Days like that last forever

Eergh Eergh Eergh Eergh Eergh Eergh Eergh Eergh Eergh Eergh

This is the sound of your alarm ringing on a Sunday morning, shaking the very foundations of thought as your mind attempts to piece together this welcome puzzle life has decided to throw at you so early, on what has for years been known as the Day of Rest, Sunday. You bumble around in a seek and destroy effort, anything that looks able to make such a hellish sound shall meet it's destruction, while in the process many innocent lives will be lost. iPod - BLAM! Phone - Blam Blam! Wallet - woosh, BLAM! Finally your eyes are open enough to realise it is your alarm which you strategically moved late last night so that you will wake up this morning and not sleep through it, you placed it in the cupboard, top shelf, underneath the clothes you plan on wearing today. Tick, something is on today, it is the reason you hid your alarm and why their is an outfit already ready ready to go go. Tock, it's Sunday, you should be asleep but something is calling, and it isn't Brian, it is a substantial gathered mass announcing the same realisation you are about to have as your brain continues to piece it all together and switch dates, numbers, people, photos, bands, music.... Bands?... Music?... Tick, today is Days Like This.

The crowd has erupted, singing your praises as you, you have just found the final piece of the puzzle. Your face no longer a jumbled mess of confusion and anxiety, but in it's place sits the cheesiest grin seen for decades. So much brie the people of France become jealous at your image and attempt to destroy you through poisoning the very cheese that is your smile, however they find it hard to infiltrate the outer defence, the ever present moustache!

So peeps, aside from my brain rambles, what I am trying to tell you is that on Sunday 10th January 2010 I, along with my 20 piece crew, descended upon the Entertainment Quarter in Sydney to marvel at the talents of some of the worlds best at Days Like This. This is the festival I tried to open all your eyes to in the dying hours of the anticipation filled countdown last week. The festival featuring such rawkus beasts as Methodman and Redman, Ugly Duckling and Dilated Peoples. When I say Ruwkus beasts, this is in no way intended to be insulting, but more an awakening of your musical senses as it is these artists who will bring out new feelings and emotions if to their music you are new. If you are an Ugly Duckling Virgin for instance, I am sure you will be surprised at their topical, conversational form of rhyme and their absolute aura on stage. They may not illuminate the stage with their soulful tones or whimsical styles as a Lisa Mitchell or Sarah Blasko would, but more an aura of "welcome, now that you have heard us and taken notice, why don't you join in this sweet funk driven vibe we got going on, and listen to us tell you a story." Make sense?

Now the day was all I expected and all I tried to tell you the other day. Amazing vibe, great artists, good food and drink with little to no line, and of course good people there for one purpose, good musical experiences. The later is exactly what each person received upon arriving. I started my day by popping into see Harmonic 313 for some Dub-step in the Forum, just briefly I may ad, only as I did not want to miss the loving, almost bopping melodies of The Bamboos. Man, their funky beats could light up the darkest corner of your soul, tugging at your limbs to make you dance like a man possessed, pulling on your every emotion to ensure you have a full on sensually experience. I know people were looking at me as though I was fitting this exact description, but not in a bad way, people were appreciative of the early participation levels.

Now, after this I staked out a good spot at the Garden stage for the next three acts as these were ones I could not, would not and definitely did not miss. I am talking of course of Dilated Peoples, Mayer Hawthorne and Ugly Duckling. While I ducked away for very short moments to catch a song by Cat Power and a couple of tracks of Roots Manuva, this time frame was the purpose of my purchase, to see three great musical talents rock my soul. And this they did in style.

Wearing a dapper suit with velvet backed vest, Mayer Hawthorne dominated the stage with his presence and of course with his voice. Gently caressing the hearts of every girl in the crowd, and empowering all boys to do the same, his lyrics float on the mo-town train through the musical abyss. Ensuring safe passage and happy travels as you view the falsetto notes pass you by in your carriage, the tea you sip is warm and encouraging and you feel safe resting in this place.

Anyway I can discuss more in depth if interested just drop me a message or whatever and I can do another installment and more performers etc, but as today is the last day I do not wish to bombard you with too many musical droppings. Have a lovely day peeps and stay tuned for more posts tonight including Method Man and Red Man and the amazing gig I went to last night, John Butler Trio YEOW!

Abbey Road's Kook'ie Bloc Party with plenty of noisettes

Launch in 3

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We have lift off!

