Crazy drummer

Not sure who to laugh at - the drummer or the MC…

The Swell Season

As many of you know I work at Springload.

We are lucky enough to sponsor (by way of providing the website) the International Arts Festival every two years. Consequently we get to go to a few shows.

Last Sunday night was one of the best. I have to admit to having never heard of The Swell Season, nor have I seen their acclaimed movie Once. Now I own two CD’s and I’m ready to offer my hand in marriage to Mar - the female half of the song-writing duo.

Here’s a video from their website to give you a flavour. Beautiful in so many ways.

http://www.vimeo.com/9443895

Vic Chesnutt - dead at 45

Shocking news from the New York Times in the obituaries.

Vic Chesnutt, who I saw perform at the San Francisco Bathhouse last July died of an overdose of muscle relaxants.

According to the notice he had attempted suicide several times and failed. The day before Christmas in 2009 he succeeded.

Vic Chesnutt was a great singer songwriter. Confined to a wheelchair since the age of 18 when a car accident left him paralysed he relearnt the guitar by playing only the easy chords. His simple melodies wrapped themselves around witty and sometimes complex lyrics - often with an apparent sense of humour.

His songs have been performed by many big acts: REM, Madonna, The Indigo Girls and Smashing Pumpkins.

The financial burden of having to pay for his medical treatment seemed to have played a part in his depression. This prolific songwriter will be sadly missed.

Fiji Meat Man

Here’s one that I just posted on www.meateaters.co.nz - but it’s so ‘good’ I needed to post it here as well.

Justin Townes Earle at Bar Bodega

From not wanting to go, to dragging my sorry arse out of the house I was glad I did - Justin Townes Earle was fantastic.

He played a huge range of musical styles, alone, just him and his guitar. From swampbilly rock, to western swing, to hillbilly there were shades of his father’s voice, and even particular mannerisms - that “bending over and holding his head on the side” thing that he does.

He’s a prolific performer. Malcolm Gladwell has that Outlier theory that people need to do 10,000 hours to get really really good at whatever they do well. With the number of gigs that Earle has done Malcolm Gladwell’s hypothesis stacks up beautifully.

Here’s a video that I shot of Justin’s second to last song. Enjoy.

Another misplaced online advertisement

Try the All Blacks lineout challenge - click on the image to view full size

The All Blacks were pitiful. And I gleaned that just from the edited highlights on the news.

Now everyone is calling for Graham Henry’s head to roll. Sorry to disappoint you but he’s just been signed up til after the next World Cup.

So, while reading the NZ Herald article on the beating that the All Blacks are suffering at the hands of the foreign press I couldn’t help but be drawn to this lovely online ad for Mastercard.

Mastercard ad gone - click on image for larger view

Featuring Richie McCaw the advertisement from Mastercard encourages us to “Try the All Blacks line-out challenge”. Slightly ironic perhaps, given that the All Blacks couldn’t win any lineouts.

I checked the same story tonight and the advertisement is gone - replaced with white space. Oh dear.

Update: seems I was premature and that Mastercard are standing behind the men in black - the add miraculously appeared. It’s still funny.