To be completely honest with you Forte, I have been a very lucky person. Not only have I had the opportunity to grow up in one of the most amazing regional towns in Australia, Geetroit rock forever, but I have also had the opportunity to live abroad. What does this have to do with anything? Well in a roundabout way, this is to say that this year I decided to enrol in a music performance course in Melbourne and sitting here writing this whilst back home in Geelong, I am completely full of gusto and nothing but positive vibes as I write this week’s column. Okay, so I may not have had the opportunity to go to White Night and photograph all of the amazing live sites and activities that were going on around the city, however, Melbourne is amazing place.
Having previously lived in London (oh God! Take me back now!) I have developed quite a taste for living in big city centres with lots of activity all of the time. The great thing about London is that because Europe is landlocked and everything is geographically so close to everything, the opportunity to see any of the bands you have been meaning to check out but never got the opportunity to because Australia is so far away (something we are constantly reminded of; don’t even get me started about bands not touring Perth), every band just tours London and then flies out to tour America.
I do have a funny story about living abroad and having the opportunity to see one of my all time favourite bands, Death Cab for Cutie. So you might like not like them at all, but their indie pop sensibilities and ability to write catchy melodies and amazingly simple yet diverse choruses is what immediately draws my attention. None the less, whilst I was at uni abroad, they announced a show at the Hammersmith Apollo and after some research I realised that it was only in the next town over to where I was living at uni. Having the thought they might not ever tour Australia (I know a morbid thought to think) I bought tickets. I definitely do not regret the opportunity to see them live, though after I bought tickets they announced an Australian tour for early the next year. I think there is some term to describe the feeling at this moment, let’s just say I was a little bit annoyed. However, since then I have seen them again in Australia and they are a highly energetic performance and if, like me, you like indie pop rock they are definitely worth checking out.
Anyway once again, I have got side-tracked by thought of further overseas escapades. Living in Melbourne is great because there is so much incredible live music. Living near Sydney Road in Brunswick, is also a very big positive, because having just strolled down there with a friend recently there is so much activity that you couldn’t even get an opportunity to poke a stick at, there is just so much happening. In a few blocks you have
The Spotted Mallard
The Cornish Arms
The Penny Black
The Brunswick Hotel
The Brunswick Mess Hall
There are plenty of other establishments but to list them all here would probably just be a bit much for this column. The Cornish Arms on a Monday does a epic open mic on a Monday, I guess making the trip up from Melbourne is a bit of an effort to play a 20 minute slot, however, if you are in the area I would highly recommend checking it out. The Penny Black is a hipsters heaven and on a Monday night after 7pm their tacos become half price, this is an absolute godsend as a local student/musician that is sick of eating pot noodles. There are plenty of other stories to tell from living in Melbourne but all in due course. I think that everyone at some point in their lives should live overseas and make the most of the music scene over there. Whether it be local or international artists, there is always something to discover and you should get amongst it Forte.
Written by Tex Miller
