Eurovision 2012

It's that time of year where they break out a lot of pyro, wind and smoke machines- the Eurovision Song Contest! This year it was held in Baku, Azerbaijan with 26 countries competing in the Grand Final.  All of my favorites from the semi-finals made it through, including this year's winner Sweden.

Loreen (Sweden)- "Euphoria"


Watching the vote count is always entertaining as you get to see all the different voting blocs among the European nations.  I also wonder if some were throwing their top points toward countries they knew wouldn't have the money to host the contest next year.  My favorite performances of the night were:

Nina Zilli (Italy)- "L'Amore È Femmina (Out of Love)"


Mandinga (Romania)- "Zaleilah"


Buranovskiye Babushki (Russia)- "Party for Everybody"

Boy & Bear- Remembering The Mexican Tour

Last night Mary and I met up at The Forum for Boy & Bear's second sold out show in Melbourne.  The band are playing in more intimate venues around the country for this tour as a thank you to their fans who have been there from the beginning.  As we walked into the foyer I was quite impressed by what may be the best merchandise I've seen at a show (besides tea towels)- Boy & Bear scarves and beanies.  They were very cute although I didn't buy any.

The first act for the evening was Sydney band Tin Sparrow.  While I thought they were good it was hard to ignore how much many of their songs sounded like the headliners. Next up was The Jungle Giants from Brisbane, who sounded great.  I enjoyed their set and it was nice to see a female lead guitarist for a change. Their bass player was very energetic and did a run through the crowd during their last song.

Boy & Bear started their set with a reworked opening to "Rabbit Song" before launching into "Lordy May."  They played nearly all of the songs off their ARIA award winning album Moonfire, including "Milk & Sticks," "Part Time Believer," "Feeding Line" and my favorites "Big Man" and "My Only One."  We were also fortunate enough to get two new songs (one was titled "Three Headed Woman"). In addition they did their cover of Crowded House's "Fall At Your Feet," which had me thinking of ex-Crowdies drummer Peter Jones who sadly passed away that afternoon from brain cancer.  The single that started it all, "Mexican Mavis" got a big reaction from the crowd and they finished the night with an rousing rendition of "Golden Jubilee." It was another wonderful gig by the band and I'm glad they are still sticking to their philosophy of no encores even when they have enough material to actually do one now.

Here is the video for the latest single "Big Man," animated by Negative Films

Major Tom And The Atoms- The House That Love Built Single Launch

After Bic Runga's show last night Mary and I walked to Cherry Bar on AC/DC Lane to catch Major Tom And The Atoms' single launch.  We arrived just as the band were setting up so it was perfect timing.  They started their set with "Wishing Well" and soon had the crowd in the pit dancing up a storm to their songs, including "Mockingbird," "Lizard King," "Hey Flo" and the single being launched that evening "The House That Love Built."  For a few songs Tom was joined on stage by Jacqui Rath, which added some female vocals to the mix.  It was a fun and entertaining set as expected, and they finished off the night with my favorite song of theirs "Rolling Stone."  Now that Tom has officially left Little Red he is focusing all his energy into the new band.  I'm looking forward to the release next month of their debut EP Shake It Til You Break It.

Bic Runga- Hello Hello Tour

Last night Mary and I made our way to the beautiful Athenaeum Theatre for Bic Runga's tour in support of her latest album Belle.  We had insanely close seats in the second row on the right hand side of the stage.  The opening act was Sydney singer-songwriter Ollie Brown.  He played solo on acoustic guitar and was quite hilarious with his between song banter.  Ollie recently won the Australia's Best Busker competition and we were impressed with his songs.  He also did a cover of Jackson Browne's "These Days."

Bic Runga began her set with "When I See You Smile."  She played the first few songs solo on guitar, including "Drive" and "Something Good" before being joined on stage by her band.  Bic was very thankful that we came to see here since she has been AWOL for the past six years.  She alternated between acoustic and electric guitar and piano throughout the evening, playing songs from all of her albums.  Highlights included "Get Some Sleep," "Winning Arrow," "Tiny Little Piece of My Heart," "Hello Hello" and "Darkness All Around Us."  She finished the main set with "Sway" and had the crowd singing along from the first verse.  The encore began with "Good Love" and then Bic played "Gravity" solo on piano for the last song of the night.  It was great to finally see Bic live again and hopefully it won't be too long before she is back playing in Melbourne.

