Royal Palace at Sunset - taken from the back of the FCC (Phnom Penh), at great place to enjoy a cold drink, some tasty food and fab views over the Palace and the Tonle Sap River!

(Clicking on the photo will take you to the Flickr.com website.)

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Now I can show you some of my photos taken so far~

 <- This was my traditional-style bed in the condo on Ganghwado. When I first arrived in Korea I kept moaning to myself about all the material being quilted when the weather is so hot. However, having slept on one of these babies, I submit to Koreans' superior knowledge in the world of bedlinen!

 <- This is was the view out my bedroom window on Ganghwado. It gives you some idea of the scenery, but it's nothing compared to seeing it in person. You can also see the ma-hoo-sive swimming pool!

 <- Before we left the condo, we threw sweets at the kids. As one does. There was a vicious scramble to get as many as possible. Nobody was hurt, but it was a close thing! The boy in the front was the baby son of "Japsay" (Korean slang for police officer). Behind him, in the green vest and white shorts, is Geonmo.

 <- Before we left Ganghwado, we went to an old Joseon-era palace complex on the site. The rain was torrential, but it didn't spoil the fun! This is Mrs. Sung coming through the entrance gate. We also saw the magistrate's office, a book-museum (this king loved his literature), living quarters, an old giant bell and more gates.

 <-This is Japsay's son posing for a photo at the palace. The umbrella ("osan") was bigger than him!

 <- This is the funfair we went to on Wolmido last Monday. Apparantly Koreans think safety harnesses etc are the stuff of fairytales. Nedless to say I didn't try this. If you look closely you can actually see the people sliding down!

 <-Sohee and Geonmo at the AMAZING Japanese restaurant we went to for her birthday on Tuesday. Oh my God, the food here deserves a post of its own so I wont talk about it now. This was the moment when Geonmo gave her his present, a few pens he had picked out specially for her. VERY VERY CUTICLE!

 <- Incheon at night. In the context of other Asian cities, it's a small place. I'd never seen anything like it though, I was totally stunned.

 <- Sohee and Mr. Kang cut her birthday cake. It was full of creamy goodness. And because Koreans don't really differentiate between what food constitutes breakfast/lunch/dinner, we ate it for breakfast the next morning too! ^^

 <- Geomo after I just whooped his ass in Monopoly ("Blue Marble Game"). You can see the bitter, bitter resentment behind the smile!

 <- Finally, me operating an old-fashioned fire engine thingy at the Incheon Metropolitan Museum on Wednesday. I may have found my true calling!

That's it for now. Coming soon - kumdo/taekwondo, more food, generosity, the nice things about Korea, the bad things about Korea (maybe)!

Take care (and give me some news from home!)

Siobhán xxx

Eva Mendes

Patricia Arquette

Princesa Siriwanwaree de Tailandia

Princesa Siriwanwaree de Tailandia

Patricia Arquette

Princesa Clotilde de Saboya

Princesa Clotilde de Saboya

Roxane Mesquida

Maria Jurado

Eva Mendes

Maria Jurado

On days like this, I can get used to being on vacation, because I got to do what I enjoy most... explore. The day started off normally. I got up, enjoyed a pot of coffee and went for a run. Then I got dressed and walked the fifteen minutes to the subway station. My first stop today was the Chogysea Temple in the heart of Seoul.

It took about an hour to get there from where I live, but that was all right. The subway ride gave me time to relax and just collect my thoughts. I was also able to purchase one of my favorite treats along the way for breakfast: an egg and toast sandwich for $1.50. But I digress.

The Temple is located within a 5 minute walk from the Anguk Station (Orange Line) and well worth the trip, as it is the only major temple within the old city walls of Seoul. The temple itself was built in 1910 and became the official home of the Chogye order in 1936 (the largest Buddhist order in Korea). The name was chosen after the last Japanese incursion, as a way to purge any linkage to the occupying forces and was chosen to honor the Sixth Patriarch of Chinese Ch'an Buddhism, Huineng (the mountain on which he lived was called Chogysea).

This is a Temple that still functions today. Seeing people come to practice their faith in the middle of the day, and in the middle of hundreds of tourists is amazing. In fact, anyone who wanted to experience the Temple could do so. Simply by taking off your shoes at any one of the side entrances, you were welcomed to enter the main hall.

Now, not being a practicing member of the order, or knowing that much about Ch'an Buddhism (other than it was the founding method of the Temples for Kung-Fu), I elected just to watch. People that were praying, seemed to bow to different directions and then get down on their knees or sit and meditate and pray to the three large, central Buddhas. One of the modern enhancements to the Temple has been a series of fans that constantly circulate the air inside.

Unfortunately, I was unable to hear any of the ritual chanting or drum beating. That must be an awesome sight. The other thing that really catches your eye is the enormous white pine that resides in front of the Temple. It's said to be 500 years old and to have been brought over from China. It's stunning.

This was a fantastic way to start the day, as I admire people who can take the time to worship the way they feel is appropriate, anytime, anywhere, especially in the heart of a city and at the end of Tourist's destination.

After taking my pictures and paying my respects to the various visages of the Buddha, I took my leave and made my way back to the subway station for a short little transfer to City Hall Plaza. The next Destination on today's journey was Deoksugung Palace.

Now this was really something to see. Literally when you exit the subway, you're up against the Palace wall. In fact, the Palace is in the middle of Seoul's busiest intersection. How's that for prime time real estate?

The original buildings were constructed in 1454 for Wolsandaegun. The grounds are not as impressive as Gyeongbokgung, but considering that this was the official palace for more than 600 years, the implications for Korean history are far greater. In fact the stonework for the main roads is amazing (and something the Palace is known for).

Now there were two thing that impressed my about this palace... well maybe three. First, Jeonggwanheon was build by Go Joeng in 1900. It was the first European influenced building on the premises. In fact, Go Jeong loved to sit on the porch of this facility and drink coffee. how cool is that? The second, is that some of the other building constructed in the 1900s were used by a joint commission of the US and USSR. BRILLIANT! Finally, there's a small display of a water clock. It would fill with water and then at specific intervals ring a bell. It's a scientific and cultural relic, as it is the oldest known clock of its type known.

Here's a link to the full album.... video to come.

 According to Japan Meteorological Agency, the rainy season in Tokyo is still not at the end. (In Kyushu, Chugoku, Shikoku and Kansai area the end of the season was anounced already)

However for these 4,5 days we didn't have rain, it seems very soon here in Tokyo we'll face the start of hot summer !

