We had a fantastic Saturday night at Premier Function Center, Taralgon for the Freeza Battle Of The Bands. Max was on the judging panel. 5 of Latrobe region’s best acts played their hearts out for a chance at state finals. The competition was pretty fierce. I couldn’t separate my favourites. Max & I had an agreement – I wasn’t allowed to talk to her about decision-making til the night was done. Darcy Fox took the honours. She came armed with an acoustic guitar, a beautiful voice & a loop pedal. The songs moved back and forth from sparseness to wall-of-sound. An amazingly talented artist. You’ve gotta have razor-sharp timing and nerves of steel to do what she did. And she did it as though it was all second nature. Definitely an artist with a huge future.

Darcy Fox (pic from her website).

We were still pumped after the event & decided to wind down by driving back to Melbourne, instead of staying the night like we’d planned.

Great & inspiring to see so many young people with so much talent.

Fires out.

We caught a thoroughly enthralling show last night at Reverence Hotel in Footscray. Our friends Dandelion Wine played a gripping headline slot, capturing everybody in the room, start to finish. It’s so unusual to see a 2 piece band with such a big, eclectic sound. In the first minutes I heard echoes of Portishead and Massive Attack. Then it turned fat & hard rocking. Then suddenly Middle-eastern beat-driven dance-rock. The guys are extremely talented multi-instrumentalists – and entertainers. An absolute must-see. They have one more show in Melbourne before heading off on an extensive European tour including shows in Germany, Poland, Romania and Estonia (and a headlining slot at a festival in a medieval castle).

Dandelion Wine, Reverence Hotel, Footscray 25th July 2013.

Go seem em when you can.

Fires out.

The 3rd and final Taiwan Video Tour Diary – the typhoon episode. On our way back from the last tour show at Revolver Bar in Taipei (last week), Typhoon Soulik slammed into the city making for one scary cab ride home. You gotta see this…

Off to the Dandelion Wine show tonight at Reverence Hotel, Footscray.

Fires out.

Our friends Dandelion Wine play tomorrow night at the Reverence Hotel , Footscray (Melbourne).

Dandelion Wine.

The guys have toured Europe for years, starting back in 2002. Always great catching up & swapping tour tales…

Fires out.

Here’s a short 3 minute version of the Taiwan Video Tour Diary Part 2, featuring Ho-Hai-Yan festival in Taipei…

Fires out.

2nd Episode of the Taiwan tour diary – Ho Hai Yan festival. Hard to believe it was only last week. Awesome.

Fires out.

First Part of our Taiwan video tour diary below – Melbourne to Taipei & the lead up to the Ho Hai Yan festival.

Leave a comment below or on our Facebook.

Fires out.

Just got in. So tired. No sleep since Saturday night. Back on the horse this fine Melbourne Monday morning.

Ho-Hai-Yan festival Wednesday last week in Taipei.

Fires out.

Typhoon Soulik passed last night. We got caught in some heavy stuff on the way home from last night’s show at Revolver Bar. Trees down all over the road & torrential rain. Relieved to be back at the hotel. We fly back home tomorrow.

Ho-Hai-Yan Festival 10th July 2013.

Fires out.

Playing a show at Revolver Bar in Taipei tonight. That is, if Typhoon Soulik doesn’t stop us. The category 3 typhoon is expected to hit Taipei in about half an hour, gusting winds up to 200km/hr. It’s apparently serious enough for schools & some businesses to close for the day. The 3-day Ho-Hai-Yan festival we played on day one, Wednesday, has also been shut down & re-scheduled. The guy at hotel reception said we’d better get food now because there’s no going outside when this thing hits. Gotta get back to the hotel.

Wednesday at Ho-Hai-Yan festival, Taiwan.

Fires out.