Here is Bic's video for the first single off the album Belle, "Hello Hello"

Quietly Living Life

I have been a bit neglectful of the blog lately since I haven't been doing too much outside of my normal routine.  April has been full of its usual holidays (Easter, ANZAC Day) so it's been nice to have shorter work weeks and some days off.  I have been good about getting myself to the gym at least three times a week for one to two hours of classes (depending on the day).

At the end of March the Department moved into its new structure, so I am now working in a new division, but under my old general manager.  My main focus is still on school workforce reform, and hopefully at some point the paper I have been working on will see the light of day.  We are also awaiting the announcement of the state budget on Tuesday to see if there will be further cuts to the public service (currently 10% will be cut over the next two years). 

The AFL 2012 season began in March and Essendon has had a great start to the year.  We are currently 4-1, having lost the ANZAC Day match to Collingwood on Wednesday by only one point in a heart stopping finish.  The boys are playing better with each round, and hopefully this momentum will continue to build throughout the season.  I also hope to actually make it to at least one game this year!

Tamales at Mamasita

Although I haven't been to any gigs for the last couple months (never fear, there are some shows coming up in May) I have been catching up with friends, including Will and Helen who have been out visiting from the UK with their little ones.  I have also been getting out for lunch and dinner at some old favorite restaurants (Mamasita, China Red, Shuji Sushi) as well as trying some new places such as The Hardware Societe, The Mess Hall, Miss Marmalade, and burgers at Hoboken and Phoenix Public House.  I am also completely obsessed at the moment with the delicious macarons at La Belle Miette.  Kat and I have been escaping work to go there on an almost weekly basis.  They made special hot cross bun and Easter egg ones for Easter, and the salted caramel macaron is one of the most amazing things I have ever tasted.  Check them out if you are in Melbourne.

Melbourne Street Art

Brunswick, 2012 by Baby Guerrilla

Union Lane, Melbourne, 2011 by Conrad Bizjak

Northcote, 2011 by Be Free

Brous at The Spiegeltent

After a relaxing tapas dinner along the waterfront at Byblos, Amrita, her husband and sister and I walked along Southbank to the Arts Centre to see Brous play at The Famous Spiegeltent.  Wearing a fantastic hot pink dress she started the evening with "Little Ticket." For this show Sophia had her regular band along with some special guests including Dan Luscombe (The Drones), Mick Harvey and Evelyn Morris (Pikelet).  She played mostly new songs (some just recently written) as well as "Streamers" and "Oh My Brother" from her EP.  Mick joined her on guitar for "Southern Belle" and "Small Hands" and Evelyn came out to play on a beautiful song that I think was called "Lulu."  Sophia's voice and vocal range were amazing throughout the night and she finished her hour long set with another new one titled "Of The Causeway."  Hopefully her debut album will be released this year and if the new songs are any indication is should be a great one.

Here's the video for "Little Ticket"

Another Year Older

Photo by Kat

Today is my birthday and it has been a pretty good day.  I went out to lunch at Shuji Sushi with Clinton, and then came back to a beautiful bouquet of flowers at my desk from my parents and cupcakes from my work colleagues.  They know me too well!  After work I had a lovely dinner at my favorite Mexican restaurant Mamasita with Chantal, Amrita and Onagh.  We grabbed the last table and had an assortment of dishes and margaritas.  Then we headed off to the bar on the 35th floor of the Sofitel for a night cap before heading home.  Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes throughout the day (and to those in the US who will be sending them tomorrow when I officially turn a year older).

The Artist

Tonight after work Amrita and I headed to the Kino Cinemas to see the award winning film The Artist.  Shot in black-and-white it covers the end of the silent film era and the beginning of talkies through the eyes of silent film star George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) and rising starlet Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo).  Most of the film is silent and I can understand why Jean Dujardin is winning all the best actor awards because he is amazing in the way he conveys different emotions without the use of dialogue.  Uggie the dog is also a standout as Valentin's trusty companion.  The cinematography is gorgeous, and it was great to see all the shots around Los Angeles.  If you haven't seen The Artist yet you should definitely check it out as I think it will take home even more awards at the Oscars.

Major Tom And The Atoms

After a yummy dinner at Baba, Mary and I headed to The Retreat Hotel last night to catch Major Tom And The Atoms, the latest side project from Tom Hartney of Little Red.  The opening band was Jimmy Hawk And The Endless Party.  I enjoyed their songs and they had a few people up dancing by the end of their set.

