performer

July has been a pretty good month for gigs. I've made a total of nine appearances, and only two of them saw me playing less than half a dozen songs.
As well as the usual open mic spots, I've played gigs at the Metropolitan, the Ambassadors, and the Burnside Library. The highlight was a well received two-hour show at The Ambassadors. I had to drag a few songs out of the vault, and resuscitate others, just to make sure I had enough originals to fill the time slot. I did throw in a couple of covers...
So, it's been a good month, musically speaking. Long may it continue.

photo copyright © Stewart Cook 2011

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End of leave

My leave is almost over. I haven't been quite as industrious as I would have liked, but it has been a good break.
I've done just about enough to convince me that my work rate has been satisfactory, but I've also drunk a lot of wine, eaten a lot of food, and watched a lot of telly.

That's fine by me.

www.bleakumbrella.com

Blaxploitation and Zombies

Having a little time on your hands can be a wonderful thing. I've had the pleasure of watching a few low-budget classics while I've been on leave.
Penitentiary (I & II), The Black Godfather, Zombie Flesh Eaters, Sugar Hill (1974 version), The Big Doll House, The Black Street Fighter, The Big Bird Cage, Zombie Holocaust and The Black Six have all been part of my holiday viewing schedule. I've found this concentrated experience to be a most enjoyable ride.
Most of these films look like they were made on a budget of around a thousand bucks. Some of the dialogue is cringeworthy, but the majority is just plain B-movie gold. The perfect antidote for the winter blues.

Oh, and just to remind myself that there other types of films, I've also watched the excellent Lost in Translation and Adaptation.

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Spring

While walking around the neighbourhood, I've noticed that blossom is appearing on a few of the trees. This is great news for anyone waiting for the longer days and the warmer weather. It is another sign that we are heading in the right direction.
We are now well past the Winter Solstice, although it is still dark when I walk to work in the mornings. Not that I've been doing that in the last couple of weeks. The evenings seem a little lighter.
It is forecasted to hit 20 degrees on Thursday. That sounds very pleasant indeed.

I suppose it won't be very long until we have to put up with folks whinging about Daylight Saving and carping about the heat.
Humans are funny.

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Writer's cramp

It's been a productive few weeks for David Robinson, boy reporter. Writing takes time and energy, and the pay-off moments are often few and far between. It is most pleasurable, then, to find oneself in the midst of something of a purple patch.
In the last month or so I have written and submitted mountain biking pieces for Cycle magazine and the nationally distributed Australian Cyclist. The articles focus on my latest Mawson Trail odyssey and my usual Sunday morning ride respectively. Hopefully both will see the light of day soon.
I have also had music-flavoured articles published in SCALA News, Infolkus, and Trad & Now. This is the first time I've appeared in Infolkus and Trad & Now, so I was pretty happy to see my name in their pages.
Hopefully this trend will continue. It makes me happy.

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Musical interlude

I've just started a fortnight's leave. Fantastic.
Holidays generally involve me embarking on some sort of project or adventure; this short break will probably see me doing as little as possible. I am hoping to take it easy at home, escape the bleak extremes of winter, and spend my days doing comfortable, pleasurable things. Musical things, most likely...
I have websites to update/redesign, songs to write, new musical equipment to work out, and more than my fair share of minor chores to manage. On the other hand, I have loads of films to watch, guitars to play, and comfort food to eat.
We shall see how things pan out.

www.bleakumbrella.com

"...for we are young and freezing"

I spent most of last week in Canberra. I arrived on Tuesday and flew home on Friday. It was, unsurprisingly, extremely fresh. Mid-July is never going to be warm in the capital. The skies were blue though and the days had a sunny disposition, which made it quite pleasant despite the chill. I was reminded of my longer stints in the city, over the course of a couple of winters back in 1995 and 1996. Despite being a long way from home, they were fun times.
I got to spend a couple of my evenings at The Phoenix; it is a most agreeable place. It would be good to get a gig there sometime. I wish it was just around the corner from my house...
I also picked up some more cut-price horror DVDs from Landspeed Records - Dario Argento and Tobe Hooper collections, as well as a couple of cinematic masterpieces; the evocatively named Zombie Flesh Eaters and Zombie Holocaust. I remember watching both of them when living in share houses back in the day.

Canberra can be fun.

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