Wagons, beards, batching it and cosy

Melbourne looking purdy in the rain last night

I went to see Wagons last night for the first time since my Wagons West Birthday Extravaganza Road Trip Down Memory Lane last year, and it was fantastic. It's an amazing feeling seeing a band  you love play live in their home town (especially when they're at the end of a long tour),  amid a crush of enthusiasatic fans who know all the words, just like you do. I was somewhat hoarse when I left.

The band is taking a break now and then going into the studio to record a new album. My breath is bated. 

I also loved their support act, The Beards, a hilarious and marvellously talented bunch of dudes with beards who sing songs about...yes, beards. Just beards and nothing but beards, while intermittently lovingly stoking their face hair (and sometimes each others'). As the lead singer pointed out at the end of their set, they are, indeed, "pro beard".

I had actually heard one of their songs a few months ago when someone posted a link to this video on Twitter, but I didn't twig until they introduced the song last night.

 

(As usual, the video wouldn't shrink to fit. Double click to view on You Tube. Note to self:  switch to wide blog format....)

Novelty bands are a bit lame generally, but these guys really are awesome. Great songs, excellent musicianship and a dry sense of humour. They're back in Melbourne next month - do yerself a favour!

Bachelorette pad

I have the flat to myself for two weeks and, as always, it is awesome. I have barely stopped playing loud music (The Young Dubliners, The Rolling Stones' re-issued Exile on Main Street and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes' country covers on rotation).

Parka

I wore my fat, puffy doona-esque parka up the street today. It's so cosy and comforting that sometimes I actually hope it's cold so I can wear it. It wasn't really cold enough today while the sun was shining, but thankfully on my way home it clouded over, rained and got cold. I got to appreciate its cosy charms after all. Yay. It's the clothing equivalent of comfort food.