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31 August, 2011

Wow - The Fight

For this Write on Wednesdays we were given the key words ‘The Fight’ with the instructions to write a story from our life. It has to be 100% true but not necessarily 100% of the truth.




Write On Wednesdays


To be honest I much prefer to write fiction tinged with the truth rather than a 100% true story, particularly about my own life. It’s a little bit scary opening up like this but I guess it’s probably good for me and good for the blog. I did actually enjoy writing this piece although it is a little darker than I normally like to keep things around here.

Here goes…

There is this voice in my head that I constantly have to fight. Fight to keep it from drowning out my positive thoughts. Fight to keep it from making me do stupid, bad things. Fight to keep it from making me feel insecure, inadequate.

This voice whispers to me my deepest darkest fears. That I am not good enough. That I am fat. That they are laughing at me. That I am not worthy of being loved.

It starts as a low murmur in the back of my brain. I have become quite good at fighting it back, telling it in a voice louder than its own that it is wrong and that I can prove it.

But sometimes I don’t notice it murmuring in the background until it is too late. Before I realise what it is doing and begin to try and fight it, it works its way into my head. Like a weed in my soul, it’s tendril-like roots curl around my nerves until it feels like it is strangling me.

It puts these ideas in my head, makes me want to do things that could only be a mistake. Makes me struggle to fully trust people, even those who’ve never given me a reason not to.

But I fight it. I will always fight it. There was a time that I let it win, but never again. There are days when fighting it is really hard. When I just want to give in.

But I will fight it. And I will keep winning.

I know it’s a little bit unspecific, but I preferred to keep it that way allowing the ‘not necessarily 100% of the truth’ line as my get out of jail free card.

It’s a glimpse into my mind, good and bad. I hope you enjoyed reading it and it wasn’t too deep or dark for you.

Until next week my friends.

29 August, 2011

Wicked Weekend

I had a great weekend filled with great music, great dancing and great company. Friday night we went to the Last Call EP launch at The Palace Hotel at Redcliffe to support one of the local bands. We were lucky enough to be driven by couple of friends of ours so we had a few drinks, then a few more...and then a few more. Then we went home and had a few more. It was a fun night although I was a little the worse for wear the next morning.


Saturday we lay around recovering until we had to get ready to go to a surprise ‘Devil Doll’ birthday party. My little black devil horn hair clips were very realistic but the weather wasn’t great (it was pouring rain), I ended up eating too much and was drinking some rather strong French Martini’s whilst already being hungover so we didn’t last too long. We stuck around for all the important birthday bits and to listen to the Ten Fours blasting some sets out of the garage but I was fading fast so we went home so I could lay in bed.


Sunday we headed to The Crown Hotel for a relaxed Sunday arvo session of hot and sweaty dancing and rockin tunes thanks to Dan and the Dualtones and West Texas Crude. A big thanks to Lori Lee for putting it on, now that the weather is warming up I hope we get to see more of these Sunday sessions, they’re such a great way to wind up the weekend.

While I was there on Sunday I started handing out some of my latest marketing collateral, which some of you may have already and a sneak preview of. You may remember a few weeks ago on facebook I was asking for suggestions of what I could send out to professional contacts and potential clients when I send through my business cards and profile. I wanted something that was a bit of a novelty and worked in with the theme of my blog but also something that was useful and wouldn’t just be thrown away, something that would be a constant reminder of me and my blog.



I’m very pleased to announce that with the help of Sailor Mouth Soaps, I now have bay rum scented brown shimmer gun soaps colour matched to my blog! They smell divine and will keep any office, draw or desk smelling sweet and spicy but if you choose to use it, you can smell and feel great knowing that the soaps are Australian made from naturally based, eco-friendly 100% vegan products with no animal testing and are CCF accredited.


All Sailor Mouth Soaps are handmade to the highest quality with a professional finish and come individually wrapped in their own cellophane packages. Not just offering artisan crafted soaps, Sailor Mouth Soaps also specialise in horror, tiki, geeky, nautical and kitsch bath and body products. There are a fantastic range of products to choose from or you can customise your own by visiting http://www.sailormouthsoaps.com/.

