I got in

before Bruce Milne handed over the door stamp to the new management:

So, yes, it was a good night. Pretty much everyone I expected/hoped to see there was there, the sightlines in the revamped bandroom are much better, and the beers were free. The new carpet and lack of stuff on the walls was the only noticeable difference, really.
I don't know if this is the official end of an era, or the official start of a new one. But it's the Tote, and it has bands on again.

Thanks to Carbie for the pic.

Digger & The Pussycats/Teen Archer/DJ Pissing On The Mainframe...

So coming up this friday at Old Bar:

Digger & The Pussycats
Assassination Collective
Teen Archer
Buried Horses
+ Me and Jack Petty are play tunes till 3am under the moniker of Dj's Pissing On The Mainframe.
Come down!

              


Chesshire Cat Design

Digger & The Pussycats/Teen Archer/DJ Pissing On The Mainframe...

So coming up this friday at Old Bar:

Digger & The Pussycats
Assassination Collective
Teen Archer
Buried Horses
+ Me and Jack Petty are play tunes till 3am under the moniker of Dj's Pissing On The Mainframe.
Come down!

              


Chesshire Cat Design

Album of the week- Digger & the Pussycats: "DIY"

Huh. They play, they break up, they tour, they fuck themselves up. And every year or so (give or take, generously) they serve up another album.
If you've heard Sam & Andy before, you'll know what to expect- a fine squawking thrash-racket and gut-rush of clever (but not "clever") tunes that fill the air like the welcome sound of an old friend with a six pack knocking on your door.
If you haven't seen them live- and surely there can't be many who haven't- you can remedy that by heading along to Yah Yah's on Thursday 1st April, where they will be launching this in fine noisy style.

Spooky Fest

Spooky Fest ruled, i took a bunch of photos, here's some favourites-

DIGGER & THE PUSSYCATS - First show back in Australia from their Euro tour

GENTLE BEN & HIS SENSITIVE SIDE

THE STABS




SIX FOOT HICK

Melbourne loves the Hick - that really isn't my hand, though i have an idea whose it is



The 6 Ft. Hick set on sunday with The Jacknives was good too, i dj'd with my brah's Jack and Jimi- the Pissing On The Mainframe dj's. Request us for your next birthday or banquet!

Spooky Fest

Spooky Fest ruled, i took a bunch of photos, here's some favourites-

DIGGER & THE PUSSYCATS - First show back in Australia from their Euro tour

GENTLE BEN & HIS SENSITIVE SIDE

THE STABS




SIX FOOT HICK

Melbourne loves the Hick - that really isn't my hand, though i have an idea whose it is



The 6 Ft. Hick set on sunday with The Jacknives was good too, i dj'd with my brah's Jack and Jimi- the Pissing On The Mainframe dj's. Request us for your next birthday or banquet!

Spooky Records Presents...

Spooky Records is having their 10 year anniversary this saturday at the TOTE- lots of bands, beer and a free BBQ!

Spooky Records Presents...

Spooky Records is having their 10 year anniversary this saturday at the TOTE- lots of bands, beer and a free BBQ!

Digger & The Pussycats/TAPE MAN

So Geelong won the Grand Final- i got stuck on a train full of footy fans, i got asked by an old drunk guy "Hey mate where's your beer?"

Right now i'm sitting at my friend Jimi's house watching Box Elders live on the Gonerfest live stream. Sonic Chicken 4, Box Elders, Nobunny, Cheater Slicks. Today is a good day.

I went to The Birmy last night to catch Jack Petty dj'ing, it was a good crowd- lots of good requests like Whitney Houston!



Then i swung by Yah-Yah's to catch Digger & The Pussycats-

Yes, that is 3 beers taped together.

Pony 2am for The Ghost Of Tape Man!

Digger & The Pussycats/TAPE MAN

So Geelong won the Grand Final- i got stuck on a train full of footy fans, i got asked by an old drunk guy "Hey mate where's your beer?"

