three things

Down the assembly line ... to the bits of the world that are sinking

2009-09-11T10:38:00.005+10:00

With the December UN climate change conference in Copenhagen quickly approaching, it was suggested to me that it might be appropriate take a thread of ethical fashion and start sewing a climate change patchwork.

My name is Trina. I’m a fairly recent recruit to Three Things. Having been drawn by its original and rather novel way of creating awareness of social issues, it’s now my turn to contribute and a particular area of interest is climate-induced displacement and the world's response.

By way of introduction, climate-induced displacement is the phenomenon that’s occurring worldwide. Rising sea-levels, coastal erosion and freak weather patterns are all consequences of climate-change. But what’s not so obvious is that slowly but surely, whole islands are sinking as waters rise. Sometimes, as in the case of the Carteret Islands in Papua New Guinea, this can leave a whole people homeless.

It's really happening all over the world. Flooding streets in Mumbai, for example, are just a small sign of things to come (this is a photo I shot recently in Mumbai). It's definitely a problem that belongs to the world. Check this out: http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=881

three things will be a great forum to keep up-to-date with the climate change developments in the world and to look at creative things fashion-designers and all other people are doing to take Ethical Living to the next level!

Don't throw your clothes away!

2009-09-05T20:13:00.001+10:00

Whatever you do, don't throw your old clothes away! Drop them off at your nearest Salvation army store or bin.

And if you're looking for some good cheap, vintage buys at the Salvation army or vinnies, I suggest paying the ones in Paddington and Surrey Hills a visit. Having volunteered at the Salvation Army store a long time ago, I remember the old ladies there lamenting to me the fact that they no longer see the occasional Chanel piece because it all goes to the city stores.

DIY...duct tape?

2009-09-05T10:44:00.001+10:00

Apparently Duct tape in the U.S. holds an annual competition for "prom kids" (it is a big thing over there). Some of them are really quite amazing, while the others are more on the amusing scale of things.

I'm curious, does anyone own any clothes made out of strange materials?

Spring clean your wardrobe with exchange for change

2009-09-04T10:30:00.002+10:00

Fashion swap parties are very popular at the moment, it's a great way to recycle your clothes and get some of those clothes off your fashionable friend that you've always wanted to have.

Oxfam is helping people host fashion swap parties thoughout September, with all the instructions and details all painfully thought out for you, so that all you need to do is send out an invite. Go here to find out more:

http://www.oxfam.org.au/events/exchange-for-change/how-does-it-work.html

Sass and Bide and the Shine collective

2009-08-24T21:01:00.001+10:00

Here's your feel good story for the day :)

Sass and Bide recently held an auction in the uk to sell artworks created for their shine collective project, with over $50,000 raised to help children's charities and including Barnardos in Australia. It's so good to see companies giving back to the community.
The artworks auctioned were created by celebrities, and represented what 'shine' meant to them:

go to sassandbide.com.au to see the others and find out more :)

Chain stores putting in green links

2009-08-23T10:08:00.001+10:00

Chain stores are notorious for getting the cheapest materials they can, using the cheapest labour they can and pummeling their stores with lots and lots of it. It's not just a problem with how these clothes are produced but what we do with these clothes after they've passed their use-by date - waste online reports than in the UK, the country that made 'high street shopping' famous, over 1 million tonnes of clothing is thrown away to land fill

I've recently been looking at a lot of online chainstore websites, wondering if they had caught on to the green trend, and while visits to Australian websites such as the Just Group, Pacific Brands or Target don't reveal any statements on whether they're even aware of their environmental/ ethical responsibilities with regards to fashion, there is encouraging movement in overseas chain stores. For example TopShop in the UK stocks capsule ranges of ethical fashion from time to time. Their Annie Greeenabelle label stocks fair trade and organic clothing (that's a 2 in 1!) that's really very cute -

American Apparel in the U.S. has a fairtrade statement on their website, stating that they promise to pay atleast the minimum wage.

Big clothing companies are beginning to recognise the wide market for ethical fashion that exists...that's encouraging right?

Stella McCartney

2009-08-19T20:20:00.000+10:00

This is the pic from Stella McCartney's latest fashion collection, it stars some cute disney animals and as she says on her website: "The best thing you can do to help animals is to not eat or wear them. Let others know about the abuse that animals endure and ask them to say no to meat and leather too." (That was stella's eco-tip #1 by the way)

In case you didn't know, Stella mcCartney is the daughter of Beatles singer Paul McCartney, although, she's so famous in the fashion world now that she no longer needs to be introduced as her father's daughter. She also has a capsule collection out at the moment made from organic materials, along with many little eco tips and interesting fact such as the fact that they use 100% bio-degradable corn bags that decompose within 1 year.

goo goo ga ga cuckoo

2009-08-18T10:30:00.001+10:00

Apparently Lady Gaga wore this as a satirical comment against the use of fur. So, the irony/satire is a little lost on me...perhaps she should just do a peta ad instead?

Although seriously, the skinning of animals used for fur is outright disgusting, especially considering that it can take the skin of many very young animals to make a fur coat - the younger the animal, the softer the fur. These animals are often "drowned, trapped, electrocuted and beaten" for their fur.

Did you know there are currently 505 different styles of shoes for purchase on the nike website?

2009-08-13T21:24:00.005+10:00

Here's an interesting tid-bit from vogue.uk: Big brands Nike and Adidas have declared a ban on leather goods made in Brazil as a result of a greenpeace report on the effects of cattle farming on the amazon forest. Thousands of acres of forest have been cleared in order to allow cattle farming for leather goods and meat.