26 August, 2011

Perspective

This week has been plagued by bad news. Monday came with the sad news that another Australian soldier had been killed in Afghanistan and unfortunately he was very close to a blogger I am familiar with. Then Tuesday night brought sad news to another blogger I am close to, her cousin was involved in an accident where his two passengers were killed and he is now in a coma. Wednesday night also brought the sad news that a close friend of mine’s father had passed away that day and Wednesday morning brought some sad news closer to home.

I had been rallying my support behind these girls as best I could when I woke to the terrible news on Wednesday morning of the tragic house fire in Slacks Creek that took the life of 11 people, many of which were children. The first I actually heard of this was on the radio on my way to work and I thought, how terrible. When I got to work and turned on my computer I was very saddened to learn through online news and facebook that one of the victims was a girl I went to school with and her two beautiful little girls along with more of her family.



I went through most of high school with Anna and I will always remember her as a smart and determined, independent girl who was fighting for the bright future that lay ahead of her and who always had a kind word for everyone. Never one to get caught up in the politics and pettiness of the school yard she always seemed so focused on achieving despite the challenges she faced. She was our senior school captain and had only recently graduated with a Diploma in Law & Criminology.

I’ll always remember, when the movie Big Mommas House came out – the main character was meant to be protecting a girl called Sherry and he used to say her name in this ridiculously drawn out and high-pitched voice and from then on whenever Anna saw me she would always say my name like that. Considering I was a bit of an outcast and quite possibly the whitest girl you’ve ever seen, we found it hilarious!

Even though we were never particularly close in school and I’d only seen her a few times since around the neighbourhood this news really had an effect on me. Perhaps it was the scale of the loss and devastation, perhaps it was the way in which it happened – a particularly awful way to die, or maybe it was the fact that I had known her and that she was the same age as me. Whatever it is, it has really helped put things into perspective for me.

We all have days when we feel down, out of whack with the universe or unhappy with our pudgy bits. It’s natural and a normal part of life but when you realise the pain some people are suffering it’s a timely reminder and a much needed kick in the pants that you really have nothing to complain about and that you should be thankful for what you have, living your life and making sure that those close to you know how much you love and appreciate them because you never know what’s around the corner.

There have been a number of services held and I had considered attending but it is such a sad occasion I know I would get very emotional and I wouldn’t want to make it worse for the families. Considering I wasn’t particularly close to Anna, I feel like maybe I would be out of place and I would hate for the families to feel like there are people there just to watch the tragedy unfold. But by not attending, this is not to say that I do not feel for all the families affected and that I have not paid my respects.


My heart goes out to Misi and the rest of the families, to lose your wife and two beautiful little girls as well as close family and friends on such a scale is a pain I can’t begin to imagine and my heart aches for you. I have shed my tears and I will let your community take you into their arms and try to help you heal.

I know it will be a long time before that pain begins to subside but there is something we can all do to help these poor families through. The Salvation Army has launched an appeal for the family and every little bit counts so please help out wherever you can, even if it’s just $5.

Donations can be made by calling 13 SALVOS (13 72 58) and quoting 'Slacks Creek fire' or online at salvos.org.au by writing 'Slacks Creek fire' in the comments box on the donation page.

24 August, 2011

WoW - Walking After Midnight

It’s another ‘Write on Wednesdays’ and this week’s exercise is to simply ‘Take a Walk’ and then come back home and write about it, how it felt. Given the weather has been appalling around here the last couple of days I was a little hesitant when I read this but it seems the prompt triggered some synapses in my subconscious because after reading the prompt about walking I began humming the Patsy Cline song Walking After Midnight.

So I seized on this little bit of subconscious inspiration and decided to stay safe and dry indoors and rather write about my own walk, I thought I could write about my interpretation of the walk that inspired Patsy’s song. So here goes, I hope you enjoy…

Moonlight fell on the cracks of the ground as she emerged from the bare restroom. Taking a deep breath she began to make her way through the parking lot back towards the car. Shaking off the last half hour and 40 miles of petty quarrelling, she knew when she returned to the car it would be with her tail between her legs and a heart full of apologies. She let her temper get the better of her – again – and she knew she had gone a bit too far this time. Why couldn’t she just learn to keep her mouth shut?

