#song atatus

[holidayvisa]

5 March 2024 - Piha FD (4) with Jordan, and a group of three clients, Jess, JC, and Cass, and a rando Scott who was not on our list of clients. Scott just showed up! Jordan walked up to me as I was giving the intro talk and the risk/waiver talk, and Jordan said, "this is Scott, he's coming canyoning with us!" Scott had planned on going golfing at Piha, but the weather was shit and golfing was like $180 for the full course, and Scott didn't want to pay obsene prices to go golfing on a shit weather day by himself. Apparently, Scott walked past us as I was talking about abseiling down waterfalls, and he stopped dead in his tracks and said, "well that sounds like a fun alternative!" Jess, JC, and Cass were part of a worldwide club called Hash House Harriers; they described their club as a drinking club with a running problem. They were full of inappropriate jokes and inappropriate song lyrics, but they were very fun!

When we arrived at the top of the fourth abseil, I checked the flow marker, a rock just next to the anchor of the fourth abseil. High flow, the marker rock was almost submerged. Almost. Not submerged, but close. So I knew that it was going to be a little instense, or at least more intense than a normal flow day. So, I decided to lower everyone down. I didn't give anyone the option to abseil. I hooked each person down and lowered them (me in total control) down to the bottom, where Jordan was waiting to help out. Especially since we had one non-swimmer, it was helpful to have Jordan's assistance down at the bottom of the abseil. I drove to Cam's house and dropped off the van.

I waited at Cam's house until 6 pm, when I got picked up by Craig, the New Zealand National Women's Team's coach. I hopped in Craig's car, and we drove out to Coromandel together. I bought him dinner at a local fish and chips shop in Thames. Elise met us at the turn-off between Hahei (where Elise and the New Zealand National Spearfishing Team were staying) and Cooks Beach (where Craig was staying with Herb, the spearfishing legend who's running the Interpacific Spearfishing Championship). I jumped out of Craig's car and jumped into Elise's car. Elise drove us to Hahei. We decided to go for a walk to Hahei Beach, which was only a few minutes walk from the house. We hung out and chatted on the beach, looking up at the Milky Way and the beautiful starry sky, before heading back to the house.

I'm grateful for Jordan. Jordan threw me a mana wave today when I picked him up from TSW, and I just immediately felt a burst of happiness and energy. I'm grateful for his energy and his playfulness and his youthful joy. I'm grateful to Craig for picking me up from Te Atatu and driving me to Coromandel. I'm grateful to the New Zealand National Spearfishing Team for allowing me to stay at their team house. I'm grateful for Elise, and I'm grateful to spend some time with her chatting on the beach under a starry sky.

[lyricsdukaan]

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[cuntbliss-blog]

Auckland City Limits 2018 review

I made a very last minute decision to buy a ticket for Auckland City Limits. I had enjoyed a windfall and felt a deep sense of FOMO. Within half an hour of gate’s opening, I purchased a ticket from the Ticketmaster Box Office in Aotea square.

Seeing new up and comer Jed Parsons who opened the festival was a real drawcard for me. Unfortunately public transport caused me to arrive a little late. But hearing the opening notes of his absolutely stellar ‘Get Lost’ seemed like a very good omen. I caught two more songs, and it appears as so this young lad is rapidly ascending to the mighty mantle of other local greats like Ruban Neilson. He has roots in the traditional formulas of rock and roll songwriting, mixed with funk and psychedelia but also inflects it with tasteful modern production. His recently formed band were solid, Parsons was a friendly, seemingly unpretentious and generous entertainer. I look forward to seeing more from him. 

I was astounded upon arrival and over the course of the festival as to what an ideal and world-class public venue Western Springs can be. Two main stages to the East at the entrance, a small Golden Dawn stage across the bridge alongside the lake and of course two ‘main stages’ inside the stadium/speedway itself. It meant that a punter never had to feel boxed in or claustrophobic and could still enjoy the music at a reasonable distance. Grass abounds, there are trees to find shade beneath, not to mention a natural body of water! It really is quite perfect and massively superior to Mt Smart Stadium. The food mostly came from very classy inner city eateries, but I had to save my money for beer, which given that it was 2.5% ABV I had to really throw them back. 

Second for me was Alien Weaponry. I see they’re gaining a lot of local attention and accolades and while I find the use of Te Reo lyrics in their music intriguing, I didn’t see the music itself as being much more than a fairly derivative mash-up of Thrash, commercial 90s metal and maybe the vaguest prog flourish. I also find overt political righteousness of any variety (no matter how well intended) in music to be irritating if not unnecessary. I understand they’re very young though, and it was difficult to fault their musical competency.

Next were Head Like a Hole a band who don’t exactly cater to my tastes but I’ve always had an unexpected fondness for. Rocking up on stage looking like a team of mechanics from Te Atatu (they could be for all I know, oops nah they’re Wellingtonians) frontman Booga Beazley is well versed in the theatrics of rock’n’roll buffoonery.  They have too much groove to be metal, but are a little too heavy to be lumped into the hard rock label of the early 70s. They really just carry themselves so well, seem so confident in what they do given how long they’ve been doing it. Their cover of ‘Immigrant Song’ was for me a highlight of the entire event. 