In August, we are planning to have 'Summer Night Ride'.  For the details, please check here

Photo  @ Hibiya Street while riding bike, sunset was so beautiful. Deep red sunset with some traffice light also in red...

"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains: round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away

Pillars at Herodion, 5 km south-east of Bethlehem (15 km from Jerusalem) one of Herod the Great's (37 - 4 BCE) most ambitious building projects. It served as his summer palace, fortress, monument, district capital and (possibly) his burial place. During the Jewish revolt against Rome in 66 CE, Jewish rebels captured it for 4 years. In 132 CE, it was captured again by Jewish rebels in the Bar Kochba revolts. It was deserted from the 7th century CE until recent decades.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7503428.stm

I used to run daily through the gardens here and gnerally around the Building before I actually went on the tour inside.
Those gardens and the other free parts of the building are equally as spectacular as what you find inside.
Not that it's not worth going in - because it really is. It's hard to believe that only a hundred years ago this place was abandened. The spectacular restoration of the mosaic cealings in all their intricate detail and just the scale of the palace are breathtaking.
The is one of the great examples of what the Muslim culture gave to Western europe; so beautiful, so refined and so cultured - at a time when my lot at least were running round in rags.

Check out my review of Alhambra - I am gotiges7 - on Qype

Held in Hawai’ian folktales to have been built by the gods, ‘Ohi’a-Mukumuku Heiau was re-dedicated to the war god, Kuka’ilimoku, by the Hawai’i Ali’i Lonoikamakakahiki so that he might vanquish his foe, the Ali’i of the Maui, Kamalalawalu, during their 16th century battles. It is said of these battles that when the Maui attacked the Hawai’i, the numbers of warriors was so vast that just as the first of the Maui war canoes were landing on Hawai’i, the last of their canoes were still leaving Maui. Ultimately victorious over the Maui, Lonoikamakakahiki took Kamalalawalu over to the nearby Ke’eku Heiau and sacrificed him alive to celebrate his great victory. Local ghost tales tell of Kamalalawalu and his war dogs still haunting both Ohi’a-Mukumuku and Ke’eku Heiaus.

Paokamenehune Seawall, is partly a natural and partly man-made feature enclosing the southern end of Kahalu’u Bay. Paokamenehune predates the 15th century temple complexes in the area and is held in legend to have been built by the menehune (sort of the Hawai'ian equivalent to leprechauns). However, building was actually initiated by Hawaiian leaders to enclose the bay as a large fishpond. Whether the work became beyond the powers of the Ali'i at the time to administer or the surfing faction won-out in the battle over use of Kahalu'u Bay is not known, but the breakwater was already in disrepair and disarray at the time of European contact in the 18th century.

Kapua Noni Heiau, located on a small point of land between the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Hotel’s pool and the sea, was built by the Ali’i Kalanio’pu’u. This walled enclosure was dedicated to ensuring the abundance of fish. Just north of the Heiau is a canoe landing and the sacred bathing pool, Poho'okapo. Po’o Hawaii Pond, a few dozen meters to the east, is a rare freshwater spring that was strictly reserved for the use of the Ali’i as a fish and bathing pond. Near the pond is the homesite of King Kalakaua. The original Hale Kahakai O Kalakaua, or seashore home of King Kalakaua, was built here in the 1880s; King Kalakaua built his own house and an exact replica for his friend the Court Jester. Both were destroyed in 1950; this replica was erected in 1980, about a century after the original had been built.

Between the canoe landing and the Po’o Hawai’i Pond (King’s Pond) are two sacred ku’ula stones. Carved or natural, large or small, stones used to attract fish are referred to as pohaku ku’ula. These two ku’ula are named Kanaio and Ulupalakua and were brought by voyaging canoe from Maui in 1751.

Look at the larger stone to see the images of a turtle, a fishhook and shark represented on it, using a combination of the natural lines of the stone and engraving. The round hole near the top indicates that this was also a “luakini” stone, or stone for human sacrifice. A loop of rope was passed through the hole, around the victim’s neck, and tightened until strangulation was complete. It is not known if human sacrifice at this stone was used as punishment, to propitiate the gods for good fishing, to dispatch enemy combatants for ritual cannibalism, or some combination of these.

On opposite sides of the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Hotel Tennis Courts lie the homesite of the legendary Mo’o Twins and Punawai Spring. The fertility pit at Punawai Spring is an example of the rare freshwater springs in this area which were the only source of drinking water and were the only reasons villages could survive in Kona. In modern times, the Hotel has promoted wedding ceremonies in the glade around Punawai springs, a Western reflection of the ancient practice of Hawai’ian girls bathing in them to insure fertile child-bearing years. Legend tells us that the Mo’o Twins were prophetesses of the lizard goddess who, through time, became goddesses in their own right. Learned in medicine, storytelling and song, the Mo’o Twins were revered and beloved of the local population they served.

The reconstructed Hapaiali’i Heiau (Temple for Elevating Chiefs), a temple associated with ceremonies involving changes in rank of Ali’i and as a calendric and astronomical observatory, lies on the grounds of the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort, across the narrow tidal inlet from Ke’eku Heiau. Not much is known about this Heiau; some traditions hold that it predates Ke’eku Heiau, others maintain it was built around 1812 by Kamehameha the Great. Rebuilt in 2007 and rededicated on the Winter Solstice of 2007, Hapaiali’i Heiau today is perhaps the best standing example of ancient Hawai’ian temple architecture

Immediately south of the grounds of the Keauhou Beach Hotel are the remains of a heiau that served as both a luakini heiau (place of human sacrifice) and pu’uhonua (place of refuge). Built by the Hawai’ian Ali’i Lonoikamakakahiki in the 16th century, Ke’eku Heiau is one of the most famous religious sites in the State of Hawai’i because of its veneration in folk tales involving the 16th century wars between the Hawai’i and the Maui. Ke’eku is where the victorious Hawaii Ali’i, Lonoikamakakahiki, is said to have sacrificed the defeated Maui Ali’i, Kamalalawalu, in celebration of the great victory. The Heiau has walls an impressive 6 to 11 feet thick, and measures 150 by 100 feet in area and is currently undergoing restoration.

Carved into the rock in the inter-tidal region in front of Ke’eku Heiau is an impressive set of ki’i pohaku (petroglyphs). Due to geological subsidence of the island over the past several hundred years, these petroglyphs are visible only at low tide; be wary of the rocks when wet—they are extremely slippery. There is one large anthropomorphic petroglyph in particular that is said to represent the sacrificed Maui Ali’i, Kamalalawalu.

