For as long as I can remember, Christmas Eve afternoon has been marked with a pretty afternoon tea and Mahalia Jackson on the record player. She can sing like no one else can.

It was magical, beyond most words usually used to describe a gig. There was just this energie in the room that you could feel the entire night.

The above photos is not from last night but from those years I spent as rock photographer. On that topic, last night was the first gig in some time that I have had no desire to take a photo and didn’t spend half the gig picking out the best shots and the like. Last night, my mind and body was totally there, a couple of rows from the front just to the right of the centre (the best position at the Zoo, as you get the breeze from the open windows but are still in the middle of everything), very kindly standing in front of a guy who made me stand in front of him as he was a few inches taller than me.

I didn’t think much of the support act, they sounded very different to their recordings/videos, a whole lot less polished. The total reverse to The Cat Empire who sound good on their albums but live the songs become longer with more music, more jams, more dancing and better.

The Cat Empire are playing four shows in Brisbane, two at the Zoo and two at the Tivoli, presented those options and the fact that this is their tenth anniversary tour how do you not pick the sweaty, confined spaces of the Zoo over the more majestic open space of the Tivoli? When you know it’s going to be a night of pure energie and of music that is going to flow amongst the crowd? I guess that is why the shows at the Zoo sold out first…

If the anniversery tour hasn’t rolled into your town yet, get your self some tickets and go have fun!

It was magical.

Call Me Home was just everything and more.

Ben Folds – Zak and Sara – Typographical videoclip by c_kick from c_kick on Vimeo.

Isn’t that pretty cool?

And even though it is darn cold in Brisbane at least I’m not in Reykjavik like my brothers and my sisters (and the rest of the crew) where it has been snowing again, in the middle of summer …

For now, that is it – I must return to the joys of study.

Above is Custard at The Hi-Fi as they took part in a flood relief concert called Float On along with other 90s greats; Regurgitator and Screamfeeder as well as some more contemporary acts in the likes of Kate Miller-Heidke, Gentle Ben and His Sensitive Side, Hungary Kids of Hungary and Little Scout.

Float On was one of the best mutli headlined shows I’ve been to in years. For so many people in the audience it was a total throwback to the days when they were younger. I heard someone say, that they’ve never seen so many 30-40 year old men in a moshpit. It was a sight. It was a common thread amongst the “contemporary acts” in their banter to talk about how this was such a teenage dream to be playing alongside the likes of Custard, the “Gurge” and Screamfeeder. It was almost like an episode of Recovery, which I really wish was still around because triple j tv, you’re just not in the same league.

Back to the music though because until we get that time travel sorted out there is only so much one can natter on about the past.

Custard – Girls Like That.

and some more 1998. Regurgitator – Polyester Girl

Quite possibly my favourite Custard song. Music is Crap. Oh gosh, let me tell you I had a smile that stretched from one ear to the other when they started this song.

Screamfeeder – Hi Cs

Regurgitator – the song formely known as

I strongly recommend checking out this collection of videos from the night. You too can indulge in some fine music that sums up an era in Brisbane music.

The crowd enjoying The Gurge

The only way I think the night could have been any better would have been if Sekiden were playing as well.
Sekiden – Up in the Air

Totally how I’m feeling right about now. I’m about to head out to the deck and roll Sunshine Balls (Apricot balls but I add dried pineapple and mango in as well as dried apricots). I rolled my Rum Balls last night – all 175 of them and I only ate 2 whilst doing that!

This is going to be the theme for the rest of the night. I’ve got Lamb Casserole, Pinot Grigio and the ABC coverage to keep me going.

(267/365)

I quite a fan girl and wore my Babylon Springs tour t-shirt which I re-fashioned a few hours earlier so it now had more of a boat neck and shorter sleeves – way more comfy then it was originally and a lot less neck strangling now by said shirt. The old tour shirt coupled with my front row spot in front and just a bit to the left of PPH would yet again cement me as the fan girl that I am. It was my fifth show. I thought it was my only fourth but then I went through tour date archives and yep last Sunday was show #5 for me. By far, the most times I have seen an international act.

The support act was Crayon Fields. I don’t know what really to say about them but I am sure there could have been a better support act picked. I didn’t mind a few of the songs but I don’t think I would be rushing out to see them again.

And really the crowd was here to hear and see the promised Holy Grail. To which after playing the first song, we get the obligatory, “Hi, we’re the Mountain Goats” and then this, “Ladies and gentlemen of Brisbane, I owe you one and you’re about to get it”. Big exceptions were held by a few people I spoke to in the crowd. I however, learnt some time ago even if something big is promised to you, not to expect 200% as your hopes will be dashed if you only get 150%. I was expecting a long show with lots of old favourites, some obscure ones, some new things and talking and story telling. I had a list of some songs I expected to be on the set list on my head and I got the majority of those songs on my wishful set list. I got my 199%. I was quite happy.

