It’s fair to say that Cronulla has a bit of an image problem. Since the riots a few years ago this would-be idyllic seaside suburb has been seen as something of a seedy cess-pit of racial tension and bogan stupidity. I’m pleased to report that the Cronulla we discovered at The Brass Monkey on Friday bore little resemblance to the scenes we saw on the news bulletins in 2005.
The show was sold out and the seated, musically educated audience were a pleasure to play for, even if I did have to ask one table to “shut the f*ck up” so that we could play Secret I’ll Take to the Grave to a completely captive room.
Next night in Bulli we played a short but well received set to a rowdier bunch at The Heritage Hotel – a ghostly little venue on the main road just north of Wollongong. I say ghostly because the venue is, apparently, haunted. Despite Shaun’s desperate pleas of “show yourself” there was no spirit forthcoming – although our car ride conversation (led by our master of macabre ceremonies Andy Wrigglesworth) was nothing less than spine chilling as he regaled us with tales of this nations most brutal serial slayings – most of which, he maintained, occurred in the woods engulfing the dark and winding road upon which we were driving.
After a few days off and some more flying and driving we now find ourselves in the upstairs green room of the Wickham in Newcastle – numbly staring at foxtel and (in Mat’s case at least) dozing ever so slightly.
But the weekend is looking good. The show last night at Lizottes was rather splendid,and after a restful day by the beach we are more than ready for our late finish at the wicko – as well as our early start tomorrow (we need to be in Tamworth by 10am for the first in a series of radio interviews and live to air performances in the area).
The picture is of some zines I spotted at a great little vinyl store in Newcastle this afternoon. I bought the Tom Waits biography from the equally cool second hand bookstore next door.
Lachlan
Is that Mat on the “Negative Guest List” zine?