Rubber Banding

You know how sometimes you crash from the biggest of highs to the deepest of lows, or vice versa?

Today has been one of those days.

Razor Review: The Cure- Unparalleled Excellence

Two days later I'm still walking around in awe. I never thought I'd see a better show than U2 last year, but now I have. Truly outstanding.

People thought I was mad going all the way from ChCh to Auckland just for a Tuesday night gig, but I waited 20 years to see these guys and they delivered. It was quite surreal really, jumping on the plane with a small carry bag I got picked up by Chauffeur Cat and was whisked into town for a quick catchup with the old workmates, before checking into a backpackers on Queen Street. That in itself was odd, not to mention running into an old tramping buddy while ordering souvlaki, I thought the Jaffabowl was too big for random things like that!

Anyway, the show. More than three hours. Three encores. Full house on their feet. All the era's were covered, so many highlights its impossible to bring one out front. What blows me away the most about The Cure is their diversity of styles, goth, rock, post punk, alternative, pop, a hint of dance- its all there. And one look around the crowd told you this diversity is reflected in the fan base with young, middle and old from all walks of life in attendance.

And its just that diversity that kept it real and interesting for 3 hours. I don't think I've ever seen a major act that has played with such reverence and respect for their fans- and with a 30 year back catalogue its helpful I'm sure. As hard as I try I simply cannot think of one song they played that was a dud. Not even Faith, which apparently they never play.

Probably, to nit pick, there was only one thing missing, and that was keyboards. But it didn't really matter, it just meant a few songs like Close to Me and Prayers for Rain had to miss out. Simon Gallup- man can that guy play the bass. I've always been a fan of Porl on guitar too so I think this incarnation of The Cure is as good as you can see. Although Lol Tolhurst would be handy...

And I haven't even said anything about how freakin timeless and amazing Robert Smith is- the greatest poet I've heard. When are they going to knight him?

I'm still in awe and will be for a long time....11 out of 10 folks!

Heres the setlist for the trainspotters....any Cure fans in NZ who missed this should hang their heads in shame!

MAIN SET: Tape, Open, Fascination Street, Alt.End, The Blood, The Walk, Love Song, Pictures of You, Lullaby, Hot Hot Hot!!!, Push, In Between Days, Friday I'm In Love, Just Like Heaven, If Only Tonight We Could Sleep, The Kiss, Shake Dog Shake, Never Enough, From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea, Wrong Number, One Hundred Years, Shiver and Shake, End
ENCORE 1: Plain Song,Disintegration,Faith
ENCORE 2: Three Imaginary Boys,Fire In Cairo,Boys Don't Cry, Jumping Someone Else's Train, Grinding Halt, 10:15 Saturday Night, Killing An Arab
ENCORE 3: A Forest

Oamaru

This place has some of my favourate buildings in the country. As was the case last weekend its always a compulsory stop for a walkabout. I'm no architect, but I love the style of what was the South Islands original port for shipping frozen foodstuffs way back in the century before last.

One day I hope to make it to the legendary Penguin Club for a beer and a band.

Blown Away in Wellington

Been away in Wellington for work and a little bit of play for the past few days. They really laid on the wind over the last couple of days, but the locals assure me its only windy when I visit and not the rest of the time. Now wasn't work supposed to be starting sometime soon on dismantling that place?

Anyway it was a great chance to catch up with the clan, see a couple of gigs and generally behave like a saint and be tucked up in bed by 9pm every night.

Oh yea and managed to see The Brunettes play on Friday night, and Minuit on Saturday. And the Caketin laid on a nice farewell for Tana Umaga in his 100th and final game for his beloved Wellington Lions side. Very nice.

Now for The Cure in Auckland on Tuesday- I have heard they played 38 songs in the last gig in Aussie the other day- its going to be an epic night!

Another Sad Day

Bit off center today.

I just heard my right hand man from my time with the Timaru District Council passed away over the weekend, suddenly and much too young.

2007 really is turning out to be a year of messages that want to be noticed.

Dunedin

The weathers always crap when I go there, but I still like the place. Had a fun weekend hanging with Chris and Stacey.

Bit of work up Caithness Station and a bit of play in the muddy Rock and Pillar Range on the mountain bike

I want a Maine Coon now please.

Heres some photo's, more to come later

Going Forth on the Kepler

Yep, I'm at it again. I've been accepted into the 2007 Kepler Challenge on December the 1st.

