I had asked the AU Review to request shooting this show for me, which they did but we got no reply. I was pretty keen to see this guy so thought I'd go anyway (and pay for a ticket. yes. pay) I also thought that I'd take my camera along too, and see how I go getting it in... So with a short black and a can of V in me, I was off to the Northcote Social Club (by myself - BOOO) Getting the camera in was sweet as, which is kinda annoying because I only took the 50D with a 50mm f1.8 lens on it in case I had to put it in the car, the 50mm on a crop body is a little too much zoomed in for me.
Anyway, I was also keen to see the support The Dad Horse Experience, after seeing a cool song on You Tube (see below). He was great, this was an evening of one man bands and it's interesting how they include the gaps between the songs to win over the audience (as well as the actual songs) I guess with no band standing there there is no need to move quickly from song to song.
Bob Log III has a song called Clap Your Tits (also see below), and that's the song that made me want to request to shoot this gig, anyone with a song called clap Your Tits deserves to be covered in every city they tour.
From his website: Bob Log III is an American, Slide Guitar, One Man
Band. During performances, he plays old silvertone archtop guitars,
wears a full body cannonball man suit, and a helmet wired to a
telephone which allows him to devote his hands and feet to guitar and
drums. The spectacle has been described as a guitar dance party, full
of sweaty smiles, jumps and kicks. Touring over 150 shows a year in
more than 30 countries, Log and his guitar never, ever quit. Bob Log's
version of quick Delta blues is a continuation the sound that Bob Log
and Thermos pioneered in the duo, Doo Rag. The major differences are:
greater emphasis on guitar showmanship, and drumming -one man band
style-with his feet. It sounds like three drummers, two guitar
players, and one sort of singer. Based in Tucson, Arizona, and
Melbourne, Australia, he has made frequent tours of North America,
Europe, Japan and Australia, Mexico, and Iceland.
Follow me on Twitter if you like, or if you don't like, that's ok, I don't really tweet too much. But I do tweet when I make a new blog so that could be a way of keeping up with the play? Maybe. I dunno.
Bob Log III (c) Michael Christian 2012
The Dad Horse Experience (c) Michael Christian 2012
Bob Log III (c) Michael Christian 2012
Bob Log III (c) Michael Christian 2012
Bob Log III (c) Michael Christian 2012
Bob Log III (c) Michael Christian 2012
I shot this video - it's a bit distorted, but not too unlike how it was sounding:
Since there is a lack of gigs coming up, I thought I'd do a top ten list of the gigs I have photographed this year, a retrospective if you will. I know what makes a good gig to me. Usually one that's easy to photograph.I was going to put a photos from each gig but just click the link and you will see the write up from each show... thanks for looking - have a great Christmas!
Coming in at number 10 is Ouch My Face live at some bar in Brunswick. It was the bass players last gig with them, luckily they found a new one and had their first gig back last week under the name TITS (which I didn't see but was just flexing my I know everything about everyone muscle (read: I spend a lot of time of facebook)) supporting them was another good band called Damn Terran. That's why it made my list.
Being sneaky at number 9 is Katie Vigo and Gerogia Fields at the Toff in Town. I hesitate to say kooky, it's not really... but it's also not that boring shit that girls can come up with sometimes. They still sing about girly stuff (I think) but the music is good and there is no auto tune raping everything. No rape, that's why it made my list.
Can't think of anything to say for number 8 which is [ME] live at another bar I can't remember the name of. Been a fan of [ME] for some time, for me it's the Queen it's ok to like (Queen have a couple of good songs - and I think my main memory of Queen was when Axl sung with them at some Freddie Mercury tribute concert, so it could be a little skewed). And that's why it made my list.
Number 7 go to heaven is Georgia Fair ar the Toff in Town.
