what were those recent shows like? DARWIN

I'm connected to these dopey internet music related sites that keep asking as to how shows went. So as I can fill the site with more stuff and act like everythings happening properly. I never do it, so I thought I should. But here instead of there.

Darwin was a lovely, warm place to visit in the midst of a  very cold winter. The ABC radio in Darwin, like Hobart, seems so switched ON to music and the experience of it when compared to the local stations in Melbourne and Sydney. In the bigger places they seem so scared of upsetting their audience.

Stayed in an area called PARAP, which is where the gig was as well. The Railway Workers Club. We'd played there in 2011. A great, old school room with a very good sound tech. Old school guy who just knows how to set up stuff with no fuss and GETS it done. Also plays great music over the system. I mean prog and exotica when we were there. Tull and Les Baxter.
Stu Thomas did a solo set there the night before we played. the Stu Thomas Paradox.

The opening act on the night we played was a nice fellow who played acoustic styles in a  latin kind of way and who turned out be a religious minister. With dreads. See, its interesting in the North. We played one set. A lot from our new albun, a few older songs, and had a  great time. The backline was provided for us and I used a Fender Concert series amp which I didn't really like but coped somehow...

We ate some lovely tropical , northern food and spent a day at Berry Springs, which is a short, 45 minute from Darwin.

There were crocodiles, of course, but only FRESHIES.

On the way to the springs we stopped at the HUMPTY DOO HOTEL, which had been suggested as a joint we could perform in.

I was at the bar (daytime) when Stu Thomas asked what sort of sparkling wine they had. I rolled my eyes at the barmaid so as to suggest that he was not with me as I ordered a refreshing lemonade to go with my barramundi burger. I took a  table outside, sharing it with some rugged northerners. Stu sat down and commented loudly that it was great to have a cold  sparkling red to go with his steamed vegetables. I had not been as embarrassed since the Coral Snakes tours when Casinader would always ask for a glass of hot water in every country caff we went into.

Clare came back, telling us of the poster she saw for an upcoming performance by JENNY TALIA, a comely looking songstress, as they would no doubt portray her in JJJ UNEARTHED WORLD.

Sadly, we took a  flight back to Melbourne at 1am.  The airport was packed with people,among them, a drummer who used to be a hairdresser in Syth Melbourne who had just done 11 shows in 12 days in the intererior. And had lived. He and the young guitarist were flying back, the rest of the band were driving to Melbourne. Due to arrive in  a week. We had flown up for ONE gig. The young fellow didn't know us from Adam and the Ants but stared at us in awe.

Got back into Melbourne and had breakfast at a super ccool joint we'd always driven past called POPE JOAN and then I did the radio show on RRR.

On the next Friday we did a gig in the front bar of the Prince of Wales in St Kilda....

SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS FORUMS appearances....
saturday july 27th - 10am - dave graney and clare moore as part of "women/men of letters" event - reading a 5-10 minute letter 'to the song I wish I'd written.'
sunday july 28th - about midday – a forum aabout drugs and creativity. Featuring ben lee and dave graney…

BYRON BAY WRITERS FESTIVAL APPEARANCES
Friday 2 August Red Marquee -11.45am –1.00pm Rhythm, muse & meaning: the marriage of words & music Gyan Evans, Dave Graney, Craig McGregor
Chair: Simon Marnie

Friday 2 August Pass Cafe 6.00pm You’ve been in my mind
Dave Graney in conversation with Lucky Oceans

Saturday 3 August Macquarie Marquee 1.15pm – 2.15pm So why a book? From performance into print
Dave Graney, Justin Heazlewood Denise Scott, Judith Lucy
Chair: Simon Marnie

Sunday 4th August SCU Marquee 4.00pm – 5.00pm 1001 Australian nights with the bedroom philosopher
Dave Graney, Justin Heazlewood
Chair: Lucky Oceans.

Friday August 30th - dave graney and clare moore will be playing at the Barossa Regional gallery in Tanunda SA

Saturday August 31st and Sunday Sept 1st dave graney and the mistLY will be playing at the Wheatsheaf in Adelaide , SA.

Every friday evening in september dave graney will be playing an acoustic solo set at the Cornish Arms in Sydney rd Brunswick.