interstella

Exchange on Friday
Maybe my best gig yet. My screw up count is now into single figures. Monkeys, Eels was very popular. Steve Towson was blown away by The Street Pirates. Those guys (and girl) are awesome. Also there was a cover band on after us. They seemed quite young and had a girl singer with two-tone hair. They played some silverchair and some Muse (I think?).

Relay for Life
So there are several hundred people in purple shirts who are walking around a 400m track. Some are running. They have been going in relay teams all day and will continue all night. They have been promised money which will be given to help find a cure for cancer. The weather is bad and it has been raining. The grass inside the track is filled with coloured tents in which people take rests from the walking. There are people in costumes and people with silly hats. People are handing out drinks to the walkers and ambulance officers are standing by. Everyone seems to be in a happy mood despite being wet and tired. Powerful stadium lights at dusk on an overcast day give everything a strange brighter than life appearance. Entertainment has been organised. There is an multi-generational country band. There is a old ladies choir. In between them we play on a stage about five metres above the track. We cover our power leads because the tarp roof leaks. People look up at us as they walk by. Some smile and wave. They seem to like the music. Some clown girls dance. John breaks a string. It was dark by the time we had packed up and left. As we pulled away they were switching the lights out and lighting candles in paper bags with messages to departed loved ones. The walking continued.