ozgenre's blog

This was the long-weekend. I didn't get to do everything I wanted to do, but I got to do most of it... it was fun, it was full on...

...and here we go...

Thursday was a day of hit-and-miss as far as work was concerned. Several things needed doing, and most of them happened albeit not quite the way they were supposed to, but the end result was the same and THAT is the important thing really. Things got done and no-one was left feeling disenfranchised. We like it when work works... even though it worked sideways and still fitted in.

I was somewhat peeved with the last-minute SMS from someone saying that they could not/would not be going out to do most of the things planned/paid for for the weekend and that (at the very least from a fiscal point of view) was bloody annoying. Not to mention that it happens WAY too much in my opinion. Not happening again, thanks.

OK - then there was the instant dash home so I could get ready to meet up with Ivy and Kate for missions. Missions successfully completed, there was then the arrival of medicinalminx followed by the dash (via Gallery Serpentine to deliver the other 2 newly purchased tickets) straight out to Acer Arena to ignore Vanessa Amarossi and to see the one and only KISS! (The only thing that peeved me was that there were only a finite number of Programme Books available - and that sucked because I didn't get one). However, getting into Acer was the easy part... getting a T-Shirt was also easy... well perhaps it was a little crowded. Then, catching up with people we knew as they got past security. The funny part was medicinalminx running around yelling "Maiden! Maiden!" to all the KISS fans only to have her demanding to have a KISS tattoo after the show.

Finding our seats was simple, only to be confronted by the 'Biggest KISS Banner In The World'(TM). Honestly, the air was electric. KISS had been here back in 1996, and before that (the_m0nster, can you correct me on this?) only in 1980... which was the only other time I had seen them, actually. So I was really looking forward to the show. The lights dimmed to the expected audience cheer, a pause, and then the chants started..."We Want KISS! We Want KISS!" finally a voice rang out over the dimmed lights: "Sydney! You Asked for it!..." The audience roar went up, almost drowning out the amplified voice. "The hottest band in the world! KISS!!". The banner dropped, and the first set of pyros went off. The strobing KISS logo sign behind the drum kit flashed on, backlighting all four members of the band onstage, in full regalia/armour, as they launched into their first number, "Deuce". From that point on the show did not stop.

For over an hour Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer pounded through the hits ranging from "Shout It Out Loud", through "Lick It Up", "100,000 Years", "Love Gun" and "Detroit Rock City". Employee-turned-band-member, Tommy Thayer, took up the mantle vacated by Ace Frehley (which at times begs the question as to, with only 2 original members left, is this still KISS or a KISS tribute band?) and yet, Tommy produced the goods with Frehley's signature tune "Shock Me". "Black Diamond" saw Eric Singer take up the lead vocal. The band wove a mixture of nostalgic Glam Rock and simplistic (yet audience enthralling) hard-hitting tunes. Gene Simmonds breathed fire, spat blood, played his axe and flew to the heavens (about 20 metres up to the top of the lighting rig) for a solo. For their final number, even Singer's drumkit was elevated up past the KISS logo, with flame pots and pyros outlining the band-members. Then as the stage hit darkness - which left afterimages of green and red, the audience went ballistic, demanding an encore. Of course it happened and the inevitable encore produced an acoustic version of "Shandi" and the 2 final show-stoppers "I Was Made For Loving You" and the 'International Anthem' "Rock And Roll All Night" which had a sea of confetti shot out all over the arena (so much so that you could hardly see the band at all) and a repeat of the earlier drum-kit raising, along with 2 side-stages elevating Simmonds and Thayer, leaving Paul the spotlight in centre stage (which is ironic when you read the many rumours of his being the next to leave the band after this 35 year Anniversary Tour).

I've read accounts of the band being weary and just going through the motions, and their stage schtick being old and hackneyed, but from what I saw on Thursday night, there's no doubt that these guys can still hold their own with any band on the planet. Sure, every city they tour may be their second home, and every city may be the 'The Rock N Roll Capital of [insert country here]', but hell, who doesn't want to hear that? We all do. It's part of the show - and you DO get a thrill when Paul screams it. To be honest, who cares if their songs are nostalgic rock? Who cares if they wear the same costumes and make-up? You go to see KISS for exactly that, you get just what you expect, and the spectacle, and (let's face it) the audience hypnotising show-of-shows. Yeah.

