the social network

like everyone else i've now seen the social network. it was a really very quality film. better than fight club? maybe, i haven't decided, but definitely a 4.5 stars. one stand out factor, apart from jesse eisenberg and the quality direction, was the great soundtrack. reznor did a good job

ehh christmas?

I tried to post an actual blog post about my actual life yesterday, but my BlogSpace iPhone app was apparently 'suspicious activity' in google's eyes. i guess i have to say goodbye to my dreams of updating in bed.

the bike is still out of commission so i've borrowed a friend's skateboard to keep my cred up even whilst out of action. this is bound to be interesting.

so i've decided to quit my job, clean shit up, get my shit together and sort shit out before i go back to uni next year. bring it on?

today has also proven to be my first foray into Adobe InDesign. watch out, world.

peace out

kyü

In 17 months, Sydney Uni’s Kyü’s Freya Berkhoüt and Alyx Dennïson have performed their first live show, recorded their first tracks, paired up with fantastic band Parades, and even released their first album. It’s been nothing short of an absolute whirlwind for the quiet, unassuming duo. With the self-titled Kyü, the pair have asserted their unique sound on Sydney, and started critics’ heads nodding over the city.

One part acoustic tribal drums, two parts clever vocal harmonies, one part soundtrack to the Lion King. It’s been said before, but it’s worth saying again – what Kyü creates is more auditory art than pop music. Pure vocal harmonies seep in and out of acoustic rolling drums. Pianos, synths and even a guitar provide a subtle backing track, but always play second fiddle to Alyx and Freya themselves. Lyrics change between prayer-like chants (check out ‘Koi’) and repeating phrases. Every track has a great mix of melodies, harmonies, and vocal power.

Vocal instrumentation, it’s fair to say, plays the leading role in the pair’s debut. Still, if you've had a chance to see Kyü live, it's clear that the duo is just as talented with a glockenspiel and set of drums. Watching them perform ‘Sunny in Splodges’ at O-Week this year was a visual treat. Their timid demeanor transformed into one powerful overcoming voice as soon as the music started rolling. Attacking the one drum in sync as the track hits its peak, there’s no shortage of energy on stage.

The only downfall of this album may be that the energy felt in live shows doesn’t come through a set of speakers in the same way. Although, the same could be said of any band in the country.

As a powerful musical soundscape, this smart album can hardly be faulted. Kyü is a smart album that’s come quickly to Berkhoüt and Dennïson, exploded them onto Sydney's live scene just as fast.

Eyedea Void (External Theory)

loko-pocalypse

oh yes

badarsery

sooooo a car ran me over when i was on my bike last week. about 30 seconds after leaving home. i woke up two days later in icu with no idea where i was?
i've got a fractured neck, had a broken jaw in two places, broken bones around my eye and sinus, a subdural hematoma and some other shiz.

go me?

umm...

so i'm at home drinking alone again. uhh...

chasing legends.

i am looking forward to this, so much. nothing gets me going more than a cinematic trailer score.

oxfarts.

well i'd like to be posting about guineafowl's second ever headline show at oxford arts tonight, or the fact that they're supported by pluto jonze, betty airs and brown bear black bear. i'd like to, of course, but i'm at home drinking scotch and watching mad men alone. and you know what? i have not regretted my decision for a second. i have also got stuck into the date scones and marble cake around here.

that's right folks, envy my life.

you'll also be pleased to find that i've solved my small caps problem by putting all important things in bold. hooray!

in the next posts i'll explain my penchant for not using any capitals in an exciting tangent on my growing fascination with type.

sick fixie, bro.

so, i recently started riding a fixed gear bike around sydney and my suburbs... and it's a lot of fun. i'll definitely be posting up more about cycling on this blog because it's become my latest 'thing,' as it were.


in any case, it's sydney's latest thing too. last month an exhibition showcasing the bikes and profiles of some of this city's seminal riders was held at the galleries at town hall. here's a small write-up i did of it at the time. it came with some very trendy photos from my disposable camera, but they've proven too painfully hip to convert to digital format. maybe later.

Fixed Up is a celebration and exploration of the fixed gear bicycle culture in Sydney. The free exhibition coincides directly with a rebranding of The Galleries Victoria into its new younger, sharper, hipper moniker – simply ‘The Galleries.’

In a none-too-subtle move, one could be forgiven for thinking that Fixed Up was established as the visually catching nectar to the young, sharp and hip types to which stores like Incu, Graniph and Carhartt already cater. It does this, and it does it well. But as the brainchild of some of the founding members of Sydney Sunday Sessions (who also happen to work at Incu), Fixed Up has real integrity. The format began as an idea for Monster Children gallery, but when guys at the newly-branded The Galleries caught the scent, the exhibition was moved to the vaulted central space above Town Hall station.

