More too much.

Guh. If I wasn't already fully booked for this weekend, this would've been great:

Static Age presents, at the Lithuanian Club, 44 Errol St. North Melbourne: Lightning Bolt, Grey Daturas, Primitive Calculators, Naked on the Vague, Justice Yeldham, Embers Big Band, Abject Leader, Ivans, Other Films, The Whulge, Rebeiro/Andrews and Robotosaurus
This is so big it'll be over two stages/rooms. Tickets are $40 in advance, and no one is sure that there will be any left for door sales. Kicks off at 5.00pm. I have heard good things about these Bolt boys, but sadly have not been able to experience them live.

Action all the time.

As the early summer heatwave kicks on, there's a couple of amazingly diverse but equally attractive shows on this weekend.
Veteran rock troupers the Hitmen return to the stage, behind the release of their new album "St. Valentine's Day Massacre". Recorded in Sydney last year, it see them teaming up onstage with genuine Detroit legend Niagara, for a run through some classics by the likes of Destroy All Monsters and the Stooges. The Hitmen reissue run continues too, with their 1984 live album "Tora! Tora! DTK!", coupled with 1991's "Moronic Inferno" plus a heap of added rarities, out now.

I can only imagine what a sweatbox Cherry Bar will be.
But if that doesn't do it for you, hop across the imaginary fence between Guitarland and Synthville, and catch Primitive Calculators, ZOND and others instead.

The two forms of music aren't mutually exclusive, you know. Just sayin'.

That and some cold beer should get you through the weekend.

Then early next week, there's this:

Now ordinarily, I wouldn't ask anyone to consider paying $8.00 to watch videos in a city bar. But when you figure the night includes the debut showing of Matt Givoni's clip for the Stabs' "Split Lips", it may be more enticing. Add to that the attendance of many of the (ahem) stars of said clip, and it looks like a winner.

Caution- contains football.

A big night at the Espy on Friday, with GUT, Dollsquad, Gun Street Girls and the Meanies playing out back in the Gershwin Room, and Kids Of Zoo, the Once Overs and the New Christs in the front bar. The whole thing is free, which makes me wonder why the two rooms are being separately promoted. I also wonder why the fucking Espy now has a Flash site, which makes it impossible to snag images.
The New Christs show is by way of launching their excellent new album, "Gloria", out now on Impedance Records:

They'll also be playing at the Tote on Saturday, and are promising to return soon as part of a full tour.
Speaking of the Tote, on Sunday afternoon their footy team takes on the Old Bar Unicorns (motto:" Feel the Fantasy"). Also playing are the Bar Open Bats versus the East Brunswick Club. Kickoff is around 1.00, at Brunswick Park, Hope St. Brunswick. That's a kid, dog and booze-friendly event.

And you could follow that up with the latest in the (appalling named) Sundae Workers Series, at the Workers Club- which is just the old Rob Roy tarted up a bit.
This week's is the last one, and features the Primitive Calculators, UV Repairs (some unholy blend of UV Race and the Repairs) and Brain Children DJs, all for $10.00

UPDATE: the football referred to above has been put back until next weekend. And moved.

Double Dogs.

Well, I spoke too soon.
On Saturday afternoon I managed to pick up a ticket to "Dogs In Space", so duly headed along. It was excellent to see it on a big screen, and the restoration looks and sounds fantastic. The story is still as random as ever, and the music is still great- Marie Hoy's version of "Shivers" had me in a cold sweat.
By a stroke of luck (and kindness- thanks, Richard) I also ended up going back to see "We're Livin' On Dog Food" on Sunday as well. This is the trailer, which may give you some idea of what it's like:

It does a brilliant job of examining some of the people, places and influences of early Melbourne punk. Watching it while sitting next to Dolores San Miguel, who is one of the people featured (in both old footage and a recent interview), added a whole other layer to the experience. Yes, she gasped when she saw herself on screen.
Before and after both movies there was a bit of time to catch up with some old friends, a couple of whom I hadn't seen for decades. Literally, twenty years or more. And now I have Wirlywirld stuck in my head- but I can live with that.
You really should get onto this.

Distant shores.

A bit of a mixed bag on a fairly quiet weekend, but there a few gems.

Beaches are playing their last show for a few months at the Tote on Friday 27th March- one of them (Alison, I believe) is taking some time out to travel. This looks pretty good:

On Saturday, a couple of old hands are out and about- Conway Savage is playing at Pure Pop Records at 6.00pm, while later in the evening- though I'm unsure exactly when- the Primitive Calculators continue their run of low-key reformation shows at the Rear View Gallery, 244 Smith St. Collingwood. That kicks off at 8.00pm, and is a bargain at only $5.00
On Sunday things will get fucking noisy for a while on the southside. Might be a good time to head over to Yah Yah's for the last of Nathan Hollywood's residency gigs.

Interstate action.

First off, apologies to the people of North Sydney. I don't know quite how I broke that ticket machine at the train station, but I did, and you all had to wait while the guy reset it.
And to the hotel I'm in- I dropped that iron and it broke. It was a cheap iron. Buy some better ones.
Now, to business.
Friday night, Sydney:

The New Christs and Sin City are playing the lovely Excelsior, in downtown Surry Hills. Not sure who is in this lineup, but they are always worth a look. Always.
While down the road a bit, at the Lansdowne, there's a bunch of stuff going on:
Aah, the Lansdowne. The first time I ever heard Mudhoney was when I played "Touch Me, I'm Sick" on the juke box there.
Back in Melbourne, though, Saturday sees the 9th Applecore Festival held in a suburban backyard:
That's an amazing bill for $10.00. BYO, no glass, no dickheads.