Barenaked Ladies @ The Metro

What I remember (in 2024)

Went with Casey & Richard from work.

Tons of Canadians in the crowd.

Partied at The Observer afterwards until stupid o'clock.

The Crap Facts

This is my 162nd concert.

This is my 32nd concert at The Metro.

This is the 37th concert in Sydney.

This is my 157th concert in New South Wales.

This is my 159th concert in Australia.
Barenaked Ladies are the 222nd band I've seen.

Barenaked Ladies are the 450th time I've seen a band in Australia.

Fauves & Eskimoe Joe @ Annandale Hotel

What I remember (in 2024)

Went with Roberta, Brooke & Lewy.  Celebrating my birthday.

The Crap Facts

This is my 161st concert.

This is my 8th concert at Annandale Hotel.

This is the 8th concert in Annandale.

This is my 156th concert in New South Wales.

This is my 158th concert in Australia.
Eskimo Joe are the 221st band I've seen.
This is my 7th Fauves concert.

Planet Ark Concert @ The Metro

What I remember (in 2024)

Went with Brooke & Lewy.  Brooke got tickets through her work, it was a semi-private event.

The Honkies were Brad Shephard's (Hoodoo Gurus) band,

Can't remember what made Pat Cash's band an All-star line up.

The crowd was hoping Ian Moss and Jimmy Barnes would get together to play some Cold Chisel, but it never happened.

The Crap Facts

This is my 160th concert.

This is my 31st concert at The Metro.

This is the 36th concert in Sydney.

This is my 155th concert in New South Wales.

This is my 157th concert in Australia.
Honkies are the 216th band I've seen.
Pat Cash All Star Band are the 217th band I've seen.
Ian Moss is the 218th band I've seen.
This is my 2nd Richard Clapton concert.
Jimeoin are the 219th band I've seen.
Jimmy Barnes the 220th band I've seen.

Big Day Out @ Sydney Showgrounds

What I remember (in 2024)

Got there in order to see Fur, the opening band of the day, on the main stage (2 stages set up side by side).

Missed Warumpi Band, but was back for Jebediah on the same stage.  

Living End straight after on the stage next to it then back for Soulfly.  Stayed for 1/2 their set

Over to smaller stages for 2nd half of Not From There.

Regurgitator back on the main stages.

Caught the back half of Antenna, before seeing Sparklehorse.  This was in a tent, and I saw them just to get out of the sun, but the set was beautiful.  Really gentle, moving music.  Not what I would normally listen to, but I was enthralled.

Ash on the other small stage, then back to the main arena for Korn, then Marylin Manson, who was amazing, dressed in Naziesque uniforn, burning books and being controversial.  His show was a spectacle.

Finished the (big) day at the smaller stage watching TISM rip it up.

The Crap Facts

This is my 159th concert.

Sydney Showgrounds are the 41st venue I've seen a concert in.

Homebush is the 32nd city I've seen a concert in.

This is my 154th concert in New South Wales.

This is my 156th concert in Australia.
This is my 5th Fur concert.
This is my 5th Jebediah concert.
This is my 6th Living End concert.
Soulfly are the 210th band I've seen.
This is my 2nd Not From There concert.
Not From There are the 300th time I've seen an Australian band.

This is my 6th Regurgitator concert.
Antenna are the 211th band I've seen.
Sparklehorse are the 212th band I've seen.
Ash are the 213th band I've seen.
Korn are the 214th band I've seen.
Marilyn Manson are the 215th I've seen.
Marylin Manson are the 450th time I've seen a band.

This is my 4th TISM concert.

Unwritten Law, Game Over & Loki @ Iron Duke

What I remember (in 2024)

Went with Roberta.

The Iron Duke was packed, and Unwritten Law played a crazy show.  It was sweating from the ceiling.  I easily lost 5 kilos that night.  Fantastic dhow.

The Crap Facts

This is my 158th concert.

This is my 2nd concert at Iron Duke.

This is my 2nd concert in Zetland.

This is my 153rd concert in New South Wales.

This is my 155th concert in Australia.
Loki are the 208th band I've seen.
Game Over are the 209th band I've seen.
Game Over are the 200th different band I've seen in New South Wales.

This is my 3rd Unwritten Law concert.

Vans Warped Tour @ Kierle Park

What I remember (in 2024)

Went on my own.

It was hot and dry. Kierle Park ended up a dustbowl.

Was watching Pennywise from in front of the sound desk, next to Psycho Miko from Suicidals. Jumped into the circle pit with him when Pennywise demanded the crowd do circle work all the away around the mixing desk. It was wild.