I had a few observations on the crowd though. The crowd seemed to be a lot younger this time than last. I remember the last few shows I would say I felt like I was one of the younger people there, this time though I would say half the crowd looked like they were between 18-21 and not the 25-35 I remember last time. There didn’t seem to be quite the same buzz in the crowd, the sing-a-longs were a lot quieter than I recall. Maybe I’m just recalling my younger days too fondly.

I did have a gripe with a fellow crowd member and I was “oh, this close” to turning to her and telling her to close her mouth. Now I have no problem whatsoever with people singing along when it is a sing-a-long song like say This Year or Going to Georgia but singing along to songs when no one else in the crowd is and for those round you, your singing is louder than JD’s, yeah I have a problem with that.

Back to the topic at hand and that is music, Mountain Goats music, those magic words with that magic music that makes all those other things fall away into the beer stained floor boards.

What wondrous words were spoken/sung/shouted you ask? Well following is the titles of those songs.

1 Samuel 15:23
Old College Try
Cotton
Your Belgian Things
Letter From Belgium
Dance Music
The Day the Aliens Came
Color In Your Cheeks
The Monkey Song
From TG&Y
Matthew 25:21
Genesis 30:3
Enoch 18:14
Deuteronomy 2:10
Lion’s Teeth
Quito
Going to Georgia
This Year

Encore:
Ezekiel 7 And The Permanent Efficacy Of Grace
No Children
Houseguest (Nothing Painted Blue cover)

If you know me extremely well or have listened and actually really listened to me babble on about the Mountain Goats at one point or another which in my mental tally probably equates to probably zero people. You will see one song in that set which you might make you smile at the thought that Helen would have really loved finally seeing that song live.

That song would be The Monkey Song and the most remarkable thing about seeing that song live, is that I requested it and JD picked my request….. Oh yeah my request, I say. I must actually confess that it was my second request as JD vetoed my first request of The Sign. He was telling us a tale of a concert he had gone to when he was 7 or thereabouts and the singer had asked everyone to yell out requests and he would pick one. JD to this day wants to know if he actually heard a song and picked one or just picked one himself. During this the entire crowd were yelling songs. Then there was a moment of silence and JD leaned over to where I was standing and asked what song I wanted. I bashfully asked for The Sign and he said something along the lines of “no, something else?” Then I said “The Monkey Song”, he said “what?” then I said “Monkey in the Basement”. He stood up and presented us with the below little piece of magic which someone else every so kindly recorded and put on youtube.

I didn’t get a tour shirt as I had planned because it was black. I don’t like black t-shirts, I have one black t-shirt and that is my Breeders t-shirt because frankly it was the only thing on offer. The shirt was pretty cool and you can see a picture of it here if you care (I love the added post-it notes)

I did however get a poster. (268/365)

Do you know how many concerts I’ve been to at The Zoo and failed at getting a poster? Many, many times, this is the only poster I’ve managed to score and it currently is blu-tacked to the wall above my bed quite happily reminding me of all my past tMG memories.

Till next time, I enjoy the Mountain Goats on the stage at The Zoo (because frankly that is their Brisbane stomping ground though a Troubie show would be kinda cool). I leave you with this. If you were at the show, you will get a laugh and know what this means, if you weren’t well just enjoy it for what it is and enjoy it for what it isn’t

Growing up, we spent a lot of camping time in Girraween and the granite country surrounding it. Granite is by no means a kind rock; it rips your skin to shreds, you get granite impressions in your skin from where you have sat/leant against the rock, when it is worn by water over the years it becomes insanely slippery. It’s a rock of many personas. Some people have pants with knee patches, or cardigans with elbow patches, as children my younger brother and I had shorts with bottom patches made out of canvas. Shorts perfect for playing on granite.

Anyway back to this weekend just passed. As I was leaving a day early, we went down in two cars. Mum and another lady, Fiona in one and myself in the other. We stopped at a servo in Warwick for dinner. I had a tropical burger, it was such a large burger that I had to eat the patty separately!

You see that skewer through the burger? Yep, that is holding the thing together!

Quite a little while later, we pulled off the Mt Lindesay Highway a little south of the “Historical Village of Boonoo Boonoo” to our camp site for the weekend. The tent was quickly put up and bodies tucked themselves into sleeping bags after a long day.