Major Tom And The Atoms played a mix of original numbers and covers during their very entertaining and energetic set.  Tom's baritone voice sounded great and the musicians in the band are all fantastic, particularly the saxophone player who had some mad solos throughout the night.  Covers played included Smokey Robinson's "Get Ready," The Box Tops' "The Letter" and a medley of the themes from Jaws, The Pink Panther, Get Smart and Batman which was used to introduce the band.  Of the bands original songs, "Hey Flo" and "Rolling Stone" were standout tracks.  They finished their set with "The House That Love Built" and then for an encore did an inspired cover of Guns N' Roses' "Welcome To The Jungle."  It was a really fun night and we look forward to catching them live again soon.

Here's a clip of "Rolling Stone" to give you an idea of what they sound like live:

The Harpoons- Walk Away Single Launch

Last night Mary and I headed to The Toff in Town to see The Harpoons launch their latest single "Walk Away."  The first act on for the evening was Oscar Key Sung of Oscar + Martin.  It was a lovely, laid back set from Oscar who has a very soulful voice.  He sang along to pre-programmed beats and also used a looping pedal for his vocals at some points. 

Next up was Melbourne band The Neighborhood Youth.  They sounded promising at the start with their indie rock sound and jangly guitars, but after a while their songs started to blend together.  While I think they are talented their problem may be that they sound too much like a blend of other popular bands.

By the time The Harpoons took the stage the venue was packed.  They played a great set with a mix of old favorites and new songs.  "Faith" was the usual showstopper, showcasing Bec Rigby's amazing voice.  It was also good to hear "Swim My Baby" live again and the new single "Walk Away" for the first time.  We were even treated to a cover of Bill Withers' "Just The Two Of Us."  They finished the main set with "Keep You Around" and played "Garden City" for an encore.  I'm happy to see their popularity growing and can't wait for this debut album to be released.

Sunday Afternoon with The Good China

Photo by Guerilla Creative

This afternoon I ventured out into the hot weather to see The Good China play as part of Johnny Rock & The Limits Sunday residency at The Workers Club in Fitzroy.  The Chinas played a fairly even mix of old and new songs in their 45 minute set, including "If Pain Persists," "All Nothing," "We Found 3 Whistles" and "No More Maps, No More Roads."  The newer stuff sounds good, and I have heard some of it live once or twice before.  There was also some amusing banter in between songs, including a discussion of the movie Predator.  Unfortunately I didn't have time to stay for the full bill, but it was nice to be in a cool, dark room for a bit listening to live music.

The Ocean Party- Young Love Single Launch

Last night Mary and I went to the John Curtin Hotel to see The Ocean Party launch their latest single "Young Love."  First up for the evening was Slow Dancer, who played a great set.  Simon was once again accompanied by Rohan Sforcina on drums and James Harding on bass.  "Leave It To Me" and "Home" were my highlights and it was nice to see Simon's Oh Mercy bandmates out to support him.

The second band on the bill was Melbourne three piece ScotDrakula.  They played a very energetic set of punk/indie sounding songs with a hint of rockabilly as well.  I really liked them and it was good to see a female drummer in the band.  Next was The Eliza Band, a side project of Rory Cooke, the lead singer of Gaslight Radio.  They played songs from their debut album Firework Dogs, of which "The Preston Front" was a stand out, and finished their set with a Gaslight Radio song.

Surprisingly there was just a small crowd in the bandroom by the time The Ocean Party took the stage. Nevertheless they played a solid set of songs from their various releases, including "The Dogs," "Deadbeat," "Shaking Like A Leaf" and their new single "Young Love."  After the show Mary and I scored their entire back catalog for $10, which was an amazing offer.  Their debut album The Sun Rolled Off The Hills will be released in February.

Here's the video for "The Dogs"

Fleet Foxes

Last night Tash and I had dinner at Amigos on Acland Street (another overpriced, average Mexican restaurant in Melbourne- surprise, surprise) before heading to the Palais Theatre for Fleet Foxes sold out show.  The last time they came through town I was away overseas, so I was very excited to finally see them live.  The opening act was Grand Salvo, the moniker of Melbourne singer-songwriter Paddy Mann.  He played a lovely set of folk music and was joined on stage at various times by a female vocalist and cellist for different songs.