Pennywise had a security guard sing Black Flag's Gimme Gimme Gimme on stage with them.

Scott Risso from Unwritten Law, wearing a cricket helmet, encouraged the crowd to throw shit at him. And they did! He got pelted to the point you could barely see the stage for the rubbish being thrown.

The Crap Facts

This is my 157th concert.

This is my 2nd concert at Kierle Park.

This is my 3rd concert in Manly.

This is my 152nd concert in New South Wales.

This is my 154th concert in Australia.
Less Than Jake are the 205th band I've seen.
This is my 2nd Area 7 concert.
This is my 2nd Suicidal Tendencies concert.
This is my 5th Porkers concert.
Cherry Poppin Daddies are the 206th band I've seen.
This is my 2nd Pennywise concert.
Deftones are the 207th band I've seen.
Deftones are the 100th time I've seen an American band.

This is my 9th Frenzal Rhomb concert.
This is my 2nd Unwritten Law concert.

Mudhoney & Rocket From The Crypt @ The Metro

What I remember (in 2024)

Went on my own.

Thought Rocket From The Crypt were amazing.  Then Mudhoney came out and blew them away.  Great double line up.

The Crap Facts

This is my 156th concert.

This is my 30th concert at The Metro.

This is my 35th concert in Sydney.

This is my 151st concert in New South Wales.

This is my 153rd concert in Australia.

This is my 2nd Rocket From The Crypt concert.
This is my 2nd Mudhoney concert.

Homebake @ The Domain

Frenzal Rhomb Setlist

 

The Crap Facts

This is my 155th concert.

This is my 2nd concert at The Domain.

This is my 34th concert in Sydney.

This is my 150th concert in New South Wales.

This is my 152nd concert in Australia.
The Feelers are the 204th band I've seen.
This is my 2nd Something For Kate concert.

This is my 4th Fini Scad concert.
This is my 8th Frenzal Rhomb concert.
This is my 2nd Nancy Vandal concert.
This is my 2nd Mavis' concert.
This is my 5th Screamfeeder concert.
This is my 4th Jebediah concert.
Jebediah are the 50th different band I've seen in 1998.

This is my 2nd Sidewinder concert.
This is my 3rd Ratcat concert.
Ratcat are the 50th different band I've seen in Sydney.

This is my 5th Living End concert.
This is my 3rd TISM concert.

TISM are the 400th time I've seen a band in New South Wales.

Sprung Monkey & Nitocris @ The Zoo

What I remember (in 2024)

Went with Jason.

Nitocris wouldn't play until people moved closer to the stage.  People inched forward song by song.

The Crap Facts

This is my 154th concert.

This is my 21st concert at The Zoo.

This is my 21st concert in Long Jetty.

This is my 149th concert in New South Wales.

This is my 151st concert in Australia.
This is my 5th Nitocris concert.

Nitocris are the 50th time I've seen a band in 1998.

This is my 3rd Sprung Monkey concert.

Superjesus, Local H & Violeteen @ Central Coast Leagues

What I remember (in 2024)

Went with K & Jason.

Local H had their roadies sitting on stage playing cards, with one of them joining in on a 2nd guitar on a few songs.

The Crap Facts

This is my 153rd concert.

This is my 5th concert at Central Coast Leagues.

This is my 5th concert in Gosford.

This is my 148th concert in New South Wales.

This is my 150th concert in Australia.
Violeteen are the 203rd band I've seen.
This is my 2nd Local H concert.

Local H are the 400th time I've seen a band in Australia.

This is my 3rd Superjesus concert.

Living End & Area 7 @ The Metro

The Crap Facts

This is my 152nd concert.

This is my 29th concert at The Metro.

This is my 33rd concert in Sydney.

This is my 147th concert in New South Wales.

This is my 149th concert in Australia.
Area 7 are the 202nd band I've seen.

Area 7 are the 50th different band I've seen at The Metro.
This is my 4th Living End concert.

Hong Kong, Hong Kong to Bateau Bay, Australia

I woke up at 11.30 am Hong Kong time (4.30 am London) to be served breakfast. Although I slept well last night, I was awoken twice because of turbulence.

We arrived at the new Hong Kong Airport at 1.30 pm. I disembarked and went straight to my gate, where my flight left at seven pm. I sat in the waiting room, writing in my diary and reading until I could no longer keep my eyes open. I didn’t sleep more than an hour, but I felt great when I woke up.

