The tide is going home.

Going for a music festival is nearly always a tiring affair; the waiting, the jostling with a sweaty throng of people, and standing for hours on end. It hardly seems worth the effort, and there always comes a point where, out of frustration & pure exhaustion, I inevitably question the reason I came at all.

But then there is the singular moment that comes, unpredictable & sweeping as a tidal wave, a moment so elusive and mysterious that up till now, I feel ill-equipped to describe it. It comes, strong & tactile & palpable, & then ebbs away as if it were a dream. It is the electric moment where everyone stops whatever they are doing, the shoving or screaming or slugging beer or making out, & the air becomes filled with something that I can only describe as the spirit of harmony. It is the moment where in the three-minute space of an otherwise ordinary song, a thousand individuals are transformed into a single body with a solitary pulse.

And this is the beautiful thing: In that instant, no one cares if you are singing off-key or if you don't know all the words or how different you are from the next person, because all that matters is that a piece of music has brought us together like no one & nothing ever can. Sometimes, in the spirit of it all, I take a look around & nearly say aloud to no one in particular, What a strange world we live in. I want to be present in it all. It is then when I realise what a song can do, & suddenly remember why I always come back.

Oh, the places you'll go

School doesn't really feel like it has started with CNY holidays just around the corner! Explored Chinatown for a bit today and started to really get into the holiday spirit... Of course, the slew of new year shopping and anticipated haul of moolah doesn't hurt.

Besides the odd book sale or cup of tea with friends, going for Foster the People last Saturday was pretty amazing. It was an eclectic mix of fist-pumping beats and headbanging moments. Looking forward to Laneway next month hurrah!

On another note, I'm really enjoying the creative writing module I'm taking with a friend this semester. We read an excerpt from Letters to a Young Poet written by German Poet Rilke (whose series of beautiful poems about Angels I remember vividly) during our first lesson and discussed the reason for writing. We write, because it is a baring of souls, because it is the depth of human nature, and because we can't help but spill our thoughts into words. It was such a peculiar, yet pleasant feeling, just sitting quietly at a table and writing whatever comes to mind.

Somehow, I've got a feeling that this semester is going to be much more enjoyable than the last :)

Life is rock n' roll

A few things!

1. The university life has begun! I can't remember if anyone has told me, but apparently, you can be invisible in college and still survive. Made a few friends, ate lots of lunches, so school hasn't changed much since, well, ever.

2. TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB. Phenomenal. They rocked it, period.

3. BROOKE FRASER. She did not rock it, on the account that she had bronchitis and cancelled the show a mere hour before doors opened. Us, being a five-minute walk away from TAB and pleasantly dining @wendys, were not amused.

4. Finished watching Parks & Recreation last week. It is seriously the most hilarious sitcom I've seen since the Office, and that is not easy to beat. Amy Poehler, and the rest of the cast, is gold! Also watched a lot of As Told by Ginger, and that too, is brilliant.

5. My book depository order arrived on Saturday and I've been too busy reading John Green, Sylvia Plath and Homer to start on any readings. The thought of opening my linguistic texts now, as compared to the poetic genius that is Plath, disgusts me.

And that is all, for now :)

My Neighbour, My Creator

Instead of contemplating the vagaries of starting college tomorrow, I should be at Lollapalooza right now cheering on Wye Oak & their beautifully honest, indie music. Even though we've just returned from taking a Europe backpacking tour, I can't help but think of the hundred possible trips I want to make in the future. The first on the list would be going for massive music fests in the US & UK; Glastonbury, Leeds, Reading, Coachella, Wanderlust, Vans Warped Tour, Summerfest, Pitchfork... days of interesting crowds and music and magic. All a bit risqué, but well, a girl can dream.

For consolation, I AM catching Two Door Cinema Club this week, who are coincidentally one of the few UK headlining bands at Lollapalooza this year. Also, Brooke Fraser is on Friday, and I'm so incredibly excited to watch this gig, you will not believe. At the very least, the thought of these two concerts will get me through my first week at university :/

And this.

There's electric in the air
and it's seeping through our veins
A blanket of eclectic love
A throng of passion

I'm blind in a crowd but safe
We were all once borrowed earth
We are back to origins
We're back to basics


Where everything seems brighter
You are lovely
And I am whole again


Sink to our knees in mud
We're catching crochets from air
I think of you bathed in neon
the light that is of neon

And it's as if souls could talk
So we are love, tangible
The night is inspirational
The night is young


Where everything seems brighter
You are lovely
And I am whole again
Where stars shine brighter
We are lovely,
We are whole again.

Ready to fly, you and I

Wow. Totally underestimated Sara's vocals and was pleasantly surprised with her concert at the Esplanade! I was actually reluctant to go (because we procrastinated and ended up with nosebleed seats, and also because it has been a very long time since I considered myself a Bareilles fan) but thought, 'eh, a gig's still a gig.' I'm so very glad I went because it turned out to be a pretty brilliant show.

