So I got booked for a show at the Espy (Esplanade Hotel in St. Kilda Melbourne, even though the Espy is quite a landmark and even ‘legendary’ venue the only name dropping reference I have when trying to describe it to people is that they film Rock Quiz there, and then you have to try and explain what Rock Quiz is etc.). The date of the gig was the 23rd which added an ominous tone to the whole thing as I’ve been reading a lot of Burroughs and the number 23 signifies some sort of impending disaster or some such and there was even a band called 23 Skidoo (haven’t listened) in reference to one of his books.
I asked a friend of mine to do visuals and I’d split my paycheck and all was good when on the day he texted me he was ill. Damn is this the infamous 23 skidoo at work? Ah well my paycheck just got bigger and I can still do this, just requires a bit more effort and prep. So myself and girlfriend decide to go in earlier, hang sheets for the projector and then go home and chill. So we do this and about to head of when I get a call from my sis and she’s coming in earlier so maybe I should hangout and there are people here I know and a friend of mines playing. So we’ll stay at the Espy, I brought all my gear, all is good or so I think..
So I play ater Ennis Tola and they're getting ready to play, so I decide to be pedantic and start setting up my gear and maybe warm up a bit as well. And lo and behold I realise I’ve left my laptop at home. Fuck. 23 Skidoo? Godamn you Burroughs now you’ve messed with my head. A creeping chill then bam I am of. Car is parked 15 minutes away so thankfully my jogging with german flatmate Cesar is going to pay off and I run all the way. Do about a 100 on the Kings way leg at one point much to the chagrin of V8 ute drivers that look upon my gay little blue car and wonder why a chick is driving so fast. I usually get lane jumped by fools in bigger cars that think I am some sort of meek Asian student that’s willing to give up space for their all powerful brogadaccio viehicles so it’s been my mission to prove that gay little ‘uni’ cars (their cheap inexpensive, small good for inner city A to B and handy when you’re studying I suppose) deserve respect, thusly I drive like a demon..
I get out of the car which has a kind of burnt rubber smell and arrive to the last song of the set. Phew. As I’m setting up each correct cable and bit of equipment is a god send as one more fuck up, missing bit of equipment and it’s all over. As you can imagine my state of mind is on the hyper side and I forego my start of Ocean which would have been dreamy and meditative and calming and launch straight into the gabber section of Atreyu Wandering which I jump around in with much glee missing all the notes. And so went the rest of the set. Now my girlfriend which I think is starting to turn into a tennis parent (my mom once told me my old man got nicotine poisoning from smoking too many cigarettes whilst watching me play junior tennis out of nerves) or could be soccer parent for that matter go little Johnny, I’m living my hopes and dreams through you..
Well she says to me when I ask what she thought of the show that my performance was not so good, the lighting was poor, mix was average, I missed a lot of notes (the stress of not knowing whether I’d be back in time got to her perhaps), but au contraire dear reader, I have come to the conclusion that music is art and therefore does not have to be perfect clean, well played or good even, it’s just an expression, energy force and how it comes out is what it should be is and was meant to be. But yes I did make a lots of mistakes haha
So was it 23 Skidoo? I did start just after midnight so technically my actual set was on the 24th, but the lead up of events hmmm.. cue twilight zone muzak. I will never know. However my next booked gig is on the 23rd next month for the Chico Flash album launch! Not to sound dire or anything.. from now on I shall be making a list of all my equipment. And driving respectably until my road karma gets good again (well we shall see).
A clip from the gig..
A clip from the gig..
