The Big Pineapple Midnight Oil Experience

One wet October night….

The rain just won’t stop falling today even. One more day and perhaps Midnight Oil would have been cancelled, given the conditions. I’m glad it wasn’t, despite the fact we stood in the driving rain for hours, getting slowly colder and wetter, right up until getting home.

The organisation was a bit shit, with over an hours wait for the shuttle bus from Nambour, but in the end we arrived while it was still daylight and before the 2nd support act, The Living End. Being with friends there was a little bit of faffing around choosing a spot, and we started our night high up on the hill with a tiny view, which was a fun spot to listen to the Living End who I enjoyed quite a bit, especially their sense of humour about the weather. Phoebe loved their double bass and the insanity of the “pizzicato” and antics of the bass player. I think she’s suddenly found a new instrumental passion.

But then Midnight Oil came on and I can’t remember what came before! By then we’d moved to a spot on the side of the hill where we could see the whole stage and enjoy the full view of Peter Garrett’s dancing which has changed only by virtue of having slowed down in the past 25 years!!!! He looks like himself in slow motion 

I loved the political messages; it felt good to know my values matched the values they were singing about. I must admit that it was odd being uncertain if we were in a like-minded crowd! I was especially disappointed by the half-hearted sounding support when Peter talked about what I think was his crowning achievement as Environment Minister, which was saving the Mary River from a stupid stupid dam. I was cheering as loud as I could but it felt like I was the only one on the whole hillside shouting my support. That was uncomfortable and I felt embarrassed as here we were, in the heart of the country he’d saved from environmental stupidity and no-one voicing their appreciation. The sentiment wasn’t really helped when people seemed to leave after the big screens displayed huge “Vote YES’ messages. I would like to think it was the spate of heavy rainfall at the time, but the rain eased and I’m sure some of the crowd didn’t seem to return. It always amazes me when people say they are a fan of a musician but they don’t agree with their politics or world view. The concept challenges me. Not sure how you can listen to an Oils song multiple times and not ‘get’ it.

The highlight for me was the entire second half really. From the moment that they started playing “When the Generals Talk” I was in another place. It was just incredible when they played Generals, Short Memory then US Forces in a row.

My next big emotional moment was Blue Sky Mine. Although Peter gave an emotional speech about Adani by way of introduction, the reality of Asbestos mining is close to home for me. My Mum’s been gone for 15 years because of Asbestos cancer so the words “If the Blue Sky Mining Company won’t come to my rescue, who’s going to save me?” really means quite a bit. No-one saved my Mum. The Blue Sky Mining Company (James Hardie) certainly hasn’t saved anyone. They’ve avoided all compensation and Peter Garrett well knows this, hence the song. Rain hid a lot of tears but wonderful cathartic tears of enjoyment of the communion of great music.

I probably could have listened to their entire back catalogue all night had it not been pouring rain, so as the night wrapped up with the favourites and we knew it was soon to be over the timing seemed perfect, it was time to go home and get dry. The overwhelming sense of peace once on the dry bus (DRY BUS!!) really struck me. While Springsteen leaves you feeling energised and ready to tackle mountains after his performances, I feel that Midnight Oil left us feeling deeply at peace with the world. That is truly something special!

Happiness - a post-script to Queen / Music Heals

A few things came to me this week. One of those things was the realisation that in this post entitled "Music Heals - Impressions of Queen + Adam Lambert" I never did get back to what I meant by that title.

To be quite blunt about it, over the course of the past year or so, I've discovered (and to some extent, so has science) that happiness actually heals auto-immune disease. Please don't misunderstand me, I don't think that you just have to think happy thoughts and a disease that has plagued you for your entire life will disappear, that isn't what I mean.  From a purely personal perspective, with the kind of disease I have, truly being in a state of happiness works magic on my levels of pain, swelling and from all accounts, actual disease progression.

And music makes me wildly, incredibly happy, ergo the previous title about Queen + Adam Lambert's concert in Brisbane.  I felt so alive, so invigorated and so much less like a disabled ill person when that concert was over. Music brings so much hope, and to be surrounded by such a crowd filled with the joy of living, that is a magical kind of thing. 