Finally, with medicinalminx running about demanding that everyone buy her a KISS tattoo for her backside, we hit the cab for a rapid-fire turnaround at The Fortress to get ready to lose my hair at Hellfire. frankdog kindly picked us up from home and we jetted into the city. Bec, arby_doll & I got there in time (just past 12) to catch the_engle outside and plan what we would do. Got inside and spotted a number of people who had made it (some who said that they originally couldn't, which was great, and some who weren't sure but who made it anyway - which was also great :)). Of course, having gotten there just past 12 meant that we were due to be on after the 1am virtual crucifixion show (for more details about that one, see the entry in the Hellfire Blog). The Crucifixion Show went off, and then we waited for the triage to be done (I really DID mean a crucifixion, you know). Then we were due to be on but had a little delay until about 2am-ish (due to a minor medical issue with a patron) which wasn't so bad, really. Both the_engle and TJ dropped their tops, and got onstage, as frankdog and I set up the clippers and stool etc... a topless arby_doll, resplendent Bec and tightly becorsetted pornofairy wandered and exhorted the crowd to cough up funds, and Master Tom gave a stirring intro. It really is my yearly haircut, and it was a little shaggy (especially having just bounced it up and down to KISS all evening). So, onto the stage I go and the_engle takes to the hair. TJ grabbed the other clippers and started on the other side. Amid the cat-calls of "There's Gargamel!" (when I had a tonsure shaved off) and the_engle supplying me with a comb-over, the style of which would make any Geography professor proud, I was finally left with a rat tail which sent Master Tom into fits of giggles on the microphone and then it was all gone. Shaved. Bald as a ... well... a bald-person. Dr Evil would be proud. Of course it would have been great to have raised "one million dollars" - and somewhat apt with the shaved head, but we did take in a wonderful $425 which goes to Leukaemia Research. We retired to the disabled toilets where the final shave part was done, and all smooth and shiny was I. I figure that this year we were down a little on the shave dollars because we had that small medical issue which pushed our start time back, not to mention getting there a little late due to the KISS show. Still the generosity of the Hellfire crowd is well known, and they didn't disappoint :) many many thanks to Master Tom and Mistress Ultra for once again helping 'Shave For A Cure' raise money for The Leukaemia Foundation - you can still donate too, you know: Just follow this link. We stayed until the end, and then spent a good 45 minutes trying to get a cab from Oxford Street back to The Fortress, not an easy task on a Good Friday morning.

Friday was a day of leisure. Nothing to see here apart from sleep, geeking and so forth, move along.

Saturday was a nice day of waking up and getting ready to head into Central Station to catch the 2pm train to Katoomba with pornofairy and arby_doll to go and see Mela Dolce. Firstly, there was the amusing game of 'Find-the-Gillian' at Central Station, then the trip through Blacktown, where we found arby_doll and then the trip up to Katoomba, which was pleasant enough. Getting out at Katoomba made me realise how much I'd missed the place (I was last there about 20+ years ago) and how much I had missed the weather. Yes, I absolutely LOVE Katoomba weather, and if the city were closer... I would live there... Shush you! Anyway... we checked into The Carrington, then went for a wander about the Katoomba Street bookshops. Got back in time to get a few messages from the_m0nster and Herbie (about photo-permission for the evening) and then to get changed to head over to Tres Elies. Tres Elies is a small-ish venue 2 doors from Katoomba Station. I'm not sure about the connection it has to Tres Elies Greek Restaurant (just up the road, and kinda on the same website) but it's a nice small homey venue with a bar/bistro attached to the band/performance room. Saw Minnie & the_m0nster out the front and said 'Hi!', then the 3 of us had dinner there (I liked the lamb shanks, whereas pornofairy's was a little too oil-swimmy for her liking). The show was delayed a little due to the sudience being late - and being a small venue this seemed to be OK. Up rocks la_traviata (who was DJing on the night) and Mikey, v3nu5 in all her glory and Missy, Herbie turns up with something in a large bag (a prop so I was told) and then frankdog and the_engle arrived (driving up from Sydney). So, the performance goes off and indeed it did go off. It was great and one seriously has to see v3nu5 performing one-armed pole-dancing to appreciate exactly how awesome she is. The show went on for about an hour, in 3 parts, with The Surgical Sideshow performing the middle part. They were great and a lot more polished than they were when I last saw them :) I think they'll be a troupe to be reckoned with in the future. For that matter having seen Mela Dolce (which is the name of the troupe overall) perform, I think that they will quickly make a name for themselves (if indeed they haven't already). Book them, for they are made of awesome. They have a MySpace, and footage of the show (I think some of it was shot by Barbara) is up there. I also have pics I shot of the night on my Facebook, (and I should have some up on Ringo or Picturetrail soon). After the show, and much dancing of frankdog, pornofairy, arby_doll and the_engle, we repaired to the hotel room for trashiness and late-night craziness (did I mention that the hotel room had a spa?).

Sunday was a morning of waking up, in one piece, checking out, wandering the shops for a little while, getting some old SF paperbacks published in November 1961, and heading to the train to journey back to the City and get there by late afternoon. This of course meant getting home, doing some cleaning, and then collapsing for the evening. I was really looking forward to getting off to Batcave, but I was really too tired to go. Thus was Sunday.