With her head swirling, she suddenly looked around for the car realising it was not where it should be. After an instant of panic, a slow smile spread across her face. This was just like him, his cheeky sense of humour always got the better of him, driving her nuts and making her laugh all at the same time. She stood by the entrance to the gas station, waiting for his headlights to pierce the darkness so she could do some silly hitchhiker move. Once he stopped she’d play it cool, lean down in through his window, give him a tiny glimpse of the goods and act coy – he’d like that.

She stood there waiting and waiting, the sickly smell of gasoline seeping into her nostrils, her anger and embarrassment growing hotter. He wasn’t coming back. She couldn’t believe it! Their relationship had always been a very intense one, arguments always got heated and sometimes things were said that they didn’t mean, or should never be said but they always managed to work it out. That’s what made them so passionate. For all the times he’d threatened to leave her by the side of the road, she couldn’t believe he’d actually done it.

It was after midnight when she started walking, not exactly sure where she was going but knowing she was headed in the right direction. Maybe he was waiting, just a ways down the road. Trying to teach her a lesson. Yes, that would be it. She picked up her pace, her pride grateful for the lack of cars driving these roads at this time of night. Her shoes crunched on the gravel and she began to wonder if he was waiting for her at all, maybe she’d gone too far this time.

She continued on, using the weeping willow trees that lined the road for shelter. The trees seemed frozen in a constant state of sadness as if in sympathy to her. She tried to cheer herself up, thinking of all the times they’d gone walking the streets together in the middle of the night, pretending tonight was just like they used to do. But the wind picked up and the drooping branches of the willow trees whipped at her menacingly, as if reaching for her.

Suddenly keenly aware of just how alone she was on a deserted stretch of back road, the fear set in and she wished those reaching branches were his arms reaching to pull her into the safety of his chest, to squeeze her and tell her what a bad girl she was but that everything would be ok. Oh how she wished that he would find her out there searching for him. After all she wasn’t walking home, wasn’t walking to safety, she was simply searching for him. To make everything ok.



Write On Wednesdays


To be honest, I’m not sure I really nailed the brief this week…really I was supposed to talk about how the walk felt and the character’s surroundings. I guess I struggled to incorporate that into my interpretation of the song because I wanted to convey the meaning of this girl being out walking, searching for her man. Perhaps if I was writing something a little more lengthy I could have achieved it but I know describing the environment around my characters is something I need to work on in my writing.

22 August, 2011

Psychobilly Greasecore

This weekend was an awesome weekend filled with some of my favourite things. It was equal parts late night drunken shenanigans and relaxing sleep ins and snuggles. But by far, the stand out of the weekend was Saturday night’s Psychobilly Greasecore gig at the Prince of Wales Hotel.

It was my turn to be driven and get to drink this weekend so there aren’t as many photos as there should be as I took full advantage of this opportunity. But it was an awesome night, so much fun and not only did I get to catch up and have a few drinks with friends I was also treated to a night of rockin’ music, sizzling burlesque and I even squeezed in a dance or two!

First up was Graveyard Rumble who I have loved from the start and take great pleasure in watching them grow and succeed in leaps and bounds. They are also very good to me and always play a song that I ask for. With a slight change to line up, they got the crowd warmed up with their own brand of horror-fuelled rock’n’roll mayhem. Their songs are clever and really catchy…not in that sickly teeny bopper way, just that they won’t leave your head for days! Plus they are super talented with their instruments – check out Mitchy Mayhem on drums and Jerry Munstermash shredding on his guitar!

Those faces definitely say ‘rocking out’ haha

Lila Luxx kept the crowd entertained between bands with a firey performance to Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ Frenzy. The crowd loved her and I was more than pleased to be her stage kitten as she is such a lovely girl, not just to look at but also to be around.

Next up was The Dirty F Holes but I ended up getting stuck up at the bar drinking and getting spotted by people who wanted to chat and catch up. I’m sorry I didn’t make it down to the front for these guys but Big Chucky on lead vocals performed with so much energy despite being sick – what a trooper!

Then miss Bebe Lebuff took to the stage to shake her tail feather and my did she! I wish I had gotten a picture of her as she did a beautiful fan dance with the most gorgeous teal coloured feather fans and with her stunning purple hair she looked pretty as a peacock!


