Ever woken up and had no idea where you were or how you got there? Well that's kinda the feeling we've got right now. Its like we've been frozen since December.. but don't feel bad, we had some rather good dreams while sleeping. Don't take our word for it though, come freeze too?

Apparently we thawed just in time for festival time, especially the DIY format festival! But if you can't wait till March for some action, don't pee.. Thursday there's an exhibition, a very nice exhibition by Sam & Joel VDK. If you buy them a beer they might even draw on you.

Title art by Joel VDK.

Once upon an intrigue

We haven't seen much from the artist (Joelie Croser) before, and have only heard a little bit from the musicians, but this exhibition sounds like its going to be rather good. It sounds like it'll be kindy for grown ups. All sitting on the carpet, crossed legs, whispering to your friends while the uncensored, beautiful and intimate stories are shared through cute illustrations and live music. Nice.

When: 6pm Wednesday 4th March
Where: Grace Emily, 232 Waymouth St, city.

Art in an alley

Rohan Fraser is tall. He's taller than all of us, and he also has a wonderful radio voice. But these attributes pale into insignificance next to his rather large art brain.

Rohan's brain thought it might be fun to have an exhibition in an alley. We think its genius. So if you'd like to see his latest amazing paintings of clandestine strangers, seAmen, ghouls and chickens, all in the comfort of dark alley then this is your chance.

When: 6pm - 9pm, Friday, March 6th.
Where: Alley (Adjacent Taj Tandoor) 290 Rundle Street.

The Deli: The Second Coming

What the hell happened to the corner store? My fragile eyes water and become bloodshot at the very sight of the local BP On The Run, painfully bright and hostile in its' fluorescent and sterile impersonality.

I recall a corner store in Largs Bay when I was growing up that sold 'Cheeseburgers'. The Deli owner would grab a slice of cheese place it in a hot dog roll and flatten it to paper thickness in a toaster while cooking it to oblivion.

Some corner stores were better than others.

However, it is sad to see corner stores littered throughout our suburbs derelict and abandoned for the convenience of two bottles of coke you don't need for $7. What a deal!

The Deli on George St in Thebarton invokes these childhood corner store memories albeit in a slightly more adult cafe form, with simply tasty food, good tunes, and local art adorning it's walls and cabinets. We've grown up a little, and so too has this old corner store.

The Deli, 54a George St, Thebarton.
www.thedeli.com.au

Fixies at Deus ex Machina

Some people say the Fixie is just another fashion accessory for the hipster devolution, but these people fail to recognize that beautiful simplicity in a bicycle is desirable and aesthetically exciting. The rear derailleur is a blight on bicycle design, its practical yes, but goddam is it ugly. Like a little silver growth hanging from a bicycle's pleasing figure, a goiter or a moley moley moley. MOLE!

Hipster accessory or not, people enjoy things for different reason. Some people will dig a fixie because it is pretty to look at, others for the connection to a bicycle that requires much more of them (and their knees) and provides more performance. Others are purist and think about truly mad times when men rode the alps in the Tour De France on fixies until the 1930s.

So after all, who gives a damn, enjoy the ride. Fixies are great to ride and motorcycle custom guru's Deus ex Machina know this, they are now making their own beautiful cycles.

www.deus.com.au

Exhibition!

Remember the artwork on top of the last slice? Well that was the work of our good friend the beard stroker, mister Sam. He's been painting his little n*pples off, and now he's teamed up with his humble but equally as uber talented friend Joel VDK for a nice little exhibition.

We think its going to be quite good, so you might like to join us for a peep.

When: This Thursday, 19th February, 8pm.
Where: Ed Castle (233 Currie St, West End)
Web: artofsamevans | dspose.com

Somewhere Between Waking and Dreaming

Coming up at A Room Of Her Own is 'Somewhere Between Waking and Dreaming', Nic Brown's ethereal portraits on canvas and silk appropriating nineteenth century photography.

The artist uses pronounced and intense colour to create a place of the 'in-between' realm. The women within Nic Brown's paintings appear to leak: their memories and movements visible as their dresses merge with their surroundings.

Where: A Room of Her Own
5 Elizabeth St (aka Queen St.) Croydon
Opens: Saturday 28th February, 6pm.

Leader Cheetah; 'Bloodlines'
words by Dan.

First single Bloodlines from Leader Cheetah's debut full-length evokes gritty raw emotion, nervous energy juxtaposed with smooth and beautiful melody. The Neil Young-esque vocals of lead singer Dan wail above post punk rythyms and jagged lead riffs, all constructed in an enjoyably unconventional arrangement.

The Sunspot Letters is out through Spunk!

listen at: www.myspace.com/leadercheetah

Joe Lally ex Fugazi @ The Metropolitan Hotel

Seems like hotels in this town are going two ways, rebirthing as stainless steel behemoths for the nouveau riche and the solarium set, or more respectfully, being lifted out of darker depths to honour their pasts in tasteful renovations while promoting art and music.

