Darwin- ashen holiday

Stayed in Melboune for a night and a day then caught a midnight plane to Darwin.On the ground at 6 am , though my timing may be off. Maybe it was a 2am flight. Met by our man in the Tropics who has kindly organized the gig and a car (his) and a house (his) and also presents us with a definitive itinerary to the top end. Melbourne had demanded an overcoat, a scarf and gloves on the way to the airport. Here it is t shirt weather. 25 degrees at the least . I do an interview at the ABC radio and we eat some noodles in a mall. Late in the afternoon I do a reading at the Happy Yess which is an arts venue in town. I read from my book and answer a few questions. Things start out a bit wonky as there is a local interpreter involved who feels the need to punctuate my readings with crowd revving cheers and faux showbiz kindling and the like. After a while I get things moving at my own tempo. (This is helpful as I only have one and a half gears).
Things go quite well.
The next day we do two sets at the Happy Yess. The opening act is a young trio from Darwin. Very bright young people who play music that is quite dark and grungey. Downtuned and Yarling (vocal style). Doesn't really feel like its coming from them. They put out though.They could get better.
We use most of their gear and play two sets . Its a pretty hyped up Saturday night crowd, in a beer garden type setting. We give it the full front loaded , teasing it out blow to the face type feinting move we've worked out over the last month and then settle in for an unwinding down over the next couple of hours. I do a reading and that drives people crazier again, as it seems to do. The wrong place and time thing I guess.Challenging the room.
We meet a lot of people who haven't seen us for a decade or so and have travelled a long way for the gig. Feels great to have that connection over time with people.

The next day we while away the day with a barbecue at our hosts pad and then say our goodbyes and line up at the airport. A voice over the speaker informs us that all flights to Melbourne are cancelled due to volcanic ash from Chile coming around the world to sit there in the Victorian capitals bay for a while. Chaos ensues. Passengers yell and scream and stamp their feet. Some scramble other airline tickets on the one other carrier. No hope though.

Virgin pays for a night at the hotel. The next day we go back to the airport, as like in a war zone (!) communication is best coming from the source rather than the tv news. The word is that there is no flight until the Wednesday night. (It is Monday night now) I have a gig in Sydney on the Tuesday night. That is impossible. We sit and have a coffee and wind down again. A woman is sitting near us. Her husband paces the baggage area, trying to will the clouds to roll by down in Victoria I guess. She has been on the phone until 4am that morning. She has paid a fortune for a flight to Adelaide,, in the hope they can get to Melbourne that way. I dont know what is so important . We are settling in for the duration. We go back to the hotel (which is still being paid for) and unpack and go sit by the pool . Getting used to hell. Its a bit like a sudden holiday thats been dropped on your head. We go out for the count. Another day in Darwin, a sunset meal by the beach at the ski club.
Then we make a call to our man in the tropics and another gig is organized . On the next night we set up, again with gear being supplied, at the Railway club, and do anotehr couple of sets. A great place- a bit like the Semaphore Workers Club - with a couple of big snooker tables and a highceiling. Traces of a recent fire in the room leave a real devilish tinge to the ambience.
The next day we take another lap around the town and then take a flight to Melbourne at 7pm. We get off the plane and get to our van and don the coat, the scarf and the gloves and drive to home base.


Friday 17th June Westernport Hotel - San Remo Victoria
Saturday 18th June- Baha Tacos - Rye Victoria
Friday 24th June the Loft Warrnambool Vic
Sat 25th June- the Wheatsheaf Hotel - Adelaide
Sunday 26th June- Semaphore Workers Club- SA
Sunday 3rd July- Williamstown RSL

Friday July 8th- Norfolk Basement - Fremantle WA
Saturday July 9th - The Bakery - Northbridge WA


Friday 22nd-Sat 23rd Sun 24th July-special shows in the Old Council Chambers of the South Melbourne Town Hall as part of the Melbourne Cabaret Festival.