Then came my other favourites, The Ten Fours who helped bring the grease to Psychobilly Greasecore. Playing some of their old favourites as well as a few covers we haven’t heard in a while these boys went down a treat as always. I wasn’t expecting any dances so I wore my ‘big shoes’ but Turtle pulled me up for a dance and muddled through a slower song without breaking my ankle. Then a faster song came on and I kicked off my shoes so I could get a good dance in with The Man. He’s a fantastic dancer, he taught me and I’m sure I’m the envy of all the girls there for his dancing prowess.

The lovely Red Devotchkin was our last burly girlie of the night and I don’t think we could have asked for more – a beautiful female form, cascading flame hair, a bit of leopard print and some Guns ‘n’ Roses blasting Welcome to the Jungle. See, told you.

Bringing a bit more grease to Psychobilly Greasecore was Charlie Greaser, a super cool way to round out the night. On the scale from respectable nun to drunken gutter trash I was really only slightly to the right of the middle line by this stage but it is, unfortunately the part of my night where things start to get a bit hazy (also known as the part when I’m a little bit drunk and therefore EXTREMELY talkative and am probably banging on about nothing in particular to anyone who will listen) so I couldn’t give you the gory details of his set but I do know that I thoroughly enjoyed it and so did everyone else around me.

It really was a fantastic night and I’m so excited because there is already another one scheduled for the 8th of October so if you missed this one, I highly recommend getting along to the next one. There will of course be more burlesque as well as Brisbane boys The Vampers and Adrian Whyte of the Manic Pistoleros – I can’t wait!

On that note I will leave you with a picture of this girl who was dancing down the front. She looked like she was having a great time and good on her but her brand of dancing involved a lot of kicking and the boys that were standing near her looked a little nervous.


But here’s to awesome nights out with friends and bands and letting loose and being able to enjoy yourself – isn’t that what life’s about afterall?

19 August, 2011

I hope you read this

I read an amazing post about post traumatic growth and along with this sentence

‘This may not leave you a better person, or a happier one but one that’s more in touch with yourself, your core, your strength.’

it got me thinking about you….

Look how far you’ve come.

I look at the person who stands beside me, who people adore, who has been through so much and has managed to come out on the other side a wise and caring person with strong morals and a genuinely good heart.

You still have a ways to go, but you’re here. You’re still standing. Finding some joy in life. Contributing to society. Loved by those around you. Mending bridges. Helping others and encouraging them on their right path in life.

Different achievements to the ones you’re used to but amazing achievements nonetheless.

Not every day is right. Not every day is easy. Not every day is fair.

But everyday I’m proud of you.

I hope you are too.

17 August, 2011

Write on Wednesdays – Piqued

So this is my second instalment for WoW, I hope my first week’s success wasn’t a fluke and you all enjoy this one just as much.



Write On Wednesdays

The word of inspiration this week is piqued. Like most words, this one can have a number of meanings but for the purpose of this exercise, the meaning I am taking from it is this:

Piqued: a state of vexation caused by a perceived slight or indignity, a feeling of wounded pride
1. To cause to feel resentment or indignation

Hmm, is that cheating? Am I supposed to let you figure it out from my writing? Oh well, I’m a rebel what can I say?

The little notification pops and my smartphone hums on the bedside table, vibrating with the same excitement that I am feeling. I sit bolt upright, scrambling for the phone, half of my brain anticipating if this is THE message I’ve been waiting for, the other half glad no one is here to see me fumbling like a desperate fool. I tap the flashing icon, my stomach a rollercoaster ride of hope and expectation. The email application opens and it’s there! THE email. The one I’ve been waiting for.

My heart beat races as I stare at the screen excited at what might wait inside that message, scared that it will not be what I hope for. I take a deep breath and will myself to open the email. Holding my breath I skim down the preamble and my heart skips a beat, my breath whooshes out in a disappointed sigh and my heart sinks.

Thank you for your submission however we do not require your services at this time. 