The nearly two hour set by Seattle's Fleet Foxes was absolutely amazing.  Their four part harmonies just soared and they played all the songs with energy and a sense of purpose.  This was not a quiet folk show.  The lighting was quite subtle with the band only occasionally lit from the front and background projections of moving stars overlaid with different geometric shapes.  The set list consisted of songs from all three of their releases, including my favorites "Mykonos," "Ragged Wood," "Your Protector," "Montezuma," "Battery Kinzie," "The Shrine/An Argument" and "Grown Ocean."  Quite a few of the songs were played back to back, and the band would sometimes double up on the same instruments to intensify the sound.  When they did talk with the crowd the guys were quite funny, especially in telling a story about being in the same hotel elevator as Public Enemy's Flavor Flav the last time they were in Melbourne.  The band received standing ovations at the end of the main set and after the last song of the night, "Helplessness Blues."  This was a fantastic gig to kick off 2012 with, and will be a hard one to beat.

Here is the amazing animated video for "The Shrine/An Argument"

Top Ten Songs for 2011

Another year is coming to a close which can only mean one thing- time for all those end of year top ten lists.  Not to be left out, here are my top ten favorite songs for 2011 (aka songs that make me want to hit repeat after having just listened to them).

10. Slow Dancer "Leave It To Me"
Slow Dancer is the solo project of Simon Okely from Oh Mercy.  "Leave It To Me" is the first song he has put up online and I really love the laid back feel to Simon's music as well as his excellent guitar playing.  Definitely one to watch for 2012.

  Leave It To Me by Slow Dancer


9. The Good China "No More Maps, No More Roads"
2011 saw the return of The Good China to the Melbourne live scene after nearly a year's hiatus.  The single "No More Maps, No More Roads" was a live favorite and has all the great hallmarks of a Good China track, including lots of hand claps.



8. Boy & Bear "Feeding Line"
It has been a monster year for Sydney's Boy & Bear, having won 5 ARIA awards for their debut album Moonfire.  "Feeding Line" was the first single off the album, and signaled a new musical direction for the band from their previous EP.



7. The Harpoons "Keep You Around"
Another favorite band of mine that reemerged this year was The Harpoons.  "Keep You Around" showcases Bec Rigby's soulful voice in this song about love with the great lyric "when you smiled at me I was a hopeless case."  I am definitely looking forward to their debut album coming out in 2012.

  The Harpoons - Keep You Around by twobrightlakes 


6. Liam Finn "Don't Even Know Your Name"
This song was not a single but it's my favorite track off Liam Finn's latest album FOMO.  "Don't Even Know Your Name" has a driving beat and an optimistic energy to it, and I absolutely love the chorus (which for some reason reminds me of "Panic" by The Smiths).  Here's a live version of song, but do seek out the album track.



5. Brous "Streamers"
The first single off of Brous' self-titled debut EP, "Streamers" sounds like a song from a 1960s James Bond film.  Sophia Brous' voice is quite amazing and I love how the first verse of this song keeps speeding up.  There is a definite cinematic quality to her music and it will be interesting to see what she produces next.



4. Seeker Lover Keeper "Even Though I'm A Woman"
Seeker Lover Keeper is the female Australian supergroup made up of Sarah Blasko, Sally Seltmann and Holly Throsby.  One of the initial singles off of their self-titled debut album, "Even Though I'm A Woman" is a song about long distance love sung by Holly and written by Sally with some biting lyrics such as "I love you more when I'm missing you, it's why I'm always away."  The song is a bit of an anthem for female independence.



3. Kimbra "Cameo Lover"
Kimbra is originally from New Zealand but has been living in Melbourne the past few years.  "Cameo Lover" come off of her debut album Vows and won her the 2011 Vanda and Young Songwriting Competition as well as an ARIA award for best female artist.  I love the contrast between the verses and chorus of this song as well as its fantastic video.



2. Gotye "State Of The Art"
You may have thought that I would pick Gotye's biggest hit to date, but no, my favorite song off of his latest album Making Mirrors is "State Of The Art."  Only Wally would write a song about his beloved Lowrey Cotillion organ.  My favorite part of the song is when the bossa nova rhythm kicks in to the lyric "start the bossa nova beat and limbo from the living to the kitchen."  The video animation by Rubber House is also exceptional.



