Then there were some clear skies and we made our way back from Adelaide to Melbourne (usually takes us about 10 hours. Roughly 800ks) . We drove, of course, but it seemed like a short hop to me after the previous week. With a days rest we did a show with the mistLY in Mornington (stretched out to a two hour set) and then I did a solo spot in inner city Melbourne.
Three days later we drove to Geelong where I did a WORKSHY book event at the wonderful Dome room in the Regional library. About 250 people turned out for this night. A spectacular, brand new room with an orange ceiling of acoustic shells.
We stayed in Geelong that night and then drove toward Melbourne and took the ring road to the airport. We parked our van in plenty of time to make the flight at one of the off site parking places and got in the parking companys' 12 seater van to go to the airport. I had my acoustic guitar and my Ibanez archtop in a flight case I'd borrowed from Matt Walker and some cases which carried clothes, books and Clares' keyboard.
We pulled up at the airport, there was one other person in the van and the driver went to get us our bags. Only he wasn't able to open the door - it refused to budge. We stood there while he huffed and puffed and kicked and pushed the door and we did some heaving of our own. Another driver had a go and then we waited for his boss to come and he charged at it as well. No luck. All the luggage was between the door and a steel, wire cage that kept it snugly in the back of the twelve seater. Tight as a drum from floor to ceiling. The boss took to the cage from the inside with a set of bolt cutters while Clare went to the check-in counter. Eventually the boss had the door open and came out from inside the van with blood on his hands and t shirt, apologizing profusely. All three of us had missed the flight but luckily the airline was feeling generous and we made the next one.
We arrived in Brisbane where we picked up a car and drove to our hotel.
In the late afternoon I did a WORKSHY book event at a great shop called AVID READERS in the West End. A great turnout of people and the interviewer was Leanee de Souza and she was excellent.
They recorded the event and you can hear it here.
The next morning I went to the ABC offices in Brisbane and did an interview with Sarah Kanowski for the Conversation Hour. This is heard all over Australia - except for Melbourne. It was all revolving aound my book WORKSHY and she was an amazingly good interviewer. Usually, I feel like I'm on trial in these sorts of situations. I don't mean to say that I'm scared or anything, more that I am being asked to prove why I should be there. She was very generous and had read both of my books and heard a lot of mys music- especially post Coral Snakes . It was great!
You can listen back to it here. (45 minute interview)
Brisbane was very hot and humid and threatening to rain all the time.We drove to Nambour on the Sunshine Coast through some serious downpours, stopping at another ABC studio along the way.
We made show with guitar and keys in a lovely boutique venue called the Bison Bar. Like a classic half circle bar and stage right in the lower depths of a very unprepossessing concrete shopping zone.
Had a great time.
We then drove back through teeming rain to Brisbane. We had to pull over to the side of the Freeway a couple of times to let the squall dump it's load so we could carry on.
The next day we did a 4pm and a 7pm show at the Junk Bar in a Brisbane suburb called Ashgrove. We were doing four shows and they were all sold out a week ahead. A set of vibes was delivered and we made show with deluxe sounds and gear.
The afternoon before the Sunday shows we visited some very dear friends who took us to Ed Kuepper Park in suburban Oxley Creek. It happened due to a real local and online petition. Small and modest (?) in a real suburban setting. You really have to travel to see it. I mean it's not in a tourist area or on many peoples' commute.
All the shows in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast were great. Thanks to everybody who came along.
We played lots of different material, including three songs I'd written when I tuned my op-shop 1Direction guitar to an open G and started experimenting with some slide. Three songs fell out straight away. "You're All Wrong", "Hell Babe" and a"You've Been In My Mind". The latter is of course the title for an abum we put out in 2012. In rock music it's a "thing" to achieve that; to have a song appear with the same name of a previous album - years later. Thank you, rock universe.
We have our February single out now, "SONG OF LIFE" and I have recorded and mixed "YOU'RE ALL WRONG" to be released next. We have started rehearsing new material with the mistLY and will be previewing songs at our April residency in the front room of the Croxton Park Hotel.
I started the year with a real feeling of ennui in regard to the kinds of rooms that you can play and experience music in in Melbourne. I know we have more gigs than most other cities but I just didn't want to deal with the industrial/business mindset of a lot that goes on. I just wanted a different situation. I thought it would be good to ask Facebook if there were any non traditional/ non- pub rooms or places I could just play some music in. I didn't want to be dealing with high priced drinks or security or all that junk. Venues that leave it up to the artist to do all the publicity . Fuck it, I wanted to do something freaky and "for the hell of it".
I will never, ever ask Facebook anything ever again.
People came back with all sorts of dumb ideas. People who never go out or saw us play some time in 1985 or 1994. People who thought I needed a gig because I never do any. It was a bad insight into that world. Suggestions of rooms that were just the sort of thing I wasn't looking for.
I was thinking of BYO halls and afternoon sets in cafes. Folk clubs! Jazz rooms! Loose breathing, informality, awkwardness. NO SECURITY.
I will never, ever ask Facebook anything ever again.
Then we remembered doing a gig in the front room of the Croxton Park hotel in High st Thornbury with Harry Howard and the NDE. It was a room with brand spanking new carpet and fittings and PA. A beautifully fresh joint.
"Yes, lets do Sunday afternoons there".
So that's what we are doing. Every Sunday in April in the front room of the Croxton park Hotel which is at 607 High Street Thornbury.
We are going to be previewing new material and revisiting songs from selected older albums each week. There will also be different opening acts each week.
GUEST on April 1st Thomas Hugh Vecera
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=84058
GUEST April 8th Lisa Crawley
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=84059
GUESTS April 15th THE ROUTINES
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=84060
GUEST April 22nd Anna Smyrk
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=84057
GUEST April 29th ???????
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=84061
March 24th - Dave
Graney and Clare Moore are playing a set at 12:15 as part of the opening
of the UPWEY COMMUNITY RECREATION AND SPORTS HUB.
APRIL MELBOURNE RESIDENCY - DAVE GRANEY AND THE MISTLY IN THE EXCELLENT FRONT ROOM OF THE CROXTON PARK HOTEL.
Every Sunday in April from 4-6pm. presenting different albums weekly and previewing new material.
Book here - choose your Sunday
Saturday April 28th - Dave Graney and the Coral Snakes play Dashville-GUMBALL festival in NSW. Every Sunday in April from 4-6pm. presenting different albums weekly and previewing new material.
Book here - choose your Sunday
Dave Graney and the mistLY play ADELAIDE at the Wheatsheaf Hotel August 10th/11th/12th - BOOK HERE
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