One. Tiny. Sentence. That is all they feel I deserve? Not even any feedback?  I drop my phone to the bed and fall back into my pillows, too disappointed to read any more. A mixture of thoughts and emotions swirls in my head, a cacophony of negative self-talk and petty, resentful thoughts. I feel piqued, frustrated, disheartened, like a failure. I close my eyes, considering if I could have done better, if I should have done better. I spent hours writing that thing, a damn near masterpiece. Where did I go wrong? What were they looking for? Whatever it was, I didn’t have it.

I sigh, gathering up my thoughts and courage. Do I respond graciously? Do I not respond at all? I feel like sending an angry email demanding justification of their decision. But I won’t. It’s not my right. I put myself out there, opened myself up to their judgement. I guess I just have to take my lumps when their judgement is not what I was hoping. This could have been one of my biggest opportunities, and yeah, I didn’t make it but at least I didn’t miss it. I gave it a go. A very wise man once said to me ‘don’t ask don’t know’. And now I know. I need to work harder, work smarter.

I pick up my phone and tap out a quick response thanking them for their time and return my phone to its spot on the bedside table. If nothing else, this is motivation to keep pursuing all avenues, keep pushing to get myself heard. Sinking back into my pillows I close my eyes, searching for the inspiration to begin again. The little notification pops and my smartphone hums again. Smiling to myself I reach for the phone with a little more calm and restraint, glad I didn’t put all my eggs in the one basket.

Well in case you couldn’t guess, this piece was about my writing getting rejected by a company/publication. I count myself very lucky to say this hasn’t happened yet but I know it is inevitable. I only hope I deal with the situation as well in real life as my character did here.

How do you handle rejection?

He Did WHAT!?

Ok so I know it's WoW day today and I promise that post is coming...a little later today ;)

But while you're waiting, why don't you go on over to Where's My Glow? and check out my post for He Did What!? Wednesday.

It has all the essentials of a Hollywood blockbuster - a bit of intrigue, a love interest, some adventure and a poo cow!

See you a little later xx

15 August, 2011

Lady of Leisure

Well today I had the day off, being that my workplace is at Springwood which falls into the 'Logan City' category for the Ekka public holiday. Which suits me just fine as I would much rather a long weekend instead of a day off right in the middle of the week.

After a weekend full of birthday celebrations for the big man, it's been nice to kick back today and just relax. I'm always posting about the full on, fun and sometimes galmourous things that I get up to but today I really just enjoyed the ordinaryness of it and I thought you might too.

We spent the day having a nice big sleep in before getting up, having left over pizza for breakfast and lazing around the house for a bit longer. It was such a beautiful day outside that we decided to take a trip down to the waterfront and enjoy the sunshine.


As evidenced by my little porkers in the sand

There may or may not have been ice cream involved in our lovely little stroll along the water. We saw lots of interesting things on our walk.


Like the highly common but often dangerous Stick Fish


And this cheeky bird who was a bit camera shy

...or was trying to make me look like an idiot

And the most interesting of the day...


A mermaid's breast implant


Me pondering what a mermaid would do without her breast implant

It was a really lovely day which we are currently winding up by watching old cartoons and preparing for the mini BBQ we're going to have for dinner. We've got some great meat, some yummy salads and some beautiful fresh bread rolls. Ah yes, I love days off.

As a side note, I'm planning a new feature for the blog. After a few requests from followers I've decided to post a vlog once a month answering your questions. You can choose to remain anonymous or I can mention you and post a link to your blog, website, etc.

Your questions can be about anything, either personal questions about me or just questions about the Rockabilly/Kustom Kulture lifestyle. But please keep them within reason, I certainly won't be answering any inapropriate questions so I wouldn't like to receive any - but otherwise, ask away! I'm willing to answer pretty much anything.

Feel free to send your questions to sheribomb@live.com.au at any time of the month and each month I'll compile them for the new entry.

12 August, 2011

Talking 'bout my Generation

Today we are guest posted by the irrepressible Melissa of Suger Coat It.

This girl…where do I start! A blogger, business owner, wife, daughter, sister, friend, wannabe mum and social media addict – but not necessarily in that order – Liss is hilarious, bubbly, determined, lovable,  and powerful if not slightly weird (in the good way) and really I wouldn’t have her any other way!

