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Now that I have a car, I can just pop on over to things, that’s exactly what I did yesterday afternoon. Fifteen minutes after leaving work, I was there. I chatted outside for a while, Ivens were playing inside, I didn’t get to catch any of their set, they were just finishing off when I came in.

First band I saw was Encircling Sea, I was really impressed with them. A lot of crazy effects, I don’t even know what you call that kind of style, but they were really good. It was the first time I’d been to the basement at Morgan’s place. A pretty small room, but plenty of people can fit inside. Most people watched the band, nodding their heads along to the beat. This band I really liked actually, I didn’t really know what to expect from them, and to say the least I was very impressed.

A Secret Death were up next. It’s a long while since they’ve played in Canberra (late 08 at a guess) and it kind of looked like they hadn’t practiced since. Their set was still brilliant, they even chucked in a couple of old ones for good measure. “This songs called Lion of Progression”.

Dun dun dun dun du du dun DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN etc

Incredible band. Even though no one seemed that into it, and between songs they debated which songs to play, every song was actually quite close to the sound of the recordings.

4 Dead were last at this show, and I think Morgan may have hesitations about inviting his own band back to play in his house. 4 Dead’s set was pretty wild, lights broken, playing in the dark ala Hard Luck launch at Sound Underground. Jon actually went further back, saying last time he went to a show in the dark, he broke his arm and was out for six months. This was the Deadstare reunion show at Hornsby PCYC. Funnily enough, the drummer from Deadstare is now in 4 Dead.

So anyway, people flying everywhere, things getting smashed, there was a little girl who seemed to be moshing harder than anyone else, beer spitting, general chaos. It was what we’ve all come to expect from a 4 Dead set really. I was trying to stay out of the action, but it seemed unavoidable, I ended up going crashing over some guitar cases, more than once.

After the show I gave Dave and Bel a lift home. We talked old times about some of the venues that have been and gone, there sure are a lot.

After this I drove into the city and went to The Phoenix, where Hoodlum Shouts were playing with Will Wagner and the Smith Street band. Being a Smith St band, of course they are from Melbourne.

I was really impressed by this show. For a start it was free, but surprisingly there wasn’t a great turnout. A solid turnout I guess you could call it. Will Wagner and his merry men play some sort of folk punk/rock mix. They are a good band, I had never heard of them before, but I enjoyed their set. Hoodlum Shouts, I have seen them a few times now, and there one of the best straight out rock bands I’ve seen in a long while. I really enjoy their sound.

On the way home I gave Pete K a lift home, we did some more reminiscing as well as a bit more talk about the future. I am going to be stepping in a bit more in the near future, having a bit more to do with the path of “the scene”. Let’s see how that goes.

Anyway, it was an awesome day, I’m sure all the people who say there’s nothing to do in Canberra had a pleasant afternoon at home.