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[17 Mar 2009|09:17am] |
so the last time i was here, i'd just finished work, was planning christmas events, europe travel, homecoming, and here we are.
christmas was great, we spent it with Alan, and I made bread rolls and anzac biscuits..
new years was spent packing, cleaning and saying good bye to all our glasgow friends..
new years day was spent on a train to london..
from london we visited distant relatives in sevenoaks, and played the penny arcades in Brighton..
adn got sick and we stayed with jeremy and cassie..
we flew to marsielle, train to milan, venice, vienna, prague, dresden, and berlin..
we visited pippa..
we flew to london and then on to hong kong and adelaide..
we arrived in time for 46 degrees of hot
and 7 weeks later people are saying 'it's winter'.. guess what!? it's not!
this is glasgow summer!!
in those seven weeks I've:
been to a wedding
applied for jobs
attended interviews
gone through all the centrelink polava
taken photees at gigs for faster louder
seen death cab for cutie (again)
started temping - but now there's no work
bought a car
bought a wii really cheap on ebay
more interviews this week
i have to get a job really soon so i can stop living with my dad
sometimes i feel like i really don't fit in back in Adelaide. Everytime we go out I think I see someone I know from Glasgow..and it's getting a bit depressing when I realise it's not them.
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[23 Dec 2008|01:15pm] |
so i've finished work, and am officially on holiday for the next month until i get home and become unemployed..today i'm waiting at home for a repair man - our over blew up, ..well, the glass on the door shattered, and it has been out of action for over a fortnight, i hope it gets fixed today so i can bake anzac biscuits or cakes or something special for christmas day.
Christmas is two days away..
last Saturday we went to the 'orphan's christmas dinner' at Lee and Tara's. We got to celebrate with a real family (Lee's Mum, Sister and Nephew) which was very novel.. haven't spent time with anyone under 8 in far too long! and the night finished with Aidan's servere allergy to Larry the ginger cat, and a game of cherades..it was great to see the very shy 7 year old Kier turn into the one person who wanted to participate in every turn of cherades.
we finally went on a tour of the Glasgow School of Art, and ended the weekend with a round of adventure golf with Gemma (she insisted - it was either ice skating or golf).
all our possessions are at the freight forwarders so the flat looks very empty..and i plan to stay indoors until christmas is over - Glasgow shoppers are bad when it isn't christmas.
..and i have one week left to consume as much irn bru and tunnocks chocolate as i possibly can.
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| guilt |
[11 Dec 2008|09:43pm] |
so, i've been keen on seeing Liam Finn since hearing 'second chance'.. i'd even searched for him on you tube, and realised that he played with EJ Barnes (of Tin Lids/Jimmy Barnes daughter etc.) - i was hoping he'd have a proper big band rather than the solo type thing i saw him do on Letterman.
but, it was just the duo.. and he made the Gotye mistake.. frontmen should not - never! - play half a song on guitar and then the other half on the drums..the set was quite boring.. Liam would play a repetitive riff and loop it (even more repetition) and play other things over the top.. and EJ would just hit odd percussion things and sing..
before the show, i promised myself i would not be cheeky and call out for 'walk the dinosaur' (TinLids hit), and i wouldn't ask a scottish person to do it either..but halfway through the set when people started requesting songs, I couldn't help myself - i was bored! EJ looked horrified, and Liam laughed - so much that he explained to the audience what I'd called out for.. and for the rest of the show EJ hit everything with an aggression she didn't have prior to the request.
i felt guilty for the rest of the night.. but she did deserve it - she claimed that only irish spoke gaelic - and it didn't go down very well.
but in other music news - we're going to see The Vaselines tomorrow (the first gig in 18 years).. couldn't leave Scotland without seeing them.
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[11 Dec 2008|09:41pm] |
so you may or may not know, that I am coming home..
i'll be leaving Bonnie Scotland for a three week adventure in the freezing snow of europe, and arriving in hot dry Adelaide by the end of January..
in a series of unfortunate events, our plans were cut short, but we're not really that sad about it.. in the last fortnight, it was been so cold that there is ice on the ground (footpaths/grass/leaves/roads) in the mornings. By leaving early, Adn can start his uni degree now instead of waiting another year.. and there are no restrictions back in Australia.. touring with a band is so much easier, getting a proper job (not being a temp), better weather..
i will miss our good friends: Tara & Lee, Alan & Becky, Sandy & Jo, and JR, I'll miss all the touring bands and festivals, and I'll miss nice n sleazy and mono, an underground train..
