Placebo with Jake
I’m now in Sydney for September Presidents Meeting (SPM’s) but part of my pre-conference goodness was seeing Placebo with Jake at ‘The Horden Pavillion’. So good.
We arrived late so only saw a few songs from their support act, the Howling Bells, but I’m now a fan. Their lead singer has a voice, which I can only describe as some sort of Divine crossover between PJ Harvey and Katie Steele. Check out their website for samples of their songs.
When Placebo hit the stage, I was glad I’d been warned by James in Canberra, and by Bo (currently back in Turkey) that Brian Molko had shaved his head. I needed the warning. Original Brian has since been replaced by a Billy Corgan- esque Brian. I miss androgenous/ pixie Brian.
They set list was almost purely from ‘Meds’ and ‘Sleeping with Ghosts’ but a few older tracks were interspersed. Over the night they played (from memory)
Meds
Infra- red
Drag
Follow the Cops Back Home
Because I Want You
Song to Say Goodbye
Every You, Every Me
Black- Eyed
The Bitter End
Special Needs
Running Up that Hill
Twenty Years
Crowd highlight; Special K. But I think this happens with any band’s most popular song.
Personal highlight: Special Needs without a doubt.
Other standouts were Follow the Cops Back Home (which I’m not a fan on CD, but live was amazing), my old favourite, Black- Eyed, and the two encores; Running Up that Hill (Kate Bush cover) and Twenty Years.
Jake, who suffered the misfortune of being introduced to Placebo by moi, a devoted fan, has now had a well- rounded experience. The weirdest part of the night… the chaperones standing near us, who had clearly been briefed by their teenagers a little about the band, because a few were ‘bopping’ (literally) along to a few of their bigger songs, and singing to Special K. You’re dancing to a song about using a veterinary anaesthetic as a drug…
Placebo
Last night at 8:17pm, I received a text message from a friend in Canberra that I hadn’t spoken to in months, and I hadn’t seen in over two years. More than that, a friend I’d only met once:
‘What do u wanna hear’
Uh…pardon? James, I think you’ve sent it to the wrong number.. this is Jess… in Brisbane…
'Placebo. I owe u for the tle @ bdo'
Now it all sinks in. My favourite band Placebo is playing in Canberra. James is a band photographer. Flashback to 9 months ago at the Gold Coast Big Day Out, where The Living End were playing their new material live. Because of James’ obsession with TLE, I gave him a call and he listened in on a few songs.
So, James decided to return the favour, and I had the chance to hear ‘live’ a few songs off their new album ‘Meds’ as a warm up for seeing them in Sydney on Thursday night.
I just can’t believe he remembered.
Decisions, decisions... (aka: 'Jess is an idiot')
Right now (in the next 24 hours) I have to make a decision. Am I going to follow logic, my senses, and my head? Or follow my passion, and follow through to an experience that I know can’t be matched.
Whatever the fuck I decide; I’ll be an idiot.
Weng- Wengs!
I’ve moved into Mark’s old room (Basak, my shiny new housemate has taken over my old one) and I’m STILL in the process of getting everything back into order. While ripping through my room, I discovered a scrap piece of paper with the following:
½ J* – Tanduay Rum
½ J – Gin
½ J – Vodka
½ J – Triple Sec
½ J – Whisky
Top up with juice.
The recipe for a ‘Weng-Weng 2000’. Perhaps the best cocktail in the world. The best I’ve found anyway.
For the Aussies (and most of the other delegates) the Weng-Weng became our staple; I swear, it’s the Philippines in liquid form. I will never forget on our first night out during pre-conference, JM asking me ‘Have you tried a Weng- weng yet? After being shown (by pointing at the menu) that the cocktail actually did exist, and I wasn’t being had we all became hooked.
Here’s to Weng-Wengs!
(*Apparently ‘J’ is a Filipino measure… I promise you… whatever ‘J’ is; its substantial…)
Nicky Cameron
- AP travel buddy (and conference hypochondriac)
- Deep thinker
- Grand planner
- Line dancer
- D&M extraordinaire
Among the many things I’ve learned from Nicky, there are two that are really key.
