it is consuming me.

speechless.

she found a lonely sound,
she keeps on waiting for time out there,
oh love, can you love me babe?
love, is this loving babe?
is time turning around?

ahem.

Friday 10:30pm: Dappled Cities Fly (followed by The Presets) play to a damp and cold crowd in Rundle Park. Kids I am hanging with do not enjoy the 'art' and 'culture' aspect of the Fringe, nor the weather, nor the fact that they no nothing of the bands I have dragged them along to see (my first choices bailed on me - Tan to Sonic Youth, Amelia to work, Maddy and Dave started off with others, and in the crowd that was there, way to hard to catch up with). Pre-teens and 'town people' pretend to know the music that is being played to them. They fail miserably.

Saturday 11:30am: The lady at the gate nearly doesn't let me in to Laneway Festival because I have two Sudafeds in my bag from when I had a cold a couple of months ago. After checking with practically the entire ground staff and me insisting 'look, you can have them if you want I don't actually NEED them anymore, they're just in my bag...' she gets the all clear from above and lets me through, but only after body searching me, including my tight-ed up legs - hello lady, if I was concealing a weapon/alcohol/small animal in my tights, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE IT. I don't think that I looked particularly sus or anything, as I did see her frisk a few people - I just think she was just an eager beaver because it was early in the day. Also looks suspicisouly at my spare box of Polaroid film.

ANYWAY after that we had a wonderful day in the courtyard of Fowlers, except for the fact that my camera died during Feist. And the fact that I couldn't really see in Feist. And I really, really, really wanted to see her and take lots of photos. Okkervil River proved lively, the lead singer of The Panics looks just like a lady who comes into work (I'm going to ask her if it's her brother), Gotye was amazing despite some technical issues and Bridezilla, as predicted, were very sweet. Stars opened with Take Me To The Riot which was a bit of an anti-climax for me, and although I love Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, the singer's voice borders on painful at times. The guitarist/keyboardist was a cheery chap though, I liked just watching him as he did his thing and grinned. I was a little disappointed with Broken Social Scene - they played about 4 hours in so our legs were in need of a rest by then, and they took a while to get into things so we decided to head to the back and sit down. So I guess it's kind of my own fault I couldn't get into it, but I had built up some fairly high expectations even though I don't know a hell of a lot of their stuff. I got to see some Damn Arms which I wasn't expecting to, so that was a bonus, I've really gotten into them more since I first saw them supporting Klaxons.

Saturday, 11:00pm, The Presets have played 2.2 songs: I realise that I do not like the Presets very much. I like the songs I should, and the rest I can give or take, and after a long, tiring day, I don't feel like still being pushed around by crazy girls while I try not to fall asleep while listen to music that wouldn't be out of place in 'one of those clubs' that I despise.

Saturday, 11:45pm: Dressed like a Grandma (I didn't mean to, honest. I wore my housewife dress, but with a belt to cinch and shorten it. The thing was, Tannon insisted that I take a jumper and all I had at his house was my op shop knitted cardie which looks great with skinny jeans, but decidedly nanna-ish when teamed with the aforementioned housewife dress. And while I don't discriminate against nannas, a line does have to be drawn somewhere), a sunburnt nose (chuck me some antlers and I could pass off as Rudolph) horrible 'end of festival' hair and with a major run threatening to make my tights disintegrate at any second, we manage to run into numerous people we know on the way back through town. So now they probably think I have morphed into some sort of bag lady, while Tannon managed to still look wonderful in a fabulous outfit that I ripped of a guy from Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! that I saw on Friday night.

And that, my friends, is a whole other story in itself.

Well, not really. But those kids in that band stalk me, I'm sure of it. Just ask Anders.

PS: photos up soon, I'll do a big gig-photo-post after INTERPOL which is TOMORROW. And share my super-fantastich op-shop finds from today! And my other exciting news-(ish!) Wow, don't you just want to come back for more?!

Haha I'm so uncool I'm almost cool. I'm saying that a lot lately.

espanol, et al.

I don't actually understand this site, because it is in spanish (i think). Anyway what I do know is that there are some beautiful, beautiful photos on it, like this one.

Fringe opening tonight should be good, I'm very excited that I can channel my inner hipster and wear whatever I want, because there is no way in hell I'll be the oddest dressed person there! I can't wait to wear my frenchy black lace up heels. And Laneway Festival tomorrow!

peek-a-boo.

Peepshop not only has the cutest little room on their main page, but a bag that I am coveting and that makes me feel like listening to Band of Horses even though I've never really taken the time to get into them, they're just sitting on my iPod looking cool.

Haha I'm so uncool it almost makes me cool.

Almost.


Autumn de Wilde, on the other hand, just happens to be an incredibly cool, amazingly talented photographer who I am supremely jealous of. Her subjects read like my iPod, speak of the devil. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs to the White Stripes, Spoon and Tegan and Sara. Also let me take this opportunity to say I thought Miranda July was gorgeous in Me and You and Everyone We Know.


Oh, I picked up new frankie yesterday (mmm lovely frankie goodness) and also the cutest little fat notebook. I'm going to cover it... (not sure what with yet - perhaps some op-shop fabric I picked up the other day?) Then the plan is to carry it with me everywhere and write/draw in it at least once a day. Not unlike this, but probably a lot less masterpiece-y. Given that I'm a complusive list maker and pick up pretty things everywhere, I think it shall work quite well.

au revoir.