Hot on the tails of my guest post for her and some hungover shenanigans at Blogopolis I already love this girl to pieces and can’t wait to get up to more mischief with her. We both have a very similar outlook on life and are proud modern women that both share a passion for all things retro.


Melissa shares with us her passion for living a life of simpler times with all the modern perks...

As I blow-dry my fringe thick and blunt and forward, admiring the glossy auburn colour, I smile. It occurs to me that I was born in the wrong generation. My fringe belongs somewhere else entirely. But goodness knows how I would have controlled it without a straightener.

And as I dress, pulling on a simple, floral patterned dress with full skirt, a cardigan and belt them both at high waist. Rolling up some tights and slipping my feet into a mid heel. It occurs to me that actually, this outfit might be better suited to the fifties. And again I feel the pull of generations past.


Darn them. Darn the gloss red lips. Darn the tights with the seams. Darn the perfectly coiffed hair and painstakingly applied false lashes. The music, the cars, the CLOTHES..! Wow. Be still my beating heart. I should have been born in another generation.

Well, you know, except for the lack of internet. And that being a plus sized girl who can’t sew, my options would have been pretty limited when it comes to clothing. And the lashes, well, my eyes are sensitive to the glue, so I couldn’t have worn them anyway. 

Oh. And there is the fact that it irks me if I am expected to cook dinner or wash dishes or clothes just because I’m a female. Now I believe THAT could’ve been a problem. A big one. I thank the women who came before me every day for the opportunities I have.

So when I really think about it. I’m here, now, because I am. Because this is my moment; Me and my blunt fringe, belted cardigan, hating on the dishes, with my iPad, iPhone and fuel efficient car in tow self. The best bit is that I can bring the best of each of those generations with me, if I want.

It is, for now, the best of all generations.
And I’m glad to be here.

I definately have to agree with Liss there, I'm extremely passionate about living the retro lifestyle but I really enjoy putting a modern twist on things (not to mention having internet!)



This is one of my most favourite representations of retro meets modern - 50s housewife with tattoos and martini glass.

How do you like to mix the old with the new?        

10 August, 2011

Writing on Wednesday - Character

So lately I’ve been trying to challenge myself with various things. Whether it’s being more accepting of myself, standing up for myself, being healthier, being more patient or trying to better myself. So when I discovered InkPaperPen’s Writing on Wednesday I thought it would be an excellent way to not only challenge myself but to sharpen my mind and my writing skills.

My first exercise is Character. I hope you enjoy.

I’m not sure I know you anymore. But then I begin to wonder – did I ever really know you? I thought I did but the you I thought I knew would never be like this. So I wonder, are you playing some twisted character right now? Or were you simply playing a character before, pretending to be the kind of person I would want in my life? We have shared so much together, so many milestones such fantastic memories and such boisterous laughter. But now I am left with a sour taste in my mouth. You exist on the outer edges, a phantom of who you were and I can’t quite reconcile my feelings. I almost feel sorry for you. I can see how unhappy you are with your life. And I pity this for I have been there too. But you can do something about it. We both know you can. I did. And you know I did. And I wonder, is this why you resent me? Why you drive the knife and twist while you embrace me? Passive aggression. There was a time when we would do anything for each other, when the friendship was put to the test. We passed with flying colours. Maybe this is just another of those times. I pray this is just a phase. A character you are playing. A product of your circumstances. You have watched me struggle. Now you watch me shine. Please don’t let me outshine you, I don’t want you in my shadow. I want you to share the radiance. I want you to have your place in the sun. It would suit you so well.

This piece of writing comes with a small element of truth, albeit slightly dramatised for the sake of a good story. The general idea behind WoW seems to be based more around fiction, but as this is a personal blog I’ll be trying to incorporate an element of truth with each new exercise.

That’s all til next Wednesday



Write On Wednesdays

09 August, 2011

2011 GreazeFest Roundup

Wow what a weekend! Each year I can’t imagine how event organiser Lori Lee Cash can possibly top the last and yet every year she manages to surprise us all. This year has got to be the biggest and best GreazeFest yet and if this year is anything to go by…well I can’t wait for next year!