Right now i'm sitting at my friend Jimi's house watching Box Elders live on the Gonerfest live stream. Sonic Chicken 4, Box Elders, Nobunny, Cheater Slicks. Today is a good day.

I went to The Birmy last night to catch Jack Petty dj'ing, it was a good crowd- lots of good requests like Whitney Houston!



Then i swung by Yah-Yah's to catch Digger & The Pussycats-

Yes, that is 3 beers taped together.

Pony 2am for The Ghost Of Tape Man!

Truth From Facts

So i'm stuck in Melbourne town, missing out on what might be the finest gig in Brisbane if not Australia for this weekend if not the month! But this weekend is still a winner here in hook-turn city.

WEDNESDAY - you should go see TAPEMAN at The Birmingham- he was great at The Old Bar, i heard good things about him at High Vibes and so if you ain't caught the guy yet, go to this show or one of the Saturday ones. Don't miss it eh!

THURSDAY

That says Woollen Kits, East Brunswick All Girls Choir, Acid Casualty and Holy Samolly this THURSDAY at The OLD BAR - $5 and Woollen Kits will have their new 7" at the show aswell!

FRIDAY - The Melbourne Stencil Festival is on at 117 Vere St, Abbotsford and it's gonna be pretty sweet, some friends of mine are in it so i'll be sure to be on the hunt for free beer and hanging out. Then, i'll be at the Northcote Social Club for Neil Hamburger. It's like $20 i think. Weird thing about this weekend is almost everyone i know is celebrating their birthdays.

SATURDAY - At 3pm there's a gig at CATFOOD PRESS which is at 289 Lygon St, Brunswick. Haven't heard any of the bands to tell the truth but i know Tenzenmen is putting Truth From Facts new 7" out which means it's sure to be good!

Truth From Facts 7"

a: predator's dream
b: the urge to destroy is a creative urge too

If you missed the mighty Ghost Of Tape Man at his other shows, go see him with Johnnie & The Johnnie Johnnies at Bar Open - this might be free or $5 or $10- worth going either way. Digger & The Pussycats are playing at Yah-Yah's for FREE and Neil Hamburger's "Drunken Spelling Bee" at the East Brunswick Club for about $20 - which is sick! i went to it last time he came out.

At 2am Ghost Of Tape Man is playing what i believe to be his final Melbourne show at Pony for FREE. - See you there Bugsy!

SUNDAY - Sunday is kind of weird for me, i'm going to the cast and crew screening for a film i'm in called "Hanging at Picnic Rock". I'm the only dude in it and i get my legs ripped off me while i'm screaming. My buddy Clint Cure made it and it's sure to be a real hit, if it makes it to the festivals i heard it is i'll let you know!

I know there's a gig on but i can't remember what it is, let me know what's going down so i have somewhere to drink after the red carpet party.

Truth From Facts

So i'm stuck in Melbourne town, missing out on what might be the finest gig in Brisbane if not Australia for this weekend if not the month! But this weekend is still a winner here in hook-turn city.

WEDNESDAY - you should go see TAPEMAN at The Birmingham- he was great at The Old Bar, i heard good things about him at High Vibes and so if you ain't caught the guy yet, go to this show or one of the Saturday ones. Don't miss it eh!

THURSDAY

That says Woollen Kits, East Brunswick All Girls Choir, Acid Casualty and Holy Samolly this THURSDAY at The OLD BAR - $5 and Woollen Kits will have their new 7" at the show aswell!

FRIDAY - The Melbourne Stencil Festival is on at 117 Vere St, Abbotsford and it's gonna be pretty sweet, some friends of mine are in it so i'll be sure to be on the hunt for free beer and hanging out. Then, i'll be at the Northcote Social Club for Neil Hamburger. It's like $20 i think. Weird thing about this weekend is almost everyone i know is celebrating their birthdays.

