in summary – listen to spoon.

well, not playing the song or anything, but i will be there squeeing my little heart out. the decemberists! first time in australia! so excited!

i first saw him live in 2007, at NIDA for spunk’s 10th anniversary show, and also at the basement, where i snapped this photo of him:

then again in 2008, where he played at the famous spiegeltent during sydney festival, and did another show at the vanguard in newtown a few days later.

and now, in 2010, at the sydney opera house. i’ve heard he’s broken his foot and will be on crutches for the whole show. awwww.

oh, be still my heart.

i started tracking my music in 2004, and this was the first time that spoon didn’t top the end of year list. my apologies, spoon. we’ll try harder in 2010. i am, however, greatly amused that a novelty rap act is my 3rd-highest. ah, here’s to maturity, eh?

i’ve had a love affair with japan for as long as i can remember, probably dating back to the exchange student who lived with us for a year when i was about five years old. this is me in the kimono she gave me, which still hangs in my wardrobe today.

we’re going for three weeks, and the itinerary is: tokyo > osaka > fukuoka > hiroshima > kyoto > takayama > nagano > tokyo.

i’m looking forward to kyoto most of all, but it’s a shame we won’t be there in march to see the cherry blossoms. we’ll be seeing a sumo tournament in fukuoka, a monkey park in nagano, and the ghibli museum in tokyo, and… so many other things. i’m so excited!

i’ve been passing the days by listening to this song over and over. it has nothing to do with japan, i just love it.

you need to watch the guild.

my dad

father’s day is 6 september in australia and new zealand (and maybe a few other countries as well). i have a couple of father’s day cards for sale in my etsy store.

spoon

which is why i’ve re-branded my etsy store, to smallstakes.etsy.com. the name comes from one of my favourite spoon songs, small stakes.

sunshine

which is rather convenient, because spring is most definitely on its way.

music plays a pretty big role in my life. it always has, and i suspect it always will be. you know how sometimes you’ll hear a song, something you’ve listened to numerous times previously, and all of a sudden it just hits you. that has been happening to me all week, but with spoon. with songs i’ve listened to and loved a million times over. with these two in particular:

when asked, i always reply that chicago at night is my favourite song ever. and it is. but i don’t think i’ve really listened to it in a long, long time. and now i’m smitten all over again.

it’s absolutely freezing here. autumn came and went in about two weeks and now it’s just bitterly cold, ALL THE TIME. have i mentioned how much i hate winter yet? cause i really, really do.

anyway. this week’s wants:

chandelier birdie – granny bag by gomonkeydesign

yellow birds – espresso set by louchelab

i’m too hesitant to order ceramics on etsy, as i’m not sure they’d survive the postage, but i’m seriously considering these.

painterly collage cocktail ring by ashleyjewelry

bon iver – the wolves(act I & II)

i saw him play at the infamous spiegeltent during sydney festival this year, and he was incredible. as this song builds and builds towards the end he had the whole crowd singing along with him, getting louder and louder, until finally exploding into this cathartic yell. it was amazing.

andrew bird – anonanimal

i’ve seen andrew bird live 4 times now, i think. possibly even 5. his bare feet and his endless head bobbing and his insane looping and the whistling! oh, the whistling. andrew bird is easily in my all-time top 5. highly recommended.

the decemberists – we both go down together

well, this is just colin meloy, lead singer of the decemberists. in an elevator. i’m not sure why. i’m amazed that his vocal delivery is absolutely identical to how it is on the record. i highly recommend their new album, the hazards of love.

sunday night i saw david bazan (ex pedro the lion) at the hopetoun hotel, despite qantas’ best efforts to keep him away. he played his cover of let down by radiohead and is there really anything better? nah. except for maybe priests and paramedics but hey, i can wait another 10 years to see him again.

and then last night i saw my beloved death cab for cutie for the 7th time. i still love them, and i still think ben gibbard is a phenomenal song writer, and i will long after the oc fans have come and gone. which, lets be realistic here, probably won’t happen. death cab are huge, and i realised last night that i’m okay with that because they’re still making great songs. it’s kind of hard, having to let go and share something that i’ve held so close to me for so long, but i’m happy for others to feel the same love that i do. the first time you realise that you’re actually hearing styrofoam plates played live, it’s an amazing feeling.