Monday morning I woke up to find one billion messages from people asking why I wasn't at Batcave the night before... damn that having turned the phone down so I could snooze. So, waking up in time to get a shower, feel relatively human, and head on into The Sydney Royal Easter Show. I tend to go every year (though I did have a hiatus there for a little while in the late 80's and in the late 90's - just before it moved location) and this year I missed my usual Easter-Show buddies. However, the company was pleasant and I did get to go and see a lot of the things I normally would have. I could wax poetic about the Show, but it was simply a lovely way to just cruise through the day and see the things I wanted to see. I got showbags and wandered the show area, saw the Arts & Crafts, talked to the Foxtel guys about IQ2(!!), saw the Parade, and the Polo, and the Dog Trials. Finally had time to visit the kittun-judging, saw some cows, met up with master_flea & Dustan, then spent some time with dk_heartbr8ker and then headed off to the Members Stand to have a drink and then have dinner in the Members Restaurant (membership has it's perks). Three songs performed live by 'Viper' and finally it was time for [switches on echo-chamber] Xtreme Korruption. Well it was a little tame because the heavens opened up and some of the stunts couldn't be performed. It was quite funny to have the announcer say that it was a little too dangerous for Danger Man to come out. The Motorcross bikes couldn't perform their big jumps because the ramps were wet... but we DID get motorcross long-jumps, Holden precision cars, balancing bobcats (the machine kind), fireworks, and lasers. I took a few pics, and they're on my Facebook too (though I should probably put most up on Ringo, or Photobucket). Thus returning to the house, chatting with Donna for a bit, and heading off to the land of Nod.

Now, normally a weekend would end off when work returned, but no...

Tuesday was a day of work, quite a bit of work actually, as I have some reports to finish as well as having some staff on an audit, which is quite a busy thing to oversee at times. Yet also, it was an evening of going out to see H.I.M, on their 'Venus Doom Tour', at The Big Top at Luna Park. Work finished, and thence a quick shower and change and then off to meet lisdexic_prose, who was happily looking forward to seeing H.I.M ever since they announced their show last year. Now, I am only familiar with a couple of their numbers, but I was more than happy to go along and be educated :) I headed onto the train at Town Hall (having people move out of my way, because I'm a scary bald man in black), had a random girl tell me that she loved me on the train (which was really all kinds of random), joined the black-clad throng at Milson's Point Station, trekked down the hill and caught up with lisdexic_prose in time to hurry up and wait in line for about an hour. Peachy. The random 'I Think I Love You' girl passed by as we were going in (she was also going to the show with her boi) and we got through with minimal "You can't take that into this venue" comments - though they did try to get my camera banned, they didn't because the lens was the right size (apparently they are trying to ban any camera with a removable lens because they are deemed 'professional' - actually many of the small digitals take better and closer pics than your average SLR-Digital cameras these days). Still, I got it in, once I flashed some ID... I love my licence... and were in time to hear the support band McQueen. I've not heard them before, but they were really very good. An all girl rock-group from England, they really stopped the audience cold. They were somewhat like the love-child of The Runaways and Suzie Quatro, but with a more modern rock-edge to them. The Band (Leah Duors on Vocals, Hayley Cramer on Drums, Cat de Casanove on Guitars, and Gina Collins on Bass) knew their audience and interspersed their set with reminders that they knew the crowd was here to see H.I.M and they played to that knowledge, which is something the crowd really appreciated. They weren't there to be sassy, they were there to play rock to a specific audience and play rock they did... kind of a Goth-Rock, but without added Emo (it makes sense to me). I liked them so much I bought the album, and it seems that they had gotten over their jet-lag from Perth (I asked them about that at their signing in between their set and H.I.M. Anyway, lisdexic_prose, with no ID, couldn't get alcohol, which pissed her off no end - the thing I LIKE about The Big Top is their 'alcohol corral' where you enter, drink and have half of the floor to yourselves. The thing I DON'T like about it is that you can't mingle with your non-drinking friends. Still, at an all-ages gig you need some alcohol-control mechanisms, and this is as good as it gets in an enclosed venue. Then the lights went down and the volume went up and the members of H.I.M strolled onstage. Remember that H.I.M was here last year and gave a more than well-polished performance replete with chandeliers, mist and heartagrams galore. This year the stage was more reminiscent of a Tubeway Army gig from the 80's (although with dimmer lighting with changing colours), but that combined with the mist and back fan-lighting gave it an almost sepulchral feel. The audience reactions, especially those from the non-drinking age, showed that even though numbers appeared to be down from last year, the emotion and audience receptivity was well up. Guys in the audience were fans, and girls were also fans and/or were in tears - something I haven't seen a lot of in this present day of music fandom. If I had one complaint about their set, it would be that the beanie (to me) wasn't really representative of the goth-emo look, and I think it looked perhaps a little too grungey-casual for what I was expecting. That being said, that's the only thing I can really fault for the gig. They played a great set of about an hour, hitting their best from the past 6 albums and giving the audience what they were there for.

Thus the best way to end the 'long weekend' on a musical note - with discovery of a new band (for me) and expansion of the ol' musical horizons.

In 1998 I was amongst a small group (of about 150) people who were asked to lead the Mardi Gras Parade. It was a singular honour and it was (at that time) 20 years since we had been involved in one of the most tumultuous upheavals of the Sydney Gay/Bohemian scene. Now, it's 10 years later and 30 years since that attack.

In 1978 there was a climate of hatred and an unofficial mandate to crush those who would be themselves. Those who would dare to come out of the closet and declare that the way they were was 'normal'. There were no real support agencies, there was no 2010 for queer youth, no acceptance. The police did their level and brutal best to vilify, bash, harass, humiliate and destroy any thought of us being recognised as normal, and they (unintentionally) catalysed the change from sanctioned wanton street bashings and ham-fisted arrests (ask me about The Darlo Drop one day) to having GLOs (Gay Liaison Officers) marching in a parade which celebrates the very thing they were ordered to destroy.

