Canadia Beats

We have smiling faces, and we will be selling them to you at Whammy Bar on Thursday 4th February from 4pm. Come join us, Voices on the Sun and Cool Rainbows for a party-time gigsplosion.

Raised by were-rabbits, Canadia, Voices and the Sun and Cool Rainbows are as deadly as they are not dead. They’ve been shunning the sun and bathing in the sound of art critics complaining about the demise of culture to prepare for this night.

Lazerbeasts unite, it’s going to be a sweat night.

Doors at 10, the music asplodes at your face from 11pm. Bring $5 because that will get you in the door. Only your wits will get you out.

Facebook event for Canadia, Voices on the Sun, Cool Rainbows

Tomorrow night Canadia is hitting the Juice Bar in Parnell to support the crap out of Dunedin dudes Julian Temple Band. A few of us have known these cats since they were the JuJu crew, and perhaps even before. They’re from Dunedin, which is where some of us used to be from. Sharing and caring around the country!

So you should be at the Juice Bar by about 9pm to catch Canadia’s first Parnell gig. Will we be run out of the suburb? I just don’t know! Juice Bar is in the Windsor Castle at 144 Parnell Road, Parnell. I think I might get there early and have a picnic dinner down in Fraser Park. Please do not stalk me in a scary way!

I happened across Subterranes making with a soundcheck down in the catacombs of St Kevins Arcade a while back, and suggested we play a gig. None of us ever make it out of the tunnels, so of course the gig is at Whammy Bar. Allure City have been coaxed back to the gigface to join us in raucity (it’s a word, I looked it up).

One of the rules for NaSoAlMo is that one of your songs can be a cover, as the Ramones had a cover on their first album (the gold standard for our purposes). So I opted to include a cover to finish the month off, my only exception, ‘The Only Exception’ by Paramore.

I’m majorly in love with Paramore’s brand new eyes. Just waiting for my one-of-5000 copies of the album on vinyl to arrive in the mail. They’re playing in Auckland next year. Sometimes things just work out.

And just like that NaSoAlMo is over. Kind of an Endless Sky clocked in at 32:51, meaning a win for me on the last day, and a bunch of tracks for you to listen to. The whole thing is up at Bandcamp to download for free. I’ve even worked out a track order.

‘The only exception’ [Bandcamp]

I may be wrong, but the first time I ever heard my band Gestalt Switch on the Radio was when we were number seven of the Radio One Top 11. Sam and I were driving to band practice and it came on. Of course we pulled over and listened.

I don’t often talk about what my songs are about, but this song is definitely about that, way back in 2002. Good times.

‘Not some number eight’ [Bandcamp]

A few times this month I deviated from the plan I’d made and started writing a song before working out where it fit in. This was one of those, and possibly doesn’t fit its intended topic at all. The good news is it’s exactly the kind of song I might have written at the time it’s supposed to be about, so yay.

‘Put the stars in line’ [Bancdcamp]

I think the title of this song was a pretty fundamental rule in my first ever band, but Blair disagreed. We were in different forms, though, so our memories will differ.

‘Don’t play Hootie’ [Bandcamp]

Way back at the start of the month this track was the first song I wrote for NaSoAlMo. It was also the first track to be shelved as not working out. Of course it was fine, and I was just letting my Inner Editor have a say. He’s gone now, and here’s a song.

‘Missed alarms’ [Bandcamp]

I am now officially in backlog mode, dudes. This is the eighth song written this month, but only the fourth I’ve recorded. Translation: a busy week for me. Yay!

Another uke jam, this chorus came to me quickly then refused to let any verses in. So then I put some in.

‘Clothes that don’t fit’ [Bandcamp]

Photo by Hannah JV

Radcore skater and album photographer Hannah JV took some snaps on a Holga at the Beg Steal and Burrow release party, and I finally paid to get them developed. I can learn things! Check out the whole set on flickr.