Night Vision

Waiting in line outside a club can be the most boring part of a night out. You're all dressed up with somewhere to go, but they just won't let you in yet. Frustrating. On the other hand, if you allow it, it can be one of the most entertaining times of your night. With a little bit of booze, everyone's inhibitions have been relaxed or discarded completely, so it's always fun to see who is in line with you. 

I've had some interesting conversations in a queue on a Saturday night, some have been hilarious and lead to friendships, some have been just plain strange. Here's one that happened a few weeks ago while I was lining up to go into Roxanne. We had noticed the group of three friends walking ahead of us because one of the girls was dancing terribly to a busker on Bourke st, in a gorgeous dress by mypetsquare that I had been lusting over for months. Had I been wearing that dress, I would not have embarrassed it in public like that, I would have shown it a good time while maintaining my/our dignity. (Though I am not saying that I haven't been messy before, but let's just say, I have learnt from my mistakes. I hope.)

While doing the usual "This line is so long! Are we ever going to get our dance on?" moan that tends to come from wasting a good chunk of your Saturday night in line, one of the trio, a guy wearing a velvet jacket turned to us and said: "Excuse me, do either of you have a cigarette?"

My Friend: "No sorry, we don't smoke."

His friend: (to Velvet Jacket) "Why do you even ask? No one smokes these days!"

Velvet Jacket: (in exasperation) "What has a guy got to do to get a cigarette around here?!"

At this point someone suggested doing push ups as a sufficient way to earn a cigarette.

Velvet Jacket: "Yeah, that's an idea, do you want me to do push ups?"

Me: "No seriously, we don't smoke, we don't have any to give you."

Velvet Jacket: "Really?! Are you sure?"

He was so persistent and so desperate, I couldn't help but make fun of him, to see how far he would go. 

Me: "Well actually, if you do some push ups I just might be able to find one in my bag..."

I hoped he would realise I was joking. He didn't. Velvet Jacket got on the ground and started doing push ups. I let him struggle for a little bit...

Me: "No, wait I actually don't have cigarettes, please, get up before you hurt yourself!"

His friend: "It stinks of piss around here."

Velvet Jacket: "Yeah, and I just lay on the ground."

I am so glad I am not a smoker. Or a drug addict. To be so desperate for one tiny hit! Jeepers. It's so annoying that something so disgusting can look so beautiful in fashion editorials and so cool when people like Alison Moshart are smoking. I think someone should create something that tastes like strawberries and doesn't potentially give you cancer but still has the cool smoke effect. Do I sound really shallow/naive/stupid right now? Sometimes style over substance can be a good thing... Who am I kidding? It never is!

Cat and the Eye

I almost gave up trying to find Roxanne Parlour, but I'm so so glad I persevered. Numerous times I walked up and down Lonsdale and Russell streets, hoping to find Roxanne's laneway that Google Maps had told me was somewhere near. I was going in search of this:

The bouncer at Emerald Peacock (another bar I must check out sometime soon) told me I would find it in Chinatown, but wasn't exactly sure where. I dodged girls in traditional Chinese robes trying to stuff pamphlets in my hand, all the while keeping an eye out for Roxanne. I knew I was getting near when I found myself behind a group of well dressed people singing  "Roxanne, you don't have to put on that red light... " in the tempo of um, drunk. 

There was no signs in the laneway (see, already adapting to the Melbourne lingo!) apart from one for a strip club, so I tentatively asked a bouncer if he knew were Roxanne was. He laughed at me, opened the door and pointed inside. I caught the lift upstairs, it was one of those really awkward ones, where we all knew we were heading to the same place and therefore had some common ground, but weren't sure whether to make polite small talk with each other. What would we say? I'm particularly bad in awkward lifts, all I want to do is laugh out loud at the situation.  I bit my lip. The music that was seeping down the lift shaft from the bar was the only escape from the awkward silence. As soon as the elevator doors opened everyone went their separate ways without looking back. 

I don't know a lot about Australian bands outside those who have been on bfm, played at Camp a Low Hum or those who are on Modular's roster, but I am very very keen to get to know them. I am keeping an open mind, not wanting to judge a band based on their name. I didn't flinch when I heard the band on stage were called 'Scientists of Modern Music'.  I arrived just as the Scientists were ending their set, at which point they announced that their next song, "is called Generic Dance Music." Oh, haha, I get it. Irony. I like it. Unfortunately for them, it actually was generic. I think it was made for people who have never listened to a Kraftwerk or Devo album. It was a lite version of Kraftwerk. Even their synchronised dance moves seemed totally pathetic to me after seeing Metronomy only a few months before. The crowd loved it, everyone seemed to be having a great time, getting all dancey and sweaty and stuff. They have an album coming out later this year so who cares about integrity or originality when you're rolling in it, right?

Van She was the headlining act and the fact that they were late on stage did not sit well with some people. I managed to squeeze my way to the front, right next to the huge speaker that was hanging from the ceiling. Some guy behind me kept getting more and more aggressive as time went on and the sound guys were still setting up. It was pretty rude, he was abusing the people on stage as if it was their fault the main stage was running late. I ignored him, apart from occasionally swatting away his elbows when they got a little too close to my head. When Van She finally got on stage the first thing I noticed was what the lead singer was wearing. Now I know musicians generally dress well in a "skinny black jeans and cool vintage clothing" kind of a way, but this guy had an eye for detail I haven't really seen in a singer before. I was impressed. When he crouched down to plug in his guitar, I noticed tartan socks poking out from his jeans. The girls next to me noticed too and practically swooned at the sight. He was wearing a really nice jacket too, which reminded me of this Karen Walker coat, only a male version of it: 

Here's a picture I took, to give you some idea what it looked like: 

They played all my favourite songs, including Virgin Suicide and Changes. Of course they left Strangers and Kelly 'til the end. The whole time I was just grinning. I had been told that Van She put on a good show, but boy, you really don't know it until you see it. I love them even more now. Here are some more photos I took:

Seeing Sounds was a benefit concert hoping to raise awareness about youth violence and drunken violence at gigs.  Unfortunately the crowd at Van She was exactly that, aggressive and drunk. No one was really looking out for each other and it was a bit of a mess. The speaker next to me was swinging dangerously for most of the gig, I narrowly missed getting hit in the head. Idiots.

Van She Tech played a few hours later, a DJ duo consisting of Van She's singer and synth player/guitarist. Van She Technologic remixes are some of my favourites, especially their reworking of Feist's 1 2 3 4, and Klaxon's Gravity's Rainbow. I ended up dancing til the wee hours, it was the perfect ending to an already great night.