The Metropolitan is that pub across from The Central Market that had the dubious day-glo banner across the front, “we open at 7:30am”, or some shit like that. It wasn't a blue collar establishment but a purveyor of breakfast whisky for the unfortunates that have fallen through the cracks. Essentially, a sad and rough place.

But it has been reborn, popping up as yet another new live music stalwart in Adelaide. So it's exciting to know that Joe Lally, ex Fugazi bassist and solo artist in his own right will bring the socio-politics to The Metro in heavy, intricate and explosive musical form.

Where: The Metropolitan Hotel, Grote St, City.
When: Thursday 12 March, 2009.
How Much: $12

Lyrics

As 2008 drew to a close, it was time for every man and his blog to drop their two cents on the best song, the best album and the best live show of the year amongst other things. But what about the poets amongst us? When will they receive their dues? The answer is now, it is our pleasure to honour 2008’s most outstanding wordsmiths.

Don’t Smoke by Mount Eerie
(written by Phil Elverum)

Is it because a little part of you wants to be dead?

Every line in this song echoes a lyrical sentiment that Quit would be proud of. But this one in particular whole-heartedly sums up the notion that, well, sometimes smokers suck.

Kilby by Mercy Arms
(written by Mercy Arms)

I asked her just to say her name.
And she told me it was far too plain.
I couldn’t care at the time.
But I think that I’ve changed my mind.
Susannah, Susannah, Susannah.

From Mercy Arms’ intriguing debut, standout tune Kilby produces more than just gorgeous effects and a kicking beat. Maybe you’ve been there, maybe you haven’t, either way these lines are stunning.

Skeleton Man by Evangelicals
(written by Josh Jones)

When someone loves you very much.
You’re Fucked!

We may not personally agree with his words, but as Josh Jones’ distorted screams close the stunning Skeleton Man amidst a chaotic crescendo, it’s hard to deny the pure poetry of these lines.

Words by Nick

RIP Mixwit

Just when you thought it was safe to make virtual mixtapes to share with your best pals, BAM! the RIAA (Record Industry Association of America) strikes again! On the 18th of December at approximately 7.55pm, an email was issued by the Mixwit creator announcing that the mix creating site would be shut down by 2008’s end.

Unfortunately this means that the charming mix tapes we created for your enjoyment will be destroyed and never to be found again. The Mixwit founders did not specify the exact reasons for their downfall, only eluding that “we boldly marched into in a position best described as between a rock and a hard place.” We can only presume that they have met the same sad demise as the much publicised Muxtape case, in which the RIAA waved their magic wand and *poof!* Muxtape was never to be the same again.

I mean I guess those almighty record industry powers have a point though, how callous of us to enjoy music and want to share it with our friends in a free and easily accessible format?

Words by Nick

Lantern La Lumiere

When the Rundle lantern first launched we might have had a little bit of a rant about how expensive it was for a device that the public paid for and yet was closed to the public for programming.

Well it looks like someone from the project has come to their senses and finally opened the lantern up to a select public group. One of those people is Dan Monceaux, who has kindly blogged about his experience so far. Nice one Dan.

Want to get a sneak peak at the animations the public kids of adelaide have come up with? Check the simulator.

Hopefully this launch will have less jibber jabber by our self obsessed lord mayer.. might run on time then too!

When: 8.30pm, Thursday, February 26th
Where: The corner of Rundle and Pulteney St

Fugazi

I feel as though I need to stand, surrounded by a circle of supportive, albeit slightly pathetic folk as I say this: "My name is Amy and I am not a Fugazi fan." I've let skeletons like this fly out of the closet before and receive the same pitying look each time, a look that seems to say, "one day you'll understand." I imagine I'll get that look a few times more in the coming weeks because another former member, Joe Lally is coming to Adelaide, just to make me feel like some kind of pariah, I imagine. Now, normally I'd dedicate this cult section (of which I have grown quite attached) to some items of cultural importance that I have read/watched/listened to. But not this time. This time I will prove to all you Fugazi-loving naysayers that I am capable of swallowing my pride and opening my mind and write about a few things maybe even I need to delve into. Here goes.

I'm not really sure of which album to recommend, but the cover of this one always reminds me of someone else's. Can anyone help me with the reference here? See, the tough thing about Fugazi is you can't really find your "gateway" record. Most Fugazi fans (Fugazians?) will act akin to a parent being asked which child is their favourite when confronted with the best album question, and I think it's kind of against the whole Fugazi "vibe" to buy into that best album stuff anyway. I would probably recommend going for the one with the biggest letters on it. However, since we are talking about Joe Lally, why not jump that hurdle when you get to it, and go straight to one of his records. I like the sound of the drummer's name on "Nothing Is Underrated". Ricardo Lagomasino. Good name.

As for books, I've been meaning to read "Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground, 1981-1991" by Michael Azzerad, for years now. I can't tell you much about it other than it's meant to be awesome and also features Sonic Youth/Big Black/Mission of Burma/etc so if you're like me and you're one of those token "I'm not a Fugazi fan wah wah wah" people you'll have heaps to fall back on. But they're in there. More preparation? I will next time. It's been a long, hot summer, guys.

Joe Lally plays The Metropolitan, Grote Street, on March 12.