Lonoikamakakahiki Homesite, on the grounds of the Kona Surf and Racquet Club, is a good example of the ravaging of archaeological heritage in West Hawai’i, and the disrespectful and wasteful way in which we deal with these important resources.

Here at Lonoikamakakahiki Residence is a king’s palace, 500 years old, and built by one of Hawai’i’s greatest kings, Umi. This site was later inhabited by at least two other important kings (Lonoikamakakahiki and Kalanio’pu’u) as well as Kamehameha the Great. In any other state this would be an archaeological treasure, a park or preserve, but certainly showcased and cared for. In this case, in Hawai’i, a few remnant walls were grudgingly reprieved from the bulldozer’s blade when the Kona Surf and Racquet Club was built by the Bishop Estate (Kamehameha Schools); the rest of this historical treasure was bulldozed into oblivion for all time. It is not even generally available for causal viewing, locked away behind the Kona Surf and Racquet Club’s iron gates where only paying Club guests and pedestrian visitors can see it. Of course, there is no available (legal) parking nearby.

The history of the temple and palace precincts of Lonoikamakakahiki Residence is deeply intertwined with some of the greatest events in the history of the Island. During the 16th Century, when Hawai’i was threatened by the attack of the Maui, Chief Lonoikamakakahiki was in residence here. Historic events again overtook this location late in the 17th Century when Captain Cook was killed at Kealakekua. Kalanio’pu’u, who was then Chief of all the Island of Hawai’i, fled here to hide from British sailors bent on vengeance. Kalanio’pu’u survived the days of battle and revenge and became a figurehead elder statesman, helping to shape his fellow Hawai’ians attitudes towards the newcomers, their incredible wealth and their new religion. Kalanio’pu’u was fond of hula and built the sacred hula grounds here which today lie under the tennis courts. Here, Kalanio’pu’u passed his latter years and divided his lands between his son, Kiwalao and his nephew, Kamehameha, passing his political power on to Kiwalao and his control of the warriors, along with the war god, Kuka’ilimoku, to Kamehameha.

After years of warfare and ruling his island kingdom, the elderly Kamehameha the Great moved his Royal Court from O’ahu to Kailua in the second decade of the 19th Century. He passed a year here at Lonoikamakakahiki Residence while his palace and temples at 'Ahu'ena Heiau were re-built and re-dedicated. The royal residence has been uninhabited since Kamehameha moved to 'Ahu'ena Heiau.

Anybody wishing to view these important and impressive archeological ruins must park at the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort or Kahalu’u County Beach Park and walk more than half a mile south along Ali’i drive to the “Public Shoreline Access” at the Surf and Racquet Club.

The scenic pullout on the Kamehameha III Highway at Ohi’a Lava Caves overlooks the Kona Coastline from Keauhou Bay north past Kailua Bay to Keahole Point. This is one of the best places to watch sunset in all of Kona and is also a grand spot for spotting whale spouts, watching sunsets and canoe races.

Directly below the scenic overlook is the Ohi'a Lava Tube cave complex. These caves were used at various times as general living quarters, shade during the blazing summers and cover from infrequent storms; springs deep with in the caves also augmented scarce supplies of fresh water for Kona residents. The caves also served as places for sacred ritual and burial of important Ali’i.

Today, exploration of the caves is unsafe and most of the accessible entrances are gated or sealed; visitors are asked to refrain from entering the caves to preserve the sanctity of native burials.

A lovely natural harbor backed by volley ball courts, canoe halau and lawn, the County Park and pier at Keauhou Bay is a lovely place to spend a few moments in quiet contemplation, eat a picnic lunch, or dive into the invitingly cool waters at the end of a hot day.

Along the cliffs fronting the bay is a nature trail planted with native Hawai’ian healing plants with explanatory signs which runs to the birthplace of Kalani Kauikeaouli, who later became King Kamehameha III when his older brother Liholiho (Kamehameha II) died of measles in England. Legend has it that Kalani was still born, but the kahuna attending the royal birth immediately immersed him in the cold waters of a nearby spring, where he was at once revived. There are not many places in America where one can easily walk to the exact birthplace of a King, and this pleasant spot is one such, not to be missed.

In ancient times, the Ali’i competed with each other in the sport of Holua, or sledding. A long, steep, track way paved with stones would be constructed down slope and then covered with tamped dirt and topped with dried grass. The Ali’i would race down these tracks on wooden sleds, or “holua” as competition. These races were very dangerous and only the Ali’i were allowed to compete. This particular holua is unique because, not only is it the largest and longest and best preserved in Hawai’i, but also because when constructed it went all the way into the sea at Keauhou Bay. Despite this important archeological site being a National Historic Landmark, much of it was bulldozed by developers building resorts and a golf course. The nearby village of Holualoa is named after this sled way; “holua” meaning “sled” and “loa” meaning “long”.

The Historic Landmark is best viewed from Ali’i Drive, directly across from the Kona Country Club parking lot.

Melancholy, lonely, desolate; this lava bench cut into the fresh scar of an a’a flow by the relentless ocean marks the place where the Hawai’ian gods died at the battle of Kuamo’o. In 1819, the year before the Christian missionaries arrived in Hawai’i, forces loyal to Kamehameha II and Queen Ka’ahumanu fought to overturn the kapu system and the pagan Hawai’ian religion in favor of Christianity. Kahuna Kekuaokalani led the last supporters of the old ways and the old gods and fought a desperate battle here to preserve their ancient way of life, and lost. Their graves, numbering in the several hundreds despite the official-looking marker at the site, are under the numerous, large stone altars erected by the victors over the very spots the warriors fell.

A walk along the dirt road that bisects the battlefield is ineffably sad and a little creepy. However, the road soon climbs into dry land forest along the lava ocean cliffs and provides some memorable hiking and sunset views.

For more information on visiting Hawaii in general, and the Big Island in particular, go to www.tourguidehawaii.com, and here.

Übersicht :

• Bomber Girls - Bomb sie alle weg
• Cashapillar - Dein Weg durch den Jungle
• Tomb Raider - Geheimniss des Schwertes
• Jackpot Express - und der Jackpot ist Deiner
• Gladiators Gold - Kämpfe wie ein Gladiator

Since the Hawa Mahal was built at a time when women of the royal families had to observe strict purdah, many believe that the Hawa Mahal was built, just so these ladies could watch the processions and various activities taking place on the streets. This does explain why Hawa Mahal has such tiny windows and many screened balconies. The royal ladies could look below at the people without showing themselves and thus enjoy a sense of freedom.

