My tips on Travel- for what they're worth

I was interviewed about my views on travelling. My favourite venues and festivals and the like.
A few other performers as well.  I could name them but this is my blog and I ain't here to do no prick any favours. It would tax me to write their names. Nice people though! Mostly.

This is how the article appeared. I appreiate the edits needed  due to space and the room needing to be sweet for advertisers etc. I know all that!

It's nice. The musicians are all nice too. http://www.traveller.com.au/the-ultimate-travellers-gig-guide-gwl6i2





And just for the hell of it, here are the answers the way I sent them, the unedited typing.


#What’s your favourite venue to play in the world and why? [we’d want to know a bit about why you might love the town or city the venue is in as well, why the whole experience is superior to others - the only thing is that the venue needs to be still running so readers can visit it. Because it is a travel article, we’d need as much as possible about the place as the experience, for example, if the venue is, let’s say, The Bowery Ballroom in New York, why you would pick that but also what makes New York such a great city to play a show in, including what you might do before or after the show (where you’d go for dinner, drinks, or sightseeing)]

My favourite gig is always the last one I played. Its been an intense period recently. I have played on some interesting islands in the past, well the COCOS ISLANDS for one , in 2007, and that was quite amazing. We had to borrow some equipment from local people and this led to Clare Moore playing an electronic drum kit but we made show! 2500 ks into the Indian Ocean past Perth. Was just an unrepeatable experience. We had to stay on the island for a week. Which was lovely. Anyway, last week we did a gig on Dangar Island which is on the Hawkesbury river. We had to get our amps onto  water ferry for the brief trip to the island and the bowling club in which we were to play. Had a marvellous time. A gig pulled together by local people who just want to hear music. Those are my favourite kinds of places to play.



#Name the one venue in the world you haven’t played [that is still running] that you’d like to play, and why?

I haven’t played the Beacon theatre in New York. I would like to play there because, until recently, the Allman Brothers set up shop and played twenty dates there every December.  Otherwise , the Fillmore in San Francisco. Because I love West Coast music of the 60s period. I must say, in general, I believe its bands and performers who make memorable scenes rather than venues.

#What is your favourite city in the world to see live music or buy music, and why, please name a record store and/or venue there that is a must-see?

 Edinburgh has produced some great music. In 2013 I was lucky enough to be there to see the first of the POP GROUP reformation shows and they were completely wonderful. There is a great record shop there - quite small- called CODA MUSIC which has a lot of excellent folk music ON CD. I associate Edinburgh with my friends in a great band called BUCKLEYS CHANCE. They are named after Billy and Syuzen Buckley but also include Malcolm Ross on guitar who plays with us whenever we get to go there and also played in three magnificent POSTCARD RECORDS bands, Josef K, ORANGE JUICE and AZTEC CAMERA. I also associate Edinburgh with iconic folk performers like DICK GAUGHAN, MAGGIE HOLLAND and THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND.I feel very at home in Edinburgh and would live there if they could arrange a few more sunny days.


Another favourite city and venue is the wonderful GOLDEN DAWN in AUCKLAND. I just love the place and the whole city. New Zealand music is as good as their films, stellar! There is also a fantastic record shop which seems to be the repository of the entire North Islands record collection called REAL GROOVY RECORDS. I onle ever dive into bargain bins with a  $2 limit but I spent about $60 there in 10 minutes.

#If you could play one festival again where would it be? [best festival setting/vibe and why]

 Newport jazz and blues festival 1958. The whole audience wore preppy modern jazz gear and sat on deck chairs and grooved behind their RayBans. Anita ODay wore long gloves (maybe to hide her track marks). Chuck Berry killed it. Gerry Mulligan. A great film was made of it called JAZZ ON A SUMMERS DAY. Performances intercut with scenes of student parties on boats. In general, I can’t stand festivals, I like music in small clubs. It sounds and looks better. Festivals died in the mid seventies and somehow got revived in the 90s. Time for them to go away again.

#What’s your favourite musician-friendly hotel in the world and why?

 I prefer AIR B and B actually. Get to meet people outside of rock music. I stayed in one called K West in London once, named after the sign on the cover of Ziggy Stardust. It was pretty awful - too much attitooooood. The 90s in Sydney was great for a hotel in Kings Cross called the HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE where all the Australian bands stayed. The staff were cool.

#When in a hotel should one leave the TV where it is or throw it out the window? And in your touring life what is the most outrageous thing you have seen/done in a hotel?

Leave it where it is and keep it turned on. Just like home.

At the new Hampshire I went to go to take a leak and walked straight out the door of my room. Had to go to the reception to ask for a key, in my underpants. Not really outrageous but a little bit LARRY DAVID as I had been giving the German guy at reception hell over something or other earlier. A walk of shame I guess. He was smiling, I am sure.

Dave Graney and the mistLY w/Died Pretty and Radio Birdman July 1st Croxton Band Room. 

Dave Graney - solo - By request show- Sunday July 23rd at SOME VELVET MORNING. 123 Queens Parade in Clifton Hill. A LEAPS AND BOUNDS festival event. 

Dave Graney and Clare Moore Saturday August 5th and Sunday August 6th at the JUNK BAR in BRISBANE.

Dave Graney and the mistLY
The Wheatsheaf Hotel - Adelaide November 11th and 12th