Amazing vocals, interactive and hilarious, with one of the tightest backing bands I've seen. Not to mention, a pretty good opening act! It's not easy to find a performer who makes every member of a nearly 2000-strong audience feel that they're in a small and intimate show. She's not Feist, Laura Marling or Alison Sudol; but she comes pretty close to the top of my list. A convert for sure!!!

And the drums, the drums, the drums.

In favour of (planning for) the Europe tour with Luki & Jen, I've been passing up on many great gigs... MGMT, Imogen Heap and even the entire Mosiac Fest. Found these long overdue photos of Laneway festival with the girls on facebook and well, if you can't go for em', relive the memories.

10-foot mudslides, dancing in the rain and Yeasayer stealing the show. Sorry Temper Trap!

Have been doing so much lately that I haven't had much energy to go out. All I'm saying is, it's nice to stay home on a weekend night and relax and watch old films. It's these times we live for!

From weed, to rock & roll, to cameras

People just don't enjoy concerts like they used to... I'm guilty for the rabid recording of gig material as well :/

Can't wait for laneway pictures to be up! It was mind-blowingly wicked. Finally, a decent indie festival! So glad to have been part of it.

(you will seek me and you will find me (in the wasteland of your mind

Did I mention, THE MAN HIMSELF, is coming to town? An intimate gig at Timbre. The thought of being in the presence of such a legend is spine tingling.

Found a weathered copy of The Bob Dylan Chronicles Volume I at the bottom of my side-table library (for less than twenty from the One Page bookfair!) and flipped through it this morning. Couldn't be more stoked! We're talking about the guy who has been a revolutionary figure in folk, blues and rock and roll music, been inducted into countless halls of fame AND won the pulitzer prize for his impact on music today. If there was a great American musician, it would no doubt be him.


I know I'm ranting but I can't really stop.

BOB DYLAN, GUYS! BOB DYLAN!

Sweet Disposition and the Fury

Catching Temper Trap

Excuse my inexplicable violent tendencies towards shrill, whiny groupies. Shame!





First, impromptu dash to catch a Temper Trap acoustic show at Scape on Tuesday! It was wicked because they let us into the studio. Not that there was even many of us, one wouldn't expect hordes of fans for a lesser-known Melbourne band, but it was still nice.

They didn't play Science of Fear, but Fader was great!

Even as an advocate for Brit music (60s beatles pop, 70s angsty punk, and forefront on most good indie music), kangaroo-agogo-land does have pretty good listens! Kudos to jillette for the tip! An excellent preview to Laneway Music Festival 2011.

one night only

Happy 18th Tiara! Hope we made a memorable celebration. Between bad stage moments, dayna's 'I'm not drunk' and one-too-many floral dresses, it was a good way to 'celebrate' the half-way mark for prelims as well :)

Till our next venture...

MAMBO NIGHT.

Like a riot, like a riot, oh!

Singfest 2010

So I wasn't feeling all that up to it on tuesday, but I'm kinda glad I went. Its awesomeness made me want to get a ticket for Smashing Pumpkins on day 3 (and from what Victor said, they played 1979 from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness which they play, like, NEVER.)

The Like (alternative poprock band based in L.A.) was unexpectly good. Hail all-girl rockbands!


she reminds me of dull gret. Have been studying way too much lit... HA! I lie. Churchill gets into your head, tho.
Nameless bass, but you can pretty much guess its a hofner. Paul McCartney would have been proud.
Orianthi was an absolutely wicked, 'cept when she opened her mouth and the ghastly aussie accent came spilling out. You could practically see the looks of awe change to looks of mortification when she stopped playing the slick steve-vai licks and tried to increase audience participation by talking. Still, you can't fault the girl, being in MJ's last unseen-tour gives you immunity.

Lounged around while the wondergirls were on!

Harry's was the official caterer, everything was overpriced as usual!

So anyway there was this buff mixed-dude standing in front of us and Sarah asked whether I could take a picture with him. *blushes. And then she called me a cheap slut. THANKS.

Whoot whoot!
eeyer.

If they didn't show that much skin, people would have boo-ed them straight off. Most lukewarm-applause performance of the night!

They were so-so. I don't have a taste of effeminate dudes and mediocre instrumentals. Although Bill has GOT to get a trophy for managing to squeeze into those pants.

Anyway, I was pretty pissed that by the time Katy Perry got on (it took about 45 minutes for them to set the props up and vulgarities were aflame in the mob), there was no batt left cause Sheri used it all to take pictures of Tokio. It was a serious FML moment.

These were the best two pictures before the cam died... at least we got to watch her rock on guitar and sing with amazing vocals. Doesn't hurt that she is hella BEAUTIFUL!


Between holding press-conferences in the sea and having a fiance like Russell Brand, no one can say Katy Perry isn't amazing.

So concludes this year's Singfest! 2008 did have a better line-up I suppose, but you can't expect Jason Mraz and Panic to come every year, right?



The last week has ben breezyyyy. Career day on Wednesday and National Day celebrations today. Loving the long weekend ahead! Will finally have time to listen to the new Arcade Fire album. Have a great holiday everyone :)