Archive for December 2007
Was working down in Mildura for a couple of weeks at the start of December, so took a 300km each way trip up to Broken Hill for the middle weekend. Been there before during my big 2005 road trip round a large chunk of Australia and liked it - it was more what I was expecting from the Outback as opposed to the Nullabor, which was just boring scenery. Having been there twice now I think I’m pretty much over the place.
Drove up on the Friday along the Silver City Highway. Would have liked to have taken the slightly longer scenic route as opposed to the main road, but even though had a shiny new hire car was put off by the 103km of unsealed road that it would have involved, especially as there had been some recent rain. Wandered around the town and then headed up to the Sculpture Symposium on the edge of town for sunset. Timed it a bit badly as didn’t realise that the park shut at 8:30pm and only got there at about 7:45pm, with a 20 minute walk to the sculptures meaning that I didn’t get much time to photograph before I had to head back to the car.
Saturday headed over to Silverton and spent most of the afternoon there. Left for the sculptures earlier this time so that had plently of time to watch the spectacular sunset.
Some photos here and more on flickr.
My last gig of last year was Amanda Palmer at The Zoo (After two years photographing Falls Festival over New Year decided to have a break this year and spent New Year in Sydney with friends). As have been away from Brisbane a lot recently have missed out on a lot of gigs that normally would have put in for and so have been left with the slots that no one else wanted - surprisingly including this one, which would probably make my list of the Top 5 gigs for the year. Although it was mainly Amanda sitting at a keyboard, extra visuals and caberet were provided by The Danger Ensemble
Her setlist was mainly from her upcoming solo album, and although playing a set consisting of mainly unheard songs is a slightly strange idea they stood up to the more well known Dresden Dolls songs she played. Having said that, I think if I were to hear ‘Coin Operated Boy’ even once more it would be too many times. It’s just one of those songs you like the first few times you hear it but less and less with each repeated listen. Or at least it is for me. Plus I think I’ll scream if I see another band play a cover of ‘Umbrella’ - it seems to be obligatory at every gig at the moment.
Support was the double whammy of TOMB’s favourites The Red Paintings and Emma Dean.
Some photos here and more on flickr.
Amanda Palmer
The Red Paintings
Emma Dean
Just been going through my diary and doing a tally of who/what I’ve photographed this year. And it looks like this:
Expatriate
Bob Log III
Handsome Family
Vashti Bunyan
The Follow
Love Is All
Bellrays
Comets On Fire
The Slits
Overcranked
V Festival
Little Barrie
Emma Dean
Gin Club
Nation Blue
Midnight Juggernauts
Beyonce
Howling Bells
MereNoise Meltdown
Sloan
Pauhaus
Zombie Ghost Train
Gin Club
Dinosaur Jr
Magic Dirt
Pig City
Robert Forster
Young & Restless
The Clientele
Editors
Long Blondes
The Cure
Heaven & Hell
Ryan Adams
Butcher Birds in Melbourne – Friday
Butcher Birds in Melbourne – Saturday
Parklife
Tim Rogers
The Drones
Regurgitator
Die!Die!Die
Bill Callahan
The Mess Hall
The Vasco Era
Patrick Wolf
SchlockFest
SixFtHick
Amanda Palmer (this coming Wednesday
That’s just the headline act so you can probably triple that and add in a few more for the festivals to get a rough total of the number of bands photographed this year. Not too bad a return considering that I have probably been out of Brisbane for about 3 months this year. Had hoped to get to 50 but not to be; and there’s always next year. Hopefully exciting times ahead, more news as and when…