The Flaming Lips

The Flaming Lips: Festival Hall 29th June 2009.

They have been around for 26 years and are described as one of the must see rock bands of the 21st century. It takes a great band, amazing sound, and most importantly, and often most overlooked, a great audience to achieve what is a hard feeling to describe: You aren’t just at a gig and it’s better than drugs. It will get you closer to god than religion ever could. Few shows can do this for people.

Personal highlights (apart from dancing plush lizards and sheep, copious amounts of giant balloons, elaborate light show) were Yeah Yeah Yeah Song, Yoshimi Pt 1, She Don't Use Jelly and above all else Do You Realize?? Waynes' eloquent introductions to these songs combined with extreme closeups of his face made this a very intimate experience despite the sold out venue.

They played two new songs 'Silver Trembling Hands' and 'Convinced Of The Hex' which feature on the recently released downloadable EP Songs From The Future Album Embryonic. They can be heard here.

Set list:

1. Race for the Prize
2. Silver Trembling Hands
3. The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song
4. Fight Test
5. Enthusiasm for Life Defeats Internal Existential Fear, Progressive
6. Convinced Of The Hex
7. Mountain Side
8. Vein Of Stars
9. Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, Pt. 1
10. Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung
11. Taps
12. The W.A.N.D.
13. She Don't Use Jelly
    
14. Encore = Do You Realize??

Their new album Embryonic is set for release mid September.

Max


Listen to anything by The Flaming Lips
Eat chinese broccoli and baby bok Choy w’ garlic sauce
Read Naked Ape to Superspecies by Holy Dressel and Dr David Suzuki.

When Ryan's away, Gin & The Cardinals come out to play

Upon reading the EG section in The AGE yesterday (pg. 10), I discovered that The Cardinals (Ryan Adams most recent backing band) have recently gone back to the studio with 23 y/o unknown Kiwi Gin Wigmore. Wigmore's debut album 'Holy Smoke' (September 25th release) was recorded in LA with The Cardinals in May. 'Oh My', the album's first single, displays Wigmore's unique vocals (think Macy Gray/ Duffy/ Amy Winehouse), plenty of organ & rocky riffs that are standout Cardinals signatures, with a little bit of handclapping & harp. The track 'Under My Skin', off Wigmore's first EP (pre-Cardinals), has been used in a series of Air New Zealand commercials. In regards to how Adams feels about the whole process, on Ryan Adams forum, fans believe Adams has given The Cardinals his blessings to continue down new avenues. Others think the move will make Ryan jealous and lead him to making music again. This following Adams' recent shock retirement from the music industry leading to the pursuit of a new career in writing novels & poetry.

Wigmore is touring in Aug/Sept with the following dates solo:

27 August- Notes, Sydney

2 September- The Toff in Town, Melbourne

3 September- The Troubadour, Brisbane

And later supporting Josh Pyke on his Variations tour through Oct/Nov:
29 October- The Palace, Melbourne
30 October- Big Top: Luna Park, Sydney
6 November- Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle
7 November- Big Top: Brisbane

Unfortunately, it's HIGHLY unlikely The Cardinals will be backing Wigmore on the tour.

You can listen to 'Oh My' and samples of other tracks at Gin Wigmore's Myspace- http://www.myspace.com/ginwigmore

Gin Wigmore & The Cardinals


"I do love a man in uniform!"

Daz

Listening to: Joan as Police Woman- To Survive
Watching: Mean Streets
Drinking: Arctic Fox Ice Cap Lager

Moustache Cup.

The following is a brief account of the Moustache cup.

They are an appendage which stops a moustache from getting wet, and generally look something like this.



Invented in the mid to late nineteenth century by a British potter Harvey Adams. The exact circumstances around the fabled creation are known to a select few individuals. The popular misconception is Adams was torn from slumber after a vivid dream. In a mad rush, sweaty and disoriented he wrote the details on the wall using his wife’s lipstick. It goes something as follows.

“I was sitting at my turnpike swiveling clay when a strange noise filled the air. It seemed to come from yonder. A mystical sound; like a slightly out of tune harp, being played by a particularly romantic jockey with small stubby fingers. I opened the window and was greeted by the sight of a small jockey playing a harp. He was barely able to reach the furthermost strings. It was a terrible sight.
“Private property” I told him and mustered my most menacing gaze. “get off my land, I’ll have no bloody beggars under this potters pottery.”
he stopped and looked at me incredulously. 'don’t ye know who I am?' "

At this point the lipstick ran out. It is understood his wife tore him to sheds soon after.

The lesser known alternative to this ridiculous tale rings closer to the truth.
Being kicked out of his own home after mysterious events surrounding his wife’s lipstick Adams met a beautiful Welsh woman one night at the circus.
He spotted her from afar as he was entering a circus tent on the edge of town. It was a brief moment, and although their eyes only met for a second Adams was in love. The odd looking lights went out as he found his seat the woman fell from view, but not his heart. “ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girls. Welcome to Descovskys' Traveling Emporium!” the ringleader called.
In a flash the lights came back on. Lions, muscle men, clowns, tight rope walkers, midgets, beasts of indescribable shapes and sizes filled the chaotic ring below. As the show stretched on he grew tired. attention was elsewhere, continuously scanning the audience for another gaze into her beautiful eyes.
Disenchanted he left early and thought about heading home to apologise to his wife, or at least sleep in the garden. He was kicking stones, scuffing his shitty shoes, when he noticed the woman only a few metres ahead. . She was slender in the right parts and plump in others. Just to his liking. This welsh goddess was singing softly to herself and had the voice of a well tuned harp played moderately well. How long had she been there? No idea. He broke into a cold sweat, swore under his breath. “fuck”. but a little louder than he’d hoped, as it came out more like “FUCK!” She jumped, startled, tripped over, landing on her ankle with a sickening THWAK! “FWUUUUUURRRRCK!” she cried out. A panicked Adams rushed over in a fit of apologies. She looked up from the sick wound. He froze. “The Moustachiod Welsh Wonder” he gasped.

And the rest is history.

Max.

Today Was A Good Day- Nike SB commercial

Although I'm not a fan of Nike & not impressed by what Nike SB has done to the rest of the skateboarding shoe industry, I had to share this. It's the new Nike commercial for The Zoom Air Paul Rodriguez III (Available 8/8/09). With a great cruising song backing, the ad features Eric Koston's first Nike appearance, Kobe stoked by a P-Rod switch flip & Ice Cube being Ice Cube. The highlight though is Lance Mountain's cameo as a cop.

Enjoy..

Daz

Listening to: Oh Mercy- In The Nude For Love EP
Watching: Eastbound & Down
Drinking: Barons Brewing Lager