Nike and Adidas have been trying to "green up" their image recently, with Nike announcing a few years back that it intended to have 5% of it's total clothing sourced from organic cotton - what about the other 95% you ask? Well, for a big manufacturer like Nike who uses so much cotton, 5% is a good start. Adidas haven't been behind in trying to catch up on green-creds, they also have a organic clothing line, not to mention regular collaborations with ethical fashion poster girl Stella McCartney.

And while it's all nice and rosy that everyone is trying to cash in on the green-trend and appeal to consumers, there is still a lot more that needs to be done. It's a shame that companies are not taking ethical working conditions to heart, choosing instead to focus on the environmental impacts which are more marketable. Oxfam Australia reports that neither commits to providing living wages for it's workers and still supress trade unions, preventing it's workers from getting better working conditions: http://www.oxfam.org.au/campaigns/labour-rights/

Feeling like D-I-Y?

2009-08-07T18:13:00.000+10:00

I've been noticing lots of vintage scrabble tiles and keys being turned into necklaces on etsy, and it reminded me of one of my favourite stores in Surrey Hills - David Met Nicole.

It's a curiousity shop with the best collection of vintage odds and ends you can think of - Last time I was there, there was a huge bowl of vintage keyrings, and old scrabble tiles sitting near the doorway, the time before, a basket full of porcelain dolls that had been dug up from near an old doll factory.

I can't help thinking that the more artistically minded would know what to do with all of this. I went on their website (http://www.davidmentnicole.com/), and I couldn't help sharing some of the quirky things that turned up there today...

Vintage French teaching cards

1950s die-cast toy cars (there were also cogs, french bobbins, dolls...)

A medicinal drawer

French road signs that have been turned into a table

A birdcage lamp!

Track and trace your clothing

2009-08-06T08:51:00.011+10:00

“Wouldn’t it be great if you could buy your favourite brand made in a sustainable manner?”

This is a new iniative from Europe which I recently came accross while trawling one of those annoyingly addictive celebrity blogs. The caption read something about some harry potter stars attending an event hosted by Made-by.

Made-by is an organisation started in Europe which 1. Ensures that it's clothing is made from sustainable and ethical practices, 2. Gives designers and suppliers advice on how to be more sustainable.

Made-by allows consumers to track where your clothing has been grown, spun, and sewed, until it reaches you. It really puts into perspective where you clothes are from, and all the processes that are involved. You can find out exactly how fair-trade, ethical, sweat-shop free, environmentally friendly it is. And then, at the end of the year, each company is given a scorecard on how ethical they've been. The emphasis really is on empowering the consumer through knowledge. I think this is the best approach to certifying ethical clothing that I have seen yet.

Here's an example of one label I tracked, M'Braze, a dutch fashion label:

Oh, and here's that picture of those Harry Potter stars who attended an even hosted by Made-by in England, where celebrities (?) sewed on buttons on a map of the world to show the complex supply-chain involved in creating clothes. It's great to see that Ethical Fashion is becoming a much more mainstream cause and that there is growing awareness of how important it is.

www.made-by.org

Recylcling Jeans

2009-08-04T17:47:00.004+10:00

Check out these gorgeous clothes and furnishings made of recycled denim from doitwithdenim.org, an initiative of jeans for jeans day. The irony is that they look better than the original $2 jeans they were made from. Can't pick a favourite.

the new "vintage"

2009-08-01T13:42:00.012+10:00

It started with op-shops, which turned into "vintage shops" and all of a sudden became the new hip craze (i'm looking at you Nicole Richie). There is that joke of labelling anything old and tragic you have as "vintage" and suddenly becoming fashionable, sort of like pronouncing Target as Tar-jay. The new "vintage" is now is re-inventing vintage, or 2nd hand clothing clothing to make it more wearable, fashionable and unique.

The scale of invention starts with classic reworking and restoration with a little modern twist, like this dress at Net-a-porter, the online fashion it-store with designers from Fendi to A.P.C. to Marc Jacobs, this is a re-worked 1920s gold lame number from One Vintage (Spare 1,606 pounds anyone?)

...To the other side of the spectrum where designer Fee Doran (alias Mrs Jones), has created an amazing capsule collection for Oxfam in the UK of re-worked 2nd hand clothing, putting the emphasis back on the importance of recycling and and having a bit of individual style!

The Oxfam UK also has heaps of great d-i-y solutions such as how to turn your jeans into shirts @ oxfam.org.uk/diy , or even how to transform a t-shirt into m-c hammer pants (admittedly, not for everyone)

Oh, and one last thing: Dear Oxfam Australia, please turn up at my next music festival with this:

What does the ethical in ethical fashion mean? And why is the fashion industry getting hit with the ethical stick?

2009-07-26T10:19:00.005+10:00

I’ve been meaning to make a post on this topic for a while, ever since I read Ecoguy’s comments in this post on using sustainable dyes and examining the environmental impact of clothing. It’s true that ethical fashion is a diamond with many facets – there are so many ethical considerations that need to me made all the way along the complex supply chain.

It reminded me of a comment I read from Jean Touitou, the designer of cult French label A.P.C., who, when asked about the price of cotton and its environmental impact replied:

“I’m very suspicious because a lot of brands do not seem to care about the planet. They care about marketing and they know environmental things are very sellable. People advertise organic cotton but then dye their cotton in a totally chemical fashion that will fuck up the land. I’m always shocked by the fact that nobody in fashion, at least very few, know about environmental impacts caused by the industry.”

