Isn't This Joanna Newsom at the Famous Spiegeltent, Hyde Park, Sydney (A Lesson in How Not to Write a Gig Review)

(Please note I didn't take this picture because I was too busy admiring the performance. Also, this pic was taken on the Thursday performance rather than today's but it was the same place and pretty similar clothes so... Original pic @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/areminder/368939015/)

So - Miss Joanna Newsom, all on her lonesome with nothing but a harp and three hundred people for company, in a decadent 1920s vaudeville tent in a park in the middle of Sydney. How did she hold up? Spectacularly, of course.

From 'Bridges and Balloons' to 'Sadie' to 'Emily' to the GORGEOUS 'Only Skin', with 'Sprout and the Bean', 'Sawdust and Diamonds' and 'This Side of the Blue', through a traditional Scottish folk song and on to 'Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie', and finishing with 'The Book of Right On'. The songs weren't necessarily in that order, but they were all fantastic.

Newsom had a very reserved demeanour; the kind of personality that unwittingly produced understated 'awww's from the audience several times. A mini-confession about too much Australia Day champagne leaving her a little 'limp' for last night's NIDA performance was once of those moments. All in all, she exuded perfect modesty and never once appeared ingratiating.

Her focus on the songs themselves was something to behold, as well. I saw her face ride out the heavy emotional and intellectual content of the pieces, and she really did appear to flesh out both the words and the music with every available part of her being. Her harpistry (word?) was consistently stunning (though she had little slip ups a couple of times which were redeemed very quickly) and her voice was on fantastic form, endowing the sometimes-harsh-sounding earlier songs with a richness and - dare I say it - maturity that was perhaps a little veiled on the album itself. Accusations of child-like voice will continue, but I think she's clear out of the deep water in terms of people using that as an excuse to impose a sort of infantilism on her work. She's showing herself up to be too good for that. Losing a few of the squeaks in favour of more control over the emotional expression of the songs goes a long way towards battling the naysayers.

All in all then - a consummate performance in the perfect intimate venue. The wind quietly clawing at the tent roof during 'Emily', for example, felt far more like a surprisingly fitting sound effect than a nuisance. Perhaps the appropriateness of the venue came from the escapism of the songs. The fantastical elements of her lyrics, the relative uniqueness of what she's doing right now - they sit very strangely with the current musical climate. I can thing of no better place in which to see her perform than this miniature circus tent, once inhabited by Marlene Dietrich, all gently decadent 20s sass and stained mirrors, a portal to a world not exactly like the one we think we know.

Isn't This More Big Day Out Stuff

The Killers, Peaches and Hot Chip there. Hot Chip singing 'a new song about J D Wetherspoons', which is apparently to appear on the next album... Plus a photo of Tool playing at the Blue Stage, from a distance.

Isn't This Surreal

Some Christmas Cracker Love Puppetry for you.

Isn't This a Blast

Isn't This Me at Bondi Beach on Christmas Day

Yes - yes, I did it. The guys and I joined the throngs and rocked up at Bondi this afternoon for a nice little sojourn in the sun. And know what? I had a great time. Beach+Cafe+Wine+SillyCardGames=Fun. After a rainy 24th where the more Continental members of the household had insisted that we have dinner a day early, today was free to do as much milling around as humanly possible. It was a bit like having 2 Xmases. Hurrah!

Happy Boxing Day, everyone. God bless us.

Isn't This a Video Blog (I am So Emo Right Now)

I repeat - I hope you're all well and that you forgive me for my experimental foray into the video blogging format. I may do it again, it's kind of fun.

Isn't This an Introduction

Hi everyone. After producing a number of privacy-invading emails, I've decided to submit all my ensuing travelspeak to this delightful little blog rather than ram my life down the respective throats of all my acquaintances. This way, only the important people will read about what I've been doing... and if I'm lucky, not even them.

Status now: I'm unemployed. Still. After over a month. It's fun, really. The weather has gone into the high thirties for the last couple of days so I've been greatly enjoying that. Sydney has been bombarded with bushfires of late, so last night there was a smell of ashes in the air. Quite palatable, really, if somewhat unnerving. I've got my own computer: friendly housemate Bard had a couple of knackered ones lying around the house and pledged one to me on a temporary basis as long as I could fix it. So I did. It feels nice, I spent today watching downloaded South Park episodes when I maybe should have goneto the beach.

