One of my favourite pit memories is photographing The Rolling Stones a few years ago.
The band was fantastic live and so professional.
Their tour manager actually thanked photographers, on behalf of herself and the band, for helping to document the show. Rare respect.
This has only ever happened at one other show ~ AC/DC.
Usually band/tour managers leave the publicists in charge of the photographers and don’t come anywhere near us – unless it’s to warn us to be careful as there will be fireworks on stage (EMINEM) and drumkits on springs that just might bounce off stage (Slipknot).
Anyway, today I leave you with perfect Tuesday lyrics …
“Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still I’m gonna miss you…
There’s no time to lose, I heard her say
Catch your dreams before they slip away…”
Review
Soon we’ll be calling her “our” Amanda. Amanda Palmer wants to move to Melbourne.
Her Instagram last night said it all:
amandapalmer 18 hours ago
if you were ever wondering why i want to move to melbourne.
this is happening at 4:05 am in the national art museum.
@whitenightmelb http://instagram.com/p/kud368wW7B/
Amanda Palmer loves Melbourne. And Melbourne loves Amanda Palmer.
Personally what I love about Amanda Palmer is that she makes me smile, she laughs on stage, her enthusiasm for life is contagious, she appreciates and loves her fans, she inspires, she is photogenic (sorry about the shallow beauty reason but I am a photographer after all), she’s intelligent (makes up for my previous reason right?) and she bloody well rocks!
Last night was no exception. Amanda Palmer smiled, laughed, rocked. Ninja style. Her now famous impromptu “ninja gigs” are like Melbourne’s summer storms, forecasts may be flawed … unless Amanda announces them on social media. Yes, that’s right, a secret gig, announced usually a day before, on Twitter. Yep, a “secret” gig 🙂
So… Amanda Palmer walks in to a bar, jumps up on to the bar counter, and starts signing “Map of Tasmania” to approximately 400 of her closest friends.
Here are some pics from last night:
As we were leaving, a guy asks: “Oh do you know Dresden Dolls? Is that an Amanda Palmer impersonator?” He was rapt when I told him he had in fact stumbled upon a gig by the REAL Amanda Palmer.
Don’t rely on “stumbling upon”. Make sure you follow @AmandaPalmer -if you don’t already! You never know: it might rain again soon …
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I love the feeling of capturing the picture in your mind on film …
Last night I asked Kinky Friedman to pose for me – lighting his cigar – he obliged … and I captured the moment I had already visualised.
Let me know what you think.
Have you experienced such moments?
Later, Mary.x
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Music, Melbourne + Me exhibition at RMIT Gallery runs till Feb.
Ros O’Gorman and I have our photos in the Venue Room.
Our brief was photos that showed the connection between artist, venue and audience.
This is actually one of my favourite captures at gigs.
Check ’em out.
Let me know what you think …
Below are the details of the exhibition and a couple of photos from the Opening Night and from the Media Launch.
Music, Melbourne and Me: 40 years of Mushroom and Melbourne’s Popular Music Culture
Exhibition dates: 19 November 2013 – 22 February 2014
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Monday morning blues can be best relieved with either angst-ridden grunge or dreamy pop rock. Today I sought solace with LUSH but found Sing-Sing instead.
One of my first reviews was the first release by Sing-Sing. I’ve included it below. I probably would have written a different review in 2013, but here is how it was printed in Beat magazine back then:
9th October 2001
Sing Sing The Joy of Sing Sing
Poptones
The Joy of Sing-Sing by Sing-Sing is truly that –a joy. Sing Sing consists of the enchanting Emma Anderson, from the renowned legendary British group Lush, and Lisa O¹Neill, from Mad Professor and Locust. What has ensued is a mixture of contemporary, progressive pop, full of multi-layered and profound lyrics, and a unique merging of guitar and electronica rhythms. They lend more towards electronica largely due to producer, Mark van Hoen. At times the sound is confusing but the diversity of styles is quite motivational and compels further listening to receive the full impact.
30 seconds of eerie electronic chiming tones lead into the heavenly dreamy Everything and fans of Lush realise how much they’ve missed Emma’s sweet seductive voice. Although extremely different as it is not as guitar edged and shoe-gazing, it is still poppy, lighthearted and fun but with an electronic edge.
In this way, throughout the cd, Sing Sing is overwhemingly dichotomous. I’ll be reminds me of David Lynch’s Blue Velvet and his dual view of the world. It discusses the change one will go through for love, without any pretentiousness, yet feeling obligated to change who they are to win love. It has a startling concoction of deviance and innocence, with contrastingly strong vocals and syrupy, mellow music. It ends with the sweet sound of a bird singing – reminding me of one of Blue Velvet’s final scenes where a large Red Robin, deliberately artificial yet still naturally beautiful, is carrying a big ugly bug in its mouth.
Other songs showing this contrast are Command and Underage, which are tranquil and melodiously calm, yet vocally strong and lyrically deep.
The Joy of Sing Sing includes some beautiful tracks, especially Tegan, Me and My Friend, and Feels like Summer. But my favourite is definitely Émigré, possibly because (I’m sorry to do this again, but) it is so reminiscent of Lush.
The Joy of Sing Sing is dreamy electronica pop – pure bliss.
Mary Boukouvalas.
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That time I replaced the camera for a pen … http://wp.me/P1RHev-4l
Rock n Roll All Nite By Mary Boukouvalas
On February 28, 2003, Australia will be treated to a symphonic sound boom when the love guns of rock, KISS, join the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in a one-off concert spectacular at Telstra Dome. Performing for the first time with an orchestra, KISS will team with the internationally renowned MSO to celebrate their 30th anniversary at their only Australian show.
On the 21st February, KISS members Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Peter Criss arrived in Melbourne, the city they regard as “Number One”. KISS fans were ecstatic as they welcomed band members at the airport. Screaming fans, many wearing make-up and costumes, greeted the three KISS members and TommyThayer. Thayer will replace Ace Frehley as lead guitarist for the much anticipated Kiss Symphony.
The combination of the hard rock band with the 60-piece Melbourne Symphony is the result of months of work by conductors, arrangers and musicians. Rock legends KISS and promoter AndrewMcManus chose Melbourne as their world stage because of the huge fan base here and the excellent facilities at the Telstra Dome. KISS SYMPHONY promises to be one of the most visually spectacular events, with a dazzling pyrotechnics display and light show. Adding to the performance will be the MSO performing in complete KISS make-up.
KISS say the show will be done in three parts. The band will start off with a Kiss show, then they will go for an unplugged segment and after a small break, the KISS Symphony will begin.
The band expects “Beethoven and Mozart to rise up and dance with fists raised” as they “unleash a spectacle that will be both classic and classical”.
“It will be an extraordinary mix of black tie and black leather”.
Kiss Symphony lets loose this Friday 28th February at Telstra Dome in Melbourne, Australia. Don’t miss out. It’ll be hotter than hell!
Article and Photos by Mary Boukouvalas
rocklust 