1. There can never be too many exclamation marks
2. The big ideas sessions are the best ideas sessions
…now we’ve just got to figure out what else we’re going to do (apart from finish that damned International Conference Prep Booklet)…
Wedding Bells! (A belated congratulations)
A belated congratulations to Andrew (aka Erlo) and his new fiancé Nicole who are set for a September 2007 wedding!
Erlo and I have known each other since age 8… wow… 12 years…so to be added to our memories of grade 3 school camp, drunken New Years celebrations, formal after parties, and setting unwanted household items alight on your driveway… will be a wedding!
Congrats to both of you.
Peter Brock
It hasn’t been a good week for Australian icons, with the deaths of Steve Irwin ‘The Crocodile Hunter’ and author Colin Thiele. Now, its capped off with the death of Peter Brock; motor sport legend.
My family has a strong affinity with motor sport; and particularly Holden. Brock has been Holden’s most well-known personality, and signs of it are dotted throughout our house; a signed shirt or cap, a model car, a few posters in the back of a cupboard. It’s defiantly the end of an era.
I’ve been to Bathurst twice in my life; once in 1997 for Brock’s final foray into professional motor sport; the year that the crowds erupted and everyone on ‘the mountain’ wanted to see ‘Peter Perfect’ attempt a 10 Bathurst 1000 wins. I’ll always remember that Perkins and Ingall won that year; but no-one cared; it was all about Brock.
It was the year that a group of Brock devotees vandalised the huge ‘Mount Panorama’ sign to read ‘Brock’s Mount Panorama’ as a farewell salute.
The second time was in the days before my Year 12 formal in 2003, instead of being tanned and manicured, I was at Bathurst (drunk, disorderly and bruised) when Brocky re-emerged with his ‘Team Brock’ outfit.
Bathurst is important to me. Brock is important to Bathurst.
A few hours after his death, one of my Toowoomba mates got in touch with me, with the poignant (but ocker) message:
‘At least he died doing what he loved…it’s a fuckin’ shame he wasn’t driving an XU1 Torana…’
So, Bathurst this year; don’t expect to be able to get in touch with me on October 8th. I’ll be in front of the TV for those 131 laps, with my family and friends, beer, and the token salt and vinegar chips, celebrating the life and times of Peter Brock; who now joins the ranks of dearly departed motor racing greats; Barry Sheene, Possum Bourne, Ayrton Senna, Dale Earnhardt and Grenville Anderson.
I’ve no idea what the organisers of the Bathurst 1000 will have planned this year; but its going to be big.
Outgoing LCP...
So I’m officially an outgoing LCP. How am I feeling?
Surprisingly, not too bad actually.
The last few months has undoubtedly been the most challenging of my AIESEC career so far (which is not that long), but I wouldn’t trade it for anything, and I don’t have a single regret.
I have got the craziest pool of options ahead of me after my term– I don’t even know where to start - international conferences, PBoxes and regional roles… someone flip a coin…To boot (as St. James pointed out to me today) I’m part of a region that is strong enough to let their experienced older members be really flexible in their AIESEC roles.
Kid in a candy store.
There’s a few people I’d like to thank for keeping my chin up, and letting me realise this:
The Porn Crew: Ryan, Nakey and Dan - the Porn Crew (as always)
The Locals: Azz, Bo, Kezz and Noz
The Interstaters: Daz, Jake, and Sydney (in general – I love you guys)
The Internationals: Avi, Ces and Daniel
In your own little way, you’ve either inspired me, comforted me, or given me a kick up the arse. A special thankyou to Daniel. I don’t know what it is about you, but you always manage to put things into perspective for me (and this is the second time now) when I need it the most.
I’ll keep you updated!
An email...
... and then she emailed me back.
An email...
Today I sent an email to one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever met. I’ll probably never see her again, but at least she knows the impact of her words.