SATURDAY - At 3pm there's a gig at CATFOOD PRESS which is at 289 Lygon St, Brunswick. Haven't heard any of the bands to tell the truth but i know Tenzenmen is putting Truth From Facts new 7" out which means it's sure to be good!

Truth From Facts 7"

a: predator's dream
b: the urge to destroy is a creative urge too

If you missed the mighty Ghost Of Tape Man at his other shows, go see him with Johnnie & The Johnnie Johnnies at Bar Open - this might be free or $5 or $10- worth going either way. Digger & The Pussycats are playing at Yah-Yah's for FREE and Neil Hamburger's "Drunken Spelling Bee" at the East Brunswick Club for about $20 - which is sick! i went to it last time he came out.

At 2am Ghost Of Tape Man is playing what i believe to be his final Melbourne show at Pony for FREE. - See you there Bugsy!

SUNDAY - Sunday is kind of weird for me, i'm going to the cast and crew screening for a film i'm in called "Hanging at Picnic Rock". I'm the only dude in it and i get my legs ripped off me while i'm screaming. My buddy Clint Cure made it and it's sure to be a real hit, if it makes it to the festivals i heard it is i'll let you know!

I know there's a gig on but i can't remember what it is, let me know what's going down so i have somewhere to drink after the red carpet party.

Jay Reatard

Meant to mention this earlier, actually.
Local outfit Stained Circles brought Jay out for a tour, to coincide with their local release of his excellent "Blood Visions" LP.
I only got to one show, the Tote BBQ on the Monday, but it was well worth it.
The album runs through 15 tracks in 29 minutes- if anything, he played harder and faster live. There's a bit of YouTube from the Brisbane show here that'll give you an idea.
And there were excellent supports, including the slightly demented UV Race, and one of Digger & the Pussycats final shows before they leave for a (47 date) European tour.
Definitely an early contender for gig of the year.

Oh, yeah

It's not all about me and the Hound this week. But having said that, there doesn't seem to be a great deal going on.

TheTri-State Lovers are launching their excellent (if sadly post-humous) album, "No Love" at the Tote on Saturday, with support from Digger and the Pussycats, the Ooga Boogas, and Jacky Winter, all for only $10.00, with a free BBQ thrown in.
There's a semi-literate review of the album here, by the way.

Also on Saturday, Spencer P Jones from kicks off a December-long residency over at the Edinburgh Castle , 681 Sydney Road, Brunswick, from 5.00 til 7.00. It's free, too.

I can't see there's much happening on Friday or Sunday though, and

the exhibition that features this picture of Mirka Mora's underwear doesn't start for a couple more weeks, sadly. Maybe stay in, do a bit of tidying up, send some Christmas cards out nice and early? Up to you.

Gimme Primitive and stuff

This weekend sees the return of Gimme Shelter to the Exford, as well as a special birthday- hi Myles!

While the final Primitive for 2007 is on at the Tote next week, featuring Wollongong's the Unheard, Melbourne's favorite young punks Witch Hats, and a teenage combo from Geelong, the Frowning Clouds.
I may not make it, but I hear a rumour that the people behind Gimme Shelter and Primitive crew are planning to be back early next year, and hope to kick off with a bay boat cruise. Oh yeah.

In other news this week, it's been reported and confirmed that the freehold of the Tote has been sold for a sum in the region of $3.2 million. The current lease has two more years to run, so there should be no immediate changes.

I wrote a small piece on Gonerfest for the I94 Bar about a month back: it's here if you want a look- probably worth it for some of Rich Stanley's comments alone.
Well, the party is over but there is a bunch of live sound up, including all three Australian acts. Here's some ECSR , Digger & the Pussycats and Ooga Boogas tunes, and a taste of some of the shit hot US stuff that was on offer, like Greg Cartwright and the Final Solutions , who feature Jay Reatard in their number, as well as Jay solo.
Have a listen, go here for more.

Thanks to Jack Stands for all this, and to Eric for being such a nice fella.