circle of infinity
Last night was pretty fabulous. It really did feel like an achievement, a milestone of sorts. And it was a good gig night too, aside from a few space and broken glass issues.
The Dolly Rocker Movement launched their debut album Electric Sunshine last night at Spectrum. Finally. And wow, just by saying that does it all feel suddenly very official and serious and not at all like our friends in their lil adorable band we go to see and cheer on and love to death. But they're still the same band and most likely will remain that band.
I wonder if the crowds will just get bigger and bigger. As far as I know, there was an article in last week's Drum about them and the gig, written by ohyes Aimee-Lee Curran. No cover. But wow, was Spectrum packed to capacity by the time they came on. If it wasn't sold out, it certainly felt like it. Which was awesome. Couldn't have wished for a better validation.
J couldn't come, much to her own displeasure. Damned bloody shame. But sheba_finesse and her token gay boy, hee, came along. The Scorpio Goddess and Fervent Lady turned up too. And happily so did my Filmmaker Friend.
Remember how I said I was downloading Astral Kaleidoscope songs for her to maybe use on the soundtrack for her film? Well, she's also totally into the Dollies from hearing On A June Morning on fbi radio once so I burnt her some of them too along with the Aquarian Boy's stuff. As far as I could piece together from what she said, the film was fairly surrealist and minimalist so I figure those two acts might fit. And I passed along what contact details I had. Man, I wish I actually knew Anarchic Astral Alan, still reckon the AK tune would have been so good for the film.
As it was, she went ahead and called up the Dollies keyboardist and he, being the lovely guy he can be, gave her permission to use. So much much excitement. Then she told me the Whedon fan --- I know, how interconnected is everything --- couldn't help out with the score anymore and totally off the cuff asked if I'd like to help. I didn't even think about it, went "Hell yes! Yeah, absolutely! Tell me where and when, I'll be there."
So we arranged to meet Saturday arvo at her university and spent a rather fucking marvellous two and a half hours cutting up Dollies songs to fit with time lapses in her twelve minute film along with these really great songs by a band the Whedon fan brought along for her, Black Apple Iris. I totally have to check them out, lovely atmospheric stuff.
She had this brilliant idea of using the music to totally contrast the visuals, sometimes to the point of mockery. Twas brilliant! Especially when the music cut on the visual cuts, sometimes cut within the same song, sometimes cut to a totally different song. I'm so totally impressed and rather bloody proud that I had a hand in helping with it, even if it was sitting back and saying "Omg yes! Oh that's brilliant. Oh no, no, that totally doesn't work. What happens here? Canned laughter? Hahahahahahahahhahaha. Ahahahahahhahaha. Burble burble burble ahahahahaha burble burble burble. Oh dude, that's brilliant, that works perfectly, I love that!" She did all the button pushing and dragging of things on the computer screen. And I had this sudden giddy conviction that I would fucking love to do this for the rest of my life. Y'know, as something. Seemed to me there wasn't too much difference between making my mixes and scoring a film, just an escalation of harmony or juxtaposition, just another level of musical logic.
Or, y'know, I'm full of shit. Which is always possible.
So it was particularly cool to have her come along to the album launch after we spent a fair amount of time working with their music. Met up with Z and Ari and sheba_finesse and co outside Speccy and then off to dinner at Wok On Inn where I stunned the populace by not eating every prawn in my noodles. Just didn't have any appetite.
And aaaahh, when we got into Speccy, the merch was up and glowing ever so impressively. The tees were bright yellow which caused some consternation tween us cos none of us are too crash hot on the idea of wearing bright yellow tees. But for the Dollies? Yeah, possibly.
I spent a ludicrous amount of money on merch. For J and myself, and CDs to send overseas to the cousin in London and my first cousin in NY. Yes, I decided to badge up for the night so had BJM high on one lapel and my Astral badge on the opposite lower pocket. This coupled with my own DRM tee made me look somewhat whorish, I admit, but for the album launch, I could hack it. Possibly everyone on the psych scene was there, a lot of familiar faces including two Lovetones, which was verrah verrah awesome. Gotta feel the Dollies love that people turn up exactly when they're most needed.
Astral Kaleidoscope were up first. And man, this makes what the third time I've seen them and three out of three times, they transcend. They fucking transcend. And every time I marvel at how I should be bored by the music but I never ever ever am. They just nail it every time, that perfect psych drone that layers and layers fuzz and beauty. Wall of fucking loud noise and melody. God I love that band so much there's no saying. I really really really want an EP. As it is, I only have one studio song on hard drive. My favourite but still I want more. More, damnit!
