Passports with Purpose

Reading about Caitlin's contribution of 2 awesome prizes to the Passports With Purpose fundraiser, I have discovered a cause that must have the word spread! Passports With Purpose are raising funds to build a school in rural Cambodia, something I am very much passionate about.

Passports With Purpose are a group of travel bloggers around the world, putting their blogs and readership's attention to worthy use!




Looking at the details of the American Assistance for Cambodia (AAfC)/ Japan Relief for Cambodia (JRfC), they have managed to assist many villiages in rural Cambodia so far, with the map littered with the individual school, and personal accounts of the positive impact this has had to teachers, students, and the community.

They have almost met their fundraising target, however there are many additions that can be contributed to a small community, that will bring education, and empowerment to the children in villages. $10US will get you an entry into the raffle, of some very impressive prizes. So jump over, pledge a donation, maybe win a great prize, but more importantly, make a different in a Khmer communities lives and future.

Howling Bells

Making my way to The Corner Hotel, I met Maria and Gina inside the venue in time for a beverage and to catch the second act of the evening. Three piece Canvas Kites arrived on the side stage, and played their indie rock tracks, to an engaged audience. Mary arrived during this set, and we all enjoyed the Kites' Wayside, intense drumming, and a new little band discovery with potential.

We then made our way to the front area of the main stage, in preparation for the start of the Howling Bells, to a not quite full bandroom. An Aussie band who now call London home.

A couple of tracks in, Low Happening really starting the evening, with the crowd responding. Juanita was so enchanting in her London style sequined top, chatting and joking with the crowd, and dancing with her bandmates. And her voice is just amazing!

A Ballad For The Bleeding Hearts and Setting Sun featured, and Broken Bones was amazing, and the song that stuck in my head for the rest of the night.

Nightingale had the crowd contributing to the percussion, and Treasure Hunt was a clear favorite. The band's reproduction of their album sound was near perfect, and really impressed.

A one track encore left the droud wanting more, and would surely ensure a sold out gig next times these guys are in town.

Oh Mercy and The Veils

Last night, in a weekend of back to back gigs, Nicole and I met outside the Curtin House and made our way upstairs to the Toff in Town, for the near sold out gig.

Grabbing a beer, and checking out the band members in the crowd, everyone shuffled up to the stage in anticipation for Oh Mercy to begin. Opening and closing with Seemed Like A Good Idea and Lay Everything On Me, the little foursome played their tunes from their LP and EP, plus the inclusion of the Demo tracks like Salvation Jane and Holding On.

Astrid, No was introduced as a track about Alex and Thom's crush on their Kinda teacher. Met A Wizard and Broken Ears were lovely, and In My Stride started with a hint at it's origin.

Get You Back was a big crowd favourite, with two new songs, one with the line I'm A Single Man/Don't Fuck Up My Plans, and the other with Thom on lead vocals. A great set, and our reason for coming out this night.

The headliners of the evening were The Veils, of which the Oh Mercy boys profess their fanhood for. Finn Andrews graced the stage with his iconic hat, and played the set with enthusiasm for the enthusiastic crowd, but also melancholy about it being the last gig for the year, and also fatigue from a big year. Playing a specific request from Oh Mercy's Thom, some words were forgotten, and apologies and explanations of tracks rarely played.

The Toff is such a great music venue, which last night just shone through. People shut up for the acts, totally into the band and their efforts, which in turn encourage said bands to chat and engage with their audience. A venue for finding artists, and hearing them at their intimate best, with actual music lovers all around.

Let You Down Easy

Last night Nicole and I braved the bucketing down rain, and made our way to the East Brunswick Club, and were one of the first 50 people to gain entry (possibly in the first 5, truth be known!), and thus scored ourselves a free copy of the single to be launched this evening.

We made our way in, grabbed a beer, and claimed a piece of standing room on the sticky carpet, for the first band up on the bill, Alpine. Formally Swiss, apparently. Two girls at the front, all glitter and dance, and dressed for a big gig in front of a growing audience. The 4 boys around them on drums and guitar, were in skinny jeans and the first t-shirt they happened upon as they left the house. This little, fresh indie pop band has potential. The girls chatted and danced and engaged the audience, and displayed some vocal quirkiness to be remembered.

Next up were the Beatles-styled haircuts of Geelong lads, Frowning Clouds. Another engaging band, with cute vocals, and talented musicians.

The bandroom emptied, and then filled again, as the Hungry Kids Of Hungary set up the stage, complete with huge coloured helium balloons, to match the cover of their new single, Let You Down. They played a collection of their tracks from their EPs, and some new songs to be laid down for an album in the next few months, they tell us. Releasing the balloons to the crowd and inviting people up on stage for a song soon got out of control Scattered Diamonds, Old Money, and Set It Right got massive crowd participation, clearly the result of some Triple J plays, and praised the Melbourne weather!