BLAM BLAM THANK YOU MONSIEUR! Hello, welcome and what is up my lovely people, are you all pumped and ready for the lovely space in time set aside for us to relax/not relax/partay/sleep/hang out/hang in and just plain old do whatever the flip we feel like? Well I hope so because unless that creepy guy who screams at people on the street is correct and today is Armageddon, the weekend is almost upon us! What better way to ring in the weekend than by sharing some awesome, super-flippin-sweet-as music with you so that you can be in the right mood to partake in whatever endeavours you shall be partaking in this glorious weekend.

When thinking of what music would be appropriate I thought to myself, "What do I feel like listening to?" and obviously I remembered, the best way to share music with people is to just give you whatever I feel like listening to so that you can hopefully enjoy it as much as I do, resulting in you sending me some stuff you are listening to and it having the same affect. Does that make sense? I hope so because now it is written and if it doesn't make sense I am currently just fumbling around trying to make sense of it while still typing... I am going to stop. Anyway, this made me think "How about I share some music as seen on the amazing television show, Live From Abbey Road, and some of my favourite performances from past to present?"... "What an awesome idea!!" I hear you say, so all fumbling aside to the pile of half-eaten blackberries beside my keyboard, and I get writing.

Thinking back to this amazing recording studios early days people remember it for The Beatles and Pink Floyd and the unique approaches to recording they employed to create their masterpieces in the 60's. However, I am not going to say I know everything about the unique approaches they made because I do not know enough details, but the thing I do know is the sound that can be created in this place is amazing. This was what made the television show a real stand out for me, and ensured I was and have been glued to every episode, inspiring me to buy more music from certain artists who feature on episodes and even introduce me to some like Nerina Pallot and Josh Groban.

One thing that really strikes a chord with me is ensuring the musicians are made to be real people. They are not introduced in an extravagant way, there are no wild crowds screaming their names, no laser shows and definitely no back-up dancers, just real people who have the gifts to entertain and move us with their abilities. The small snippets of one-on-one interview time really reach to the core of their reasons for being in and how they perceive music, why they do what they do and often what inspires and drives them to continue to do so. This being said, these little bits and pieces also help mould the artist into something more, it touches on them as a person and when you see them laugh or say something you have this fast realisation that apart from making music, this person could be you, me or anyone.

Anyway enough enough enough, I can hear you screaming, give me some music, feed my vampiric thirst and quench my drought ridden music soul with your effervescent, strangely satisfying musical gifts. So here it is, my top 10 performances that I can find on the inter-planitarium-space-time-continuam-web, this is based purely on the ones that have resonated with me particularly and ensures I continually tune into the show and continue to love love heart heart heart it. Let me know what all you kiddly-kiddle-mango-tango-berrie-goodness-children think. YEOW!

1. Noisettes - Every Now and Then

2. Ben Harper - Use Me

3. Damien Rice - Rootless Tree

4. Bloc Party - Signs

5. Herbie Hancock and Corrine Bailey Rae - River (AMAZING!!!)

6. The Kooks - Matchbox

7. Sara Bareilles - Oh Darling

8. Little Boots - Stuck On Repeat

9. The Black Keys - Same Old Thing

10. The Mars Volta - Goliath

My World Tour : Profile : nickbrown

My World Tour : Profile : nickbrown

Who is Public Enemy No. 1

I will tell you who is Public Enemy No. 1, only if you can absolutely promise that whoever wins this competition does not become like those kids on MTV and V at the moment. Please remember that at the core of this competition is the idea of representing Music as people like us, Music Lovers, see and hear it. You must hold its integrity while interviewing, listening, viewing and writing about the wondrous music land you are travelling on your voyage of My World Tour. Well, I guess you don't have to do anything except a good job, but please, for all our sakes, the people who have tried hard to compel and intrigue those in this comp, just try and be yourself and represent all of us on your journey in music goodness wonderland.



Now, while you are listening to the bluesy rockin beauty that is Otis Taylor's "Ten Million Slaves" I thought I would discuss a movie which I feel was made by its soundtrack once again. I am talking of course of the 1930's based, crime-semi-documentary thriller that is Public Enemies. Of course this movie got ridiculous amounts of promotion as it features the one and only Johnnie Depp, but I feel the real poster boys and girls of this film have got to be those featured on the soundtrack. The one and only Billie Holiday has to be a standout as her voice sets the tone of the film, and helps build on characters and relationships, none more evident than that of the relations ship between John Dilinger and Billie Frechette. The song Love me or Leave me is the song used for the love scene the two share and helps capture their romance and undivided devotion to one another. The two immediately share an unspoken love from the moment they meet eyes in a restaurant, but it is not until they dance to the sweet sounds of Diana Krall, with Bye Bye Blackbird that they begin to understand each other. This song becomes a stable throughout the film as it is the words to this which Dillinger utters upon death, feeling obviously that his girl will know him, and know he never intended pain on her. The song itself is one of beatuy and one which is now on high rotation in my musical playing device, that is for certain. Tell me what you think.