I received this in an email this morning...

"[as one of] The 78ers [you] will lead off the parade following the Welcome to Country ceremony, a recognition of us being on Aboriginal land. The concept is a very simple one with a banner leading the way, along the parade route there will be large screens which will be used to signal to the crowd the significance of this section of the parade."

These days (our numbers shrinking every year) we are called 78ers. We're given the label of pioneers, of trailblazers for the cause. Hell, we just wanted to be recognised, some of us just wanted the right to celebrate in an atmosphere where we didn't have to jump when someone called "Hey! You!". Mostly, we just wanted to be able to stand up and say "We're here! We're Queer! We're people, too!" I guess sometimes that's all it takes. The need to stand up for what you believe in, non-violently, and yet continue to face the extremists who oppose you.

30 years later, we will look up Oxford Street, in amongst a sea of acceptance, along with almost a million of our brothers and sisters, and see what changes we wrought on that June evening.

...and smile

Tonight at about 10:30pm I will make a trek into the city, just as I have many hundreds of times before. The destination will be the refurbished George Street Cinema Complex (aka Greater Union George Street). Tonight, though, I think my mind will cast back a few years... because tonight will be the last time I will make this journey, to this place, for this reason.

Sometime mid-late 1978 I was involved in 2 firsts... one was to become The Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras (I'll post about that later on)... the other was The Rocky Horror Picture Show. A little-known, badly flopped, kitschy musical based on a small London musical, (written by a New Zealander),which achieved hedonistic fame in both London and Los Angeles, which was made into a film and was then left to the detritus of the late-night schlocky cult movie circuit.

It flourished.

Thanks to the callbacks (cat-calls yelled at the screen at appropriate times throughout the film) allegedly instigated by Sal Piro (a New Yorker, who saw the film at the 'Westgate'(?) Cinema), and certain residents of the East (Greenwich) Village attending the screenings in drag/costume, it became an underground phenomenon.

It hit Australia quietly, but the news from overseas grew. Fox-Columbia decided to screen it at the 'new' Hoyts Entertainment Centre, ironically built on the site of The Trocadero (Dance) Club, one of the more hedonistic nightspots of old Sydney. Paul Beaver travelled to New York and took in a showing of Rocky Horror at the 8th Street Playhouse, and brought back the reactions and audience participatory behaviour to his friends Peter Larsen and Brad Grainger. The first person to ever wear a form of costume to Rocky Horror in Sydney was Brad, who wore a 'Dracula cape' to a screening a couple of weeks later and a member of the audience called out "Look! It's Dr Frank N Furter!" - the rest is history.

I joined the late-night screening madness in 1979 (though I had seen the film sporadically since mid-to-late 1978). I had moved to Sydney and had nothing to do on a Friday night (except hang about in bars ;)) so I joined in. Peter Larsen was the co-ordinator of a loose-knit few people who dressed up, yelled at the screen, threw rice, tossed toilet paper, wore drag (or underwear, or less), and sprayed water pistols at each other. I was there when Robert Smith first got up in front of the audience, with several torches trained on him, and he performed 'Sweet Transvestite'. The audience went nuts. Over the next weeks Robert became a cause celebre around town, he was the man who rode his Triumph down George Street, to park it outside Hoyts, dressed in a spangled tank-top, make-up and with a cape flying out behind him. I was fortunate to share a house with him for a short while in Erskineville. The second number ever to be performed at Sydney Rocky Horror was (2-3 weeks later) 'Dammit Janet' and that was done, rather haltingly at the time, by myself and Penny Miller as our first Janet. The man 'running' the show for those first heady weeks was Peter Larsen (Peter, Brad Grainger and Paul Beaver were publicly acknowledged as being the ones who actually started the show in Sydney at an Anniversary show a few years back).

I should list here that the first 'cast' ever assembled for Rocky Horror in Sydney was:
Frank N Furter - Robert Smith
Brad Majors - Craig Walker
Janet Weiss - Penny Miller / Melissa Bean
Riff Raff - Brad Grainger
Magenta - Abby 'Leia' Coombs / Michelle Catts
Columbia - Lisa Catts / Mary Payne
Eddie - Paul Beaver
Rocky - Dean Grainger
MC - Peter Larsen

We didn't really have a Crim until Penny Chatterton took up the reigns one week and handed them over to Fiona Thompson (whose daughter you may know - Ruby from Doppleganger Hair) or a regular Dr. Scott (I think we convinced Quentin Saville to first stand up and play The Crim, albeit only once or twice) until Stephen Smith took that role.

Everyone was a Transylvanian - but the first two who 'performed' the roles in full costume were Anthony & Angela, followed by Pam Chatterton and a host of others, which at one time included most members of 'Jimmy & the Boys'. Of course high points were: the month when we were filling and running 2 cinemas at once with 2 casts; when we were asked to make Bette Midler's 'Divine Madness' into a new Rocky Horror with costumes and callbacks; when Fox released 'The Apple' and asked us to promote it as the 'next Rocky Horror' to much amusement; invitations to the champagne flowing Fox-Columbia Christmas Party; being asked to promote The Rocky Horror Show by the producers only to have them ask us to stop because we were getting more attention than the stars of the show; appearances on national TV (such as 'The Mike Walsh Show' [Mike was the Rove MacManus of the time]); being asked to go 'on tour' to other cinemas to raise interest; and of course the release of 'Shock Treatment' which we promoted for Fox.