While there seems to be some growing awareness of organic and fair trade clothing because it is a sellable focal point, the environmental impact of clothing is often ignored. I remember reading somewhere once that half the carbon footprint of a piece of clothing was generated after it was disposed, which is quite concerning when you think of the disposable nature of lots of the clothing in the stores today.

The challenge for designers trying to be ethical is mind-boggling enough, besides the actual designing and manufacturing of clothes, there is a growing call for them to start considering the back-story of what they do, examining what materials they use, what they’re paying their workers, the use of transport etc. – the focus is on ethical fashion at the moment, and we can all sit back and try and let the designers work it out for themselves, but we all have a carbon footprint, we are all guilty of driving the car everywhere, why all this focus on one industry?
The thing is, the fashion industry are trend-setters, there are magazines and designer-worshippers who name their kids after designer labels. What you see in the shops translates to magazines, to cinema, to T.V., infiltrating pop culture, and dictates very much how we live out lives.

This is why designers need to start re-assessing all facets of their clothing sourcing and design, with a real focus of educating the consumer and being ethical at heart. It’s not use just sticking an organic label on your clothing if it’s just to seem ethical.

Pimp my ride...bicycle edition

2009-07-22T08:46:00.005+10:00

My friend in Denmark sent me a postcard a few weeks ago, with a short message about having lots of fun and riding bicycles around copenhagen (as I seethed with jealousy). While bike riding in Australia appears to be something only tight-wearing serious sport-aficianados do, in Amsterdam, they do things a bit differently.....

All you need is a few fake flowers, a bike and you've got a flower power machine...how about that for a (cheaper and much more eco-friendly) fashion statement instead of a mini-cooper with racing stripes then?

(first 2 pics from amsterdermize.com and last 2 pictures from eveandersson.com)

This is an etsy post!

2009-07-21T17:36:00.007+10:00

Going on etsy is like going to the markets, but online. I like going to the markets, but I can't get up early enough on a saturday morning to catch two buses and and a train eastward. So here is a post, dedicated to everything I love about etsy Like these cute recycled books by TheBlackSpotBooks which use recycled leather for their covers

Or these adorable recycled camera clocks by Artsy

Or these quirky necklaces by Reworkd (This one's called Time of Death unkown)

Etsy also introduced me to the term upcycled - where designers take something existing, and alter it - paint it, change it, update it to something new and original - usually with a quirky vintage feel.

Like this bag by featured seller hoakonhelga, who makes all her bags out of old leather jackets

Or this cute suitcase with blimp painted on from BrightWall

...I could go on, but I need to stop and go and buy something.

It's fresh, it's green...so suck on it

2009-07-17T14:53:00.005+10:00

I just got the latest issue of Peppermint magazine. It's an australian mag with an eco-conscious and ethical spirit (the best kind). The great thing about it is that the photoshoots, articles and cute d-i-y projects are exactly (if not better than) what you would see in any other indie magazine - being ethical is so easy these days!

But what I really loved about it were the articles on really inspiring young people (fashion designers mostly) who are helping others and the environment, and making a success of themselves in the process. These are the role models that we should be reading about! Not page long farcicles on whether certain russian models have eaten/ regurgitated recently backstage or what version prada phone they're using.

Take Lisa Gorman of Gorman or Jodie Fried of Bholu who ethically employs female crafters in the slums of India for their techniques and skills as part of her eco-textiles label, and has used those profits to build 8 schools in Northern India in the last 4 years.

Apart from my particularly nerdy and irrational gripe over the fact that peppermints are in fact blue, not green (spearmints are green), I love this magazine and what it stands for - Issue Three is on newsagency shelves at the moment or at www.leeloo.com.au

Ethical Living.

2009-07-16T08:09:00.009+10:00

I was watching Grand Designs on Tuesday night (what else do you do on Tuesday nights when you have the flu?) and they profiled an eco-house being built in France made of recycled tyres, mud, recycled wood and...recycled glass bottles.

The recycled tyre wall being built up

Contrary to looking like a dark, terrible 3rd world mud-shack disaster, the house was so refreshing and absolutely charming that I couldn't help posting about it. Almost everything that went into the building is made from recycled materials and has so much character - as the saying goes, home is where the heart is, and this house is truly an ethical living philosophy.

The bathroom with reclaimed wood and recycled glass bottle wall

The bedrooms

There's a short video tour on youtube from the show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tFJa2aHgN4 which is so worth looking at because the pictures don't do justice to this amazing house.

Clothing Nutritional Labels

2009-07-13T08:31:00.007+10:00

This has recently turned up on all my food and I'm starting to become very conscious about everything that I'm eating (moment on the lips...lifetime on the hips sort of conscious)...

On a related note, Timberland, a clothing manufacturer in the U.S. has introduced nutritional labels for it's footwear

I can't help thinking that this is such a great idea! Fashion goes through so many processes and is so multidimesional that there really should be something to track everyone of them. My only criticism is that it doesn't show enough! There's no inidication of whether they use sweatshops or fair-trade materials. If only the clothing industry could develop a standardised one of these and make it mandatory. I think it would make clothing manufacturers' a lot more conscious about what they're putting into their clothes as well.

What do you think...Marketing gimmick or step forward?

T-shirt surgery

2009-07-06T20:25:00.006+10:00

Problem: no money, no clothes, rainy days.

Solution: T-shirt surgery.

T-shirt surgery has been around for a while. It's pretty easy, and most people with half a sewing machine can salvage an old shirt and turn it into something unique and totally D-I-Y made by yourself - in fact this is how many urban fashion labels start - as a sort of underground pastiche of what is strange and influential at the moment.