Now while I have touched on the lovely melodies of Billie Holiday and Diana Krall, there is still a darker and also a more shoot'em'up side to the soundtrack in songs such as Nasty Letter by Otis Talyor which begins with a beautiful piece of blues guitar which captures the time and essence of the 30's. I think this has got to be my recommended song for you all to listen to as its intensity and motivated rhythm capture all that this movie describes, while Taylors voice is genuinely unique but still so typical of the time.

But kids, dudes, dudettes, kissers, huggers, chipmunks and all you awesome peepety peeps out there, this is all opinion, I would love it if you could just pick up a stick and throw it toward the tree to see if your piece fits or if you would prefer to build your on tree house. If you like, tell me, but if not lets just share a smile and a wave next time we cross paths, if this path leads to mango juice with a paddle boat and sun-rain covered days, all the better. YEOW!

"Days like what" you ask???

Like a kid in a candy store, with not a person in the house, not even a mouse, I am a child excited beyond belief with an unobtainable jewel in my eye, yet this jewel was safely stowed away in my hot little hand pockets a long long time ago. An item of such rare beauty that many are yet to discover just how powerful it is and better yet, how untouched it is in its beauty. I am talking of course about one of the newest additions to the Sydney Music Festival Calendar. I talk of Days Like This. (Pause for applause) (Hold for jubilation) (Breathe out slowly before beginning new sequence of thought around the prospect of music goodness)

This is a sweet little boutique festival which is for music peeps who love the festival vibe, but sometimes get thrown off by the ever expected, larger than stampeding hoards, crowds. That is however part of the charm of the festival, they limit the tickets so that though if sold out the crowd will create the festival atmosphere, the lines at bars and bathrooms, the gatherings at small stages and the overall crowded mass will not be too overwhelming. Generally you wait for around 5 minutes at the bar and bathroom and can see the stages featuring some of your favourite talents clearly and from a good distance.

I must say I feel so privileged to know that I attended the first ever Days Like This music festival in January 2009 as it is one of the most memorable and fantasticle musical voyages my body and soul have yet experienced. Soul is a key word here as it was the beautiful soulful tones of Fat Freddy's Drop that took me there in the first place, as once I heard I had missed their show I was devastated, only then to be revitalised at the thought of not only seeing them, but seeing them in a festival atmosphere in the peak of Sydney Summer! It was just the motivation I needed at the time as my brothers were trying to inspire me to go along with them by dangling the fruits that were on offer at this amazing festival in front of my face every chance they had, and eventually Fat Freddy and his ultimate goodness got me there. So just like fireflies under the mango tree I took my place in the evolving door of summer festivities and thoroughly enjoyed each moment with the 30 piece crew we got together to enjoy it.

This was easily the highlight of my 2009 music festival calendar and am thus so excited that in only 7 days I will be once again thrust into the vibe that can only be described as personable, yet ultimately festival. By which I conjure the image of being able to reach and touch the vocal chords of your favourite singer, pick up the records of your favourite DJ and rock out on the instruments of each and every musician there, all the while maintaining the vibe that has been created since Woodstock and evolved at each and every festival since. One of passion, creation and ultimately, just plain old caught-in-the-moment happiness. Love it muchly.

The lineup is consistent with last years festival combining Hip-Hop, Soul and I guess Alternative to create the vibe be combining music lovers of all different genres to the one experience and so if there is one thing I have not said that I should in this post it must be, BUY A TICKET AND COME ALONG! Not sold out yet, I don't know how, but worth a go if you like festivals, love music and have nothing else to do on Sunday. A couple of people I will not, and I mean Can Not miss at this festival are Cat Power & The Dirty Delta Blues, Method Man and RedMan, The Nextmen, Cassette Kids, Dilated Peoples, Pivot, Roots Manuva and of course, the unforgettable, un-mistakable, un-un-mentionable Mayer Hawthorne. As a matter of fact, I think I should leave you with this sweet sweet melody from the man himself. Check it and hopefully see you kids there, YEOW!