BUT I am really looking forward to: proper food, bonds underwear, iced coffee, chocolate hot cross buns, seeing my family (especially Heidi and my mum), seeing a blue sky..
yes - I'll miss Lee most of all.. a man of few words, who plays in a cool band and doesn't like to talk about it.. we met by chance on the subway in Barcelona going to Primavera..we were on the same flights, and strangely enough we knew the same people that Tara does back in Australia.. now Lee comes to our house for drum lessons (he's here right now).. and we talk about stuff - mainly obscure films.. anyway - i look forward to his next tour of Australia so we can hang out (he says he likes Adelaide - he's crazy)..and i will impersonate his aberdeenian accent until then.
there is so much to pack.. and so much to do..
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| The 2 Windmills |
[11 Dec 2008|09:31pm] |
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how could i not visit one of the main settings of Amelie (which I found by accident!)
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[28 Nov 2008|09:57pm] |
i forgot to mention in my summary of Paris...
i thought i was going to die. as we were waiting for a metro train, i saw a suspicious man fiddling with something inside a black plastic bag.. as he disappeared on the platform i went back to thinking about where we were going, and what was about to happen (we were going to see Death Cab for Cutie - and had to catch two trains to get there)..
the next thing we hear the metro security police yelling 'allez! allez!' and the man i saw earlier was standing on the train tracks - and there was less than a minute before the train was due to arrive..(not to mention that the train tracks are highly electrified).. and as they pulled him off the tracks i remembered he was previously holding a black bag but wasn't anymore..
what did he put on the tracks? were we all going to die?
the train came and nothing happened.. but i was pretty shaken up. just the thought of dying becoming a reality had me shaking uncontrollably..but the police let the man onto the train..i was just hoping that the one stop we had to go, was long enough..
the man got off at our stop (a very main train station - gare du nord).. he was carrying on to anyone who would listen about the police and a sim card..and as we passed him he going through his things in a corner..
the next platform there was a similar looking man - this time, the man was wearing a jacket which looked like it was covering something up..and he was pacing.
this time i really thought we were going to die.. especially when he would put his hand in his jacket.. thankfully when he pulled his hand out he was holding a discman..
but i still thought i was going to die..
there was nothing on the news about the metro blowing up the next day - so i'm guessing there was nothing to worry about..
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| Paris when it drizzles |
[25 Nov 2008|10:40pm] |
What a weekend.. i'm still recovering.
we got out of bed in time to get the bus to prestwick at 4:40am on saturday..and arrived in Paris around 10:30..
we stumbled upon a market, and then on to the arc de triumph..and onwards to monmartre and our hotel.. Pere Lachaise, and the latin quarter for dinner. Aidan ate snails, and I had an under-cooked 'roast lamb' which looked more like a lamp chop..finishing our massive day at the eiffel tower. (not to mention that it was freezing!)
Sunday the plan was to go to Musee D'Orsay and see what happens.. while waiting in the queue to get inside Musee D'Orsay it started to snow.. we looked at a lot of art - but mainly the claude monet and van gogh.. and when we were so overwhelmed that we had to leave it was pouring with rain.. the hawkers on the street had gone from selling mini eiffel tower junk to umbrellas.. we walked with our new umbrellas to the louvre (it's almost 1km long), and on to notre dame.. the weather was so miserable - both of us in bad moods..we finally made our way home for a nap before DCFC.
After seeing Death Cab in Edinburgh and being so disappointed - disappointed with the performance and ben gibbard.. i wasn't sure if seeing dcfc would ruin our trip to Paris..we arrived to hear the last few frightened rabbit songs (again)..and got a good spot (this time infront of ben) - Parisian's are quite short, which meant I could actually see..
and
Death Cab were fantastic.. and on closer examination.. there was evidence that Ben Gibbard had just bought a gym membership (not as previously thought a drug user or eating disorder)..which was quite relieving..his singing had better control, and the band were way more together than last time.
after the show we went to the bar next door with frightened rabbit (who were already very drunk)..and later piled into their van to find a bar in a strange city that was probably already closed.. due to none of them being able to make a decision, they left us somewhere in Paris, and we got a cab to Moulin Rouge to walk Gemma home..as we were walking up to her hotel we walked past a cafe which was closing - it was all quite strange - it was the cafe from Amelie (the two windmills)..and we planned to go back the next morning..
so we went to the two windmills..and then to sacre coeur.. the morning was filled with Amelie moments, and at the bottom of the sacre coeur garden, the carousell played the Amelie song..
the ticket for the bus back to the airport said '3hr before departure' and we thought 3 hours early would mean 2 hours waiting at the airport..so we arrived 2hr before our flight was due to leave.. and it became apparent that we might not get on a bus in time.. it was a nail biting 1hr journey to the airport, and we made it just in time to check in..
now i know, that before the rest of our trip through europe, i am going to need to buy a warmer coat..thankfully Glasgow isn't as cold as Paris was last weekend..
