Chasing down a series of roof leaks this arvo. Me and Stu (the plumber) got up there to take a look. Took this shot sitting on the ridge, near the front of the building looking south over Collingwood.

Rooftops of Collingwood, looking south from Johnston St, just west of Hoddle St – 20 Aug 2014.

Pretty hairy getting up there. One long ladder up from the beer-garden 8 metres to the gutter & over onto the roof. Found the leaks eventually. Dare-devil Stu made the repairs. Next rain, we’ll see how they went. Far as we can tell, for decades much of the rain leaking in from the top floor roof made it’s way down the walls and into the venue area below. This might be the first time it’s been stopped in a very long time. Fingers crossed.

Fires out.

Solid weekend working upstairs on what will be the kitchen. That’s Larry on Friday, lifting remaining floor boards & getting levels right. Saturday, my job – laying insulation in the floor. Sunday, floor down. We re-used the original boards & just made it, down to the last one (otherwise, my next job would have been the unlikely task of finding matching boards somewhere).

Fires out.

Me working on a room at the rear of the Venue yesterday (complete with plumber’s crack). Final coat on the floor, which pretty much finishes the room. The shot to the right – how it was late last year. Doesn’t tell the whole story. Roof leaking, plaster falling off, floor boards missing, smell of rats. Unrecognisable now. Getting there bit by bit…

After and before – room at Venue rear – 13 Aug 2014.

Fires out.

Sunday night at Stalk & Kim’s. Capped off a big weekend working on the new venue.

Kim on shaker, Sunday night 10th Aug 2014.

Fires out.

Been hearing this on Triple R over the past month. Loving it. #1 Dads, featuring Ainslie Wills.
‘So Soldier’…

Fires out.

Shot of the venue space taken a few moments ago. Times like this it’s hard to imagine how it will eventually look…

Restoring an old fire-place in one of the rooms behind the venue today.

Fires out.

One from the archives. Coming Home, live at Chang Jiang Festival, Shanghai China 2012.

Fires out.

Heading over to Stalk & Kim’s tonight for yet another Friday night jam with resident band Us. Bit of excitement building on FB. Could be a few people turning up.

Last month at Stalk & Kim’s.

Working again tomorrow on the new venue. Starting early. Better keep the beers in check…

Fires out.

Funny story. About a month ago, some guy walked past me standing out front of the new venue. He doubled back moments later, “Mate, I gotta take your picture!”. I laughed, said “Yeah, OK”. So he took a few shots – me smoking standing at the front door. This morning, waiting to cross Hoddle St, this bloke comes up, “Hey mate how ya goin?”. Took me a bit to recognise him before he pulled out his phone & showed me his FB profile pic. And this was it –

Turns out Ricki (introduced ourselves this morn) is a local photographer, crazy passionate about his craft. Shoots a lotta video too. There ya go.

Fires out.

Riding over the Stalk & Kim’s place last Friday night. Pulled up at the Gipps St lights to cross Hoddle St into Abbotsford & got a look at the Collingwood Town Hall. Council recently finished renovations on the heritage building, red light flooding the front. Looked awesome. I’m told the town hall was a major venue for bands, dances & other live performance back in the day.

Collingwood Town Hall, Friday 18th July 2014.

Fires out.