There's heaps of great websites to help you ressurect those lost worlds in your wardrobe:

Oh-my-stars - heaps of tutorials on things like halter tops, wrap tops and printed shirts

t-shirt surgery on LJ - T-shirt surgery community where people post what they've made

Life Lab - Turn a t-shirt into a hoodie (It actually looks really good...no really)

Generation T - they have a few free tutorials and also a book if you're interested

There's more than just T-shirts out there as well, a brief search turns up heaps of DIY solutions to high-end designer wear that costs more than it's worth - a pair of scissors will get you these Rodarte leggings at Park and Cube:

Let me know if you make something!

You Copycat

2009-07-03T16:50:00.006+10:00

In a world where we all strive to be original why do we copy clothes or buys from mass production labels? OK so I am generalising a bit, but the best thing about 'ethical' designers is that they are original? Take new London Designer Lu Flux, who was in this months Australian Frankie Magazine- OK so her clothes are quite out there but they are perfect for winter and "Lu Flux tailors to the individual market"
Which means you don't have to really worry about turning up at a party with the same dress (admit it we have all had though about it) in fact chances are people will comment on how individual your clothing is. Go Ethical! oh and one more quick note- quality over quantity: this is particularly true when buying mass produced V's hand made. There is nothing more frustrating that wearing a t-shirt once and it being twice the size after one wash!

OK next post- vintage vs new

Have a good weekend

DIY-styling

2009-07-02T09:18:00.012+10:00

I came accross the Noki brand of DIY fashion while flipping through an old magazine yesterday. Founded by "Dr Noki" a.k.a. JJ, the brand is weaving its' way through the fashion subculture, having recently been featured in the V&A's installation workshop.

The brand re-works 2nd hand mass produced clothing and turn them on their head into completley unique one-off pieces. Sort of like an ethical "street couture" for the masses.

It's an ironic comment on consumption - rebellion against this idea of homogeneous commodities so mass produced, (and as noki puts it, probably "outsourced to underpaid workers through a complex supply chain"), that they devoid us of our humanity - after all, it does at times feel like we are robots wearing what we are told to wear by the major fashion labels, and dressed in pretty little uniforms every season.

There's an online zine as well as videos of their art installations at Novamatic

(Also check out i-D magazine's May issue if you're interested in reading the article)

Why buy organic fashion?

2009-06-30T10:59:00.013+10:00

Organic cotton and organic fabric is becoming a growing trend in fashion, it's infiltrated the mainstream - even high fashion labels such as Stella McCartney are using it. A friend of mine recently brought a pair of organic adidas shoes - admittedly for the design, but she admitted the organic materials were a nice side-effect. But what is this hoo-ha over organic fabric all about?

Organic fabric is about recognising the impact that pesticides used in cotton plantations can have on the environment and the communities that grow them. If you look at the amount of cheap mass-produced clothing available, it's not hard to imagine the quantity of cotton that is needed to produce them (21.8 million tonnes per year in case you were wondering). What is worse, is that while some other products made from natural fibres is recyclable such as paper, it is not easy to recycle clothes, and too often we are guilty of buying shamelessy and then throwing them away without much after thought.

Organic clothing is not cheap however - it's still an upcoming trend, but with major labels catching the organic wave, it will hopefully start people thinking. There are also heaps of great Australian labels producing organic clothing such as:

Bassike

Gorman Organics

Cylk

Skinny Nelson and friends

Let me know if you find any more, and I'll add them on.

Identifying ethical fashion

2009-06-26T14:38:00.007+10:00

The problem with ethical fashion is that it's not blatantly obvious, most clothes only say what country they're made from not a detailed list of what conditions their employees work under or how much they're getting paid.

I recently found out about the The no-sweatshop-label, it's an australian accreditation that garauntees that clothing with this label is produced ethically and workers receive at least the minimum wage and working conditions.

They have a list of ethical designers at: http://www.nosweatshoplabel.com/ethical_manufacturers.asp

It's great to see some high profile designers such as Colette Dinnigan joining the move towards more ethical fashion.

Ethical fashion discoveries

2009-06-25T12:45:00.003+10:00

Hello, I am Helen and I have been finding out quite a bit about ethical fashion. Most importantly ethical fashion covers a huge range of topics, from slave labour, eco friendly clothing, bad working hours to name a few. It covers all the ethics of making clothes. However, in a worldwide recession it is easy to pick up the cheaper tops/shoes/bags. Now I’m not about to begin preaching as I still do buy the odd cheap top etc, particularly when the funds are limited. But each time I do I do feel slightly guilty so I guess in a way I am raising awareness, even if just to myself. What we tend to do is look on the surface only, not think about or look at where clothes come from or how they are made.

Answer: Boutiques, often small boutiques have collections of Australian designers, often new ones who make their own clothes. This means they are not getting someone else to make them and are selling them for only a small profit compared to huge chain stores. You also get the assurance that the clothes are well made.

Not only boutiques of course, any second hand shop or vintage shop no doubt has rows of second hand clothing. Perfect for the environment, recycle your clothes.

I will also post all out old my old links from Facebook on here shortly. What I would love is some designer contribution, what are your thoughts on ethical fashion, pros and cons and really any other input you have.

Thanks

Ethical Fashion Discussions are coming to town

2009-06-16T12:49:00.005+10:00

Over the last few months Helen and Kylie have been entertaining us with their journey into ethical fashion on our facebook discussion board. Now that journey has ventured to our blog, and I look forward to continuing to read their random musings and hearing your thoughts on the topic.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/topic.php?uid=20735683655&topic=8549

Don't worry if you don't know much about ethical fashion - a couple of weeks ago they had no idea either - and now they're as hemped out as your next hippie.

blogonomy

2009-06-16T09:43:00.005+10:00

Got two great Aussie blogs to check out - other than the three things blog of course.