The Hawa Mahal is a popular place among visitors to Rajasthan because of the amazing view it offers of the city and particularly Jantar Mantar (another tourist attraction). Many insist that the best time to visit Hawa Mahal is in the early morning, right when the sun is rising. As the palace bathes in the golden light of the sun, it looks like a fantastic image conjured up by the mind in a trance. The palace glows like an impalpable dream, which makes you feel that even if you dare blink your eyes, it will quickly dissolve into thin air.

Most of the people come her to see the beautiful facade, but you can also climb the top for a view of the city below; peer through the latticed windows to experience the fascinating interplay of gazes set up by the structure. The entrance is from the rear of the building.

Time: 9:00 A.M.- 4:00 P.M.(Daily)

Ach, ach, ach. Bonnie "Prince" Billy aka Will Oldham hat ein neues Album veröffentlicht. Vor einiger Zeit, namentlich bis zu seinem letzten full length Album "The Letting Go" von 2006, war dieser Satz Grund genug für mich, tagelang nicht schlafen zu können und alle naslang zum hiesigen Plattenhändler zu rennen und nach dem Vinyl zu fragen, mit feuchten Händen die CD anzuschauen und dann doch nicht reinzuhören, um die Spannung zu erhalten, die Vorfreude auf das erste Knistern der Rille, die Sekunden, bevor die Frage danach beantwortet wird, wie wohl das neue Album klingen mag, und schließlich, weil die Ungeduld größer war als die Vernunft, zig Kilometer zu fahren, um mir die LP in der nächsten Großstadt zu kaufen, nicht, ohne vorher aber auch wirklich jedem von besagter Veröffentlichung erzählt zu haben.

Bonnie "Prince" Billy war damals eine Offenbarung für mich, 2000, als Johnny Cash auf "The Man Comes Around" den Titelsong des besten Bonnie-Albums überhaupt, "I see a darkness" (1999) mit Will Oldham selbst an der Zweitstimme coverte und bei aller Größe nicht einmal annähernd an das Original herankam. Soviel Brüchigkeit, soviele Lücken zwischen den Tönen hatte ich bis dahin nur bei Mark Hollis gehört, soviel Düsternis und gleichzeitig soviel kindliche Naivität, soviel Spiritualität und gleichzeitig soviele lustige Obszönitäten, und einfach solche wunderbaren Lieder, vorgetragen mit einer so wunderbaren Stimme und so spannenden, behutsamen Arrangements kannte ich bis dahin noch nicht. Ach, ich wurde zum glühenden Fan, kaufte, was ich in die Finger kriegen konnte, kaufte alles, was er unter seinen verschiedenen Namen (Palace Brothers, Palace Music, Palace, Will Oldham, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Bonny Billy, Bonnie "Blue" Billy) veröffentlicht hat, gab teilweise horrendes Geld aus für einen einzigen Song auf einer 10" im Fotobuch, und war verloren.

Dann kam besagte "The Letting Go", zu der ich plötzlich keinen Zugang mehr fand. Überambitioniert fand ich sie, irgendwie esoterisch, und ich fragte mich, wo wohl diese tolle Brüchigkeit, wo diese wunderbaren Lücken in der Musik hin waren, fragte mich, wieso seine Stimme mir plötzlich so fern und unnahbar vorkam (was ich, ehrlich gesagt, schon früher bemerkt hatte), wieso ihre neue Festigkeit sie in so weite Ferne rückte, wohingegen ihre Unsicherheit, ihr Kippen und ihre gelegentlichen falschen Töne sie so nah bei mir sein ließen.

Und jetzt "Lie Down in the Light". Die auf Gesang und Gitarre reduzierte Vorgänger-EP "Ask Forgiveness" (2007) versprach nur Gutes, also war ich voller Hoffnung. Und als ich sie in den Händen hielt, fiel mir als erstes auf, daß Oldham das Layout des Schriftzuges bislang aller Bonnie "Prince" Billy-Alben aufgegeben hat. Weiterhin fiel mir auf, daß, wie auf "Ask Forgiveness", auf der Rückseite keine Titel angegeben sind. Aber egal, egal, wie mag sie wohl klingen? Ich ließ mir Zeit damit, sie endlich einmal aufzulegen, wartete auf einen ruhigen Moment, voller Hoffnung einer-, düsterer Vorahnung andererseits. Gleich das erste Lied allerdings, "Easy Does It", ging mir zu Herzen: Ein fröhlicher kleiner Countrysong ist das, ganz naiv mit Akustikgitarren und Fiddle und einem Text über die kleinen Freuden und alles, was man im Leben wirklich braucht: Freunde, Familie, Musik. Schön. Doch das Weiterhören wurde irgendwie immer fader, als ob die Lieder einfach an der Oberfläche bleiben, als ob sie freundlich zum einen Ohr hinein-, zum anderen wieder herausgleiten, ohne Eindruck zu hinterlassen.

Die Platte erinnert immer wieder an eine ausformulierte Version von Bonnies "Master and Everyone" (2003), nur daß dort die radikale Reduktion mit der kompositorischen Schwäche versöhnt und durch eben diese auch Programm sein mag: Sehr einfache Lieder zu einem sehr einfachen Setting, sehr spontan und nahe an Hörer und auch am Sänger. Auch hier gleichen sich die Melodien und sind eher gewöhnlich, doch die Instrumentierung ist üppiger (wenn auch, gottseidank, ohne Streicherkram wie auf "The Letting Go"), fließt aber allzu friedlich dahin, ist üppig auf die bescheidene, gesunde Art einer saftig grünen Wiese, zeigt kaum Brüche, erinnert auch kaum mehr an Oldhams musikalischen Ursprung in den Appalachen, sondern ist vielmehr Folkpop geworden, mit der songwriterischen Glätte (oder Profillosigkeit), die Pop zueigen sein muß, damit er Pop sein kann. Sicher, "So Everyone" hat einen interessanten Rhythmuswechsel zwischen Strophe und Refrain, und die rauhe Stimme von Duettpartnerin Ashley Webber (offenbar die Schwester von Amber Webber von Black Mountain) fügt der Musik viel hinzu und klingt ganz wunderbar. Aber trotzdem und fürchterlicherweise bleibt die Platte profillos, wird beim letzten Stück der ersten Seite, "Missing One" sogar fast peinlich mit der aalglatten möchtegernharten Gitarre.

