Gregor Mulvey

Dogs in the wheelie bin: Brisbane-Guangzhou

We assemble at Brisbane International Airport at 6am. Our friend Dave Kettley, from the New Christs, has emailed advice about flying on China Southern Airlines. The New Christs are hardy veterans of the European touring circuit. “Spread the load and definitely all go to the counter as a large group,” he writes. “Is your manager coming from Oz with you? The Staph?”

That’s me. The Golden Staph. Thanks, Dave.

“Make use of the extra person,” Dave’s email continues. “Pack as light as you can. Put your pedals in your bag but your leads in your case – they’re considered a strangling weapon and will be confiscated.”

We’re all at the counter, but my carry-on luggage is full of strangling equipment: computer cords, phone chargers and the like. Who knows what or whom I’ll need them for? I put the computer cords in my case, but forget about the others.

Thankfully, it doesn’t matter. Kelly, our customer assistant at the China Southern desk, doesn’t seem to like her job much but she’s incredibly cool. She checks our passports and her hand’s like a magic wand as she waves through everyone’s gear, probably saving the band a few hundred dollars in extra weight.… Read more..

Dogs in the wheelie bin: Brisbane-Guangzhou Read More »

Euro Double-Vision

Sorry for the late post (and late notice), but I’ve been packing/panicking. I’m about to set off on a grand adventure. Tomorrow morning, I’ll be flying to Europe, tour managing a Brisbane band on their first tour of Europe. Heeeeeere we go…

dblev

Actually, “tour managing” is a bit highfalutin’ (HITS prefer to say they mismanage themselves). Basically, I’m their driver, merch pimp, nanny, fan, friend and documentarian. I’ve driven a van for 10 years – a maxi taxi – so this is a far more enjoyable way to use those skills.

It’s not every day that a band changes your life. HITS changed mine about five years ago: 7 April 2007, to be precise, which happened to be my 36th birthday. I’d still take that one over the other 40 in a heartbeat. The venue was the Colombian Bar, in Brisbane, and the first song they played was I Swear I’ll Never Sing A Song Again. I liked them right away.

It was their first gig in their current five-piece incarnation. Visually, to say they were striking was an understatement. I’d known the singer, Richard Hunt – known by his nom-de-punk Evil Dick – for around 15 years by then; I’d last seen him in an earlier band, the Aampirellas, whom major labels had shown some interest in, despite severe reservations about the greasy-haired singer/guitarist.… Read more..

Euro Double-Vision Read More »

Scroll to Top