Belles Will Ring were up next. Finally got to see this band. And maybe it was high expectations but they didn't really do much for me. Weren't offensive either. I just wasn't moved. Possibly just need to get more familiar with the music.
The start of the Dollies set wasn't too great mostly because we got a little too squashed, then bizarrely jostled and trampled on by a few photographers and some guy yanking girls to the front. Some girl hijacked one of our glasses, poured bourbon in and then spilt half of it over all our stuff.
But eventually space cleared and as the set went off, we went off. About three new songs were played, excellent stuff. And god, I love how they rework so many of the old favourites with every performance, more intricate, more playful and not necessarily uberlong or uberindulgent. There was a slightly freaky moment when I leaned over to Z and bellowed "I hope they play Sad Sally, haven't heard that for ages!" And the very next song turned out to be just that. Yes, there was squealing and jumping about and much flailing.
And omigod they played my song!! Which apparently these days I don't recognise until several lines into the first verse and then I flinch and go "omigod it's MY song!" and both Z and Ari look at me like I'm deranged. "Of course it's your song!" And I deflate and mutter "Sorry, I get it confused with Horizon. Is it? Is it my song?" And then I'm tapped on the echoic forehead and get unwarrented comments about my hair. *sniff*
Walking With Jason, so totally my song. So definitely not Walking In Las Vegas. Not on the album. Actually, hold on, lemme check. Nope, not on there. Good. Its time will come. I'm happy to wait.
So yeah, awesome set. And they came on for an encore. And there was much much screaming. I hope they sold plenty and plenty of merch. Ari nabbed an official album launch poster on the way out. Ah, it was such a special night. Not necessarily the best night ever but for an important one, it was very good indeed.
Now I want to see Astral Kaleidoscope get to the same point. And oh where to now for the Dollies? *sigh* Wherever, it will be lovely, I'm sure. They all looked very fine last night, smart yet just as familiar as ever. And hee, how cute they look on the album cover.
After the gig, we adjourned to Gloria Jean's for the usual post-gig chatter. Allen and Matt had joined us, many silly things were said and I did my usual music interrogation and sexual harassement of Allen.
And then home to bed, feeling like an important chapter has reached resolution and the future's unwritten in a whole new way.
The other day after loading all my Spz onto the iNano, I decided twas about bloody time I loaded all my Kate on. And today's her birthday. *hearts the Kate*
The Dolly Rocker Movement launched their debut album Electric Sunshine last night at Spectrum. Finally. And wow, just by saying that does it all feel suddenly very official and serious and not at all like our friends in their lil adorable band we go to see and cheer on and love to death. But they're still the same band and most likely will remain that band.
I wonder if the crowds will just get bigger and bigger. As far as I know, there was an article in last week's Drum about them and the gig, written by ohyes Aimee-Lee Curran. No cover. But wow, was Spectrum packed to capacity by the time they came on. If it wasn't sold out, it certainly felt like it. Which was awesome. Couldn't have wished for a better validation.
J couldn't come, much to her own displeasure. Damned bloody shame. But sheba_finesse and her token gay boy, hee, came along. The Scorpio Goddess and Fervent Lady turned up too. And happily so did my Filmmaker Friend.
Remember how I said I was downloading Astral Kaleidoscope songs for her to maybe use on the soundtrack for her film? Well, she's also totally into the Dollies from hearing On A June Morning on fbi radio once so I burnt her some of them too along with the Aquarian Boy's stuff. As far as I could piece together from what she said, the film was fairly surrealist and minimalist so I figure those two acts might fit. And I passed along what contact details I had. Man, I wish I actually knew Anarchic Astral Alan, still reckon the AK tune would have been so good for the film.
As it was, she went ahead and called up the Dollies keyboardist and he, being the lovely guy he can be, gave her permission to use. So much much excitement. Then she told me the Whedon fan --- I know, how interconnected is everything --- couldn't help out with the score anymore and totally off the cuff asked if I'd like to help. I didn't even think about it, went "Hell yes! Yeah, absolutely! Tell me where and when, I'll be there."
So we arranged to meet Saturday arvo at her university and spent a rather fucking marvellous two and a half hours cutting up Dollies songs to fit with time lapses in her twelve minute film along with these really great songs by a band the Whedon fan brought along for her, Black Apple Iris. I totally have to check them out, lovely atmospheric stuff.