And, it must be said, it’s had impressive results. Just over a handful of individually impressive and loved bikes hang from the vaulted ceiling, and swing wistfully in the breeze. A playful wooden display cabinet giving insight into its rider, the fixed gear scene, and Sydney Sunday Sessions itself accompanies each bicycle hanging above. The boxes aren’t particularly ostentatious or self-glorifying, and the text and accumulated miscellanea lends the installation a friendly, genuine feel. It’s a shame, though, that the bicycles haven’t been given full reign of the space they have; their shackles sometimes lead them to touch or bump. Granted, it’s more a fault of opportunity, because there is so much space that could have been utilised.

Some may say deride this as another hipster sell-out, but the tone is playful and fun, and its origins are genuine. As SSS and bike polo rider Eirlie Chisholm maintained, it’s all about showing the fixed gear bicycle as a fun and healthy way to get around or get some socialising. It also forms a fitting entree to the Bicycle Film Festival later in the year. Even so, it’s unavoidable that the exhibition is set up, ostensibly, in a shopping centre. Supporters would say that it comes with the territory of getting a wide audience, but detractors would equally say that it’s a giant marketing exercise. For my money, I’d lean slightly on the former, for the great vibe around the whole thing.

Until August 15^th, two bikes are set up on rollers every Thursday night for the Goldsprint time-trials – progressing to find the fastest Sydney fixed rider. These races really extend the fun on the whole exhibition, with everyone from hardcore riders to some suited men having a go. Opening night even featured an intense father-son race.

Fixed Up attracts those in the know or walking through – those that are already interested, without screaming its presence to the world. This is exactly what the proprietors of The Galleries, and the exhibition itself, could have wanted. The hate surrounding the affectations of the fixed gear scene is unavoidable, and the need for cool subtlety when drawing in this elusive young market is paramount. This exhibition manages to strike a workable balance of celebration, passion and advertisement to rally cycling enthusiasts and bring in new customers.

the gate.

THE GATE is a (relatively) new live music night just opened out in ryde, right in the 'burbs of sydney. set up in the backyard of the ever-loveable joe, the gate has had three outings so far, all a great success.

as someone cursed with the slow death by a thousand cuts that is life out in the cultural wasteland of the northern areas of sydney, a prospect like this excited me an awful lot. its even more exciting for all the kiddies out there who can't get themselves to gigs to support sydney's local music scene. i know - i was just recently one of them. but a critique of sydney's live music booking is for another day.

after entering through the back gate (conveniently facing onto a main road), cleverly set lighting and a well opened space welcome guests in. there's even a merch stand and a coffee machine (!) to fill out the vibe. its a vibe that sits comfortably somewhere between an evening at a friend's place and almost a proper venue - it's good to see that the organisers have thought things through. it'll make for a very scaleable operation as it (undoubtedly) continues to pull big names and big crowds - for the the 120 capacity yard.

this saturday, sydney's SEEKAE headlined, supported by melbourne's BON CHAT, BON RAT and the (ostensibly) melbournian ZEAL (who also treated early birds to a a guest collab with SUBSKETCH). whilst it was clear that SEEKAE were the main crowd pullers - and they played a fantastic set - in my eyes ZEAL really stole the show. his popular 'vigilante' got a play (after being spun on fbi a few times recently) along with some numbers from his 11-track ep, and some more besides. a personal favourite was 'lightning strikes,' with an opening reminiscent of RADIOHEAD'S 'nude.' watching him rock out on stage with his guitar hero guitar / midi controller was more awesome than any thirteen year old playstation fan could ever be. his collab with SUBSKETCH also proved both artists have a very exciting and idiosyncratic command of rhythm which will take them far, especially with a bit of vocal polishing.

BON CHAT, BON RAT then arrived on the retaining-walled area of lawn to crank out a solid set with minimal interruptions, which was good to see. the group have been laying down some great synth lines in true style of the sydney electronic and indie sound.

SEEKAE came on last to drop some liquid-smooth melodies, and their closer bloodbank transfers well to a live format. they also debuted a new song - look out for anything with the word 'mingus' in the title - with some seriously low, fat beats. the addition of an actual drum kit continues to amaze me, considering how complex a lot of their rhythms and drumming lines appear. overall, it was a characteristically humble but impressive set from the threesome.

the real thing to highlight here, though, is just how cool THE GATE and venues like it really are. of course its byo, the online rsvp system keeps numbers reasonable and expectation high, the system runs like clockwork and the sound desk busts out some excellent tracks over the system in the breaks. and the bands just chill right along side the punters, which is the way something like this really should be. there should be more of this in sydney, and done in the right way. THE GATE ticks all the boxes for me - and i can even ride there on my bike.

take a seat.

after a characteristically large amount of procrastination, i have started posting to my very own shiny little blawg. so, i thought i'd make a little post to celebrate it. is this the cool thing to do? most likely. so, um, i'll just start posting up shit i write and shit i like. cool. lets do this.