Die B-Seite fällt dann gegen Seite A auch noch ziemlich ab, wird noch friedlicher, sprich: fader, klingt wie das Gitarrenspiel eines zufriedenen Mannes auf seiner Veranda, der leise irgendwas vor sich hin singt. Die Melancholie klingt nicht mehr nach der kindlich-existentiellen, fabulierenden Angst und Hoffnung von "I see a Darkness", sondern nach der Rotwein-und-volles-Konto-Altherrenschwermut eines Hermann Hesse, dessen Gejammer unerträglich feist und satt klingt. Zwar ist Oldham bei weitem noch nicht an diesem Punkt, aber manchmal scheint dieser schlechte Geschmack doch etwas zu deutlich durch.

Will Oldham ist offenbar glücklich und zufrieden geworden. Das sei ihm gegönnt, aber seiner Musik tut das nicht gut (dieses Phänomen zeigt sich z.B. auch bei PJ Harveys "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea"). Und nicht nur das: Sein Kontakt zu David Tibet von Current 93 und der ganzen Durtro Jnana-Crew haben ihn scheinbar spirituell werden lassen, religiös im esoterischen Sinne. Was bei David Tibet durch dessen Industrialvergangenheit und dessen Alpträume, dessen Nichtsangesstimme und dessen hypnotische Monotonie verstörend und faszinierend wirkt, bei Baby Dee (zu deren Album "Safe inside the Day" Oldham wunderbare Zweitstimmen eingesungen hat) z.B. durch die Auseinandersetzung mit ihrer Transsexualität im Hinblick auf ihre Familiengeschichte für Reibungen und die Möglichkeit für sehr viel schönen Humor sorgt, wirkt bei Will Oldham aber glatt, zufrieden, bierernst. Die existentielle Komik seiner früheren Alben liegt scheinbar erstmal auf Eis, stattdessen riecht es nach Räucherstäbchen, zum Beispiel bei "Willow Trees Bend", das in seiner zerfahrenen Instrumentalisierung sehr an die Gedichtvertonungen von "Get On Jolly" (2000, mit Dirty Threes Marquis de Tren) erinnert (was das Lied deutlich aufwertet), oder dem, hm, es klingt wie ein Gemeindechor am Schluß der Platte.

Sicher: Will Oldham alias Bonnie "Prince" Billy ist auch hier eine sehr schöne Platte gelungen, eine immerhin (und bis auf ein, zwei Ausrutscher) gute Platte, aber verglichen mit seinem Jugendwerk bei den Palace Brothers et al, oder gar mit seinem opus magnum "I see a Darkness" ist "Lie Down in the Light" weit davon entfernt, das Meisterwerk zu sein, von dem die Presse momentan an allen Ecken und Enden spricht. Oldham ist angekommen, ist jetzt gesetzt, ist glücklich und erleuchtet. Seiner Musik fehlt der Schmerz, der Wahnsinn und die dadurch gegebenen Möglichkeiten zu Humor und guter Musik. Seine textliche Spiritualität führt ihn leider nur zu "good, earthly music", und das ist wohl "all there has to be".

Was mir als Fan bleibt, sind seine unzähligen Kooperationen z.B. mit Baby Dee, mit Carrie Yuri, Björk oder der wunderbaren Scout Niblett (auch, wenn er es in letzter Zeit damit übertreibt und wirklich überall dabei ist; man möchte fast von einem Indie-Bono sprechen) und seine genauso zahllosen Klein- und Kleinstveröffentlichungen wie besagte Cover-EP, oder einige feine Singles-Flipsides, auf denen er oft die Glätte zugunsten von Humor und Experimenten über Bord schmeißt, oder seltsame Liveaufnahmen, die nur in Australien erscheinen oder auf irgendwelchen Internetseiten für Liebhaber. Und tatsächlich habe ich gerade den Opener "Easy Does It" als Ohrwurm, und so schlecht fühlt es sich dann doch nicht an.

www.bonnieprincebilly.com
http://users.bart.nl
www.dragcity.com

Obviously she's ditched the original convential "off to meet the prince" look which you would associate with a business-woman-looking pencil skirt or suite, for example, and instead rolled in wearing this really fabulous white dress with red and blue stars inprinted all over it.

On leaving Oxford last Sunday, husband and I decided to travel the short distance to Blenheim and have a couple of hours there. We had to leave the guesthouse by ten o'clock in the morning, and felt that this would be both too early to go home and yet not leave enough time to go back into Oxford for more sightseeing. And so we hit on visiting Blenheim Palace as a nice way to round off our trip and avoid cutting short our precious time alone together.

After the grey and slightly rainy day which we had experienced on the Saturday, we were overjoyed to wake up to brilliant sunshine and blue skies on the Sunday. However, we hadn't realised, until we got outside, just how windy it was! It was very bizarre weather; winter strength winds with summer bright and warm sunshine.

We spent a very happy morning (that'll be another post!) and then headed off to Blenheim for a couple of hours. It was easy to find from Oxford - it must have been the first new place that we've been to where the journey was entirely without incident! There was plenty of space for parking, and we headed straight for the grounds once we left the car. We had bought the restricted tickets which only entitled us access to the grounds and parts of the palace including the restaurants and shops as we didn't feel that we would have enough time to appreciate the exibitions and state rooms. Even though the wind was horrific, we thoroughly enjoyed wandering around the grounds, especially the huge lake. It is very hard to believe that the lake is not a natural feature of the area but was dug specially to enhance the grounds and the view. We walked right down to the cascades, past the rose garden and around the outside of the private Italian garden. We sat for a while in the water terraces (not actually in the water!) and enjoyed the peace and calm of our sheltered corner.

Lunch was...interesting! There was a good selection of food to choose from, but it was extremely busy and so rather than fight my way to the counter I decided to choose something from the chilled cabinet. There were sandwiches and wraps, and (what I eventually settled on) home made quiches with a range of salads. I also added a scone with jam and clotted cream in little tubs as my pudding! Husband had a gammon and leek pie (which was rather large) with cooked vegetables. Well, once we had paid there didn't seem to be many tables left inside, so we decided to head out to the terrace. The wrought iron chairs which were lying on their backs should have been a clue as we walked out of the door. However, we thought that the terrace would be sufficiently sheltered and so we thought nothing of it. How wrong we were! Within seconds my butter tub was making a bid for freedom and our drinks were threatening to tip over, despite the heavy glasses into which they had been dispensed. I then had to resort, as the first sentence of this post suggests, to deciding which food item was the lightest and leaving the heavier things (like the quiche) for last! It was the most bizarre and giggliest meal experience I have had in a very long time!