Au Revoir Simone, out of New York, make nice music, but more to the point, they look amazing. I would love to know who their photographer and/or stylist is. (The best photos are on their website, yet flash doesn't allow me to copy them here...) Sad Song is radical, kinda... mmm probably in the same vein as Bridezilla, with some Arcade Fire-y organ/trumpet-type breakdowns, and a quirky Architecture in Helsinki-ish beat going on. It's sweet. I like it. Plus they list their influences and 'sounds like' as: casio, roland, korg, alessis, rhythm ace, univox, yamaha, nord, and suzuki. Pretty, talented and witty. Grr.

directed.

I've always loved drawing maps for directions. This site obviously appeals to me then. I remember in year 11 I drew a lovely map of Melbourne, complete with street names and landmarks (I don't live there but I know them off by heart) for a couple of friends who were headed over for a concert. One of them asked what would happen if an earthquake ripped through the city, so I drew it in, a great jagged line from the corner of La Trobe and Spencer Streets to the couldn't use it. I think I spent more time in maths class that year doing that sort of thing than what I was actually supposed to be doing.

instead of looking straight ahead...

I looked sideways and up when I went to town the other day. It's amazing what you can see when you actually look. Although now I have a very sore neck. More on flickr.

it's all too much.

The internet is depressing me. Seriously, 50 years ago I wouldn't have had this problem. I could have lived in my own little bubble, oblivious to what is out there.

Now I'm going to sound very shallow when I write exactly what it is that is bothering me, especially because it should be war, poverty, sickness etcetera. But it's not... I mean, yes, it is terrible, and new media is obviously furthering our understandings and reaches of what is happening in our own countries and beyond. But what is depressing me is talent.

Design, writing, illustration, photography, music... how the hell am I ever supposed to compete with what's out there. Even 10 years ago I could have lived happy in the knowledge that there were a few design studios in Adelaide, a couple of street presses, and even a few larger mags in wider australia. Now I am in posession of the websites and portfolios of South African interior designers, Swedish illustrators, American stylists, British writers, and sweet, well dressed bands coming out of god knows where. Not to mention the largely untapped talent on places like Flickr and Etsy. I know I should be inspired by it, but to be honest it is just snowing me under. I have always had an eye and an ear for pretty things, a way with words, for talent; but there is too much and I can't take it all in. On top of that is the fact that I have no idea how I will ever be capable of matching it, let alone surpassing it.

I need to keep my finger on the pulse if I'm ever going to make it, but I just don't know how I can.

Information superhighway, global village, all the terms and cliches. I wish it would just go away, or at least slow down. But I doubt if that will ever happen.

today.

Sebastien Maziere is an amazing photographer. Soft light and whimsical subjects = bliss.

In other news I had my first driving lesson today. Only a good 3 years too late.

Caring is Creepy by The Shins is wonderful, I had never quite realised its intensity before. I feel like watching Garden State now.

I joined flickr yesterday. Here's hoping I can actually take some shots worthy of putting up.

I think I need to stop dreaming and just do, stop thinking and just act, and grow up a little. We'll see how that goes.

...are sweet.

Bridezilla are sweet.

Can't wait for laneway.

I put you away into a brown paper bag,

That way I won't find you all over the place.

Even the Old's say "You need a distraction, go find a distraction.

Shuffle through old love letters I wrote to you but didn't send,

Dote over every picture I've got of you... That I can find.

Even that Kenny G record cover can't make me laugh no more,

Even my mother's mother can't cook a feast that might fill me up.

Even the Old's say "You need a distraction, go find a distraction"

since before.

Since the last time, I have been a busy, busy beaver.

• radical times at french bars (sans indie clubs)
  La Boheme was super-sweet and even played Gloria so was there any need for Supermild anyway? Well yes, but given only one person apart from Tan and I would have enjoyed it (god bless Dave) we decided to give it a miss. Still, tasty cocktails (the boys all seemed to gravitate towards the Absolut Hunk, go figure) and tastier tunes made a fun night.
  


• birthday + hottest 100

Presents, presents, including my Andy Warhol book (Tan), Audrey Hepburn book (Ash and Jen), silver S (Amelia) all fit perfectly into my newly painted bookshelf, not to mention my wonderful mannequin, christened Audrey, gorgeous earrings from Loz and bangles from Jess. Sweet, sweet gifts from amazing people. Hottest 100 was radical, yet surprising. Here were my votes:

Architecture In Helsinki - Hold Music

Bloc Party - Hunting For Witches

Cold War Kids - Hang Me Up To Dry

Faker - This Heart Attack

Interpol - The Heinrich Maneuver

Kings Of Leon - On Call

Klaxons - It's Not Over Yet

Mess Hall, The - Keep Walking

Modest Mouse - Dashboard

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Down Boy

Only disappointment was that Mess Hall didn't make it. And I was surprised more Klaxons didn't make it in, including my choice. Day was topped off seeing a friend of a friend's band at the Grace Emily. Radical cover of Crystal by New Order to end the night.

• big day out
  

Aiiiii! Arcade Fire! A-MAZ-ING! Plus Midnight Juggernauts, Battles, Cut Off Your Hands, King Daddy, British India, Skeletons, Bjork and of course, Rage Against the Machine. Let the photos do all the talking. (More on my Facebook.)

...Not to mention new op shop shoes (cream and tan), working, crafty stuff, watching Sex and the City, and finishing the painting and organising of my bookcase! Now for the decoration and cleaning of my room...