ilu, patrick wolf
Patrick Wolf is possibly one of the most beautiful, wonderful, magical, talented (insert more adjectives here) musician I've ever had the pleasure of hearing. Last night's gig was worth the standing up and waiting til my knees wanted to give way, worth enduring one of the most horribly hilarious support acts ever and worth braving the cold by myself (well, not entirely by myself :D). It was simply amazing. Just...guh.
In my usual 'ZOMG, I HAVE TO DOCUMENT EVERY LITTLE DETAIL' mood (mood is probably the wrong word to use, but whatever) fashion, I'll try and remember everything, but it'll be pretty difficult because I'm still a bit dazed (but not confused). :p Just to let you know, I didn't take many photos, but I took many videos (though the only full songs are Pigeon Song and Running up that Hill), I wanted to make sure I enjoyed it, and not working by recording everything.
I caught the train at 4:30, with the plan of arriving at Flinders Street station at 5. I was by myself and I didn't bring a bag (so no mp3 player), so I just sat there, eavesdropping (I'm getting pretty good at that) and staring out the window until everything became one blur which later induced dizziness. There were quite a lot of people on the train, something to do with a football match. I was paranoid that I forgot my brother's moshcard card and my ID, so I kept checking once in a while, just in case. A girl with red streaks in her hair with her parents (who spoke a foreign language that I couldn't recognise) kept staring at me; it was pretty unnerving.
Got there right on time. A man with one of those speaker phones was going on about Jebus and religion at the stairs and it was pretty funny. Melbourne's so colourful sometimes. I kept on walking towards Flinders Lane, I didn't bring my glasses either, so I really was trying my luck. I have geographical dyslexia. I saw a group of girls, in front of me, heading in the same direction, so I basically followed them right to Manchester Lane. It turned out to be o_chan! It was one of those 'I think I recognise that person, but I'm not quite sure, so to save myself the embarrassment, I just won't ask' moments (well, it was for me anyway). answeringbell was the first to recognise me! And it was lovely to meet everyone, all those LJers (and to be able to put faces to names). :D I'm glad I was recognised and was able to just tag along. It was great to just sit there on the pavement in the cold and listen to some great and funny banter. XD I don't think I would have enjoyed the night much without that. One of the group told me that they saw Patrick earlier...in shorts! Gah! Then I wished I got there earlier. But he didn't stop by or anything...so, maybe not.
Anyway, after sitting there and then standing there for about 1.75 hours (in which the line got very long, glad we were at the front!), we were finally allowed in. Got my wrist stamped and all, which was very exciting. Had to get names ticked off. It took the lady ages to find my brother's name. So long that it got to the point that I was afraid that it wasn't on it. But it was! Yay! Got to the front of the stage and realised that the stage was really, really small and cluttered (equipment for the support acts, I later learned). I sat on the stage (there were no bouncers yet) and the thought of just hopping up onto stage and starting to play something funny (like the Entertainer) on the grand piano did cross my mind. We were asked to leave a line at the front, so the bouncers could get through. :(
The first support act was Ladybird. Their music was really cute, though not my cup of tea. The group consisted of two New Zelanders and a Frenchmen (A Frenchmen! The urge to speak random French was pretty high then, but the only words that came to mind were 'Aller!' [pretty disappointing after 7.5 years of French], which was more suited to sport arenas than gigs). Though they had a cello, and that earns brownie points in my books. They had a really short set and that was that.
While waiting in between, I saw a flash of red hair behind the slightly-lifted curtains. And my first thought was 'PATRICK! PATRICK! PATRICK!' I thought I was seeing things, but then I saw it again, and this time, other people did too! Gah! So excited then!
The second support group was Sir. And they were the most hilarious thing I've ever heard/seen. The male lead singer just sat there and talked-sang through the songs. And when the female lead singer came out, she had a sultry look permanently planted on her face and rubbed her thighs and urgh. It was difficult to suppress the laughter. And they had lyrical masterpieces too! Songs about feeling people up in cinemas, doing people in the back seat...classy, really. All we could do was endure and clap politely. Really WTF-esque, I'm glad when I saw the back of them.
At this point, I was ready to sit down. My knees were killing me, and the standing didn't do much for my ankle (that's still causing a bit of pain after my rolling it weeks back). And it was at this point in time when people flocked to the our area, and it got a bit cramped (gosh, I have to get used to that). I had to defend my spot (haha)! I got a great little view between two heads and I met a really nice girl who asked me whether I could see or not.
OMGZ, THIS IS IT...
First, the roadies set up the microphones. And one by one, they brought out one ukulele, his violin, and then his other ukulele. I couldn't believe I was finally going to see Patrick Wolf play. In the flesh. Not through a computer screen. Actually there, in front of me. It was such a surreal feeling.
When he hopped out, it was just BANG. It hit me. He had these funny red shorts on, glitter smeared in the most random places and different coloured eyeshadow dabbed around. I think the place clapped a bit. He picked up one of the ukuleles and made his way to the microphone. The way he said Melbourne was so adorable, that we all laughed. What's so funny?. He said that he gave up the stool because we were all standing and it was only fair if he stood too (awwww...). He started playing Wind in the Wires and it was just beautiful. The whole place was silent.
Click to viewEverytime he finished a song, he would say Thank you. There was a scream of I love you Patrick, and he said Me too.
He played Bluebells next, on the piano (he sits on it weird).
Everyone was in awe, stunned and struck. I was, by his musicianship. After learning piano for many years, you learn to appreciate those who play, and just seeing Patrick play so easily and wonderfully, it just turned my heart into a cup and it felt like it was overflowing.
