Exclusive -Pivot tour diary - Part 3

Posted in MUSIC by Marcus on Sep 06, 10:41AM

Sydney - Oxford Art Factory 8/8/08

News arrives before we leave Melbourne airport that tonight's gig in Sydney has already sold out, pleasing for what is a homecoming of sorts - Rich and I both being locals and having started the band here several years ago. Sure enough the texts start arriving thick and fast from friends that forgot to get tickets, much to the pleasure of our manager and his swollen guest list.

Joining us on the bill tonight is local Kirin J. Callinan, whose solo explorations outside of his usual gig with the Mercy Arms are shaping up to be special, and Fabulous Diamonds from Melbourne once again.

Once again it's a sweaty affair. As with Melbourne, the crowd seems genuinely warm and enthusiastic, which leads me to believe that my default assumption that nobody likes what we do may not be entirely founded. i think i am far more nervous about playing to the handful of close friends that have turned up to see what the antipodes did on european holiday, than anything else.

The gig seems to go down well, highlight being the chinese rave laser we borrowed from a friend to use in the last song of the set, and i retire to the band room to try and catch up with friends while strangers interrupt my conversations by hitting me in the chest and asking me if i like Frank Zappa. 'Not especially' I reply, aloud at least. I wander home to bed, as Dave heads upstairs to DJ everything from Durrty Goodz to David Bowie, and Richard disappears into the night.

Perth - The Bakery 9/8/08

After our allotted 4 hours of sleep, I locate the couch and car that Dave and Rich respectively slept on/in the previous night and we head to the airport for the trip to Perth. Being Dave's hometown, he seems to uncharacteristically get nervous when we play there. Not tonight, he assures me; lack of sleep and boozing should erase any such notions. The band finds a reassuring unity in the news that Dave's dad Noel is firing up the BBQ for lunch on our arrival.

I don't think we're totally switched on this gig, more from exhaustion than anything else, it seems the previous nights' revelry has taken it's toll, but we've done enough shows in the last few months to pull it off without any train wrecks.

Dave stays in Perth for an extra couple of days, while Rich and i head back to Sydney first thing in the morning to pack our bags once again for London and our European tour. I need a cup of tea and a lie down, and i'm considering hiding under my girlfriend's bed when they come to take us to the airport.