Posts by Simon Chamberlain
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1986: Icehouse supported by Boom Crash Opera in Wellington. Aged 13. (Went with a friend, no parents).
The Kiwi Concert Date Archive says it was July 26 at the Town Hall, but it was definitely the Show Buildings. I remember not liking Boom Crash Opera much and Icehouse just fine.
Probably saw some bands at school before then, but can't remember.
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Hard News: Not good enough, Eden Park, in reply to JoJo,
Brilliant, well done. I remember seeing homophobic signs at Westpac (Black Caps v Australia, "Ponting bums Hayden" or something similarly witty) and nothing done about it. I should have said something, albeit it was on the other side of the ground from me...
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So I was at the closing party in Hyde Park (Blur headlining with the Specials and New Order and Bombay Bicycle Club). Figured they'd have the closing ceremony on the big screen but it mostly clashed with Blur.
But they had a screen round the back of the main stage showing the closing ceremony. And there were probably a couple of thousand people (who had paid £60 to get in) standing around there, dancing and cheering to the Spice Girls. While Blur played. Incredibly strange.
(The bands were good, especially the Specials, but the volume was way too low and there were too many people chatting when the bands were playing).
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For me, Mogwai 'Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will' and the 'Earth Division' EP were great (as were Mogwai live). Wilco's 'The Whole Love' was their best since 'A Ghost is Born'. The Mountain Goats 'All Eternal's Deck' and Decemberists 'The King is Dead' were great too. Antlers and The Low Anthem released good albums.
Some more obscure stuff: Slow Down, Molasses (a Canadian folk/shoegaze/indie band who cover My Bloody Valentine and have a song that reminds me a lot of the Clean). Half Man Half Biscuit probably had the song of the year ('Rock and Roll is Full of Bad Wools'). Girls, Slow Club, Jeffrey Lewis, Scroobius Pip and Real Estate deserve honourable mentions.
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Muse: Reel Life: Get Offside for A Good Cause, in reply to Lilith __,
It is indeed a fine film. Jafar Panahi visited Wellington (and other venues I guess) to promote it during the Film Festival a few years ago. He seemed like a decent man as well as being a very talented film-maker, and I'd encourage anyone in Welli to go see it and support him.
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Hard News: The Engagement, in reply to Russell Brown,
Presumably not in an Ali G kind of style?
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That Laneway lineup looks sweet: Beach House would be my pick. Shame that Auckland's missing Bear in Heaven and The Antlers though.
Matthew: it's the Guardian, "inexcusably wrong" is their USP...
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You guys get the New Pornographers soon, too: I'd definitely recommend seeing them. (Probably no Neko Case, but still worth it). NZ's definitely been getting some good bands in the last few years.
Zach's right about the weather here too. And I'm seeing the National for the third time this year in a couple of weeks :D. Plus trying to decide whether to book to see the Primals' Screamadelica gig again they bring it back here. On the one hand, I'll have already seen it; on the other - much better venue (Brixton Academy v Olympia), and it is one of my favourite albums....
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@Jake, thanks for mentioning the Prince Charles sells out early - was thinking of heading down tomorrow.
I'm not sure if Wiseau is misogynist or not; it certainly struck me that he was quite clearly working out his own issues in the film (especially with the 'and now you're sorry! ending).
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emusic was great, it's getting worse and worse.
Suggest everyone in NZ starts begging Spotify to set up over there. It's free and legal, and it's better than piracy (easier, quicker, better quality, better range).