Swinging

One thing I really love is swinging on a swing. Like, at a playground. It's so endearing and frivolous, and also a great time to reflect on things. I enjoy watching the scene around me change as I sweep a parabola through the air.
As a kid, I wasn't a very good swinger. It took me ages to get the hang of it, and I was always pretty wussy about going too high. Even now, after years of experience, it takes a while for my insides to feel okay about flying up and down. And at 27, I wonder if there's an age when it's no longer acceptable to swing. While playgrounds are the domain of children, swinging is enjoyable (and light exercise!), and it feels too arbitrary to simply stop. You needn't let things slide into an unrecoverable childhood nostalgia. Stay young at heart, you're never too old to have fun!

Camp A Low Hum 2012

This past weekend I went to Camp A Low Hum in Wainui. I think it was the best Camp I've been to, and one of the best weekends ever. The more I think about it, the more it makes me happy, and though it sounds cheesy, it feels like I've 'been a part of something special'. Euphoric times, and I was very lucky to see a whole bunch of (new and old) friends from NZ and abroad. Weather on the first day was wet and pretty bleak, but there was heaps of great music. My friend Dove and I chose what the other would wear: he got a a shirt with a cat and his name on; I got an incredible kaftan. Mysticism ensued, and my sunshine ceremony may have helped, for the remaining two days were beautiful.
There were heaps of musical highlights: So So Modern (epic in the rain), Kikuyu, Terrible Truths, Dan Deacon, Aa (maybe my fav show?), Castlecliff Lights, Guerre, Shenandoah Davis, Kirin J Callinan, Hawnay Troof (killer party/killed my voice), Spring Break (Sexiest Pool Party), Jon Lemmon, The Shocking and Stunning, All Seeing Hand, Prince Rama.
And there were heaps of non-musical highlights: crazy dancing with friends; palm readings (love dat Party Line); thanking Kikuyu for playing and having her remember me from Camp '09; corn chip sandwiches, a capella bleep bloop accompaniments to songs; playing The Ninja Game, The Fruit Game, Wrestle Quest; getting an amazing mixtape-in-a-coconut; finally learning to 'whooooo' at a concert.
Such an incredible festival! I'm in complete agreement when people say it's one of the world's best, and I'll be back next year

Treasury of We

When I moved to Melbourne in May, I was impressed with the amount of gigs. 'It's nothing', I was told: 'wait for summer'. And true enough, there have been a lot of great shows. Here are some thoughts on a bunch I've seen
Fran bought me a ticket to see The Gin Club play a christmas eve eve show. They were great, all ten (or so) of them. Big band, good sounds
I went with my friend Jasmine to see Metronomy at the Hi-Fi, and they were phenomenal! They played every song I could've hoped, and were thoroughly entertaining.
John Maus and Dan Deacon played at 'Fright Night'. Maus was amazing, playing his tracks via a sampler while he yelled/sang over the top. Really atavistic performance, shouting and self-hitting. Wow. And Deacon was absurdly fun, his live band involved three synths and two drummers. Tears in my eyes during audience participation in which we were asked to think about the person we loved the most. 
Julianna Barwick played a Sugar Mountain sideshow at The Toff, and I went with my flatmate James. Great voice; a haunting show
Fran and I saw Feist's Laneway sideshow at the Palais Theatre (amazing venue!). She was great, very entertaining, and a great performer. My Moon, My Man was superb.
And off to Laneway yesterday. A really brilliant day out, I really enjoyed Girls, Givers and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Cults were spectacular, and worth the price of the ticket alone. And I felt the same about Glasser, who was better than I could've hoped. The Horrors played a great set, with all the songs I wanted (a good theme of the day) before I snuck off to catch Toro y Moi play Elise (yuss). Washed Out were fab, full of feeling, and I headed over to catch the last M83 song (Couleurs!). I boogied my way through the crowd, and the girl in front of me turned around: it was Naomi! I'd not seen her in months, and here we were, among thousands. I was spun out, it was a poetic moment.
All of this leads on to next week's Camp A Low Hum in New Zealand! Also coming up: Neon Indian, Slow Club, St Vincent, others