FRANKteam Young Entrepreneurs Blog

Great blog with lots of tips and info on getting that entrepreneurial fire burning. Got an idea? or a passion? Then check out the blog to see how you can make it a reality. They also hold regular workshops (they had one last weekend), so check back regularly for updates.

Who the bloody hell are they?

Another interesting blog with lots of info on new, upcoming and undiscovered artists. Just yesterday they wrote about the most exciting new artists from around the world, including Posso Ouvir Um Disco? from Portugal (?????).

P.S.
Expect some changes to the three things blog soon. It's very hush hush, so keep it on the DL. :)

P.P.S.
I certainly am a fan of compound nouns..
blog (web-log) + onomy (study of) = blogonomy.
...
blog (web-log) + spectrum = bloctrum?
blog (web-log) + society = blociety?
- not as catchy, unfortunately.

Into the Twitterverse...

2009-06-11T10:35:00.005+10:00

It seems like everyone is on Twitter these days. three things is on Twitter. I am on twitter. And plenty of musos are on twitter.

There's Lily Allen, Beastie Boys, Coldplay, Franz Ferdinand, Lady Gaga, Diplo, Calvin Harris and Mariah Carey to name a few.

But do we really want to know the vagaries and intricacies of their daily lives? Does it bring us any closer to their music - does it somehow bridge the gap between the creator and the recipient, the artist and their audience in some kind of radical, reflexive, post-modern supernova explosion?

Probably not, but it is interesting. Take Lily Allen as an example. She's touring down under and yesterday she was hiding tickets all around Sydney, giving her loyal twitter followers clues as to their whereabouts. Now who wouldn't want a pair of Lily Allen tickets?

Hostage Beats

2009-06-09T08:39:00.005+10:00

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the death of conventional media, and the transformation of the media landscape, ('Moribund Media'). The Sydney radio station FBi (at 94.5FM) was one of traditional media outlets that was facing extinction, as a result of the global financial crisis, among other things (like falling listener statistics).

The response to the 'Save FBi' campaign has been huge. Proceeds from events held this month at the Hopetoun in Surry Hills, among other gigs (including Purple Sneakers events) will be going toward the FBi cause - including a gig called 'Another Night on Earth'(held last night)which included performances from indie gem Sarah Blasko. There are heaps more to come, including a DJ party this Saturday with Van She Tech, Bag Raiders and Ajax, and a massive fundraiser at Manning on the 26th. Get into it!

I came across one interesting 'Save FBi' the other week in the heart of Newtown - a hostage gig - where artists would play (loudly) until people paid them to go away. It's part of a bigger campaign to get Richard Branson to donate $1 million to the cause. An interesting concept - and one that generated a lot of attention on King St.

Flashdance!

2009-06-04T12:24:00.005+10:00

...and I'm not talking abot the 1983 movie! See for yourself..

That clip got me thinking about how cool some kind of 'spontaneous music-related event' would be in Sydney (even though I'm sure months of planning went into it). Another British example came at the end of April...

Do you feel like randomly singing in the street? I know I do occasionally... why couldn't we do it all together? But what song to choose? Khe Sanh? What About Me? Can't get you out of my head? All good choices.

Memory of You...

2009-06-02T09:39:00.003+10:00

Last night I watched Jay Leno's farewell to the Tonight Show. What a fitting end to a great show (I was lucky enough to see the show last year when I visited Los Angeles). What struck me about the finale was the musical performance by James Taylor - not for his inimitable vocals, but for the place it had in Jay's memory, underscoring his move to LA to start a showbiz career. He particularly resonated with the lines, 'Ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go'.

I can think of many songs that can take me back to another moment in my life, including Paul Oakenfold's 'Ready Steady Go' and Kaskade's 'Be Still'. These songs, among many others, have a special place in my memory.

What songs make you remember a different time in your life?

Tickets, Please!

2009-05-28T08:33:00.003+10:00

Earlier this week, AC/DC tix sold out in 15 minutes. Tickets to Homebake last year sold out in 10! It seems like music festivals and shows are to be restricted to die-hards to wait out in the freezing cold and venomous scalpers whose greed prevents the somewhat lazy music fans (or music fans that actually have a life) from getting their warm hands on tickets. Restrictions on ticket numbers have helped as has the requirement of names on tickets. But that hasn’t stopped some people – NEWS.com.au reports that on ebay, scalpers are already selling two tickets for more than $700! (Normal price is $99 each).

If it were ‘all about the music’ why can’t musicians host free concerts? New York’s Central Park hosts many of them (Green Day did one last Friday). It would certainly expose their music to a whole raft of new people and get rid of the competitive and exploitative ticketing systems.

Have you missed out on any big tickets?

take me to the venue...

2009-05-26T10:03:00.002+10:00

An album launch on Saturday night got me thinking. The music was awesome, the crowd were really getting into it, the sound and lighting guys did a great job (most of the time...). But what really capped off everything was the venue. This particular launch was at Chapter House, in St. Andrew’s Cathedral (the one next to Town Hall). The uniquely intimate space really accentuated the power of the music (and not only for its acoustics) and the energy of the crowd. Über-ballads became haunting, electronic pieces were given new meaning in the reverential space.

