Pompeii

But if you close your eyes,
Does it almost feel like
Nothing changed at all?
And if you close your eyes,
Does it almost feel like
You've been here before?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?

Pompeii – Bastille

I would usually never share the details of my diary with anyone, whether it be online or in person. I feel it is one of things which one keeps private in their lives and is a personal reflection rather than something to be discussed with others. However, I had an experience a couple of weeks ago with my diary and I want to share it. I keep a diary that prompts me every day with a different question or statement and I write a sentence about it. I am supposed to keep it for three years and each day every year I answer the same question to see if anything has changed. It can be as mundane as “what is in front of you?” or more meaningful such as “what is something you dislike about yourself?” On February 10^th I was prompted with “list three things that went right today”.

But for me, on February 10^th, it first appeared as if not one thing went right.

I lost my grandfather on February 10^th.

And never before I have thought more about the statement “how am I going to be an optimist about this”. Because how are you supposed to find something right on a day when something so sad happens to you and your family. I will not call this incident a tragedy nor an unexpected death, but it was sad, and I was sad because I had to come to terms with the fact I would never see my Poppa again.

Of course, the questions in my diary are random and it was merely a coincidence I was prompted with such a statement on a day where I had a family member pass away. But after a lot of thinking and reflecting I realized there was something I could put in for February 10^th, and I did this:

You see, the things that went right on February 10^th was that a great man was remembered. He was remembered for being a husband, father, grandfather, and was a month out from being a great grandfather. At his funeral he was remembered for his passion for the land and quick sense of humour, and I quietly reflected on times when he would ask me if I had a rich boyfriend yet. And I glanced around at the packed room where people had travelled far to remember and celebrate the wonderful he life he lead for 85 years.

In the utter sadness of someone dying it can be so hard to think of anything that went right because we are so consumed by grief. But sometimes we need to look passed the fact we have lost someone and remember their death was but a moment in a wonderful life. I am going to miss my grandfather terribly and it will take a while for me to come to complete peace with this loss. But I also know there is no point lamenting over was is inevitable; that one day we will all leave earth. It is up to those of us still alive to remember the legacy those passed left behind and think back fondly with love and appreciation all the things they did for us so we can continue on in life with the knowledge they are always a mere memory away.

She'll Rev You Up

“She’ll rev you up

Give me some, she said love
Don’t waste your time on me
I’ll have you and be on my way
You’re gonna waste it all away”

She’ll Rev You Up – Fire at Will

If you’re in were in New Zealand the weekend just gone you had an array of events to choose to go to, and I, in typical fashion, headed down to the annual Jim Beam Homegrown festival with my bestie Zena. It was my second time going to the event, and it delivered quality to the same level as last year. Oh yes, Wellington Waterfront came alive and there was dozens of musical acts pumping, revving and rocking across eight stages. I’m going to review it right now, a la awards style, based on the my thoughts and feelings of the acts I saw*.

Best Act: Villainy. No contest whatsoever. Every time I’ve seen them play, and I’ve seen them about five times, they deliver an amazing live show. They sound good, they banter good, and they make the crowd feel good, and Homegrown was no exception. Absolute class.

Emerging Talent: Fire at Will. These guys are relatively new on the scene but they can rock the stage, and they were the perfect way to kick off my Homegrown experience. While I will concede I will never marry any of the members, I refuse to accept I have seen the best of their musical talent. I’ve helped you all out here by dedicating this blog to them so click on the video below to hear one of their tracks, and next year at Homegrown we can rock to Fire at Will together.

Pleasant Surprise: PleasePlease. This is the award goes to that act you kind of know some of their songs and think they are worth a go, and when you get to their stage they absolutely blow you socks off and the crowd is going nuts for them. Last year it was Kids of 88, this year PleasePlease. 

Appropriate Farewell: Opshop. I didn’t know until I got to Homegrown that it would be their last gig, but they went out in style playing all their hits in chronological order, and the there was an air of appreciation about the crowd. Opshop may not be the best, but they are respected in the New Zealand music industry. And maybe one day we will see them again, but for now I was glad I was a part of their farewell show.