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| Plans |
[18 Nov 2008|09:24pm] |
so in the last fortnight a lot of things have happened..
we celebrated Guy Fawkes night by setting off fireworks down by the Kelvin.. I made a video about it but my computer can't handle the way i want to edit it.
we realised it wasn't too late to apply for university back in Australia..
we decided to change our return plans from april/may to feb, and work until Adn finishes his degree..
we saw Built to Spill.. they sounded great.. played about 4 songs that i knew.. it's the most people i've ever seen in King Tuts, and it wasn't very pleasant (not to mention the mix/mixer - the vocals weren't coming out of the PA - by the forth or fifth song everyone was yelling 'turn up the microphone!')
we played at the 13th Note with Second Hand Marching Band - who had 18 members, and ate (vegetarian) Haggis.
we passed on seeing Don Caballero.. bad weather and tiredness..
My job was terminated, and I was escorted out of the building..
i was in shock..and thought we'd be coming home by christmas.. and then got a job that night..
and went to Edinburgh the next day to see Death Cab for Cutie..
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[18 Nov 2008|01:54pm] |
Ben Gibbard DCFC
Originally uploaded by the noises.
I was excited about seeing Death Cab again..but i wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy it..
The Corn Exchange was huge.. it was a huge ugly rectangle.. with way too many people inside..i couldn't see a thing..and it was loud.
The band sounded great, they played all the songs any fan would want to hear.. but there was something missing..
and it wasn't just Ben's missing glasses, suit and weight. The band had a really strange dynamic. The last time I saw DCFC they were united, passionate and talkative, this time they were disconnected (except for bass and drums), unemotional and lacked any kind communication.
I was surprised at myself for my dislike for Ben's new image.. he used to be a 'real' person, and I found it endearing..but without the glasses, suit, extra pounds, and sincerity he was just an arrogant, moody, prick.
I wouldn't be surprised to find out that he either has a drug addiction or eating disorder..which is quite sad.
but I'm going to give him another chance, this sunday in Paris, and if it's no better.. at least I'll be hanging out with Frighened Rabbit somewhere is Paris, hopefully having a good time.
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| numpty |
[03 Nov 2008|08:18pm] |
i saw shellac again last night..
i managed to get right down the front..infront of the steve..the man with a muffin top
i stood there in my outdoor jackets on..like most of the people in there - i didn't want to hold it..i took photos, had fun..and by the end of the show was infront of mr todd...the man separated at birth with noel fielding.
i was so excited when bob announced they would be selling tshirts..i'd been talking about buying one since we saw them in barcelona..
so adn and i agreed we'd get tshirts.. i had mine, showed tara, said goodbye.. got distracted..and on the way out the door when i went to put my jacket back on i realised i wasn't holding my tshirt..
it was gone.. no where! i was devastated!
i'd obviously dropped it, and some glasgow bastard picked it up and took it.
i did in the end get another tshirt..this time adn bought it from steve..
so if i didn't loose my shirt he would never have ever talked to the steve.
i got home
and it's a tiny bit too small.
bastards! i am such a numpty!
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| the South |
[26 Oct 2008|11:34am] |
last weekend we drove to The South - not one sign in Scotland says 'to England' and not one sign in England says 'to Scotland' (the North)..
we went to Harewood House (used as Pemberley in Lost in Austen)
Bowes Castle (it was closed by the time we got there)
and Hadrian's Wall.. it was so windy - the wall stopped us from falling off the cliff.
oh, and we got lost - killed rabbits, nearly killed sheep, on the way to the b&b near hadrian's wall..
this week, we're playing with "Throw Me The Statue" - a secretley canadian indie folk band (who sound like Sufjan Stevens).. which I'm quite excited about..
next sunday we see Shellac (again)
then the month of never to see in Oz ever!
Death Cab twice (once in Paris)..
i'm gonna be busy!
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[16 Oct 2008|11:30pm] |
so last weekend we went to the "video filming" for (the) Grace Emilys.. we thought it was going to be something you'd end up seeing on rage really late at night..there was a chartered bus from Glasgow to East Kilbride - a rather random place to shoot a music video after 7pm on a Saturday..
it ended up being a 'proper' film studio - it reminded me of film australia in syndey..any way this place is called Popmorphic.. as a business model it's terrible - and why someone would pay for this service or invest in this business is beyond me..
a stage - rigged with lights, PA, set up for the band..