Manning House, when it puts on its music festival costume, can transform a drab cafeteria into a bona-fide 3-layer sandwich of pure music heaven. Hardcore Dutch dance festival Defqon.1, is coming to Australia, and is launching at the International Regatta Centre in Penrith (where the kayaking was held for the Olympics). Who can forget Sziget, the music festival on an island or the Tower of London’s annual music-fest? These one-of-a-kind venues certainly make the festival experience unique and memorable.

What kind of venues do you prefer? Any amazingly unique venues?

Six Degrees

2009-05-21T08:36:00.002+10:00

I just saw an ad from an alcoholic beverages company (that will remain unnamed ;) about testing the theory of ‘six degrees of separation’, popularised by the John Guare play. Suffice to say, it’s about connecting with any person on the world through six linkages or less. The people in the ad campaign are looking to connect with their ‘heroes’ – like the Madden brothers or Bam from Jackass (sigh...) – but I wonder whether it actually works. Just thinking of my close network of friends, it’s hard to imagine a connection to someone in Bolivia or Cape Verde. But on reflection, the number of connections you have exponentially increases with each number of linkages, as each new linkage brings with it all of its linkages, and so on. Have you ever experienced some farfetched or unexpected linkage? It seems to happen to me all the time. For example, a girl on the Street Team (for threethings), was going out with someone I knew from high school (which I guess isn’t THAT farfetched).

It’s funny how the company advertising this is also the one that does UncharTED (the last three letters being an acronym for the product)... where unsigned bands get their time to shine. Incidentally, Sui Zhen, who was at Finders Keepers the other week, is this week’s ‘media pick’. Which raises the question – can an ad campaign really have the potential to have a positive effect on society?

Interestingly, Kevin Bacon (the centre of the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game – where you connect any actor with Kevin through performances in films) launched sixdegrees.org, a site that supposedly brings social conscience into social networking.

what your clothes say about me

2009-05-19T14:21:00.003+10:00

As expected, the Finders Keepers markets turned out to be pretty amazing! Not only did we get lots of peoples' responses to our question of the night: 'three things your clothes say about you' on our awesome cardboard coathangers, our postbox filled up with responses to our postcard on ethical fashion!

The real hits of Friday night were the flowers made of newspapers, recycled from the Footprints exhibition earlier this year - people were even willing to spend their hard-earned cash on them. Unfortunately for them, the newspaper tulips (to be referred to as 'newlips' from now on) were not for sale. Business opportunity, anyone?

The music provided by acts like Caitlin Park (amazing with her acoustic), Sui Zhen, Jamie Lloyd and Telafonica made the night extremely enjoyable. Can't wait till the December markets - this time armed with plenty of newlips in hand.

Check out the pics at our facebook page.

Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers!

2009-05-14T08:03:00.003+10:00

Finders Keepers is on this weekend, and three things is gonna be there! Even with the amazingly creative fashion, design and other stuff, i’m majorly excited for the music!

Just check out the line-up:

Can’t wait to discover some great new music!

See you there!

Suburban Sistas!

2009-05-12T10:54:00.003+10:00

Sometimes I think that with the current state of the music industry and its emphasis on big stars, big sales and the bottom line, we forget the awesome power of music, not just in its ability to tell a story or help us experience the full gamut of human emotions – just think of the energy of a thumping synthesised beat, the sorrow of a melancholy double bass note.

But music also has the capacity to empower people. Music, after all, is a very powerful language and it can provide a medium for those who have no other voice. Projects like ICE’s Urban Music Project demonstrate how effective music can be in promoting self-expression and giving people new opportunities.

It’s about time music industry exec’s realised this. Cassie Davis ‘doing things differently’ is not really much different at all.

Festival of Ideas

2009-05-07T08:18:00.004+10:00

Speaking of a new form of community based in new media, non-profit-organisation Vibewire is holding an ‘online e-Festival of Ideas’ this week, associating it with in-person events at their hub in Ultimo (their tech-scavenger-hunt on Sunday looks particularly interesting).

The discussion on Gen Y or Gen G is illuminative – is it possible and/or useful to stereotype a whole generation based upon their years of birth? While it may be funny (see Ten’s Talkin’ Bout Your Generation), it’s ‘authenticity’ smacks of pseudo-science (think astrology, people). And while it may be useful to generalise, is it not dangerous that such a generalisation becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy?

I think that people of my generation are more active than they are given credit for – it’s just that that activity is expressed through different channels – the participants in the online forum are excellent examples of this...

Choose your own adventure!

2009-05-06T17:57:00.005+10:00

Something I was watching was the 6 part series of Lawrence Leung's Choose Your Own Adventure on the ABC. It's based on the thirty year old comedian, who tries to do things he wanted to do when he was a kid but didn't have the time to, because he grew up too quickly.

One episode revolves around Lawrence taking steps to become a rock star, something I can relate to. When I was a kid I wanted to be a pop princess like Britney Spears (maybe it’s a good thing I didn’t follow in her footsteps). Eventually he ends up performing at a gig with his beloved Red Apple Mac, Rubik’s cube and with backing via Skype from an Indian MySpace band.

Something that was reinforced by that episode for me was the phenomenon of MySpace bands! By stepping past the “tired old music exec”, they can take the route less travelled and bypass the need for the traditional “million dollar music video”. And more importantly, as independents they can do, these bands can do what they’ve always wanted to do; they way they want to do it.

One of my favourite bands the Arctic Monkeys started out on MySpace, and I often dwell on the fact that so many people would not have been discovered if it weren’t for technological advances and society adapting to these changes.

So, did you want to be a rock star / musician when you were a kid? Are you living out the dream? And who are your favourite MySpace bands?

Moribund Media...