Friday was to be a gentle day. A drive to Basket Swamp, walking round the top of the falls, then walking down to the bottom of the falls and going “Cripes, these are some falls and that is a lot of water over those falls”. The last section of the road in is 4wd only. I was the only female driver and the youngest driver by … well to put it one way, the other drivers are in all the range to be older enough to be my father or grandfather. That was an interesting experience…. Messages over the radio advising of approaching cars, passing cars, holes, cattle and everything else.

At the top of the falls, someone discovered these cool water pipes. These are pipes/tunnels/holes that spurt water out of the rock.

Looking down the Basket Swamp gully from the top of the falls.

and this is Basket Swamp Falls.

Then it was time for lunch, some pulled out the chairs and enjoyed their spread at the turning circle at the end of the 4wd track, others such as myself went back out to the top of the falls to enjoy lunch there.

On the drive out we stopped to look at an old mining site and took a walk up to the Timbarra Trig Point. The ladder up to the actual trig point has been taken down due to well founded safety concerns so no 360° view to share but still there were plenty of sights to see.

And that was Friday. Back at camp of course there was happy hour and then half a dinner since we had all eaten too much at happy hour. I made pikelets with caramel Top’N'Fill for dessert and snacks for Saturday.

Saturday, the day I was looking most forward too. South Bald Rock and most importantly the chance to go through the cave in the daylight. When Iceland came to visit December 2008, Mum and us three “kids” went to South Bald Rock but the inclement weather stopped our cave attempt. We left camp nice and early to give us plenty of time to go through the cave system.

On the way in I “found” an Easter Egg on a cairn ….. I left it though for the party that was following us ….

We had a very quick walk in, came across the rangers so had a chat to them. Then it was up the granite.

After a break for morning tea, we headed to the entrance of the cave. A few people upon seeing the entrance decided not to continue on so a party of 9 headed in.

We wiggled, moved and twisted our bodies in a hundred different ways to squeeze through holes.

We came across this glow worm cave which was pretty cool. There were about five or six worms active and lots of threads. This is a photo that Mum took, you can see the threads hanging off the “ceiling”. Click the photo to view larger.

Another space in the cave

Inside a large space in the cave

A photo that Mum took just after I popped out of the opening which put us in the space in the above photos.

Mum has more photos here – South Bald Rock

Some photos of people coming through that squeeze.

With only a few more squeezes to go, Mum broke out a bag of Easter Eggs here to share round.

The last squeeze was quite a challenge, it involved getting one knee up behind your backside and the other in front of your chest and then turning your body 90 odd degrees and reaching for a hand hole and then just hauling yourself up and out…. Fun times.

Then it was time to bag the summit, take some video which I will upload later. Back down to the flatish part of the slab where we had morning tea to now have lunch, more exploring of granite and discussion with other walkers of other caves. Then it was time to head through the bush and down off the rock and to walk out.

We had a fairly quick walk out which was really good. I was quite tempted to trail run the last 3km but decided to be a good girl and stay with the group. Some of us took a little detour up and over a slab which was beside the trail at one point. It was a glorious slab.

Coming up the detour slab

Coming over the top. Granite mmmm.

Pretty things

Granite, Gums and Clouds, 259/365.

When we got back on the real track we passed the border sign.

Then well a little while later we were back at the cars. Then it was back to camp to wash, relax, eat and most importantly make Chocolate Mousse for dessert.

A pack of UHT cream, a pack of instant chocolate mousse mix and a little bit extra milk made up on powder and then start whisking with a fork. A little while later you get the picture above, let it sit in the coolest spot you can find whilst you have tea. Then enjoy that sweet glorious chocolate.

That was Saturday…. Tomorrow would see me heading back to Brisbane.
Sunday morning, I packed up, had breakfast and collected Easter Eggs as various people went round camp handing out eggs.

Went round the camp site saying my farewells and then at just about exactly 0830 I drove out. I decided to take the scenic route home via the Mt Lindesay road and quite enjoyed it, especially because I found this beauty.

Woodenbong Public Hall, 260/365. Oh that design.

I arrived home a little while after 1pm, had a bite to eat, unpacked and then conked out for a few hours sleep before the magic that would be Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club. The Concert Hall was fullish but by no means sold out. I had bought my tickets the day they were released; I was smack bang in the middle six rows back. It was pretty much what I had expected but by no means would I say it was amazing. Featuring two of the members from the 1997 album, the rest of the Orquesta is a collection of it seems rotating musicians who are to a degree cashing in on that famous name. Whilst I enjoyed just about every moment of the concert, it did seem quite often that the musicians were just going through the paces and quite possibly would have liked to have been elsewhere. Typically a live performance is 100 times better than listening to the album as very rarely does that “special buzz” make it through to the recording. I had expected a lot more of a buzz in the live music.