Cutest Charisma: Benny Tipene. What a delight; he sounds adorable, is nice to look at, and I wish he could be the boy I take home to meet my mum.

Musical Appreciation: A tie between Gin Wigmore and Fat Freddy’s Drop. Both of these acts make great music but there is only so much I can handle of either; Gin because her voice makes me shudder after a while and Fat Freddy’s Drop because they get a bit too mellow if I listen too long. Bonus points go to Gin Wigmore for being so excited to play in New Zealand again.

Last Dance: Dane Rumble. He was the last act my friend and I saw, and as we didn’t have the energy for Blacklistt and Six60 we gave Dane a go. He’s one of those guys who has a number of hits you hear on the radio and can easily dance to and kudos to him for getting Jupiter Project on stage to sing Not Alone. A great way to end Homegrown.

Best Overheard: Deceptikonz (on the way to Fat Freddy’s Drop). STOP DROP AND ROLL. Enough said.

Missed Act (disappointed): Cairo Knife Fight. I’ve heard nothing but good things about them and I wish I could go to their show.

Missed Act (not disappointed): The Feelers. I will see them some other time, because as long as there is music to make and shows to play, New Zealand’s version of Nickelback will be there.

Needed in 2015: Black River Drive for the rock stage, Hurricane Kids for the pop stage. Both would be awesome.

2013 confusion: Luger Boa. Because, seriously guys, WHERE THE FUCK WAS JOE?

And so, Homegrown 2014 had me and went on its way, leaving some great memories and a thirst for seeing more New Zealand music live. It is the celebration of the best of New Zealand music and the heavyweights of the industry bought their best performances. I had no qualms about the price of tickets, flights and accommodation given the talent I saw. A congratulations to the acts on their performances and their Musical Musings awards.

Best T-Shirts. My friend and I. Obviously.

*Acts I saw (in order) Fire at Will, Weird Together, PleasePlease, Benny Tipene, Villainy, Opshop, Gin Wigmore, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Dane Rumble. 

Better Man

“Waitin', watchin' the clock, it's four o'clock, it's got to stop
Tell him, take no more, she practices her speech
As he opens the door, she rolls over...
Pretends to sleep as he looks her over

She lies and says she's in love with him, can't find a better man...
She dreams in color, she dreams in red, can't find a better man...
Can't find a better man”

Better Man – Pearl Jam

It’s been a pretty great summer in New Zealand this year, with sunny skies, beaches, barbeques and days spent either the ground or lying on the couch watching cricket. I am a big cricket fan, it is my favourite sport to watch, and I have enjoyed the season thus far very much. But one thing has irked me this season and indeed previous seasons, and that thing which has irked me more than silly slog shots and countless wide balls*, is how New Zealand’s captain Brendon McCullum comes to the crease with Better Man playing.

I talk a lot about how one can interpret songs and I still believe every song is open for one to view it how they want and need. But there is a big difference between slightly different interpretations and blatantly ignoring the message of the song. It takes only one listen to Better Man to know this song is about a woman trapped in an abusive relationship, and she only stays because she is so blinded by love and she believes this guy is the best she will ever get. Better Man isn’t about being the best, it’s about being the worst but not being able to find anyone better – which I am pretty sure is not quite what McCullum thinks of himself.

Music is used in public all the time, and we come to associate different songs with people and corporations, such as Open Happiness is the song of Coca-Cola and Eye of the Tiger will always remind you of Rocky III. Most of the time the songs represent the product reasonably well and there is no reason to complain. But I feel if you are going to put a song out into public to represent yourself you should probably be aware of public responsibility and probably shouldn’t be one with a message so negative as the one in Better Man.  Even if BMac really, really likes the song – and putting the theme aside Better Man is a good song – I personally would like to see him walk out to something a bit more positive.

I’m not going to suggest a song for McCullum as I don’t know his music tastes at all, but I will throw this out for the readers: if you were walking out to the batting crease which song would you opt for?

*I wrote this blog late last week and sat on it before posting it tonight, between which time something has made me far more angry in the cricket world, which is the developing issue of Jesse Ryder and Doug Bracewell out drinking. While now slightly outdated I did raise some thoughts on this last year when I mused about Scribe’s Dreaming.