I could go through all the casts, but that's probably best left for another forum/time, suffice to say that the show lasted on a weekly basis until about 6 months after I left it, in 1986, when it went on a forced 'hiatus' (apparently Hoyts Management thought that having less than 80 audience members attend a once-per week late-night showing was not cost effective - even though they were showing other late-night sessions and only had 1 projectionist on). So, the film finished it's run - well actually it continued running, it just went to once a month, without an endorsed 'live cast'. This lasted until 1989, when the Fox-Columbia Publicity Department (specifically, Bronwyn Delaney) with the aid of Garfield Barnard (now of Barnards Star Productions) resurrected the show with a number of the original 'live cast' members (as memory serves: Caroline Fiedler [Janet]; James Burrell [Brad]; Stephanie Lennon [The Crim]; Andrew Sheehey [Frank]; Tim Neeley [Riff Raff]; Karen Smith [Margenta]; Graham 'Garfield' Barnard [Eddie/Dr Scott]; Julie Norris [Columbia] and a couple of others - I was living in Canberra at the time, and so was uncontactable) and it took off again on a wave of nostalgia.

I heard the show was on again, and so I went back to see it (I was only in Canberra and that's only 2 hrs away). It rekindled the fire, so to speak, and seeing as I was moving back to Sydney at this stage, it was something familiar to go back to. So I did. After their 'opening night' many of the 'returning' cast left - ushering in a 'new generation' of performers.

This new 'live' cast was:
Frank N Furter - Andrew Sheehey
Brad Majors - Tony Harris
Janet Weiss - Phillipa Beauchamp/ Laura Bourke
Riff Raff - Tim Neeley / Mark Spain
Magenta - Phillipa Beauchamp / Denise Blanchard
Columbia - Janelle Grimshaw
Eddie - Graham 'Garfield' Barnard
Dr. Scott - Graham 'Garfield' Barnard
Rocky - Tony Calder
MC - Graham 'Garfield' Barnard

Unfortunately, the name of the person who initially played The Crim escapes me (embarrassingly so), though I will edit them in as I recall them, (though, later on, the Crim was taken up by Trevor Collict). The casts shifted and changed throughout the next years, even having a logie-winning actor appear regularly as Riff-Raff, probably the best Riff-Raff (with his own irreverent style) ever to grace our stage. Of course I have to mention the 'warm-up crew' who forged their own names in Rocky mythology. 'The Paul Keating No-Stars' (modelled on the supremely anarchic and popular Doug Anthony All-Stars) consisting of Derek Proud, Ivan DeVulder and Angus Glashier, along with various supporting cast, gave me (as MC) the best support a show could ever have - and made the warm-ups something magical to behold. One high-point at an anniversary was having friends of Angus come along, set up their drums and guitars, and doing a flawlessly live rendition of 'We Will Rock You' along with vocals by the 'No-Stars'. My time with this new cast, being a regular through MCing the show and later fully taking over from Tony Harris playing Brad along the way, was about from late 1989 through to late 1995/early 1996. Weirdly about the same length of time I had been involved 10 years earlier.

Mind you, after leaving, I kept going to all the anniversaries, watching the cast go from strength to strength, from highs through lows and finally getting to where the show is today. This 'new' regular season has been going for over 18 years, longer that the original season by some 11 years, though technically the show has been on regularly (at the same location, now owned by Greater Union) since way back in early-mid 1979, making it close to its 30th Anniversary at the George Street Cinema Complex. It makes one wonder why, now, it's actually leaving - and the reason given is that there are not enough paying audience to have the show continue - ironically the same reason used back in 1986.

Tonight, at the George Street Cinema Complex, there will be a 'gathering of the tribes' (if you will) - I have no idea how many will be there. I don't know how many audience will turn up. It's not an Anniversary, it'll be more like a wake (in the real celebratory sense). Some members of the casts, from past & present will be going to see the show in the cinema complex where they all helped make it famous, in fact in the very cinema itself so I am told. With a nice piece of Synchonicity I will be performing the very number that I first performed 29 years ago. 'Dammit Janet'... for the last time, by the first Brad. George Street Cinemas... for the last time. It'll be strange, it'll be fun, it'll be oddly happy and sad, but at 11:30pm tonight it will be the end of an era.

Of course times change, people's tastes also change, and what was exciting and hedonistic to us way back then, is (in these days of 'Desperate Housewives', 'Naked News', 'The Wonderful World Of Sex', etc...) to some a little passé. There are a lot more things to do and see now. Yet, still, the magic (though perhaps a little tarnished) is still there. The message is still as valid as it once was... and hopefully Rocky Horror Sydney (currently presented by 'Fun In The Dark') will find a new home soon. We didn't just dream it... and THAT is the important thing. After all, like Mardi Gras, after 30 years, it's only the beginning.