The Palace is about an hour away by bus, so we jumped on the 5500 bus and rode from Yongin to Seoul. Then it was a short walk to the Palace. Along the way, we saw the Korean National Police gearing up for the Anti-US Beef Protest that would take place later that day. It was really neat walking through a thousand police officers in riot gear.

While we didn't have the best weather (the forecast called for steady rain), it wasn't as bad as it could have been. In fact, the most rain we got was a few drops here and there. The main Palace entrance is grand. A true sight to be seen. In front there are about 20 men dressed in period uniform that perform a Changing of the Guard ceremony roughly every 30 minutes. After taking that in, we purchased our admission tickets ($3) and I opted to buy the $1 English Audio Tour (money well spent).

So here's some history about the Palace:

• It was originally built in 1395 (three years after the founding of the Joseon Dynasty) by Yi Seong-gye and set the capitol of Korea in Seoul.
• The Palace was destroyed by Japanese incursions in the 1592 and was not rebuilt until 1868. At this time, the Palace was expanded to over 300 buildings, 5700+ rooms, and totaling over 4 million square feet in area.
• The Royal Family vacated the Palace for good after the Japanese assassination of Empress Myeongseong in1895.
• The Japanese demolished all but 11 buildings in 1911.
• Reconstruction of the Palace began in 1990 and is expected to be complete in 2009.

Walking through the Palace, you really get a sense of how massive this place is. We spent a good few hours there before they started closing it down because of the impending Protests. I wish we could have stayed a few more hours to really take in it all. The Palace has three main gates one must travel through, as a sign of respect and safety for the Imperial Family. The Ruling Hall, is actually still, for the most part, original and considered a National Treasure. Behind the hall, were the family quarters. One for the King/Emperor, one for the Queen, and one for the Prince. Surrounding these quarters were over 100 rooms for staff.

Hyanwonjeong is a small octagonal building built on a artificial lake inside the palace boundaries. It is one of the most photographed places in Korea, and I can see why. The beauty of the building, looking out on the lake and Palace is amazing.

In the far back of the Palace was Taewonjeon. It was a house that served to consecrate the paintings of the Emperor. It doubled as the royal funeral parlor.

One of the most beautiful places was Gyonghoeru Pavilion and Yeonji Pond. This large two-story structure has detached doors that one could open in the summer and close in the winter. The two story structure was used to house amazing parties. In fact the first President of Korea built a small structure on the pond so he could fish.

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We visited the Bangalore Palace. It was very nice, though nothing very especial if you have visited other places like Alhambra in Granada or the Windsor Castle, but in the same style as the latest. This Palace was constructed for the Maharaja of Mysore, in 1884. Every piece of glass has been imported from Belgium, and every painting on its walls has been painted by Raja Ravi Varma, a very well known Indian painter. The fotographs on the walls (which are hand painted and do not have any wallpaper) remind you of the different Maharajas (High Kings) of Mysore and their lifes.

After this, we visited the different goverment's buildings in Cubbon Park. They were impressive, and even more impressive the security, which did not allow us to enter the gardens to take pictures. On another note, the sentences written on the facade of the buildings were all very peculiar.

We ate something for lunch at the Lido Restaurant, located at the Ista Hotel, which I found amazing and enjoyed very much.

And finally we visited the Bull Tempel, with its huge Bull sculpture, and got some pretty weird blessing :-)

The town of Kailua Kona is the crown jewel on the island of Hawaii and the beating heart of the Kona Coast. A sleepy fishing village not so long ago, Kailua Kona is now the metropolitan center of West Hawaii’s burgeoning economy and exploding population. Founded by King Umi in the 1500’s, Kailua Kona served as the social, religious and political capital of Hawaii for several hundred years. Deeming it the loveliest spot in all the Hawaiian Islands, King Kamehameha the Great ruled his island empire during the final years of his reign from here.

Exploring the downtown area from the King Kamehameha Beach Resort to the Honl’s Beach on the south provides a couple hours pure enjoyment: easy walking along the incomparable turquoise Kona Coast under the warm, sapphire Hawaii sky, past ancient temples, missionary churches, intriguing and unique shops and wonderful restaurants. It is easy, walking here, to understand how one can be completely seduced by the magic of the Big Island.

Kailua Kona is a town made for walking, so start by parking your car. On the north side of town, abundant for-pay parking is available at the King Kamehameha Beach Hotel. Free parking on this end of town is available at Triangle Parking, between Kuakini Highway and Ali’i Drive. About half-way through town, by the Farmer’s Market and Hale Halawai Park, is a large area of free parking. On the south side of town there is abundant free parking at the Coconut Grove shopping area, and at Honl’s Beach.

Let’s start exploring Kailua Kona on the north and work our way south. The thatched structure surrounded by carved wooden idols across from the pier is ‘Ahu’ena Heiau, an ancient and sacred temple site. A temple (or Heiau) has existed on this spot since at least the first millennium, and as recently as the 15th century was occupied by a temple of human sacrifice (or luakini Heiau) dedicated to the war god Kuka’ilimoku. In 1812, King Kamehameha I ordered the heiau enlarged, rebuilt, rededicated as 'Ahu’ena Heiau (“hill of fire”), a temple of peace and prosperity dedicated to the fertility god Lono.

The current structures seen at 'Ahu’ena Heiau were re-built in 1975 under the auspices of the Bishop Museum with financial help from the Hotel King Kamehameha and are constructed to 1/3 the original scale. Here, there is a veritable forest of of carved, wooden sacred images in the “Kona Style”, considered the most refined in all Polynesia.

Three delightful, but tiny, beaches grace the immediate downtown area. The snorkeling from these small beaches is spectacular and strangely uncommon. A beautiful coral garden and vibrant reef fish can be seen snorkeling along the shoreline off 'Ahu’ena Heiau where fish, turtles and eels are abundant in Kailua Bay.

During the winter of 1819 to 1820, Congregationalist missionaries from Boston crossed the Atlantic Ocean enduring 5 months of intense stormy weather while headed for a new life in Hawai’i. In March of 1820, the missionaries sailed into the balmy waters of Kailua Bay and landed at Kamakahonu Rock (eye of the turtle), the “Plymouth Rock” of Hawai’i, which now supports the Kailua Pier.

Mokuaikaua Church, built under the leadership of missionary Asa Thurston between 1835 and 1837, was specifically aligned so that the prevailing breezes would pass through it, but also so that it presented a strong, stone façade to the south and west, the direction from which strong Kona Winds, large storms and hurricanes come. The 112-foot steeple was for many decades the highest structure in Kailua and served as a navigation landmark both for ships at sea and people on land.