Oh, but the really good news is that the new computer has enabled me to really get going on my Great Novel. Yes, that's write folks, the promise is finally coming good - I got down 1400 words today and I'm gonna juice some more out later as well. It's been in the planning stages for a good six months now so I figured it was about time to splurge something down before I became just another failed writer. Some of you are privy to the subject of my magnum opus; many are not. It's a secret which I will only divulge to my most trusted devotees. The upside is that I expect roughly one percent of you to give a shit, so I don't have to piddle about with excuses for why you're not allowed into my special inner circle of knowledge. Know this, though: it will be finished, and it will be great.


If you check out my flickr account (www.flickr.com/photos/sammcginty) you'll see a whole bunch of new photographs. Many of them are of an exhibition called "Sculpture by the Sea" (http://www.sculpturebythesea.com/) which took place a week or so ago, along the walk between the beaches of Bondi and Tamarama in Syndey. It was great, and for those who don't like pissy modern art, just enjoy the gorgeous backdrops and clear sunny skies.

I'm currently waiting to hear about a job as an office junior at an ad agency, which I interviewed for yesterday. I'm optimistic, but the optimism is, I'll admit, slowly draining from my shoes as the hours tick by.

I'm going to spend some time polishing this blog up and then I'll try and add my old emails to it, just to create some sort of narrative sense. See you around, guys.

Isn't This a Shithole

Alice Springs is a hole. Absolutely nothing of note here. That said, it's better than Katherine... marginally. I'm here for a couple of hours before getting back on the train... which has been an interesting experience in itself. The seats, while deceptively comfortable to sit on, are actually far worse for sleeping on than either airline seats or even those on buses. Had a rough night last night, that's for sure. But it's kind of a fun way to travel. I'm gone God only knows how many kilometres in the last month, it's insane. Well worth it, I'm having a great time. SOOO looking forward to Sydney...

Argh, the internet cafe's started playing James Blunt. That bastard is everywhere. He was playing in a Starbucks in Hong Kong when I was there too.

God, Alice sucks.


I'm bored. I want to send a group email to pass the time but I only sent one about four days ago and nothing has happened. There are a lot of old people on the Ghan. They have showers but I haven't used them yet. I will when I get back on. I'll be in Adelaide tomorrow morning, oh Glory of Glories Hallelujah, Adelaide, what a beautiful place. The Festival City. Whatever. Beats Alice, I guess. Missed out on an opportunity to go to Katherine Gorge yesterday - what an idiot! That was one of the things I wanted to do most and yet I couldn't be arsed and just wandered around Katherine. Got three books though. Read one of them: Essays in Love by Alain de Botton. It's a boy meets girl, boy loses girl story told in the form of a series of retrospective musings that chart the stages of the relationship both chronologically and thematically. Very interesting, part novel part pop-philosophy I guess you might call it. Also got a book of essays celebrating the 50th anniversary of Ginsberg's 'Howl', one of my favourite poems of all time. Read it. http://www.people.virginia.edu/~jng2d/enlt255/texts/howl/howl.htm

The last book is The Shadow of the Wind - what the hell, a little light entertainment never harmed anyone.

Bored.

Ho-hum.

Isn't This an Adventure

Just thought I'd drop a big group email again - yes, I know, a mere week and a half after the last one - because I'm going on a trip on Friday that will basically take roughly a month. Three weeks up Australia's gloriously unspoilt, uninhabited, impenetrable, department-store-bereft Western coastline, then a train journey from the very top (Darwin) down to the south east (Sydney) that will take over a week (including stopovers).

My time in Perth has continued in the same direction it was going when I last shoved an email out: pleasantness and alcohol in equal proportions. Tomorrow I'm going to go with a few guys from the hostel I'm staying at for a tour around a few wineries. Otherwise - it's been all about the suburban fun so far.