Friday Night


Everyone was so excited for GreazeFest that Friday night was high voltage! There was a 300 m line up outside the venue but in my haste to get in, I forgot to take a picture. As DJ Duke Tedesco (Melb) spun some tunes to get the night started we grabbed a drink and caught up with a few familiar faces including the DJ himself who we met last weekend in Melbourne. First up on stage was Miss Teresa & Her Rythmaires, a much loved Brissie band who are always on their game but this night was something else! These guys were absolutely fantastic and even by the next night, the hype still hadn’t died down. Next us were The Starliners (Melb) with their own brand of western swing and hillbilly bop. Some great dancing to be had to these guys! 


We’d barely caught our breath before we were back up on our feet and surging to the front for headline act Jason Lee Wilson (USA) with his signature southern style of hillbilly, rockabilly, rockballads, country and western. Performing with Rhythm Bomb label-mates Doug Wilshire & The Tailspinners these guys raised the roof!


The night ended with The Blazin’ Entrails a Perth psychobilly band that whilst getting us riled up, were an appropriate wind down to the night. I was designated driver on this night so there were no shenanigans to be seen, although I did get in a lot of dancing. I love this pic with my gorgeous girl Rhea! 


Saturday

The weather was perfect for the GreazeFest Hot Rod Cruise!


Leaving from the Rocklea Showgrounds a stunning stream of shiny resto’s, rumbling rods and bare bones ratters filed out onto the highway for our pilgrimage to the Goodna Royal Mail Hotel. The perfect venue for a lazy-ish afternoon of great tunes by Doug Wilshire & The Tailspinners and a quiet brew, it was unbelievable to see how high the water rose during the January floods but it was also really satisfying knowing we were doing our bit to help get the pub back on its feet.



Lots of dancing and a few quiet beers before heading back home to get ready to do it all over again!

Saturday Night

This has got to be one of the best nights of GreazeFest I’ve ever been to! DJ Swingabilly Ray (QLD) got us warmed up before West Texas Crude (Bris) took to the stage and filled the dancefloor with their distinctive ‘Sun Rockabilly’ sounds. Next up was Melbourne favourite Scotty Baker playing his own brand of rockabilly influenced by the greats such as Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley. Paulie Bignell & The Thornbury Two (Melb) kept up the pace with an electric mix of traditional rock 'n' roll, blues, rockabilly and country and we got some great (if not fast!) dances in. 


As I was not designated driver this night, rather than taking responsible pictures of all the bands I was having a ball taking silly photos with my friends. But the best was yet to come with the night finishing off with James Intveld (USA) the singing voice of Johnny Depp’s character Cry Baby from the movie of the same name. As a huge fan of both Johnny Depp and this movie this was one of the most exciting things to happen to me for a long time, particularly when he finished with a medley of some of my fave songs from the movie. Yep, I was right down the front screaming my lungs out like a little school girl!

Sunday


After just a few hours’ sleep we were up early to get The Tank into the showgrounds and do it alllll over again on an even grander scale! 


After a quick whip around the market stalls where I picked up my purchase of the day, this FANTASTIC atomic metal flake alarm clock! 


We headed on over to the Cowpunkabilly stall to get ready to model in the fashion parade for Bernie Cowpunkabilly, western wear extraordinaire also responsible for the fabulous shirt I’m wearing on my business cards.  We had so much fun and I think the photos say it all! 

I am laughing so hard because of this...


After the fun and craziness of the fashion parade, we settled in for an afternoon of great tunes and dancing followed by a night of great tunes and dancing! My feet and legs were having trouble forgiving me by the end of the weekend but it was SO worth it!


This post is already very long so I won’t go through each act individually because there were just SO many but our ear candy included:

Outdoor Stage
Red Crown Radio
Paulie & His Crazy Rhythm Boys
The Flattrakkers
The Vampers
Knights of Sin


Indoor Stage
The Sugar Shakers
The Creepers
Pia Andersen
Pat Capocci
The ReChords
Rusty Pinto
Dan & The Dualtones
The Ten Fours

Rusty always puts on a great show and Sunday was no different. He even played one of my favourite songs ‘Blue Moon Baby’ and after the gig I went over and gave him some of my business cards – shameless self-promotion!


I’ll always have a soft spot for The Ten Fours as they were the very first rockabilly band I ever saw live. That and they are totally awesome muso’s and people and I just love them all! 