2009-05-05T11:02:00.004+10:00

The death of the traditional newspaper is widely touted as a sign of the inevitable transition in the way in which we consume information. But has the game really changed? Has the provision of information really been democratised? Check out this Non Sequitur:

It raises an interesting point – despite the apparent democratisation of news, people still get most of their information from the online versions of traditional news sources, like SMH, the AP or CNN. The fact that the majority of nominees for the best Australian blog were associated with newspapers is particularly interesting.

So, will the newspaper ever die? With 90% of ad revenue coming from the print versions, it doesn’t seem likely. Equally important is their ability to adapt and mould themselves to new media outlets (like Twitter).

But is the music industry any different? Is it not the same antiquated beast that lumbers toward its own destruction? The ‘decline’ of community and non-for-profit radio is certainly worrying (FBi is holding ‘Save FBi' events this May). So will this ‘decline’ see a parallel decline in community orientation, or will it in turn spur the development of a new form of community based in new media?

Only time will tell.

The consumer is sovereign...

2009-04-30T08:49:00.004+10:00

The case of Susan Boyle, while it may be an anomaly or just the careful product of the show’s producers, nevertheless reinforced to me the power of the internet to facilitate the spread of new, exciting and challenging music. In addition, it shows how significantly the traditional media landscape has changed.

The sovereign power, in this case, is the consumer themselves, just like a consumer can choose clothes with a ‘no sweatshop’ label, or fair-trade chocolate, the power is in our hands to determine the ‘next big thing’.

But with the power of the internet, the ‘next big thing’ is becoming more-and-more the domain of the tired, old music exec. The new music consumer wants variety and lots of it, and social networking sites (notably myspace) and blogs (like one of my faves, popjustice) are eager to facilitate new music discovery.

But TV is not dead, and nor will it be dead in the proximate future. It has the power to adapt to this new phenomenon – just look at Channel [v]’s new program, Channel [u] – where you vote for clips from new and undiscovered artists on their website. The tides are certainly changing.

If it will make you smile...

2009-04-29T22:42:00.004+10:00

A video of a bunch of strangers who have never met (and probably will never meet) combining their respective musical talents to produce something truly beautiful, won't change the world.

But it will probably move you and, as the title suggests, make you smile. I'm not sure why. Watch it here, and let me know if you smiled, and if so, why?

Susan's got talent.

2009-04-29T19:12:00.003+10:00

Something that's really been a talk of twitter for the last few weeks has been Susan Boyle. If you haven't seen the youtube video (which has gained nearly forty-nine million views), here's the link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

As she entered the stage, we're shown different stills of judges and the audience sniggering and not giving her a second thought. That was until she starting singing... And boy, she was amazing. No wonder she was a household name and a permanent fixture on things discussed on twitter (only knocked out recently by the Swine flu).

It just conjures up thoughts for me about how superficial the music industry is especially with all this talk (and I'm told, action over Susan getting a makeover). I'm unsure how this will affect her career plans to be signed up to a music label and then to tour the globe. Will she still be made a mockery of or now she's gotten a makeover, will she finally be taken seriously.

It also got me thinking to what you think of television shows such as Popstars, Australian Idol, Australia's Got Talent or even Myspace as a launchpad for a music career. So what do you reckon - are these types of technologies useful for artists to launch credible careers or are they just puppets on the show pushed by television and music executives doomed to fail after the hype dies down?

Internet zombies come good

2009-04-29T13:43:00.009+10:00

In a world where young people are constantly being berated for being apathetic and ignorant slave zombies of Facebook and Twitter, it's heartening to discover that we at Three Things aren't the only ones trying to challenge the so-called status quo.

Future Voices, a UK based youth initiative supported by the Department for International Development and charity group Livity, records the work of nine young reporters who want to be taken seriously.

"We want to relay the opinions of world leaders and institutional heads to young people, and show them that the majority of us do want to know – and that the key is showing us how we can make a difference."

Having recently covered the G20 Summit in London, and interviewed Sir Bob Geldof and UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband, it appears they might well be succeeding.

One Big Happy Family

2009-04-28T08:44:00.003+10:00

I briefly mentioned how some recent concerts have been simulcast either on the web (if it’s a global concert like Live Earth or Live 8) or via other media (i.e. television for the Sound Relief concerts etc.). Despite the limited worldwide penetration of the so-called ‘world-wide web’, it remains a useful tool to connect with people who share your love of music.

Take music forums, for example. What a microcosm of society – there are rule-makers and there are rule-breakers, there are introverts and there are extroverts. You get to know people, their tastes, and their opinions, and it becomes, like one forum poster suggested, ‘like one big happy family’.

Some of the best aussie music forums include the ones on inthemix, fasterlouder and joshandfriends. Check it out and join the online music community – it’s a great way of sharing your passion for music and you can learn a lot as well!

Bombs

2009-04-27T21:15:00.002+10:00

Who says music cannot inspire social and political change? In fact, who says music can't simply be thought-provoking? Ironically, this video was banned by MTV (not that much music plays on that channel anyway) while we continue to see half-naked Rap/RnB stars sing openly about sexual intercourse. Oh, what a strange world we live in.

MTV criticism aside, this clip continues to blow me away (pun not intended). Its symbolism, metaphor and juxtaposition is any film student and film critic's dream. It employs a number of very clever film techniques to create intellectual as well as emotional responses. It really is something that needs to be seen. And I find the music and lyrics very appealing too. And with its contemporary setting, we can't help but wonder just what is around corrner....

The track features a guest performance by Kubb's Harry Collier.

So watch. Listen. Think.

