Bateau Bay, NSW

What I remember (in 2024)

Flew back to Australia on December 15 to spend Xmas with family.  Stayed until January 31.  

A & Lynn came, but left on December 29.  This was the mothers-in-law meeting for the first time.

Showed Lynn around the Central Coast and also had a day where we ended up at The Newport Arms, with Tania and Olivia.  OTher touristy things included Putt Putt at Forries, Pelican Feed down at The Entrance, and Santa in a surf boat in Terrigal.

Christmas with Mum's side of the family was in Terrigal at K&J's new home.  Where we also got me meet Poppy.  Saw my cousin Michael for the first time in forever.  Fays, Pittmans, Aunty Vi, Betty & The Zordans all there.  K&J also hosted all my friends that evening.

Christmas day was spent at Trish & Nan's.  Trying to show the Americans a hot Xmas, and all we got was a cool, overcast day.  Dad, Manuia and Kathleen were there.  As was K&J.  Kara & Moz. Rob & Sab were there, with Grant & Jess.  Can't remember the last time I saw all of them.  May have been Grant's christening (1990ish).

On 27 December, Me, A, Mum & Lynn went and stayed in the Sofitel Sydney.  Saw the Botanic Gardens, Opera House & did a boat tour on Sydney Harbor.  That night we met up with Coasties at The Glenmore in the Rocks, before having dinner heading down to the harbour for dinner.  Somehow we also had a night down at the Coogee Bay Hotel before A left.

Reggae & I went to Helensburgh one day in late January to see the Benno's and meet Josh.

Australia Day was spent on the roof of the Australian in the Rocks with Coasties.  That night Reggae & I ended up in the city and had dinner with my old flatmates, Bridgey & Rach.

With Nan & Grandad, Terrigal, NSW

Pelican Feeding, The Entrance, NSW

America's Best Cricketer, Concord West, NSW

K, Kathleen, Dad & Me, Christmas Day, Concord West, NSW

A, Mum, Mom & Me, Harbour Bridge, NSW

Lis, Marbs,Linda, Reggae, Paula, Jill, Me, Nic & Barnesy, The Australian, NSW

Regs, Bridgey, Me & Rach, Sydney, NSW

Big Day Out @ Sydney Showgrounds

Regs & I - Big Day Out Veterans

Me @ Billy Bragg

Spoon @ BDO

Regs & I @ Rage Against The Machine

What I remember (in 2024)

Went with Reggae.

First 4 bands are bands that have come around since I left Australia, but Reggae thought I needed to see them.

Regurgitator were still great.

I thought Spoon were great (on a smaller side stage).

Nightwatchman did a Beds Are Burning cover.

Hilltop Hoods really got the crowd going.  Australian hip-hop is pretty good.

Thought I'd seen Billy Bragg in 96 Big Day Out, but not so.  Greeting To The New Brunette and Waiting For The Great Leap Forward were highlights of the day.

The old couple were seated in the stands for the rest of the day.  

silverchair were ok, but didn't play anything off Frogstomp.  

Arcade Fire didn't live up to the best live band around moniker that was currently being thrown around.  Bjork cancelled a second time - she did the same thing in Sydney in 1994.  

And Rage played the same set as the Entertainment Centre a few days prior.

This was my 9th and inevitably my last Big Day Out.  While I'm glad it reached the great success it was - with something like 40,000 people here today, I much preferred the first one, with a quarter of that amount of people at the old Showgrounds.

The Crap Facts:
This is my 258th concert.

This is my 2nd concert at Sydney Showgrounds.
This is my 2nd concert in Homebush.
This is my 181st concert in New South Wales.
This is my 184th concert in Australia.
British India are the 315th band I've seen.
Cut Off Your Hands are the 316th band I've seen.
Something With Numbers are the 317th band I've seen.
Faker are the 318th band I've seen.
This is my 7th Regurgitator concert.
Spoon are the 319th band I've seen.
The Nightwatchman is the 320th band I've seen.
Hilltop Hoods are the 321st band I've seen.
Billy Bragg is the 322nd band I've seen.
This is my 11th silverchair concert.
Arcade Fire are the 323rd band I've seen.

Arcade Fire is the 500th time I've seen a band in New South Wales.

Arcade Fire is the 650th time I've seen a band.

This is my 4th Rage Against The Machine concert.

Rage Against The Machine & Anti-Flag @ Sydney Entertainment Centre

What I remember (in 2024)

Went with Reggae, though we could see Moz from our seat (and he had camped at the venue to get tickets).

12 years since I'd las seen Rage.  They had no new music, so it was just their old stuff, and it was as angry as ever.  Killing In The Name Of to end the night was the absolute pinnacle.

The Crap Facts:
This is my 257th concert.
This is my 4th concert at The Entertainment Centre.

This is my 4th concert in Haymarket.
This is my 180th concert in New South Wales.
This is my 183rd concert in Australia.
Anti-Flag are the 314th band I've seen.
This is my 3rd Rage Against The Machine concert.

Me First & The Gimme Gimmes & Yidcore @ Manning Bar

What I remember (in 2024)

Went with Reggae, Barnesy & Jill.

We had dinner somewhere in Surry Hills beforehand, near Greag & Jill's.

Yidcore was pretty crazy, but Me First well exceeded expectations.  I had roped the other 3 into coming, but they had a blast as well.

The Crap Facts:

This is my 256th concert.

Manning Bar is the 68th venue I've seen a concert in.
This is my 2nd concert in University Of Sydney.
This is my 179th concert in New South Wales.
This is my 182nd concert in Australia.
Yidcore are the 312th band I've seen.
Me First & The Gimme Gimmes are the 313th band I've seen.

Melbourne, VIC

What I remember (in 2024)
Flew to Melbourne on 11 January with Reggae, Robbie and Linda, to spend 2 nights with the Kerns and the Marshes.

Had a day touring some wineries (Stone Creek & Yarra Valley are 2 that I remember).  Was an absolute cracking day.  That night we celebrated Tawnie's birthday and got to meet Lucas & Nikki's newborn son, Daniel.

The next day we drove out to Warburton and spent the day being tourists out there.

It was just great being all together.  It had been 7-8 years since I'd seen Luke.

Robbie, Me, TK, Tawnie, Linda & Reggae

Robbie, Linda, TK, Tawnie, Reggae & Me

Robbie, Tawnie, TK, Reggae & Linda, Warburton, Victoria

Australia vs India @ SCG

Australia 463 & 7/401 dec defeated India 532 & 210 by 122 runs

Day 4 of 5 End Of Day

Australia 2nd innings 282/4 (MEK Hussey 87*, A Symonds 14*, 83 ov)

Crowd: 20,301

Australia

Phil Jaques, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Brad Hogg Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Stuart Clark

India

Wasim Jaffer, Raul Dravid, Venkata Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Dhoni, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Rudra Singh, Ishant Sharma

Me @ The Bradman Bar, Member's Stand SCG

THE Sachin Tendulkar @ SCG

What I remember (in 2024)

Went with Craig's mate.  He was supposed to come as well, but dropped out that morning.

We sat in the Member's Stand.

The Australian crowd continued it's hate against Harbajan Singh.  I think this was the test he had a run in with Andrew Symonds.

After the lunch break, I went to where the dressing rooms were.  Everyone wanted to see the Aussies and no one was near the Indian room.  That's how I got this awesome picture of Sachin Tendulkar.  Also got one of Ishant Sharma.  Big lad.  And boy was he bowling fast that day.