This is where my memory goes a bit off. I can't exactly remember the order of songs (OH NOES!), but I'll try my best:
Souvenirs
Falling in love in 3 hours *long pause* I'll leave it at that (horribly paraphrased). He commented on how quiet we were, but that's because we were all in awe!
Pigeon Song
I had to stop myself from crying during this song. It's my current favourite (among others) and just to hear it was so lovely. In fact, I had to stop myself from crying many times.
The Wolf Song
He introduced the song as one he wrote when he was 17. Mid-song banter is so cute.
Get Lost
One of his more simple love songs, so he saids. But still bloody awesome.
When he hopped back onto the piano, he didn't know what to play and asked the audience. Many people screamed for Tristan, while I just yelled out Kate Bush cover! and one tall man standing more center went Yeah!. But Patrick said he would stick to the first one and played Tristan.
But the man who agreed with me; he just kept pushing it and he asked for Hounds of Love, but Patrick said he knew Running Up that Hill better and so played that (ZOMG, HE PLAYED RUNNING UP THAT HILL). It was just...*speechless* Although the microphone decided to turn upside down and his ukulele, which was leaning against the piano, decided to fall. He said he butchered it, but it was still beautiful, despite that.
*My video is too big for YouTube damnit, I'll need to reformat it.
After Running Up that Hill, one said Thank you and he said either Thank you or That's okay. And he smiled. The same man who suggested Hounds of Love asked Patrick whether he had ever met Kate Bush, and he was like Oohhhh, no one ever meets Kate Bush. He said how he met someone who knew someone who knew someone who sat next to Kate Bush at a choir recital and how he would touch aforementioned man, so the connection could be passed on. Haha.
He also played Teignmouth, The Shadow Sea and The Libertine, which is pretty special to me. It was the first Patrick song I ever heard.
And before the Magic Position, he had problems with getting the ukulele in the right major key. It turned out he had the wrong ukulele and he talked about how, when he was in Vienna, the musicians there tune their instruments quarter of a tone higher and that when he was playing with a string quartet there, all the music was out of wack. So he had to tranpose every song, which must have been so painful (well, it would have been for me, but considering how talented he is, it must have been a breeze).
Tuning the ukulele:
I didn't capture any of these, as I was just wanting to soak it in, so he played Landsend and the Childcatcher. Another in the crowd suggest that he should go to Adelaide. Another replied that he shouldn't. Patrick said that he had heard that Adelaide was a pretty place, and the one who suggested it concurred. He also said that when he was younger, he used to watch Round the Twist (OMG! I USED TO WATCH THAT TOO!) and Neighbours. And he asked where in Australia the locations were. He said how wonderful it would be to have a open gig at the lighthouse. XD
When he announced that he was going to finish up, I was like WHAT? It was a quite a short set, but still, wonderful. I was also a bit sad that he didn't play Overture (but really, I have no reason to be sad!!!). We clapped on and on and on, until he appeared again! And started to play Stars, so that we could have sweet dreams. Which turned into Moon River, which was pretty awesomely random.
MISC. THAT I CAN'T REMEMBER GOES WHERE:
His mid-song and in-between-song banter was just adorable. Really.
During one song, early in the set, in the middle of a song he said What are you laughing at? to someone in the crowd and after he had finished, the person said Sorry Patrick and he said something along the lines of That's okay.
At another time, a man in the audience shouted You're good at music (no...really?), and he just smiled.
And when two people in the crowd gave him gifts, he was surprised. A girl gave him a hat, which did actually look like a bag (more of a pencilcase) and Patrick thought it was a bag. And a guy gave him a crown of daisies. And Patrick asked him what hair products he used (making sure they were natural.)
He burped during a song, which I thought was pretty funny.
He also had to pop his ears! So that he could hear better. So random.
Patrick also got glitter in his eye and begun to cry. He told us that he learned how to apply glitter with hairspray from these drag queens when he was younger. (He said something like Glamour on a budget.) And he kept using his white towel to wipe the glitter from his eye. It then bothered him again, and said that he was close to tearing up. His manager came out and whispered something into his ear and told us that the manager told him that crying was unprofessional. Someone in the crowd shouted Stuff your manager (or something to that effect) and Patrick immediately said that it was joke. Awwww...
Patrick announced that he was coming back in September/October (okay, need to save up for next Patrick gig). He does choose the best times to come to Australia...I have holidays then! Screw VCE exams!
Dad came and picked me up. I did actually wanted to stay and wait to meet him. I did ask my dad whether he could wait, but mum had returned early from hospital and I thought, maybe not. Maybe next time, huh?
Afterthoughts:
sms_stephanie: I would have called you during Magic Position, but alas, I had no reception! :(
o_chan, answeringbell: Just once again, it was really great meeting you two (and everybody else for that matter). Thank you for letting me tag along with the group (must have been awkward to have some random mute Asian chick). Sorry for being mute/shy (almost bordering on rude), I couldn't help it really (funny how all this seems so much easier to say on the Internet). Thank you again! :D
The gig was just breathtaking, really. It was enjoyable to see Patrick Wolf, play by himself. Every song stripped down to its bare core. Words can't begin to describe how it was. I'm still grinning madly and still pinching myself to make sure that I actually saw Patrick Wolf.
*I'm still uploading videos! And if anybody has photos/videos/other memories or conversations that I should take note of before it's too late, of the night, please pass them on. I need to horde them! :D Plus, I'll continually edit this entry with things I remember.