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10/20/2005: "DUNIDEN (SOUTH ISLAND) - SEPT 23"

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SEPT 23 2005

Wake up 4hours later. a good nap I suppose. No problem because of the lag in my favor. Now on a jet flinging over the north island, will touch down in Wellington and then take off again for the south island and land in Dunedin, where reportedly, it is snowing.

The earth below is that of the stuff of legends.
The waters are ferocious and thick with green shimmer.
The tidal mudflats toy with the imagination. The waves pound the coast line. The land is even greener still.

The mountains come into play, with rivers shoving their way tween them without invitation. I thought Switzerland invented water, but now I am certain it was new Zealand.

Oooops. A volcano passes by. Snow capped and poignant.

Craggy mountain scape gives way again to rolling flat lands that end up seaside.

Now the ocean is flat. But the clouds are well tucked within any and all crevices shore side. Over the water they play and roll, causing shadowland on the waves below, sucking on each other, I suppose.


The show tonight was a comfort

The day was filled with some meander.
Dave Kilgore fetched us from the airport.
Dropped the baggage off at the hotel, headed to the museum (?) for munch, picked up some books there for the kids and spent too much money I think, then made it over to the radio interview just in the nick. Apparently I was to just sit in an old empty studio (circa 1970s) in front of a nice old neumen mic, and wait for the national radio dj who was back up in aukland, come on the phones to interview me. Jim mora was his name, and quite versed in all things giant sand was he. We chatted just after the segment of callers coming up with the best song ever written. Joni Mitchell just barely won out over jeff buckley. And then they played her “blue”. That was what I had to follow. I was ready, but lagged. I would just play him the second best song ever written: Arizona amp and alternator. We yammered for a bit, he brought up the usual godfather of alt country tag, and then asked for a song. By the time I played AAAA it had leveled off at the 542nd best song ever written. At least that’s what I told him.

more yammer and then out and about Dunedin.

We hit the beach. A stunning slap of churn. The green green ocean pounding the shore and wind whipping sand like sleet in small streams at your ankles on down the endless stretch of beach land. I was made dizzy by the energy of that water. Cold cold cold dip if you dare, still thinking it was glacial I suppose, the sea here has fierce relations with the antarctic down the way a bit.

Ok then.

nap time for good luck.

bono, clinton and queen rainie amongst others on CNN whilst sleep slips up from under.

. .. .. .


down to the club then.
The lag knows where to find me.
The club was set up like a comfortable college bar, complete with vegen menus and pc attitudes.
Free internet too.

Do up a decent sound check.
Still no real piano in sight. Digital muck.
But the amp sounds good.
Nice old school fender twin reverb.
I think it’s dave’s.

After the sound check I meander a bit.
Run into a fellow I met in Tucson from here abouts.
Warren from tameru, has a record store there. radiant.
fine fellow. Possibly will attempt to get back down to his neck of the woods to do up an impromptu show on Sunday.

Anyhow…

By the time set time rolls around, the lag is severe and painful. So very sleepy.
I beg out to get some air to muster up the gusto.
Down the street a bit. Brisk walk. Well chilled lung fill.

Get back just in time to catch dave beginning his set.
Sit up close to the stage to catch the action.
A good solid set of songs with actual melody and form.
Great voice and phrasing.

Then the break. Time to do up my wires. The place has filled up. The show begins with no fanfare, just me grabbing my national 3/4 length electric and having at it.
“wolfy” gets the set going. Both mics working fine, swedish and Italian. The piano will be some fun too when I use the recording function against itself.

All in all a fine set. A lot of ground covered. Most of the songs were very concise tonight, with a good display of lip flip. The crowd were very sweet and hung right in there with every turn. Good solid cheer surge.

Nice night.


Afterwards…. A lot of banter. Some wanting more then I had. Some wanting to head out to the peninsula with the yellow eyed penguin. Some wanted another bar with us all in it.

I went back to the hotel and enjoyed the moon rise and cold room.

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