It is interesting as I did as much welling up with tears as I did laughing (probably more) during the concert, as Queen's music brings back incredibly sensitive & poignant memories for me.  Yet they were tears of release, of comfort in the music. I felt this also when overwhelmed with emotion at Bruce Springsteen concerts, the tears were all part of the pleasure of the immersion into the music. 

Today, after running out of money at the supermarket and being cranky with the children because I was worried about getting by until Friday I realised that the exact time I needed a happy attitude was right now.  There is no point waiting till things get better to be happy. Happiness is a choice we make and all other choices follow accordingly.  I had not long decided to be happy, then I made all the children yummy afternoon tea, we played soccer, made damper for supper and I was able to handle absolutely everything this evening calmly! It felt so much better than letting myself get distressed over a lack of spending money when we already have everything we need to get by for the week.  It was easy to feel happiness after listening to incredible live music, but not so simple when at home surrounded by life's dramas.

So this week I've set myself a challenge. Not only to pursue happiness, through exercise, what I eat and drink, gratitude and music; but to blog daily until next Monday night about some aspect of how I am going with it. So far the 'formula' is working wonderfully, I'm ready for a good night's rest, not a care in the world! 

Atlantic City - modernism gone wrong?

Being a Springsteen fan, I'm browsing his 'video of the week' recent additions and after watching the Video for 'Atlantic City' I am struck by how much the meaning of the song resonates with my own beliefs, and also with my own local area.



The video is entirely black and white, adding a sense of lonely isolation. To me it tells the story of life in a changing world.

photo by:  Michael S Fleischmann

Transposing shots of traditional stone and 'modern' architecture is architecturally one of my favourite 'moments' about exploring cities with history. The cold heartlessness of sleek modern design against the artistic, fancy stonework, with traditional works that date back to ancient Greek and Roman designs always sends a shiver down my spine. This video places the contrast beautifully midway through, sending home the coldness of the modern world.

I'm pretty poor with words, more so when I'm limited to a 15 minute window or so to type uninterrupted!  Nonetheless I will have a go at capturing what the video emphasizes so beautifully about the song, reflecting a strong social commentary.

I'm getting things all mixed up because  there is just so much packed into this one song, but Bruce Springsteen has captured the incredible social troubles underpinning all that there is about gambling.  Australia at the moment has significant gambling addiction issues, and we are feeding that with one of the highest rates of poker machines (slot machines) per capita in the world.  Gambling problems, like other addictions, create their own secondary social issues, like petty crime, unemployment, transience due to housing stress to name a few. 

Seaside resort towns reliant on tourism often also exhibit the same patterns of social problems. Springsteen reflects these perfectly with his imagery, providing a poignant background to the lyrics, delivering a real sense of how stark and unforgiving it can be to find yourself "on the wrong side of that line" of winners and losers. 

I am thrilled to see the video track over the words "progress and industry" before settling on Atlantic City. I feel like this brings home the question asked by this song, and which we all should continue to ask "At what price, progress?"

Music heals - Impressions of Queen + Adam Lambert

What a spectacular night! After so many Springsteen concerts all the pre-concert business was straightforward. I even managed to nab myself a 'cup' to decant my water bottle into (they didn't search my bag, so I arrived inside with a water bottle, plus lid, but little chance of keeping it with the crazy volume of security folk) But enough about me!

From the moment when the curtain began its strange edging forward on the stage, I was mesmerised by how much more 'stage crafted' this show was going to be than my recent experiences. 

I traveled through time with 39, to Radio Ga Ga,  Crazy Little Thing Called Love and Bohemian Rhapsody, thanks to the magic that is this beast known as Queen + Adam Lambert.

I rocked and sang to We Will Rock You, Find my Somebody to Love and Fat Bottomed Girls.

And I cried and laughed. 

What a wondrous thing it is that the world has been blessed with Adam Lambert so that we could all see some of the special magic of Queen, Roger Taylor's incredible vocals and Brian May's unparalleled guitar solos.   The giant mirror ball reflected the wonder perfectly, as did the stagecraft during the whole night.

Thank you Queen and Adam for visiting Brisbane tonight & sharing your gifts with us. I am feeling truly blessed.

P.S.  Brisbane Crowd - I am extremely proud of the fact that none of you on the floor level seating sat down for the whole concert! well done! Now we just need to educate those in tiered seating about what a Rock concert is about!!!!!!