The church is constructed of rough-hewn basalt blocks mortared with lime made from burnt coral and bound with kukui nut oil. The corner stones were taken from a heiau built on the same spot by King Umi in the fifteenth century. The interior beams and woodwork are of koa wood. The joints were painstakingly joined with ohi’a wood pins; this is a magnificent example of the architectural style brought to Hawai’i by the missionaries in the 19th century.

The inside of the church is beautiful, cool and inviting, and visitors are welcome between services and on weekdays between sunrise and sunset; admission is free. There is a fascinating mini-museum, small but informative, which is open daily from sunrise to sunset and free tours are conducted from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3:30 p.m. The Museum features exhibits about Hawai’i, the life of the missionaries and contains a scale model of the Brig Thaddeus.

Hulihe’e Palace was built by High Chief (later Governor) James Kuakini in 1838 as a home. For many years, the Palace was used by Hawai’ian royalty as an official residence and summer get-away palace, a place of great galas and parties, but was abandoned to ruin in 1914. Since 1928 the Palace has been operated as a museum by the Daughters of Hawai’i. The Palace Gift Store has many fine art items and hard-to-find books on Hawai’iana.

The museum is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are friendly and knowledgeable docents who give free tours, which last about 45 minutes. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $1 for students; photographing inside the museum is forbidden. The palace sustained considerable damage during the earthquake of 2007 and is currently undergoing renovation.

The Kona Inn is of particular historic significance, as it was the first destination resort to open in West Hawai’i and it ushered in the era of tourism along the Kona Coast. Built on the site of Papa ‘Ula (red flats) where a temple of human sacrifice was built by High Chief Umi, today the Kona Inn features many unique and interesting shops and fine restaurants.

The Inn fronts on a large, palm-shaded lawn that leads to a seawall and the ocean. This area is open to the public and is a really grand place for picnicking, watching whales and dolphin and the fabulous Kona sunsets.

The Kailua Farmer’s Market, open Wednesday through Sunday, lies in the parking lot at the corner of Ali’i Drive and Hualalai Road between the Public Library and Hale Halawai Park. The market offers a wide and intriguing variety of fresh produce, hand-made local arts and crafts, Hawai’iana and other types of souvenirs.

The grounds and oceanfront of Hale Halawai Park offer a peaceful, shady place for taking a rest from a busy tour of bustling downtown Kailua, or watching whales and dolphin and the unmatched Kona sunsets. Frequently honu (sea turtles) and boogey boarders can be watched from the seawall. Featuring coconut palms, a neatly manicured lawn, picnic tables and a seawall, the large, Polynesian-style pavilion is used for everything from community gatherings to orchid shows to wedding receptions.

Historic St. Michael’s Church was the first Catholic Church in West Hawai’i. The church offers services in English and Spanish throughout the week, but is primarily of historic interest; the burial plots in the cemetery date from 1855. In 1940, during less “ecologically aware” times, resident priest Father Benno Evers had his parishioners gather 2500 coral heads to build the grotto in front of the church, which covers the church’s original well. The seafloor in Kailua Bay has yet to recover from this pillaging of coral heads. This historic church sustained considerable damage during the earthquake of 2007.

Coconut Grove and Waterfront Row cap the southern end of the Kailua Village shopping district along Ali’i Drive, starting next to the Hale Halawai County Park and ending at the Royal Kona Resort. Newer and more metropolitan that its sister shopping district to the north, Coconut Grove and Waterfront Row have almost everything, from tattoos to souvenirs to Hawai’iana, fine art, musical instruments, sundries, groceries and clothing. The range of cuisines available from restaurants here sweeps from local flavor to Thai, the Hard Rock Cafe to poi crepes to pizza and burgers.

Between the Royal Kona Resort and Hale Kona Kai Resort is a fabulous tide pool that is completely protected from all but the most vicious winter surf. It boasts a moderate population of reef fish and even the occasional turtle! The water sometimes can be a bit murky, but it makes a nice place to take small children or beginning snorkelers. Drive into the entrance for the Royal Kona Resort and continue south past it until you see the blue and white Shoreline Access sign; find a place to park, go down the stairs to the tiny beach and enjoy!

Lovely but compact, Honl’s County Beach Park is a small beach on the southern outskirts of Old Kailua Town. A favorite spot for surfers and boogie boarders it also has very nice snorkeling and is an excellent place to view the sunset and picnic. Remember when going into the water here, there is a fairly strong current to the north, so stay in the shallow reef area close to the beach. Parking is located on both sides of Ali’i Dr., but can be tight here in times of good surf, and crossing Ali’i Dr. drive can be a bit dangerous at certain times of the day. A new bathroom with showers and running water has recently been constructed on the mauka—uphill--side of the road.

For more information on visiting Hawaii in general and touring the Big Island in particular, go here and here.

Initially the fort was constructed for the defence of the city. Lateron it was converted into the residence as well as Darbar of Raja’s.That is why the looking of its frontal block is like a palae. This fort remained centre of power for centuries during the rule of Poonchi Raja’s, when this region was having a status of Poonch State. At present, the Fort was being used for housing the offices of various departments and it was just like a Mini Secretarial, The building is still dominating the entire Poonch town. This structure is possibly the only of its kind in J&K State of India.

In 1996 AD, the Mughal Emperor Akbar had nominated Saraj-ud-din Rathore of village Kahuta as the ruler and Poonch with the rule title of Raja Poonch, Raja Saraj-ud-din shifted from native village to Poonch city and declared this town as the capital of his Kingdom. At that time. Poonch was very small town with 275 huts. Raja Saraj-ud-Din was residing in a Kacha Fort which was constructed on a mound of Khorinar ridge (a mohalla of Poonch town). This Kacha Fort was known a Duppli in Pahari language. Raja Saraj-ud-Din and his son Raja Fateh Mohd Khan could not thought of a bigf fort as they remained busy in subsiding and diffusing the internal disturbances.

In 1701 AD Abdul Razak Khan became the Raja of Poonch. He decided to construct a strong Fort for the fortification of Poonch town and laid the foundation of this Fort but Raja could not construct it during his tenure due to invasion of Kashmiri rulers on Poonch.