This made my list for one reason. Hipster music is a dime a dozen in Melbourne. It's everywhere. And while it can be kinda ok, it feels like they spend as much time picking out their shoes as they do practicing. And hipster isn't even a particular music style, it's how they look. It's not 1973 and you aren't Tom Waits. Anyway, Georgia Fair were great, a real surprise. Hipster with substance, that's why it made my list.
Number 6 pickup sticks is Datarock live at East Brunswick Club. Kinda like the above: Datarock made my list for one reason. Dance music is fucking gay. It's everywhere (especially at dance clubs). And while it's probably ok while peaking on drugs and your brain capacity is so low it feels like it's actually at 110%, I feel they spend too much time trying to be musicians and taking themselves too seriously. Datarock on the other hand are fun! and like to take the piss! AND THEY PLAY DANCE MUSIC WITH IN-STRUM-ENTS. I came away from that gig a fan, and that's why it made my list.
Number 5 is alive! is Barbarian, at the Tote. See, I don't really LIKE metal, but I do like a good show. And this is why these guys were awesome. I was blown away and entertained at the same time. Are they taking the piss? or do they mean it? I dunno, and I don't care!
Number 4Puta Madre Brothers at the Cherry Bar.
Another band who go that extra mile to create something that's not the stock standard these days. They dress up, they have an interesting take on how they perform and they are fun. And that's why they made my list!
Number 3 look at meFly My Pretties at the Athenaeum Theatre.
I never thought I'd see these guys in Australia, let alone photograph them. One of the most slick, polished performances I have seen. The effort that goes into a show like this must be amazing. 16 awesome kiwi musicians blending together to make one awesome show.
Number 2 buckle my shoe is Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes at the Forum. Two surprises that night: Ed Sharpe AND Reggie Watts, never heard either, loved them both - now a staple in my music listening...
Number 1, had to be done is Wagons at Queenscliff Music Festival. I wasn't really judging this against any other acts I had seen this year, I was comparing it to the multiple times I had seen the Wagons play. They came on after the Triffids who gave their fans a very slick polished (2+ hour) performance. What do you do after that? Tear up the place? YES! These guys were on fire, what is usually a great show turned into a FUCKING WOOO YEA! ARRGGHHH YEA!!!!! WOOOO show.
Number 0!!!!!!!!!!!Grinderman at the Palace.
I didn't photograph this one, I went as a fan, and holy shit. That's all I can really say. There are bands and there are BANDS, these guys were the latter.
Noah Taylor. I didn't really know who this guy was apart from he is an actor and plays in a band.... like Keanu Reeves.
What kind of name is Keanu? It translates to "Cool mountain breeze" so, I guess his name is Breeze Reeves? that's pretty cool.
Noah Taylor was in a movie I quite like called Submarine, further investigation (ie. Googling "Noah Taylor" +"wiki") informs me that he also played the lead roll in Shine and played alongside Angelina Jolies breasts in Tomb Raider among quite a few other movies....
Breeze Reeves.
So anyway, he also plays music... I haven't heard Keanu's band, but I'm sure it's probably pretty bad. Noah Taylor and the Sloppy Boys on the other hand, are great. If you like Grinderman, you will like these guys... I haven't had a good listen to the lyrics but it's down and dirty music (a-la Grinderman) but with a bigger Axe to.. um.. Grind.
Money For Rope were on first. TWO DRUMMERS! now yer talking... great high energy set, made photographing easy. I have seen their name pop up a lot but never caught them - worth a view if you are in the area.
Noah Taylor and the Sloppy Boys - a bit hard to photograph as there was not much movement going on - but the music was great (in case you didn't notice) and I got enough photos to keep everyone happy. So I will talk about the drunk 'fan' who spent each song prancing (if you can call it that) around in his own 3m x 3m area he cleared for himself at the front of the stage. I did enjoy the air swimming almost as much as I enjoyed the rushes to the stage for a handshake at any moment Mr Taylor would come close enough to 'connect' with. He really solidified the friendship when during one of his interpretive dance movements he managed to push the mic into his face while he was singing, he kept on keeping on though - he was on a time trial and had to get to the other end of the pool...