It then seemed to take forever before we boarded. I am on one of those new planes that have a television in the back of every seat. I also have two seats to myself as the plane is only half full, which you would think is conducive to sleep. However, I stayed awake the whole trip. I watched Mercury Rising, then Godzilla on the inflight movie channel, before moving on to write more in my diary. There is also an on-board computer which monitors where you are on a map and can be displayed on the tv right in front of you. While it kept me amused, it made it feel like forever before we got home.

Wednesday 7 October 1998

It is now 4.53 am Sydney time, and we only have 953 kilometers to go (or an hour, 27 minutes). We’re just about to cross the New South Wales/Queensland border. I spend my time seeing familiar sights and reflecting on an amazing last five months. So close to home!

London, England to Hong Kong, Hong Kong

This was it! I was continuously woken from 5.30 am as people wished me farewell before heading off to work.

I didn’t go anywhere this morning, just procrastinated about packing everything. It was only me and Luvo in the house until two pm, when he left after we’d had some lunch.

Finally, it came time for me to head to the station, but not without some drama. I closed the door behind me and then realized I didn’t know where my passport was (dickhead!). I frantically unpacked everything on the front step – but to no avail. My only hope was for a next-door neighbor to be home, and see if I can get in a back window. Fortunately, someone was and they supervised me jump the back fence. The back door was locked, as was the spare room, but the window near the fridge was open, so I climbed in. What a relief! I found the passport on the floor of the spare room and left in a hurry, pledging to call my first born after the neighbor.

I only waited five minutes at Streatham Hill for a train, and another was waiting for me at Victoria. A change at South Kensington was my last before the Heathrow Terminal.

I checked in with plenty of time to spare and wasn’t questioned about the excess three kilos on my baggage. I did, however, have my day pack checked in a random search. It’s one of those situations where you know you’ve done nothing wrong, but you can’t stop sweating and being nervous.

I had a good seat at the back of the plane with plenty of leg room and a chair that leant way back. I sat next to a guy, Dave from Leicester, who was a shoe manufacturer heading to Hong Kong on business. I watched The Truman Show, before a good night’s sleep.

London, England

At nine am Reggae decided that the whole house should be awake, much to no one’s delight.

I struggled to get up, but managed a shower before Brett and Simone came around. The three of us, with Reggae and Bert, went back to yesterday’s café for another plate of fat. It was good to catch up with Brett before I head home tomorrow, even though it was only for an hour. While members of the house went their own way for the day, I caught the train to Hammersmith to meet with Kern, Luvo, Johnny, Karla and Jen for lunch at a pub on the Thames. I thought I was doing badly being 20 minutes late, but I had to wait another 40 minutes for the others to arrive.

We had a Sunday roast at this pub and then headed to another, Salvation, to watch Liverpool and Chelsea on TV.

After the game, Johnny and Kern went back to their new place (they moved in yesterday), while Luvo and I made the trek back to Streatham Hill.

We got home at seven pm and Bert had made dinner for everyone, with some leftovers for us.

The night was spent in, as all of the Castle had had a big weekend, and was overflowing with people. I can’t believe I’m going home tomorrow. It depresses me in some ways, but I’m excited in others. I can’t wait to surprise mum and Kelly.

London, England

I arrived in Victoria Station at eight am, and it’s cold for the second day in a row. I caught the train down to the Castle and manage to wake up most of the household, who’ve had a big night last night.

Kern, Lisa, Cousin Suze and I head out for a fry-up breakfast at a café just around the corner. Most people were up by the time we got back, and if not, I made sure it was time they were.

The day was a pretty lazy one, with not much happening until two pm, when Luvo, Creany, Kel, Dan (Creany & Kel’s friend) and I went up to Camden to go through the markets again. I wish I had heaps of money, because I would’ve spent a fortune here again.

We walked down to Benno & Jane’s as they are having a house warming party tonight. We picked up some dinner and beers on the way, as the Hawaiian party kicked off at eight pm. The house was packed with about 60 people in their small 2-bedroom flat that they share with at Kiwi, Quinton. The party was great – the place was literally jumping, and I met a ton of new people.

Me, Camden, London, England

Me & Luvo, Camden, London, England

Johnny, Me, Simon, Luvo & Karla, Camden, London, England

Kern, Camden, London, England

Benno, Camden, London, England

Karla & Me, Camden, London, England

It wasn’t until 4.30 am that we decided to go home (and we left a dozen people there). Luke, Karla, Luvo and I caught a cab back to Streatham Hill, and I think I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.