Next up I thought I’d check out the Golden Dawn stage across the bridge. Nicely secluded and shaded by trees, this relatively small stage still enjoyed good sound. So, thumbs up to the engineers involved. I saw Simon something or other. Restrained indie pop but very confidently delivered. Almost teetered on Slowdive-esque shoegaze at times, I thought. I wasn’t madly keen but it was resolutely competent.

By this stage I thought I’d consider giving Carseat Headrest another go. I can’t say I’ve been impressed by the recordings I’ve heard - I frankly can’t stand vocalists who mumble or murmur, unless they’re Kevin Shields. I find the overtly jammy song structures uninventive and a bit tedious, frankly. With the large band set up, two drummers, and aforementioned jamminess, they remind me superficially of Pavement. But Pavement they are not. Although the knotty segues in their songs can make it difficult to predict where a song begins and ends, the progressions tend to be formulaic, albeit drawn out, just with the unexpected, appended additions to structure. These songs generally erupted into ‘whoa whoa whoa whoa yeah, tonight we are young esque’ call and response sing alongs. I know the guy writes heaps of lyrics and I always respect that, but frankly I couldn’t really hear them. Yeah kinda fuck this band tbh.

Next, between two of my frequent panic attacks, over-exposure to the sun and the proper ABV beer I enjoyed at the Golden Dawn stage, I retired into the shadows of the hills, regrettably missing most of Thundercat’s I was assured (and I am sure) excellent set. 

Next up were the Libertines. Who were poised to be a highlight for me. I really enjoy their first album especially. There he was - Pete Doherty. Looking surprisingly healthy. Or maybe it was the make up from a distance. The only two people I bumped into and knew during the entire festival are about 21 and both wrote it off as ‘old guy stuff’ within a few songs. Yikes. I’m only about 5 years younger than them. They reminded me heavily of the Clash in terms of their sing shouty choruses, vague 1950s rockabilly/early rock’n’roll rhythmic undertow and general vocal style. The rhythm section might secretly be the best part of this band - the bassist showing effortless dexterity and the drummer incorporating vaguely Afro-beats at times. Something just wasn’t right. It didn’t help that Doherty’s guitar was out of tune for the first few songs, but something just felt off. Like it has just become a job for these guys. The Libertines are creative songwriters but their stage-show felt underwhelming for me, fostering cheesy showmanship that seemed to compensate for substance.

What happened next? Fuck. Not sure. Was pretty drunk and stoned at this point and freaking out again. I saw the D4. Whyyyyyyyyyy. Ok I’m being a total dick, the D4 play with impressive energy and proficiency but their songs just don’t do it for me. ‘Get up and get out and get loose?’ No thanks, I think I’ll just do the getting loose part then curl up like the neurotic sociopath I truly am. 

The Avalanches I was somewhat looking forward to. Because of that ‘Boy Needs Therapy’ song. Well. I genuinely didn’t realize they were a band. I thought they were electronic. Avalanches was very 50/50 for me personally. Whoever took charge of sound wasn’t doing a great job - too much bass, too little vocals. I didn’t really enjoy the bunch of really obvious songs they sampled into the music. At some point during the late 90s people discovered computers and DAWS and samples and decided that inserting great music into electronic tapestries was tantamount to genius. I’ve never quite understood this. Avalanches were still enjoyable, but I can’t say I loved it. 

Then I started freaking out again and walked back to the Golden Dawn area. The most violent, obnoxious, obstreperous bass I have ever fell victim to seemed to penetrate the entire complex. The trees were trembling, man. Must have been some hip hop guy. How can they even sing over that shit? What is it with you humans and excessive bass? I hate it. 

So then I got my shit together (popped some sedatives, had some more low alcohol beer) and prepared myself for Grace Jones. I’m not a Grace Jones fan in any huge way, but the second she graced (hah) the stage in an outrageous space-age costume replete with golden helmet and red laser beam eyes, her voice, her charisma, her band and her sheer sound production out shined everything which came before (and after). I was a bit far back cuz I’m a nervous freak but someone I know claimed she changed costume (11!) times. But I must not begin to let this sound like it was all about the stage show (which was dazzling, inventive and spectacular). Graces’ breed of mutant post-funk disco is at once entirely artificial and yet somehow primordial, spiritual even. Her voice is commanding, rich, full and doesn’t even have the vaguest shred of elderliness to my ears. ‘Do you feel the life’ Grace asked the audience ‘I love my life was her response.’ I’ll bet she does. What a fucking lady. Every younger band at that concert could take an encyclopaedia  of knowledge and wisdom from the glorious uniqueness and pure charisma that is Grace Jones.

Then I saw Beck. Fuckkkkkk. Beck was 50% of the reason I came to this fucking gig. Beck’s set was A) too quiet B) lacking energy, conviction, enthusiasm C) too top heavy with his more recent stuff which is frankly barely distinguishable top 40 tripe and D) well I’m a cunt. Anyhow. I’m being overly negative. Perhaps Grace simply set the bar too high and I was getting too sedated. There were some highlights. For some reason the Chimpmunk funk of ‘Mixed Bizness’ from Midnite Vultures turned out to be an unexpected highlight for me. We also got to hear Devil’s Haircut and Loser. Yeah they were good. But I dunno. Amidst the awkward attempt to get people to sing along to ‘Raspberry Beret’ and the massive screen projection of him, I sensed the vague whiff of scientology in all its epic soul destroying creepiness. I left early.

But I had fun. Seriously. Auckland City Limits is fucking awesome. Make sure you go next time.