Sarah Blasko, Sally Seltmann and Holly Throsby, all successful artists in their own right have combined to form Seeker Lover Keeper. They released an album in June 2011 which interestingly debuted higher than any of their own albums (#3). Currently on a tour throughout Australia called Heavenly Hands - A Tour of Churches and Cathedrals I had the opportunity to photograph them at St Michael's Church in Melbourne.
Te night started with Henry Wagons (had to be in there somewhere!) performing solo - quite different from the rip-roaring set I saw on Saturday, and no F bombs, despite me putting up $5 if he did. It's always interesting to see Henry perform as a support act, see him winning over the crowd - quote of the night was early on "Harry Wagons is great, you will love him".
Seeker Lover Keeper came on only about 15 minutes after Henry finished, which was fucking great, well done! There are only a few dates left on the tour so all three are comfortable with eachother, and they are all quite funny - I suspect by the end of the tour they will be out of church jokes.
It was interesting shooting this one - it was such a special venue that the performers were not the most important thing to capture!
I was asked to go to the Queenscliff Festival with The Wagons to get some shots of their set. They have about 10,000 shots of them performing from me so this time they asked for lots of crowd shots which meant I was allowed everywhere, even on stage!
It rained that day, like really really rained, lucky the show was held in a massive tent and everyone was undercover (there was an announcement during the set that peoples tents were blowing away, Si told them that they should probably go check it out, but after their set.
We were pretty much in and out so didn't see many bands, I got to witness the tail end (long tail) of the Triffids which looked like a slick and well presented show and about 30mins of The Cruel Sea which was also pretty slick.
I have wanted to watch / photograph these guys again ever since I saw them support the Wagons at the Forum a few months back. The Puta Madre Brothers are the worlds biggest one man band from Melbxico, Australia who are the at the forefront of the mariachi/disco/rock scene. Their shows are something to behold... kinda like a mixture of WTF and OMG, or WOTMFG.
Supporting them were The Bluebottles playing some surf rock (who were playing their first gig!) they sounded great but the photos were a bit shit so yea...
He queridover/fotografiar a estoschicos de nuevodesde queviel apoyode los vagonesen el Forohace unos meses. Los hermanos dePuta Madreson losmás grandes del mundounhombre orquestadeMelbxico, Australia, que son los a la vanguardia dela escena delmariachi/ disco/ rock. Sus espectáculossonalgo digno de contemplar...un poco como unamezcla deWTFyOMG, oWOTMFG.
El apoyo aellos estaban losmoscardonesjugaralgo de rocksurf (que estaban jugando su primer concierto!) Quesonaba muy bien, pero las fotos sonuna mierdapoco parasí...
So I worked in a record store when I was little. It was a small indie store, in a small town that eventually got destroyed by The Warehouse (New Zealand's version of K Mart I guess). This town was pretty much in the middle of Christchurch and Dunedin which were the two places that Flying Nun was born and got a foothold.
Flying Nun was originally started to record the local music of Christchurch but became best known for championing the "Dunedin Sound" (out-of-tune guitars and badly recorded songs is all I thought it was) but listening to these covers on Friday made me think... yea, it sounded a bit shit, but the essence was there, it was the energy. Flying Nun was sold to Festival Mushroom Records (Warners) in 2006 and in 2009 was brought back by original owner and also Neil Finn and his wife and another business partner.
I got there about 8.30, the website said doors at 8 but little did I know that 8 was code for 7 and I had already missed one band.
The night was set up really well - each band played a 20 minute set that had to include two originals and three covers from Flying Nun bands with a 10 minute change-over. The only band I had heard before was Teeth and Tongue who I really like, so much so that I added a song of theirs at the bottom of this post... and also a cover from a Flying Nun band (The 3D's) that he band I play in covered on our last album (saw a window - went for it). All the other bands/performers were really good, it was nice to see some musicians who were over 23 for once - it gives me hope!
