Wilding (Annandale Hotel, Sydney Feb 5, 2012)

Pupils spread wide as I transitioned from the glowing Sydney summer afternoon to the dingy surroundings of the apparently rock-historic Annandale Hotel. A number of sticky steps brought me to the lightly attended floor for this showcase performance that I'd been eagerly anticipating since first hearing demos a good number of months ago. On stage Justin Stokes led his latest musical project, collectively known as Wilding, through a Sunday set of original music. This served as a preview to all the Sydneysiders, as well as myself, of the forthcoming March release of this Melbourne group's debut album.

The music had a definite pop feel, evoking influences from The Kinks and other English bands of that era, which is not surprising considering Justin originally hails from the motherland (evident through his sense of humour in between-song banter). Filling out the roster was a relaxed Robin (The Boat People) playing the keys, among other things such as the melodica, slide whistle and kazoo, Evan proficient with the electric guitar, Cate providing some nice offsetting female vocals in addition to flute, tambo and the like, Sven and Sven's wild faces to accompany his drumming, and Grant on bass patrol. Together they provided the afternoon's entertainment including Casual User which grabbed me as a very catchy number for my first listen, and the jangly Alopecia that translated very well live also. Thoroughly enjoyable was the chorus of backing vocals emanating from Cate, Robin and Evan that in a way reinforced Justin's lead and gave the songs an airy dimension, not to mention something to sing along with. However there is also a depth to the music and writing going beyond the surface pop feel, as evidenced on Lost Afternoons. This number saw the addition of Lee on violin which wasn't the only reason that this song really hit its mark. It felt fleshed out and full with the instrumental breakdown through which Sven was a delight to watch bash away. Closer, Monday Morning, had an interesting-in-a-good-way feel that I couldn't quite nail down, but had something to do with the one note Evan was bending each time through.

A promising set for this band that is finding solid footing in preparation for their album release. Based on this performance I'm quite excited to hear the recording in full and then catch another live performance with more familiarity with the material. Unfortunately the 20 hour flight could prove prohibitive, but that's just a detail to be worked out in this band's bright future.

Backdoor Braggin'

• The nerve of the Sydney Tower! We'd only circumnavigated two-thirds of the city in their revolving tower-top bar when we realized that the world was no longer spinner around us, or vice versa, or the opposite. This meant that my friends Yian Yian, Dan, Lindsay, Derek and I were forced to get up and move from table to table in order to finish the grand-scale game of I-Spy, as well as my James Squire Amber Ale. What a drag!

• Ugh, I look like Rudolph (no, not the former mayor). My single application of sunblock must not have been strong enough once the sun pressed through in the early afternoon yesterday, leaving me with a bright red nose. It was probably the extended picnic  lunch (pictured) on the cliff top of the South Head entrance to Sydney Harbour (Port Jackson). Though I suppose it could have been the hike out to New South Wales' second-oldest functioning lighthouse, or the reflections off the water on the fast-ferry ride out to Watson's Point.

• Isn't burning the roof of your mouth simply the worst? Dining at Sea Baby on yummy Chinese soup during my friend Pieta's lunch hour the delectable dumpling burst flavour, along with intense heat, leaving my tongue in heaven and my mouth's roof in purgatory.

• A decade's streak ruined by the Taronga Zoo. Having worked up an appetite just watching the acrobatics of the seal and bird shows, I was in need of refueling. Snagged a veggie wrap from the cafe to rejuvenate myself for the three baby tigers, lions, giraffes and platypus, but not until after tearing off a huge bite with my teeth and swallowing it did my friend Shaista, with whom I was sharing the wrap, point out that it looked mightily like chunks of chicken in the wrap. Sure enough the label confirmed it, but the damage had already been done to this vegetarian.

•  Suffering for choices - at the Local Taphouse I could only drink one night's worth of beer from the twenty on tap (and additional twenty-one bottles, including two from Brooklyn Brewery). Not only that but Dan legitimately complained that they did formerly have more. Ok this isn't backdoor at all, it's simply marvelous and I wanted to share.

To(o) Lax

With the prospect of over 20 hours cooped up in a flying vessel ahead of me I wasn't too anxious to strap in early. Waiting for the first call for last call before boarding at Pearson, I was near the end of what had been a lengthy queue for a full flight. Arriving at my window seat I tried to show penance for having climbed over the two people to get there by reassuring them that boarding was almost complete. The wording of what I blurted out did the opposite of reassure them, as I asserted to my fellow airline passengers "The end is near." The rest of the flight was spent trying not to worry them by not saying much. Luckily there were Hollywood distractions on board my flight to LA - Gosling, Pitt and Clooney. Like I said, it was a packed flight!