In 1760 AD, Ali Gohar Khan the younger son of Raja Abdul Razak Khan became ruler of Poonch with the title of Raja Rustam Khan. He was very fond of art and architecture. He started the main construction of Poonch Fort. The legend goes that the work of main entry to the fort was not getting stabilized till the only surviving teenager son of a Brahmin widow from Surankot area was embedded in the main wall as per the vision of the Raja in a dream. A commemorative temple of this unknown martyr is still available near the southern entrance of the Fort bear testimony to this legend. After sacrificing the boy in the wall, the main construction of the Fort was started and it was completed by Raja Rustam Khan in 1779 AD Raja Rustam Khan shifted in the Fort and started conducting his Darbar. The architectural style of the block constructed by Raja Rustam Khan has distinct Mughal influences.At present 80% portion of this block has got collapsed.

In 1819 AD, Poonch state was captured by Maharaja Ranjit Singh when he was on the way to conquer Kashmir. His Governors had converted Poonch Fort into the garrison of Khalsa forces. In 1937 AD a local rebellion Shamas Khan Maldyal revolted against the regime of Lahore Darbar and declared himself the Raja of Poonch. At that time apart from Poonch town, there were 12 other small Forts (Dupplies) in Poonch . Shamas Khan captured all these Forts. Then assaulted on the Poonch Fort with a big Force. Mian Bishna a Khalsa General with a contingent of Punjabi soldiers was stationed in the fort at that time. He successfully defended the Fort from the assault of Shamas Khan,only became he was taking shelter of this strong Fort.

From 1827 to 1850 AD Poonch was a Jagir of Raja Dhayan Singh the Prime Minister of Raja Ranjit Singh. This Illaqa was directly governed by the Khalsa Darbar of Lahore. No doubt that this was the most disturbing period in the history of Poonch even then Punjabi Governors have done a commendable work not only in repairing of the original Fort but also they added one big block on the north eastern side of this fort which bears the influence of Sikh architectural style. More than 60 percent part of this block have been collapsed and damaged badly during the earth quake of 2005.

In the light of the verdict of Court of Mentgumry Lorence of Lahore in 1948 Mian Moti Singh a third son of Raja Dhayan Singh became the first Dogra ruler of Poonch state in 1852. At the time of his arrival at Poonch, the condition of Fort was going from bad to worse. Initially he passed orders of repairing and renovation of the fort. After sometime in 1872, Raja shifted in the fort along with his family and Darbar. Then he ordered for redesigning of the fort of the fort on western style. He engaged a European architect who designed the frontal block of the Fort. In this way, the frontal block was added by Raja Moti Singh in the Fort during his tenure from 1852-1892 AD. The work was so superb that the appearance of the Fort changed into a palace.

Upto 1942 AD Poonch Fort was used as a Secretariat by Poonchi Rajas. At that time Fort Complex was consisted of Baghi Khan, Hansli Kanal, Bagh Deodi and Fountain garden. After the happenings of 1947, the Fort building remained un- renovated for a long period. With passage of Travel time, 70% part of southern block constructed during Muslim period and 40% part of northern block built by Sikh Governors got collapsed.No doubt that frontal block was intact but that too was declared unsafe during 1988 by R&B experts and a new construction after demolishing the original Fort was proposed. Luckily Ashok Jaitly, the then Financial Commissioner Planning and Development Department paid a visit to Poonch in 1989 and after inspecting Fort building he rejected proposal of demolishing the Fort and asked the experts to prepare a proposal of renovation of this historical monument of Poonch. By this way, Rs 30.00 lacs were sanctioned for the renovation of the Fort during 1990. But the renovation work was geared up only during 1990-1991 on the initiative of P. Dhar Chakarbarty, District Development Commissioner Poonch. Upto the end the March 1991, 52 out of 79 rooms were renovated by the department and the Construction work in frontal and northern block have been completed but the renovation of southern block constructed during Muslim period was not taken in hand. Presently when the reconstruction of Fort building have again been started from 2007-2008 it is expected that this Fort again attain its original glory and glamour in the future.

19/06/08

The Black Keys and Lady Strangelove

Thursday night I ventured out to the cold streets of Melbourne (shit it’s been cold lately!) for a night of crazy psych rock and good ol' dirty blues. The night started trying to sell a ticket at the front of the venue after a late pullout, which isn’t the best way to start your night. I had a deadline to sell it by, as I was super keen to check out Lady Strangelove. Luckily we found a guy (selling it cheaper felt dirty) and we walked into the new Palace (formerly the Metro).

Adelaide’s Lady Strangelove was up straight away, and I was totally captured by their brutal assault of psychedelic blues. They were all over the shop, with only the bass player keeping a solid groove throughout, but it suited their unpredictability and spontaneous jamming, with the guitarist and lead singer going berserk across the stage. Guitarist Josh Van Looy, was a splitting image of Mick Taylor from the Rolling Stones circa 1971 and it wasn’t only his look he was emulating. Whether it was straight up chunky Led Zeppelin riffs or total freak out Mars Volta solo’s, the guy can definitely play.

Lead singer Brenny Shaw kept the theme of the 70’s sound with his best Robert Plant howl and summed up the band when he announced 10 minutes into their set by saying “ This is our last song, but don’t worry it goes for 20 minutes”. This is definitely a band to keep an eye on.

After witnessing the giant tyre blowing up as the backdrop of the black keys stage, representing Akron, Ohio, it was time to get down and dirty with the bluesome twosome.

First up was a selection from the Back Keys back catalogue. Representing the albums Thickfreakness and the Rubber Factory was a one two punch of “Girl is on My Mind" and “Set You Free”. With minimal banter in between they launched into "10am Automatic" and "Thickfreakness". By now the crowd was won over already by the Keys feel good tunes, and by the time it reached them playing songs from the new album “Attack and Release” the Melbourne audience had already lapped up everything they served.

A few prolonged extended jams with crowd favourites “Busted” and “Stack shot Billy” demonstrated just how amazingly tight the two piece are as well as showcasing the talent of Dan Auerbach’s finger picking guitar skills. A cover of a Captain Beefheart song gave the crowd a glimpse into Auerbach’s soulful voice, with the strong lights also showcasing the impressive beard the man has grown. This isn’t just any ordinary beard; I mean you could get lost in it! Patrick Carney deserves mention for his work behind the drum kit. It never ceases to amaze me the power that is generated from such a skinny man. Carney’s hard pounding and endless energy drives each bluesy number.

A quick break after the entertainment of a crazy guy that jumped into the giant tyre and they were back for more tracks off the new album.

A huge response from the crowd as the duo left the building demonstrated just how much love Australia has for the band. Listening to the warm fuzzy blues of the Black Keys was a perfect way to spend a cold Melbourne night.

Lady Strangelove

The Black Keys

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