The gig had good parts and parts that could have been better. Part of the problem I think is the venue for the concert. Whilst the Concert Hall is a nice venue, it was not a wise venue choice for a bunch of musicians making music that is designed for dancing. The Hi-Fi, The Tivoli or The Zoo would all have been much, much, much better venue choices as people could have danced and as a result of that I think the musicians would have been able to put more buzz and excitement into the sound. Also there was absolutely no merchandise…. ????? I thought for sure there would have at least been the flogging of some t-shirts and the original Buena Vista Social Club album and movie. It seems I was not the only person who felt like this either.

Monday was work in the morning, visiting a number of grocery stores picking up half price Easter chocolate for a project and making a big batch pumpkin and red lentil dahl in the afternoon.

Red Lentil and Pumpkin Dahl, 261/365

ahh long weekends.

Very much looking forward to the physical release of Volume Two next week, in the mean time I’m loving the album streamed on NPR. I don’t think I can count how many times I’ve listened to Volume One this past year!

We’ve started doing a nine day fortnight at work and today is my day off. Those extra 50 minutes a day a worth it for a day like today. I’m getting my hair chopped, going to the Camera on the Somme exhibit at the Ipswich Art Gallery and 100 other things!

Friday night I went to the The Met Up Late at the Queensland Art Gallery and oh what an amazing night it was. Holly Throsby and Bree did their thing very well on a little stage in the watermall. I am very impressed with the video on my camera! It was quite a nice experience sitting/standing on the edge of the water watching and listening.

American Impressionism & Realism: A Landmark Exhibition from the Met, just the title of the exhibit alone alludes to the size of this exhibition. There was eight (?) rooms at QAG all filled with wonderful art, broken into themes such as Cities, The Countryside Abroad, Studios and Portraits, etc etc and then with each theme they had a few Australian works from the same era. It was really good. My faviourite artist from the exhibit would have to be Childe Hassam. Two of my favourite pieces of his from the exhibit were Broadway and 42nd Street and Peach Blossoms—Villiers-le-Bel. The final piece in the exhibit is Northeaster by Winslow Homer and it was very impressive. It was hung at the end of the final three rooms so each time as you moved from room to room you see the painting at the end of the exhibit. It was really well executed.

There is a virtual tour on the QAG site that is quite interesting to look through as well.

Light and Reflections on the far wall of the Watermall.

Holly Throsby.

The City at Dusk.

Photo of the Day, To The Sky, 19/365.

Looking back on the path taken over the river.

I had no hope for Simon & Garfunkel or Peter Combe and Leonard Cohen was a long shot but I would have thought at least Tori Amos with Cornflake Girl would have been in there. In terms of linking the 10 songs I voted for and didn’t appear in the hottest 100 with the 100 that actually did appear. Three songs have links.
3. Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah
I voted for Leonard Cohen – Like A Bird (Bird On The Wire). Hallelujah was of course written by Leonard Cohen
29. Pixies – Where Is My Mind?
I voted for The Breeders – Safari. Of course after The Pixies came something greater, The Breeders
50. Crowded House – Don’t Dream It’s Over
But before Crowed House, there was Split Enz and I voted for Split Enz – Six Months On A Leaky Boat.

If I had entered the same list into the Hottest 100 Of All Time in 1998 I would have got 1 out of 9 (Can’t count The Mountain Goats as it was not yet released). Tori Amos – Cornflake Girl came in at 27. Crowded House – Don’t Dream It’s Over came in at 76 in 1998.

If I had entered those songs for the Hottest 100 Of All Time in 1989, I would have had a much higher hit rate with the following two from my list appearing.
11 The Go-Betweens – Cattle & Cane
51 The Saints – (I’m) Stranded

When I was thinking about the songs to vote for I did pick songs that aren’t the most talked about. I picked songs that mean something to me, songs that I felt deserved a chance. If I had voted for the 10 songs that I love and would pick to be in the hottest 100 I would have voted for the following.

4. Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart
12. Oasis – Wonderwall
23. Hunters & Collectors – Throw Your Arms Around Me
40. Nirvana – Come As You Are
54. The Cure – Close To Me
66. Elton John – Tiny Dancer
73. The Clash – London Calling
84. Bob Marley & The Wailers – No Woman, No Cry
86. The Beatles – Come Together
97. Midnight Oil – Beds Are Burning

It will be interesting in the coming days to see the list dissected and hopefully some more of the results after 100 will come out as well. Till 2018 when it happens all over again.

