The Sol bar at Maroochydore was the total opposite of the Brisbane gig. So well run and organized. Great equipment and total pros running the joint. the night before had been absolutely saved by the Brisbane people who came to the gig. they somehow found out where we were playing and what time and turned up in a big mob. All kinds of ages and sizes and gender. Had a great night- despite the venue making it so hard to "make show". Thanks to everybody who came!
My voice was still shot in the upper register and I could barely talk during the day. Arrived in Brisbane early to do a lengthy interview for the ABC conversation hour with Richard Fidler. i must have sounded like Darth Vader or Davros. (Dalek leader)
Then croaked through an interview on the phone with ZZZ and then a book reading at Avid Books in the West End.Been amazed and energized by the book readings at shops and libraries, people really turn out for these events.
Rocked the house in Brisbane and drove to the Sunshine coast. Soundchecked at 3pm and then had a rest. The gig was at 9pm and we did two sets. the venue was packed with young and older people and it was impossible not to be psyched. The venue also provided a great backline of a kit and a bass rig and a brand new fender Deluxe Reverb which I plugged into. I have never experienced playing through one of these. Absolute genius sound. I never swallowed all that jive about Valve amps but now I am a believer. You can just dig in and the amp takes it. the clean sound is a dream. Lifted me for the show.
People were yelling and screaming and dancing. Wild! I did a reading which upped the energy level too.Myself and the room.
Drove on to Byron bay and set up and did another two sets. A smaller crowd but we were enjoying playing . Another great venue. The band is at such an intense level of power and intuition. The best ever.Cruising at a high altitude.
sat on the beach at Byron and ate some healthy food and then got into the car and rolled on to Melbourne. Stopped in the towns of Sawtell and then Goulbourn on the way down.
On Friday 10th I am doing a reading at the HAPPY YESS in Darwin and then playing with the Lurid yellow Mist on saturday 11th.
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
8th July Norfolk Basement Fremantle.
9th July the Bakery- Northbridge- PERTH.
Then 3 nights at the Old Council Chambers in South Melbourne as part of the cabaret festival July 22-23-24.
thanks for the sol bar gig enjoyed it muchly, i've not seen one of your shows for maybe 20 years. Yes the valve amp is the goer. Apparently they enhance the even numbered harmonics which we humans prefer. Transistors do the odd numbered. Last year we did a memorial gig for Angus Douglas, incendiary guitarist for Tactics back in the 80's. I got to use Geoff Holmes' (X,,Kunstlers,Wildcat Tamers etc) 1962 Fender Vibrolux with my Jazzmaster. I was on a high for the next week, a sound you can live inside!
ReplyDeleteOn the subject of harmonics I recommend Ross Duffins' excellent "How Equal Temperament Ruined Harmony, (and why you should care)". It's about issues of tuning which has been a particular bug bear of mine since starting music (i began on the Appalachian mountain dulcimer which is a modal instrument). So much of harmony is to do with what happens further out on the harmonic series. Wish I'd had the information long ago. The book is for the layman and is comprehendible with no ability at maths (me)
I love that filthy equal temperament stuff! The world of music must have been so wonky before that.
ReplyDeleteI would love a valve but my natural inclination to be a cheapskate is also always in effect. Thanks for the book. A beautiful object and a world within the text.
Music may well have been less wonky pre equal temperament but it would be a nightmare for modern touring band, a dozen guitars with slightly different intervals. Saw Carey Beeb (harpsichord maker) tuning a baroque pipe organ during the intermission @ Pinchgut Opera performance last year. He was doing it by dropping micro thin shims of lead down some of the pipes to change their length. They were also tuning the AC at Angel Place to try & compensate for audience body heat.
ReplyDeleteAnd re the book readings; getting out last year to spruik my poetry got me back into playing live. A crowd of Nannas at 10am in Nambour Library is a much tougher audience than the Hopetoun on a Friday night!
The only tough thing about the Hopetoun was the perennial bad tempered barman kicking everybody out. (Always had somewhere better to get to....)
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