She had this brilliant idea of using the music to totally contrast the visuals, sometimes to the point of mockery. Twas brilliant! Especially when the music cut on the visual cuts, sometimes cut within the same song, sometimes cut to a totally different song. I'm so totally impressed and rather bloody proud that I had a hand in helping with it, even if it was sitting back and saying "Omg yes! Oh that's brilliant. Oh no, no, that totally doesn't work. What happens here? Canned laughter? Hahahahahahahahhahaha. Ahahahahahhahaha. Burble burble burble ahahahahaha burble burble burble. Oh dude, that's brilliant, that works perfectly, I love that!" She did all the button pushing and dragging of things on the computer screen. And I had this sudden giddy conviction that I would fucking love to do this for the rest of my life. Y'know, as something. Seemed to me there wasn't too much difference between making my mixes and scoring a film, just an escalation of harmony or juxtaposition, just another level of musical logic.
Or, y'know, I'm full of shit. Which is always possible.
So it was particularly cool to have her come along to the album launch after we spent a fair amount of time working with their music. Met up with Z and Ari and sheba_finesse and co outside Speccy and then off to dinner at Wok On Inn where I stunned the populace by not eating every prawn in my noodles. Just didn't have any appetite.
And aaaahh, when we got into Speccy, the merch was up and glowing ever so impressively. The tees were bright yellow which caused some consternation tween us cos none of us are too crash hot on the idea of wearing bright yellow tees. But for the Dollies? Yeah, possibly.
I spent a ludicrous amount of money on merch. For J and myself, and CDs to send overseas to the cousin in London and my first cousin in NY. Yes, I decided to badge up for the night so had BJM high on one lapel and my Astral badge on the opposite lower pocket. This coupled with my own DRM tee made me look somewhat whorish, I admit, but for the album launch, I could hack it. Possibly everyone on the psych scene was there, a lot of familiar faces including two Lovetones, which was verrah verrah awesome. Gotta feel the Dollies love that people turn up exactly when they're most needed.
Astral Kaleidoscope were up first. And man, this makes what the third time I've seen them and three out of three times, they transcend. They fucking transcend. And every time I marvel at how I should be bored by the music but I never ever ever am. They just nail it every time, that perfect psych drone that layers and layers fuzz and beauty. Wall of fucking loud noise and melody. God I love that band so much there's no saying. I really really really want an EP. As it is, I only have one studio song on hard drive. My favourite but still I want more. More, damnit!
Belles Will Ring were up next. Finally got to see this band. And maybe it was high expectations but they didn't really do much for me. Weren't offensive either. I just wasn't moved. Possibly just need to get more familiar with the music.
The start of the Dollies set wasn't too great mostly because we got a little too squashed, then bizarrely jostled and trampled on by a few photographers and some guy yanking girls to the front. Some girl hijacked one of our glasses, poured bourbon in and then spilt half of it over all our stuff.
But eventually space cleared and as the set went off, we went off. About three new songs were played, excellent stuff. And god, I love how they rework so many of the old favourites with every performance, more intricate, more playful and not necessarily uberlong or uberindulgent. There was a slightly freaky moment when I leaned over to Z and bellowed "I hope they play Sad Sally, haven't heard that for ages!" And the very next song turned out to be just that. Yes, there was squealing and jumping about and much flailing.
And omigod they played my song!! Which apparently these days I don't recognise until several lines into the first verse and then I flinch and go "omigod it's MY song!" and both Z and Ari look at me like I'm deranged. "Of course it's your song!" And I deflate and mutter "Sorry, I get it confused with Horizon. Is it? Is it my song?" And then I'm tapped on the echoic forehead and get unwarrented comments about my hair. *sniff*
Walking With Jason, so totally my song. So definitely not Walking In Las Vegas. Not on the album. Actually, hold on, lemme check. Nope, not on there. Good. Its time will come. I'm happy to wait.
So yeah, awesome set. And they came on for an encore. And there was much much screaming. I hope they sold plenty and plenty of merch. Ari nabbed an official album launch poster on the way out. Ah, it was such a special night. Not necessarily the best night ever but for an important one, it was very good indeed.
Now I want to see Astral Kaleidoscope get to the same point. And oh where to now for the Dollies? *sigh* Wherever, it will be lovely, I'm sure. They all looked very fine last night, smart yet just as familiar as ever. And hee, how cute they look on the album cover.
After the gig, we adjourned to Gloria Jean's for the usual post-gig chatter. Allen and Matt had joined us, many silly things were said and I did my usual music interrogation and sexual harassement of Allen.
And then home to bed, feeling like an important chapter has reached resolution and the future's unwritten in a whole new way.
The other day after loading all my Spz onto the iNano, I decided twas about bloody time I loaded all my Kate on. And today's her birthday. *hearts the Kate*