So, the past weekend - Ok OK - so it was a few days ago.

I was off to do many things - and weirdly enough it became only one thing - which blended into 2 things - which blended into 3 things... but still the rain kept me away from the others things. (Will you STOP being so cryptic!) OK.

So, I went off to Hellfire with arby_doll and was meeting up with a few people there - though they all didn't materialise, one certain Heather-person fell asleep. LOL. She turned up late, after we left - but then decided to join arby_doll and I in the spa at home (at about 3am). This wasn't so bad at all, spending 5 hours with Heather and arby_doll talking about life the universe and everything. Of course staying awake and then having the heavens open up, meant that in my mind there was to be no Symphony at the Domain... and in reality it was almost cancelled. I called the Sydney Festival and asked twice... once when they said they would make an announcement within the hour but it looked like it would be cancelled... and the second call was them saying that it would go ahead. It was raining too much where I was at that time so I made an executive decision and decided to wait until it stopped raining.... it didn't.

I snoozed... and in doing so, I missed Craig Donarski's Birthday drinks...dammit... Mr Craig, I have a present for you at home.

So, alas, no Symphony at the Domain this year, to be honest the amount of wet wasn't appealing to me (and while I think of it, congratulations for master_flea for his pyro work on Ilotrope: Water Fools). Symphony I always go to - but this year I think I supplemented it with Jazz... I will also be going to see La Boheme in the Domain in a week or so.

Sunday was a day of nothing except that I DID get eventsinsydney rolling again, for the new year and just in time for the Mardi Gras Festival. Anyway, after the weekend, I simply went back to work...

Well, there was work and Projects and roll-outs happening, then there were some which went horribly pear-shaped because of one of the PMs seriously dropping several balls and then disappearing. So much so that I had to hire another staff-member on the fly... but I'll let them (they're on LJ) make the announcement as opposed to me. Suffice to say that it's Staff=Deep-End.

That was the weekend and that has been the beginning of my week so far... it's been... er... real. Of course the highlight of the week so far has been the re-arrival of uberredfraggle back from the UK. After much flying and a 100metre mixup of arrival gates (due to me writing down B9 as opposed to TG9) she arrived on Tuesday and was met with much rejoicing. Even Indy didn't turn his nose up at her for long. Of course, that afternoon/evening was a long spa with a Corvus and an Ara... and a visiting Mouse. I must adnit that Corvus was the funniest I have seen him in a while... well lots of Jack Daniels and a spa can do that to people ;) Still, a spa is one of the best ways to combat jet-lag and it appears that Hannah is coping with the lag OK. Then, of course work has been crazy...

On the flip-side - The Razzie Nominations have come out - AND the Academy Award Nominations are out today (I'll put the lists for those up real soon). This also means that Sydney Screening will be having its Pre-Oscars Screenings (for the third year, now) which will be posted over at that group ASAP (which will be worked out between illdrinn and myself). Hot on the heels of that, comes the distressing (for the Australian Film Industry) news of the passing of Heath Ledger. The reasons for his death are only speculation because no-one appears to have been with him at the time and (as far as we know) there has been no note left. Suffice to say that at 28, his talent left way too soon...

Tomorrow is a half-day because tomorrow night I go to see The Police in concert with medicinalminx (and I still have 2 tickets available in Section 405, folks, c'mon), followed by Big Day Out on Friday with uberredfraggle, medicinalminx, lisdexic_prose, vodkanoodles, doomgurl and Hate (I am hoping that one of the people who are coming with us is able to solve a problem with taking a half-day off Friday = working a full-day Saturday [WTF is with THAT?]) otherwise she may not be able to come at all - and THAT would make me a sad-panda.

...and that's my lot right now.

The Sydney Festival is in full swing and what better way to hit the second week of the month-long party than to spend it stretched out, on an oversized haemorrhoid ring, in a marquue surrounded by palm trees, holding many daiquiris, excellent food, spending the time with good friends, hundreds of fruit-bats wheeling overhead, and being entranced by Jazz In The Domain featuring The Spanish Harlem Orchestra for 2 hours. Musicians par excellence!!! What a night it was :) - MANY Thanks to Gary (who doesn't have an LJ, but what the hey...) who buys additions and gadgets to make the 'marquee' bigger and better each year (Hey! nikkicat13! Remember when we all started doing this? we used to BUILD the marquee ;)), to Heidi (Sinclair, yes I deleted #46, now I just have to find another one to take it's place), to nikkicat13 (obviously for said daiquiris and making this a tradition), to Eric (for being such a good shot with a grape), David, turtlesnake and Ada (especially for providing some excellent dancing and photo opportunities). I Twittered it earlier - but even though the Salsa beat and the Orchestra was DAMNED fine! I always (now) have that niggling in the back of my head whenever I hear Salsa or Mambo music... "El Diablo Con Dinero" (Senor B-u-u-urns!)