VIP bar area (with proper catering)
fan's area - which is basically the mosh pit - and the outside area with free drinks and food - but there is no water available, and the only food are crisps.
and 24 cameras - 10 in the space of about 2.5 sq metres (a little excessive!?), 2 (4) on either side of the front of the stage, 3 (6) mounted on the stage rigging at the front, 2 (4) mounted on the stage rigging at the back..
what a complete waste of money! any way the idea is you go to the website and you can 'direct' which cameras you want to watch in real time.. who would pay for that!?!
so anyway - we hung out with the GEs, and Healthy Minds Collapse (who are apparently Elton John's new favourite band - they're on his management co..and supported him!)
it was a fun weekend..
BUT this weekend...
we're hiring a car and going to England..
we're going to Harewood House (used as Pemberley in Lost in Austen)
we're going to Bowes Castle - which is apparently in the family (or so says Aidan's Nanna)
we're staying in an Eco B&B in Northumberland National Park..and then visiting Hadrian's Wall the following morning..
what an adventure! hopefully it doesn't rain!!
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| this week.. |
[12 Oct 2008|01:48pm] |
Adele - Sons and Daughters
Originally uploaded by the noises.
what a crazy week..
i'm still sick - i've tried almost every cold and flu and allergy tablets for sale..and the ones i bought today don't work.
i went out on a work night.. i had a good excuse - as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival, Rod Jones (Idlewild) curated 'Music Like a Vitamin' on thursday night.. and for £3 you could see - The Twilight Sad, Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub), Sons and Daughters, and the Rod Jones supergroup..
I've always liked Sons and Daughters but for some reason I thought they'd be arrogant and a bit snobby as a live band - but i was quite impressed..they sounded great - all the songs they played were up tempo - and i definitely have a soft spot for girls who can scream (since I cannot).
Friday night - i got to spend the night with my new dvd.. or the tv series 'lost in austen' - not sure how long it will take to be shown in Australia.. when i first saw it on tv i moaned and said 'not another remake of pride an prejudice' BUT this isn't just pride and prejedice - it's about a 2008 girl who swaps places with Elizabeth Bennett and everything that goes wrong - much prefer elliott cowan as mr darcy than colin firth..BUT the DVD i have is missing the funniest scene in the whole series..i realise if you're reading this you wont know what i'm talking about but here is the scene i'm missing..when Amanda Price is asked to play the piano..
Last night, we went to a video shoot for the Grace Emilys - being Adelaidians we thought we should represent the GE..it was so strange, but that story is for another time..
i've got to go to bed or i wont get up for work tomorrow.
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| i'm not dead |
[02 Oct 2008|11:01pm] |
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mood |
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no, i'm not dead.. life just got in the way.
so 4 months down the track, what have i done?
i got a new job, and started the day after playing at T in the Park (80,000 people - that's almost 3 times the BDO)..
i've bought tickets for gigs i've been to and am about to attend (most of them in november)..
- the autumn defense (edinburgh)
- regurgitator
- gotye + clare bowditch
- swervedriver
and about to see (in november)
- shellac
- built to spill
- don caballero
- death cab for cutie (edinburgh)
the autumn defense - after not knowing any of their songs except that the band is: John Stiratt and Pat Sansone (WILCO) - they were amazing - if i wasn't already married, i want to marry them - both of them (and Jeff Tweedy and Glenn Kotche but they weren't there)..
Regurgitator were good too - they reminded me how good the aussie standard really is - compared to all the shite in the UK, everyone either sounds like joy division or the libertines..
until we saw Gotye and Clare Bowditch - what a disappointment! Aidan and I both agree Gotye needs a band - so he can just be Beck..and Adn told him.
Swervedriver - did they really need to reform? no. it was bad - it was too loud and there was nothing there..well, it didn't seem like they were there for the love of the music..
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but anyway - what else have i done? i moved house! our old house was so damp there was mould growing on all the walls! and i'm getting better - no more inhaling mould spores while i sleep. no we live closer to the city - i walk to work..we live a block from the Glasgow School of Art and everything is good.
I've met new people. I somehow managed to go to Scifi Steven's (BIS) wedding..well the party. there was karaoke and drunkeness - and i saw Stuart Murdoch there!
oh! I saw Daniel Johnston + Sparklehorse + Norman Blake + James Yo La Tengo and others..it was great..even though Mark Linkous only played one song.
we're playing in the city square on saturday..apparently Coolio (yes Gangsters Paradise) is making an appearance..
but first it's time to sleep..
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