A Wished For Song

This afternoon I drove across town to South Melbourne, to find Raw Gallery. Faster Louder had had an article at the start of the month about an exhibit that this little gallery is hosting, with opening night being last night.

The photographic exhibit is that of Merri Cyr's shots of Jeff Buckley. Merri shot the iconic cover of Grace, the back cover, and also that cover with the mirror image for Sketches For My Sweetheart The Drunk.

This little gallery is a shopfront really, with a front room, and a little alcove, for their exhibits. They run feature exhibits every other month, with their regular collection on display

Flipping through the book, placed on the table as you walk in, titled the same as the exhibit, I happened upon a quote from Eddie Vedder, stating his wonder at Jeff doing a cover of Pearl Jam's Indifference.

Some 35 images of Jeff adorn the white walls, many of which are part of album cover photo shoots, and several of of Jeff during this time, just in repose, hanging out, so real. This young, fresh, captivating face with such talent, gone too soon. It's clear that he was very comfortable with his photographer, and legend has it that he launched her music photography career, by insisting she be the artist to do the cover of Grace.

The Sin-E shot, which featured on his live EP, shows the venue where Jeff launched his career really - a small room with him in the corner, and the few patrons barely paying him any attention.

The collection is on display at Raw, until Xmas eve.

Top 5: Bars In Melbourne

With the Project 2009 winding down for the year in terms of regular organised bar destinations, given Xmas parties and work functions for the rest of our working Friday nights, we have actually found some great beverage venues this year. Little tucked away hole-in-the-wall, down little alleyways we never knew existed, very cool and themed bar concepts.

The Canary Club has been my favourite find of the year. Great mezzanine, gorgeous booths, attentive and friendly table service, amazing sangria and tapas. Totally worth walking down the toilet smelling Melbourne Place to find!

Section 8 is a bar I should have known about, one I had heard about, but had not been to until it was drawn from the bar secrets pack for the week. A shipping container, a load of woodern pallet crates to sit on, a portable looking bar, and the wire cage creates an atmoshpere in the middle of the city buildings around it. Summer, it's perfect, but for winter they put up a shed-stype roof, for a whole other feel to the place.

Although it wasn't a Friday night drinking destination on the invite list, a few of us went to the opening of Campari House, which certainly makes it to this list of bars for the year. This bar has the versitility of dining and drinks out in Hardware Lane, booth style private drinks possibility, and a gorgeous rooftop bar, complete with astro turf.

Cabinet was a destination that had just two of us attend on the week it was drawn...and yet I think this little tucked away place is such a find! A balcony overlooking the bustling Swantson Street, and it's collection of table clusters and decor, make it a place to pop into for a quite one.

Gin Palace and Croft Institute are squeezing in as a joint mention on the list of 5 (and 5a perhaps!) GP for it's dark, ornate interior, with it's clusters of seats, and friendly and cheeky bar staff. Not for it's prices, alas. The Croft for it's novelty theme, and it's hidden-ness in an alley off an alley off a lane of inner CBD Melbourne.

Cheers!

Top 5: Albums This Year

In the spirit of the ARIAs, of which I am watching as I write, I thought I would share my favourite albums of the year. Given that I don't actually listen to the radio, and find my music through recommendations from others, recommendations from last.fm and my 'friends' on there, with a find at a gig, or just pure loyalty with my Aussie bands, my picks are quite different to those getting statues tonight. Although a couple have nominations.

No surprise, given my ravings, and gig attendance frequency over the last couple of years, that The Basics' Keep Your Friends Close. The pain, and angst delivered in these tracks is just disarming. They are so great live, such a talent. And the harmonies....so sweet!

As Day Follow Night by Sarah Blasko. This album totally feels like home for me. I feel like it's spot on with how I feel, and where I am at in life. The fact that Ms Blasko is about my age, and thus the same level of life experience opportunities under her belt, really comes through in these 12 tracks for me. She's just lovely! OH! And she just won Best Female Artist! See! Even mainstream Australia appreciates her!

The Temper Trap and their Conditions. Just amazing. Seeing them at the start of this year, as support for Franz Ferdinand, and then seeing and hearing them soar on to international radars. Very impressive. But what's more impressive is that voice!

The Privileged Woes of Oh Mercy. Or possibly their EP before that, In The Nude For Love, has best the most joy for me. From seeing them play a tiny, nothing gig 18 months ago, to noting their efforts with supporting every band possible, touring their butts off, working so hard. Our little lads and Eliza from Carlton.

I was obsessed with Little Birdy's Confetti release, with total anticipation before it's release, to hanging to see them live for the first time. Katy was a sensation. So good.

Discoveries for me for the year have been The Decemberists, and just this week, Florence + The Machine. Secrets And Lies, by Bertie Blackman should definately get a mention, too, for this collection of musical thoughts.