Looking at the review and the set list from the first show last night, it looks like it will be an amazing show.

The Breeders last year was a band I thought I had very slim chances of ever seeing live. Seeing Simon and Garfunkel live was something I never thought I would see. Sooo Excited!!!

Slow down, you move too fast.
You got to make the morning last.
Just kicking down the cobble stones.
Looking for fun and feelin’ groovy.

Hello lamppost,
What cha knowing?
I’ve come to watch your flowers growing.
Ain’t cha got no rhymes for me?
Doot-in’ doo-doo,
Feelin’ groovy.

Got no deeds to do,
No promises to keep.
I’m dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep.
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me.
Life, I love you,
All is groovy.

2) I saw a line of furry caterpillars crossing the road today. The line stretched for a good 3m! Each caterpillar was about 8cm long. Sadly, the lesson here is that little furry caterpillars shouldn’t cross the road at 0720 if they don’t have a death wish. I don’t think that many survived the trip across the road.

3) I was stuck in the lift at work today for 45mins. That is now something I can cross the list of things I didn’t really want to experience but now can say I have experienced it. I was bringing a candidate back up to Medical and the poor kid freaked out a little bit. He was not all impressed about been stuck. I guess I would have been too if it was my enlistment day and I was stuck in the lift with an ever increasing ETA as to when the tech would be there.

4) I took this photo walking home from the bike shop on Saturday arvo. It makes me laugh.

5) So I don’t forget before ANZAC Day on Saturday, I polished my SES boots tonight after training. I have one question, how on earth do you use black shoe polish and not get it over yourself?

(secret track)
#6 I first heard about /saw Rodrigo y Gabriela a few years ago. I thought yeah some pretty sweet as guitar playing. I got home tonight to find the guys watching the Live in Japan DVD and cripeamole. That is so impressive. I almost started dancing in the living room (in my SES gear…)

Yet again it is a Sunday morning and I am on the deck with the laptop. Thinking back to the week it has been and thinking ahead for the coming week. Another week at work, we have been trying some new processes, paring our working hours back to a more reasonable 37.5 (what we have been doing has been excessive). I’m trying to balance my life out again. I’ve been really slack in the cooking department. I need to start walking to work again or getting a bike so I can cycle.

Monday night at SES was spent doing knots. That is one thing that I am grateful for my years as Guide as I have no problem what so ever with them.

Wednesday night, I decided at the last minute to head out to the Troubie to catch Coby Grant, Rhiannon Hart and Georgia Potter. I’m glad I did. Coby Grant was a very nice discovery and of course it was great to finally catch a set from Rhiannon Hart as I have read a bit about her in the street press over the times. Georgia Potter, well really there is nothing to say there, a great set as one would expect and the perfect music to get you through the rest of the week.

Friday at work, we made hot dogs as one of the interviewers was shifting to a promotions job downstairs. Was really great to see everyone pitching in to help make the hot dogs and generally taking some time out of the day to have lunch. Friday night I had a great night. The Red Eyes, Dubmarine and The Cool Calm Collective were playing at the Step Inn. I took no camera, no handbag, just me. I missed the first half of the Cool Calm set which is life but I would have loved to have caught it. I spent the entire night dancing and feeling really free. More free than I have felt at concert in a long time. It was a great night out.

Yesterday I got up a *little* later than I normally do on a Saturday. A trip to the markets at Kelvin Grove picked me up some fruit and veg for the week along with a hot chocolate and a mini “pizza” for breakfast. I look forward to the KG markets each week as that is here I can get the best hot chocolate in Brisbane. I think the stall is run by the Blackstar Coffee people. They offer a white, milk and dark hot chocolate but each week they have different flavourings. This week they had white with lime, straight dairy milk and dark with peppermint. The previous week they had white with rosewater. I have had the white chocolate the last two weeks and oh my they are soo good. I’m hoping they have the dark with orange or the white with lavender next week.

I had a very leisurely read of the paper and then took some assorted photos. I tried to start read Far from the Madding Crowd
by Thomas Hardy but gave up. I love how he describes the scenes but I just couldn’t get into it.

This morning, I did some weeding in the garden, some more planning for my upcoming trip to Melbourne (I’m going from April 7 to April 12). Can’t wait. I had so much fun when I went to Melbourne in 2007. If you have any suggestions for must visit places, please leave a comment.

Now it is about time to start organising my self to head to my parents and then onwards to the Farm to see Granddad.