Once is an accident, twice is stupidity...now its number four. I'll be happy with 8 hours this year, but better ramp up the training!

The Mad Hatter is Pretty In Pink

Photo from Herald.co.nz A story from the stag do....not that we normally talk about stag do's!

We ran into an English dude in a pink hat at the Twisted Hop bar late in the evening who had been to the rugby with his mate. He was really wanting to lose his pink hat and get a free Tui hat from the cheerleaders.

The funniest thing is that there was a blind dude sitting in front of him, and the Tui Cheerleaders decided he was more worthy of a free Tui Hat than the Pom in Pink.

The ironic thing here folks...is what the heck was a blind man paying to go and watch the rugby for? Is it just me? Or am I being to anti PC by questioning a blind man at the footy?

Who knows...I invite comment?

The Ultimate Nectar

Embarrasment

I went to a meeting today with the Government Bigwigs. It was highly productive and we sorted out a lot of fine tuning that was holding up the negotiations. All in all it was a great success.

Half an hour later back at the office I noticed my fly was undone. CRAP!!!!!!!

Is This The Hottest Woman In Music?

Meg White? I think so!

I defy you to prove otherwise.....

Atiu

As Rarotonga looms I have discovered an island that holds secret male beer drinking ceremonies.

I'm off there!

There may or may not be a report on this in September, if I come home.

Domestic Rugby

Yes folks, theres more to footy than the World Cup for the rest of the year. The "NPC" gets up and running this week.

The NZ Herald reported today that the Otago Squad has been having training sessions to the point of physical exhaustion up on mountainside 1500m above sea level. Its been -20 degrees down there last week in some parts of Central Otago.

By comparison the Auckland team have been on a pre season 'bonding' trip to Thailand.

It will be interesting to see which of those two teams goes better!

The Canterbury boys have been staring at an empty trophy cabinet for the first time in history for their training....soon to be sorted out.

Anyway, as usual I'm doing the Virtual Rugby thing, so if you sign up there look for 'Razor Sharpe to watch'

Haymans Beard

Well some of you may remember Bearduary....it looks like theres going to be a repeat performance that will run nicely into Movember 2007. Throw away your Razors everyone!

Apparently since he shaved it off the AB's lost their mojo, so what more reason to grow some face fluff. I was thinking the after the Wedding might be a good place to start with a week off in Rarotonga...unless of course I get a reason not to!

Full details at Stuff.co.nz here

Check this out... the official Haymans Beard blog is here.

These guys deserve a serious shout out. I'll have it linked on my favourates- I urge you to subscribe, if only to see the George Gregan arrest!

Where Was The Project Manager?

This is a classic that arrived in my email box this week...

The photo below was taken in Swansea, UK, from an office just opposite the site where council workmen were cleaning up after making an excellent job of erecting and cementing in traffic bollards.

This was to prevent cars parking on the large open area in front of the grey building on the right.

Take a closer look??!!!

The New Job

Well, believe it or not its almost a month into it. The job is everything I expected and more, its really quite a politically charged time to be working on Tenure Review but thats just another thing that makes the job fun.

Already I'm working on places dear to my tramping and mountain biking heart. Really the job is a combination of all the different careers paths I've taken merged into one very interesting role. Still very much in the induction phase, but we're getting quite a bit achieved already.

Now all I need to do is find a new home!

Yeouwch!!!

This is just naaaaaaasty

Rugby league prop Ben Czislowski ran around for 15 weeks without knowing an opponent's tooth was buried in his forehead.

Full story click here....

Kiddies

Today I became a godfather.

And a couple of weeks ago I became a brother again.

It's all very very cool!

Wellington To Be Dismantled And Shut Down

I guess this means the end for Windy Wellington! (Clickety)

The Luckiest Day Of Our Lives

In this crazy rollercoaster of a year, where the vast majority of my friends are either going through break ups, getting married or having kids this grabbed my attention....

Saturday just past was the 7th of the 7th of 07.

Among superstition circles the number 7 is the luckiest of all numbers, which makes last Saturday quite a special day. Apparently hordes of people were heading to the alter, having babies and playing Save The World concerts on this day, just because its such a lucky day.

And dammit, I forgot to buy a lotto ticket.

Heres an article link to analyse 7/7/07 further, for those of you too lazy to google it!

From the New York Times, click here

And no, I'm not reporting my luck stakes from that fateful day here. To be honest the 6th of June 2006 was probably more fun....