Good Golly Miss Holly

Holly Throsby was my next performer to photograph for the Dwarf... I had had a quick listen on HerSpace when I applied for the gig, sounded alright - that cutsey aussie stuff that when done well is great to encounter. I thought at least if the music doesn't appeal to me, she is good to look at!

I didn't want to get there too early as I had seen one of the other acts before, and although I didn't NOT like them, I didn't get into them. Otouto: apart from not being able to say their name, I also can't really describe the music, which is a really good thing. I was happy to get there for the whole set and this time it was nice, although I still think that if I wasn't there to photograph and was just sitting down checking it out, I would have enjoyed it a lot more. They are one of the few different bands I have come across while photographing in Melbourne.

Holly Throsby and the Hello Tigers were a good band, really great musicians - there really is a clear distinction between Sydney girl band girls and Melbourne girl band girls though, very interesting.

Anyway, you probably skipped to here.. on with the pics!

See 'em all here

Another band that has decided to get back together recently is Stone Temple Pilots. I have seen Rage Against The Machine and Faith No More do the reunion rounds it great to catch them again and they both put on really great shows. Stone Temple Pilots wouldn't be at the top of my list of reunion bands to see but what the fuck, they were touring so I went along..

I tried so hard to miss Grinspoon, I went and had a coffee, I also had a V, I topped up my mobile phone, I even stood outside and looked at facebook on my phone.. but I saw them. I wasn't sure if I should cut my ears off or eject my eyes with spoons - it's never good to judge a band when they are supporting, but I will: It was. Bland.

I was a pretty big fan of STP in the day, it was around the time I was out flatting, going to polytech and learning how to play bass - you know, finding myself (dole) I got a small dose of then via a Velvet Revolver (which was actually pretty fuckin' good) show in Christchurch in like, um, 2003 or something? But never a dose of STP (this was also the first time they toured Aussie and NZ) It was a good show, some low points, namely the new songs and also two covers: Dancing Days from the Led Zep tribute and a horrible Doors cover of 5 to 1, but for some reason it made me want to listen to the Doors.. there were moments of brilliance that made me happy to be there, one thing they do which I like is play the songs at the same speed as the tape or even slower - they are a heavy band, but really really groovy - and that would be lost if they played at concert speed, setlist below:

Crackerman
Wicked Garden
Vasoline
Heaven and Hot Rods
Between the Lines
Hickory Dichotomy
Still Remains
Big Empty
Dancing Days (Led Zeppelin cover)
Silvergun Superman
Plush
Interstate Love Song
Huckleberry Crumble
Down
Five To One (Doors cover)
Sex Type Thing

Encore:
Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart

On a side note, I never got the chance to photograph them, but look at their demands to photographers were AWESOME. Which always confuses me when I see 500 people in the crowd taking photos and videos...

Just like I did!

wagon wheel

I pretty much got my whole weekend over and done with on Friday night - played a gig AND photographed a gig!

Audiac played at The Prague in Thornbury with Signal X and another couple of bands. Nice stage, nice sound, pitty there were no people.

Then I had to get to the Corner to photograph The Wagons release their album "Goodtown" on vinyl. We missed the support bands but managed to get a good position up the front for the Wagons. Top show as usual, it was great to se the whole band playing as the last few times I have photographed for them, it's been a Henry solo show...

pics.. YEA!

See the rest here

Jam Out With Your Clam Out

I was at a kiwi friends' house a few weeks ago, after going out for a traditional kiwi meal (chinese dumplings) and she had the Black Seeds playing, I was surprised to find out that she had not seen them play for a long time since they seem to tour Aussie quite abit... fastforward two weeks later and I am having dinner in Wellington with a friend and her sister and her boyfriend, who is the Black Seeds manager and what do you know - they are playing a gig in Melbourne in a few weeks.

So off we trot to the Ferntree Gully Hotel, which for all you Zone 1 people is like driving to Mars - both in distance and being a different place. The gig was good, the lights were BAD so I was struggling a bit with the shots. Great night though, interesting place! kinda like New Zealand... smelly bear-soaked carpet in the pub, some old sound dude still smoking inside, slutty girls and stoned boys with dreadlocks. In traditional style, we had a good lash at the food they were served after the show and then made our way back to the warm safety of Zone 1.

See whole flickr set here

who is missing the cum face of the gig?