1. Oh Mercy "Stay Please Stay"
My most played song of the year is Oh Mercy's "Stay Please Stay," the first single off their second album Great Barrier Grief.  I absolutely adore the chorus of this song, especially Thomas Savage's beautiful jangly guitar.  It also has a great closing lyric by Alexander with "what can I do with a love that gathers dust in a busy room?" An indie pop classic.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!  I hope you have had (or are planning to have) a great day.  This year my manager Elvira took pity on me and invited me to join her family for Christmas lunch.  We had quite the traditional/Italian feast with antipasto dishes, snapper, turkey, stuffing and roast vegetables.  As we were resting from this yummy meal the hot weather became thunderstorms and we got hit with a massive hail storm- some of which were the size of golf balls.  It was pretty insane and the ground was covered in hail (a white Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere, if you will).  This kicked off a series of about four different massive thunderstorm episodes throughout the rest of the afternoon/evening with thunder, lightning, hail, torrential rain and even a tornado warning throughout Melbourne.  I've never seen anything like it before.  We watched each storm in amazement as we continued into our dessert of fruit, cheeses, pavlova and Christmas pudding.  At one point lightning struck one of the transformers on the street and the power went out with a huge explosion.  It will definitely be a day we won't soon forget.

Seeker Lover Keeper- Heavenly Sounds Tour

Last night I went to St. David's Cathedral in Hobart to see Seeker Lover Keeper play a sold out show.  This Heavenly Sounds tour is taking place in churches and cathedrals around the country.  Not only are the venues and acoustics amazing, but the crowd is silent and attentive during the songs.  What a luxury these days for an Australian show.

The opening act was Henry Wagons of the band Wagons.  He was great and played a set of country tinged music solo on acoustic guitar.  Henry was very entertaining with his stage banter and had a song about "Willie Nelson," his own version of "The Gambler," and requested that guys don't date his sister on "Keep Your Eyes Off My Sister."

Seeker Lover Keeper started the evening with "Bring You Back."  Sarah, Sally and Holly were in a relaxed and fun mood throughout the night, and their voices and harmonies in that cathedral sounded fantastic.  They played the entire Seeker Lover Keeper album and highlights included "Light All My Lights," "Everytime," "We Will Know What It Is" and the always moving "If The Night Is Dark" (with my favorite lyric "This is my home, this is where I belong").  We even got their They Will Have Their Way contribution of Neil Finn's "Sinner," which was an interesting cover choice considering the venues on this tour.  They also each played one of their own songs, with Sarah doing "Bird On A Wire," Sally playing New Buffalo's "Emotional Champ," and Holly doing "What I Thought Of You."  The main set ended with "Rest Your Head On My Shoulder" and for the encore they played a cover of Stevie Nick's "Wild Heart" and then finished with "Even Though I'm A Woman."  It was exciting to see these three ladies play together live again before they head back to their respective solo careers.

Here's the video for "Light All My Lights"

Farewell Hobart

Today was the final day of the AARE Conference.  I attended a session on improving success in pre-service teachers field experience, and an invited symposium on teachers and leaders in low SES schools.  The conference finished at midday and I have learned a lot over the past four days.  I am fortunate that I got the opportunity to attend and also present.  After eating lunch I had a wander around Hobart with a new friend and then headed off to the airport for the flight back to Melbourne (the whole plane may have been full of conference attendees).

Wear My Wardrobe- Day 30

Today was day three of the AARE Conference.  We started the morning with an interesting keynote address on design for learning by Professor Peter Goodyear from The University of Sydney.  I then attended a session on technology and learning, and the invited symposium on the international Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills research project.

For the afternoon I escaped the conference and took a ferry to the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA).  Don't worry- my boss came along as well.  As the name says, the collection is a mix of old and contemporary art.  There are some challenging pieces, but nothing I found too shocking.  None of the pieces are labeled but you use an iPod Touch to get information (it geotracks where you are and pulls up details on the art that is nearby).  The building and grounds of MONA are also amazing.  It was a fun way to spend the afternoon, and a great site for the last photo of the Wear My Wardrobe Challenge!  I'm standing in front of the piece Snake by Sidney Nolan.

Today's outfit:
Blue long sleeve top (Now)
Black pants (Gap)
Black flats (Tony Bianco)

Photo by Elizabeth

Wear My Wardrobe- Day 29

Today was day two of the AARE Conference.  I attended sessions on NAPLAN exams, the Radford Lecture by Lyn Yates from The University of Melbourne, and a social justice panel discussion on equity and education research, policy and practice.  Oh, and I also presented as part of a symposium with Deakin University on learning space redesign and pedagogy (the reason for this trip).  I really dislike public speaking, but the session went well.  I gave the Victorian Department perspective on our learning spaces research agenda, and Deakin talked about a few of the projects they have done for us.  I am glad it is over and now I can relax a bit.  Tonight I have a special interest group dinner to attend to meet others who are interested in politics and policy in education.

Today's outfit:
Floral top (Banana Republic)
Black skirt (Ann Taylor Loft)
Black tights
Black heels (Steve Madden)

Photo by Elizabeth