This is what success looks like! I had an amazing, exhausting weekend and I’m on such a high from the awesome music, great dancing and all the beautiful, fun and loving friends I have. Was so good to have a big party with you all!

05 August, 2011

Brown paper packages tied up with string...

These are a few of my favourite things from Melbourne.

How chuffed I look at standing in front of a tram


He'll kill me for this

I'll have one of everything!


The most amazing rainbow I've EVER seen!


Pretty horses and even prettier little girls


Gorgeous buildings


Super cool laneways


Rocking out in ACDC Lane


Hungover...my clearest memory of the Cherry Bar


Melbourne ♥ 

04 August, 2011

Parting is such sweet sorrow

After 2 EPIC days we allowed ourselves a little sleep in on Sunday morning before getting up, packing all our stuff and checking out of the hotel ready for a day of shopping. Grabbing a light brekky from Pie Face (man, they are EVERYWHERE down there!) we caught a tram to Fitzroy. The main shop I wanted to check out there wasn’t quite open when we got there so we strolled down the road to De Clieu, a charming hole-in-the-wall café that strikes the perfect balance between lazy Sunday catchups but still has that slightly swanky atmosphere, making you feel like you’re about to get something special. The coffee was amazing and we had the most delicious honey and walnut bread soft, gooey lightly spiced and slightly sweetened butter. Heaven!


After finshing up at De Clieu we headed back to Faster Pussycat where I browsed the store for ages, pretty much wanting to buy one of everything. I finally settled on this super cool yet gloriously comfy skirt which will be making an appearance this weekend at Greazefest. Seriously, what could be better than sexy style AND comfort!?

After that we jumped back on a tram and headed to Bridge Rd in Richmond. Oh. My. Gawd! I didn’t have nearly enough time to see all the shops and I still ended up buying lots! First we went to Gasoline Queen as I was determined to get there! The lovely Tash battled a hangover just so that I could shop my little heart out. There was SO much I wanted to buy there! Everything from clothes, accessories, homewares – you name it! However knowing what limited room I had left in my suitcase I settled for this beautiful dress. This picture just doesn’t do it justice and it’s such a lovely cut when it’s on. I can’t wait to crack this beauty out! Later in the day I also picked up the gorgeous Betts shoes to match at the bargain price of $20!! Oh Bridge Rd how I love thee!


By this time we’d done A LOT of walking around so we stopped at the Mt View Hotel for lunch. This was already on the list of ‘things to do in Melbourne’ as they are famous for their larger than life and very delicious Chicken Parmigiana. I thought their reputation may have been slightly ‘embellished’ but when that plate came out – HOLY COW! I don’t know what chickens they use but those things are HUGE! And we’re not just talking crappy schnitzel here this was thick, tender and juicy chicken. Served with fries and salad, it’s lucky we ordered one to share between us! However I did forget to take a photo, I was pretty excited to eat it.

After filling up on parma we were ready to tackle Bridge Rd again walking up and down and in and out of shops. There is just SO much I could have bought but alas, I am not a millionaire and had limited room in my suitcase. Although one purchase I am rather excited about is this rare Cramps vinyl from Title. I could have spent HOURS in this place but unfortunately we had to keep moving. So glad this precious baby is mine!


Sadly it was at this point that we had to start heading back into town to pick up our bags and head to the airport. Every step I took closer to heading home my heart grew heavier. I did not want to leave Melbourne. After grabbing a tram back into the city, we were crossing the road heading towards our hotel when suddenly we heard this amazing sound coming from a pub on the corner. We sprinted across the road and burst through the doors of the Young & Jackson to the sweet sounds of Matt Dwyer and the Little Big Band! A bit of rockabilly, a bit of surf these guys were going off at a lazy Sunday session. Well that was it, we looked at each other and knew we just HAD to stay for the end of their set! Downing a quick beer and with a tear in our eye, we hooted and hollered our appreciation of their talent before looking at our watches and knowing we didn’t have a moment more to spare.

Parting was such sweet sorrow but what a way to end such an AMAZING weekend! Thank you Melbourne for putting on lovely weather and for making me feel so welcome! I promise I will be back to love you all over again as soon as I can.