Over the past week I have filled up on MY yearly tradition of spending as much time as I could at Bondi, watching some of the best short films on the planet at Flickerfest (my 16th Flickerfest by the way), and this year was no exception. I must admit, though, that I never go to the Awards at the end (Yes 'Gasp!' 'Shock!' I hear you say, not going to an Awards show? Sacreligious!) to be honest - I like the short films, but the Awards for Flickerfest are for the filmmakers - and they deserve them every year. It's just not my thing on a Sunday night, y'know? Anyway... the films this year were great and I recommend it to anyone who likes film for next year :) Now I am looking forward to Tropfest later in February. Who's coming to that with me?

Then of course there was the craziness of dashing home, getting changed, and dashing back into the city to Die Maschine, which had the sidewalk packed - and still a number of people inside. A night which seemed to hearken back to the 'olden' days of DM, where there was the van out the front, Amy on top of the van (go figure), MANY people in attendance, and the sets were damned good too :). Thence to the Spa with piggypigpigpig, medicinalminx, arby_doll, Gill, and others in tow :) 'was a good morning - even though I needed to crash for a couple of hours later in the day.

Now back to work and The Golden Globe Awards get announced in a non-televised (here) Press Conference at 4pm AEST - so there will be no Golden Globes Champagne Soiree this year. Sorry. Can't celebrate what they don't televise. However, there WILL be a SAG Awards and a BAFTA Awards Soiree... just not so sure about the Oscars, yet (again because of the ongoing Writer's Strike. That will be announced, soon, by the Academy.

So, tonight is nothing, a night off, OMG! However, this week is very heavy on the Festival shows with 'Au Revoir Paraplui' tomorrow night at the Sydney Theatre, 'La Clique' at The fabulous Spiegeltent on Thursday, 'Ilotope: Water Fools' followed by 'Hellfire' on Friday night, and the annual decadence which is 'Symphony Under The Stars' (at The Domain) on Saturday/night. A very busy week.

Right! now... off to do more work-stuff...

Tuesday morning - and I feel like I haven't slept at all - but I know I have. You know that really crappy sleep where (to you) it lasts about 30 mins? It was like that. I think I need a vacation ;)

Last week/end... well, apart from 3 days work where no-one was in the office (except myself and 3 'surprise jobs' which had to be organised for this week) there was the New Year holdover, the most excellent Flickerfest opening night (which I attended with losing_ideas), Ascension on Saturday night with lisdexic_prose and lucidean (along with seeing many people there - way too many to tag, yet it also seemed a little under-attended). Still, Ascension finished up - after some very worthwhile sets - and the evening turned into a Sunday of spa-induced madness with medicinalminx, Conrad, lisdexic_prose, arby_doll, , & piratenoir (apparently including some 'unique' phone calls - which I have... er... little memory of - I blame the punch, and the punch blames lisdexic_prose, and lisdexic_prose blames the punch - you had to be there).

Last night was more Flickerfest, both International films and the Best of Australian Animated films (a retrospective), coupled later with something laughingly called sleep which (as I mentioned earlier) seemed to last all of a subjective 10 minutes. You know, it's nice to have the Flickerfest staff recognise you (after all I have seen them there every year except the first one) and have them call you by name :) So, after a brief sleep, there is this morning - and today, there's a VIP move coupled with setting up more moves for the following week. There will be more Flickerfest this evening and then more 'sleep'. (Maybe in there will be eventsinsydney, too.

OK - I'm not really a sports fan - well OK, I do like The Olympics and so forth, of course... Anyway, I have little interest in most 'normal' sporting teams etc, except when I am in a situation where I 'have' to because it's the only thing available. However, this Indian Cricket team thing coupled with (to me) bewildering calls for Ricky Ponting's sacking is really confusing me. This doesn't appear to be a rules thing - it seems to be an ego thing (or perhaps more correctly - a stupidity thing). There was a request (specifically in light of the racist behaviour when the Australian Team was in India - the 'monkey noises' and comments thrown at Andrew Symonds) for all racist and other sledging comments, and the like, to be reported to the Officials by the Captains. This was done as requested - and now Ponting is pilloried for following official directions. I'm not a big cricket fan, but this subsequent 'walk-out' by the Indian Team seems to be little more than sour grapes. Harbhajan Singh got caught out flaunting the new regulations. He was taken to task and banned for three matches. India goes feral and threatens to take their bat & ball and go home. If that's their attitude to having a legitimate ruling applied (a ruling that the Indian Cricket Board must have agreed to in the first place) then let them go home - no big loss. We have better things to do than have every decision by Officials politicised and made into a 'National Tragedy'. Also, the so-called journalists baying for Ponting's blood should also pull their heads in, stop being so sensationalist, and look to (what appears to be) the real cause of the issue - Harbhajan Singh (a repeat offender of this type of sledging) got caught out doing the wrong thing, now the Indian Cricket Board doesn't want him punished and is throwing a tanty. If anything, this simply highlights something I overheard at the office, said by a white-haired old man who wouldn't look out of place in a Cricket Club-Room. "In my day, it was a gentleman's sport. Now, the rules and officials mean nothing. It's all politics, and not competition or sport. It's saddening and embarrassing to watch."