Two days ago I went and did 5 hours shaking a tin outside a supermarket for charity, $70 cash in hand. Just felt like it would be an unusual way to pass the time. But - jesus - never ever ever do that kind of work. Spent half an hour watching a pigeon wobbling along the pavement pecking at scraps, and eventually started making up accompanying music in my head... like the loony tunes tiptoeing music, you know? "dumdumdum...dum...dum...dumdumdedededum" (ad nauseum). Then there was a big shiny roach crawling about next to me for 20 minutes. That was also very interesting. Gah.... never, ever again.

Anyway - so now it's just about waiting for Friday, which is when all the fun starts. Doing the following tour: http://www.westernxposure.com.au/ourtours/tourdetails.aspx?tid=16&name=West%20Coast%20Explorer%20-%20Perth%20to%20Darwin - I'd advise you if you're interested enough to go to www.flickr.com , and type into the search box the names of any of the places I'm going and just see how awesome all the pictures are. Like this, for example: http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=ningaloo or http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=monkey+mia or http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=bungle+bungles or http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=karijini or http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=cable+beach or ....... well, you get the picture.

So, yep. That really is about it. I'll be swinging into Sydney on the 5th of August after (as already mentioned) a very long train journey from the top of the country to the bottom and then across to the east... and that's when part two of my Australian Adventure kicks off.

Best wishes,

Sam

Isn't This Humid

Hi everyone

Only been in Hong Kong a couple of days, but thought I'd shove a quick
mail out. Had a few additions to the list since the last one so I'm
just trying to get that sorted too...

Prepare for some dreadful banalities. I know I promised otherwise, but
I can't help myself. If you don't like all this dreary crap, just look
at the pictures because some of them are quite pretty. I won't send
another big mail till I'm leaving, I promise. Maybe not even till I've
been in Perth a couple of weeks, actually. For your sakes, not mine.

Hong Kong is lovely. Put a few pictures up at
www.flickr.com/photos/sammcginty already; take a look. Some of them
are a bit wonky, and maybe the colours are a bit off, because I don't
have the usual photowhizzery tools available to me... but I'm still
quite proud.

It's damned hot out here, and incredibly humid. There's loads to do,
it's a really buzzing city, but today I've spent indoors because
there's been a tropical storm raging pretty much all day. Other days
though - well, the shopping centres are so big you could get lost in
them, which is a good thing because you want to spend most of the time
indoors (well I do), it's so hot and sticky.

Apparently the shoreline of HK has moved forward a hell of a lot in
the past few years due to ongoing land reclamation, so that you can
actually walk along what used to be the waterfront and be nowhere near
the water.

You can use your travel card ('Octopus' - methinks the London
Underground has been pilfering concepts) to buy snacks at the 7-11,
it's so high tech. Scan and go, scan and go. It's the future.

Hong Kong Park is like a tropical, Asian version of NY's Central Park.
Epic skyskcaper vistas rise up behind beautifully landscaped
hill-lets, rockeries, ponds, aviaries, observatories, fountains,
people doing Tai-Chi, museums, playgrounds... Plus there's a shiny new
Olympic Square there - which I suspect they're going to struggle to
find any use for post-2008. Any thoughts on what best to do with a
miniature ampitheatre, thoroughly emblazoned with that famous
five-disc logo? No? Well, it's nice to know the People's Republic is
investing in its future.

There's an outdoor escalator that goes from Central (or near Central -
that's the central district - duh) up to the Mid Levels, halfway up
Hong Kong, which is basically a bloody long way. I went halfway up
before I realised there was no down escalator for lazy c***s like
me...

The buildings are tall and shiny and new, and I'm about two feet
taller than everyone here which gives me a great view of the scenery.
The food and hospitality are lovely, with special mention for the
ever-brilliant Ainsworths and their lovely helper Marina, who's been
providing my dinners so far. Yet to dive into Macdonald's, though I
may make the sacrifice eventually.

I'm being boring. It's great here though. Look at the pictures.

Top moment so far: walking off the Star Ferry from Kowloon last night
listening to Sigur Ros (Yes, Ellie, "Hoppipooooooollllllaaaaaaaa"
indeed), seeing the HSBC and Bank of China towers looming over me,
generally taking in all the lights and sights, and going up for a long
walk through the ridiculous network of corridors and overpasses that
thread through all the skyscrapers in Central. That was the moment
where I saw *that* shop - yes, the glamorously entitled "Wanko".

I'll get back to you when things get more interesting.

Sam