On a further note: The 2008 Golden Globe Awards (the Awards which are seen as the signpost for the Oscars) looks like they have been cancelled for this year. Why? Simply, the Writer's Guild of America, currently in their second month of striking, have the solidarity of the Screen Actor's Guild. As such, with a picket-line in place around the location of the Golden Globe Awards, SAG members (ie: most Actors in the US) have voted to not cross that picket line and so the stars will not attend the Awards Dinner and Ceremony. As to the actual strike, and the reasons therefore? I agree with them. Actors receive residual payments for work done and subsequent viewings. The Writers want a similar agreement, specifically for non-traditional models of purchase of media - such as Internet downloads etc... (which are not listed in the original Writer's Agreement/s, and as such do not glean any residual payments). Of course, Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers doesn't agree, in fact they want all payments changed to a 'none until profitiability is reached' model (meaning no residual payments at all until a production has reached profitability - and only then would payments be made based on the profitability of the project) - the details can be a little confusing, so here's the FAQ. So, the writers are on strike and the Actors are agreeing with them. It's disappointing for the Awards Ceremony (well, both this one and the People's Choice Awards, anyway) and there may yet be a knock on effect to The Academy Awards, which is yet to be determined. The interesting thing is that the Screen Actors' Guild (SAG) Awards are not affected, as they apparently have brokered an agreement with the WGA to have the Awards not only written for, but supported. In regards to the Golden Globes: In a statement late yesterday, Jorge Camara, President of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association said: " The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has been placed in an extremely difficult position with the ongoing Writers Guild strike. We are making every effort to work out a solution that will permit the Golden Globes to take place with the creative community present to participate. We hope to announce a resolution to this unfortunate predicament on Monday [Tuesday, AEST]."

[Update:] - 10 minutes ago Jorge Camara issued the following statement: "We are all very disappointed that our traditional awards ceremony will not take place this year and that millions of viewers worldwide will be deprived of seeing many of their favorite stars celebrating 2007’s outstanding achievements in motion pictures and television. We take some comfort, however, in knowing that this year’s Golden Globe Award recipients will be announced on the date originally scheduled."

...and now... on to work - of which I have been given another new Project... and 4 weeks to do it in? Holy Sheepdip!

OK - I admit it's hard to type wearing latex gloves ;)

This is a VERY short post - wishing everyone a very safe and Happy New Year. For those who are heading into the city (as I am with medicinalminx, ctrlshft, & doomgurl) to see the fireworks... either at the Harbour or on The Cahill Expressway, be safe, be sensible, don't pat the puppies ;). Word is that there will be flying squads going into the venues tonight. So, be smart. As for us tonight? From the Quay - we're dashing straight off to Black Cherry and/or Blink (because we won't have time/ability to get all the way back to Dark Rhapsody :( sorry Reba).

Have the best New Year, I'll see some of you tonight I am sure, and remember those who can't be with us. I know I will.

Well - apart from dashing about like a mad person, doing last minute food-shopping (food is SO expensive!) I then got home - packed it away, while piratenoir hung the new lights (new 'cause many of the old ones were cactus) I then lay down for a moment - and woke up about 10 mins ago... ummm I was supposed to head to The Townie to say Happy Birthday to frankdog in person. Blast! [sigh] well it's time for sleep.

Tomorrow? As last year - it will be a day with family (those which are here anyway) meaning:

Myself, Indy, Dara, Wall-ey & Fi will be watching (not necessarily in this order)...

A Muppet Christmas Carol;
Jingle All The Way;
Shrek The Halls;
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation;
Christmas With The Kranks;
The Worst Christmas Jobs In History;
A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas;
Blackadders' Christmas Carol;
Die Hard;
Die Hard 2;
Bad Santa;
The Santa Clause;
The Santa Clause 2: The Mrs Clause;
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause;
It's A Wonderful Life;
White Christmas;
Scrooged;
Trading Places;
Home Alone;
The Nightmare Before Christmas;
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer;
Frosty The Snowman;
Miracle on 34th Street;
Pee Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special;
Elf;

...and apart from unfortunate things like the absence of:
The Little Drummer Boy;
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town;
Dr Suess' How The Grinch Stole Christmas;
and other 1960's-1970's Christmas staples... It'll be a GOOD time.

So... in the spirit of season - A Merry Xmas/Happy Kwanza/Happy Chanuka/Merry Yule to all!!!

May Santa (or whichever of his minions you believe in) bring you all that you deserve, this year. :)

See some of you in the next couple of days :)

All OK - just dropped off the face of the planet for over a day. Not only was there a... biological reason to do that (a sudden attack of fever and onset flu-like symptoms) - but I slept for well over 18 hours on the wrong side of the day - all Saturday actually - through until about 2am Sunday morning. Then awake and back asleep again for another 8 hours (guess I needed it). Then, no time to grab my loaner phone handset as I dashed to try to do all the Boxing Day shopping (partial success). Then home to snooze again and now awake and will force myself asleep so I can so all the things I need to before Boxing Day.

How weird... never had THAT much sleep thrust upon me before. Damned well missed an appontment I had on Saturday afternoon, too (and I ain't calling people at 2am to apologise - even if I DID have the number - instead of it being trapped on my SIM card in my fakaktah screwy handset. :(

Well, anyway, all's better now, feeling a little more chipper and perky - must have seriously been exhausted or something - but must still sleep nonetheless. Much to do tomorrow - and no time to do it in.