1 Giant Leap - For Mankind

2009-04-25T18:44:00.008+10:00

Music is an artform that can bridge all aspects of humanity, and bind them together in celebration of the human race. Jamie Catto and Duncan Bridgeman, better known by their project '1 Giant Leap' have embodied this concept. Their latest DVD release, "What About Me?" has captured the hearts, minds, ears and imaginations of those around world.

When Jamie Catto left the dance supergroup he helped found, Faithless, in 1999 to team up with a man named Duncan Bridgeman to found 1 Giant Leap, I imagine few realised the impact that this group would have.

Their concept seems ingenious but also quite simple: take a laptop, some microphones and some hand-held video cameras to each continent of the world and film just about everyone that wants to be involved. The result is a song, with each instrument perfromed in another half of the world. Carlos Santana might play guitar from his home in South America while an African choir provide the vocals in their backyard and a traditional Middle Eastern band provide percussion. What is even more compelling is that no matter where these musicians are playing, the end product sounds so good that you would expect all these musicians to have collaborated in the writing process from the begining, when in actual fact, they are kilometers apart and have probably never spoken to each other, in person, on the phone or via email. It is incredible the power that music has.

Based in the UK, but recording and writing all around the world 1 Giant Leap were nominated for two Grammy awards for their first self-titled film and album and worked with a number of musical and philosophical superstars such as Dennis Hopper, Kurt Vonnegut, Michael Stipe, Robbie Williams, Eddi Reader, Tom Robbins, Brian Eno, Baaba Maal, Speech, Asha Bhosle, Neneh Cherry, Anita Roddick, Michael Franti and Jamie Catto's former band member Maxi Jazz.

In 2008 came a stunning follow-up, "What About Me?" This film is an incredible piece of art, fusing together a variety of philosophies and not to mention some of the most beautiful world music ever recorded. And the guest list for "What About Me?" was to die for: Noam Chomsky, K.D. Lang, Will Young, Maxi Jazz, Tim Robbins, Carlos Santana, Susan Sarandon, Billy Connolly, Michael Stipe, Michael Franti, Speed Levitch, Stephen Fry, Eckhart Tolle, Speech, Botos Riley and Baaba Maal contributing either philosophical thoughts or music to the project.

But, 1 Giant Leap is not about stars, music or philosophy. It is about celebrating the divesity of the human race. Music, philosophy and film are but the means for this celebration, the venue, if you will. The stage is us, human beings, sharing our thoughts, perspectives, culture and lives either through the spoken word or through music. It is not about one point of view, one religion, one gender or one race. But a celebration of everything. Duncan and Jamie are simply the vehicles for this amazing journey, choosing instead to film humanity, from the streets of New York to the most remote villages in Africa: this is about humanity. This is not to take away from the breathtaking and tearjerking music that comes with it, but the point Jamie and Duncan are making is that humanity needs to be celebrated, not destroyed, corrupted or imprisoned. "What About Me?" is a journey through life's experiences, from birth to death, from poverty to sexuality, from activism to tribalism. 1 Giant Leap is a stunning collection of music, images and thoughts from all walks of life, from all ages and all cultures.

We all have things to share. And I think that 1 Giant Leap is the long lost brother and sister of the Threethings Project, because it is about sharing with people around the world who we are, and celebrating this fact, without ignoring the pitfalls of humanity.

I could not reccomend these two wonderful films more.

Below is an excerpt from the film "What About Me?" I hope you enjoy it. The DVD and Soundtrack for both films can be bought at most major DVD/CD retailers or ordered online. It is worth every penny.

The perfect festival? A tökéletes fesztivál?

2009-04-23T07:51:00.003+10:00

I was watching Channel [v]’s B430 the other day – a programme about all of the music festivals you have to see before you turn 30 (thank goodness, a long way off for me). This episode’s focus was on Sziget, a Hungarian music festival, which for me, epitomised everything that a music festival should be.

Firstly, it’s on its own island, in the middle of the Danube (Sziget translates to ‘island’, so it’s literally called ‘island festival’). So you don’t need heaps of security or barricades – nature has provided a suitable moat in the form of the Danube river.

Secondly, it’s got everything you could possibly wish for: heaps of stages featuring musical genres as dichotomous as blues and hip-hop. Big names (heard of MGMT, Kaiser Chiefs or Jamiroquai?) mix with the lesser-knowns and locals in this week-long event (Yes, week-long: people camp on the island and get to experience the festival 24/7!). There’s heaps of other stuff to do: bungee jump, get married or check out the cultural and civil organisations’ spaces.

But what it all comes down to is the experience: and after a week, mingling with people from all around the world, I can’t see what could be better! A definite addition to the ‘to-do list’!

What festivals are on your 'to-do list'?

This is our city in summer.

2009-04-22T09:08:00.002+10:00

Thinking about music and cultural festivals, I immediately thought back to January when Sydney staged Australia’s largest and most attended event since 1977. The highlight of this month long event is the Festival First Night; held around several locations in the City including Martin Place, Hyde Park and random City laneways.

It was great getting the picnic rug out and sharing some empanadas, wood fired cooked pizza, along with a few beers. There was such a diverse mix of performances and music such as The Festoons Big Band, the roaring Gypsy Queens and Kings and the French rap band Java. Even though there were language barriers with some of the bands e.g. Java, they still managed to transport me to Eastern Europe with their soulful accordion.

The atmosphere was heightened whilst we did the “Sydney dance” around the Hyde Park fountain in St James. We also ventured to The Domain where we were greeted by a sea of blue glow sticks and the Cat Empire’s great performance! On Macquarie Street there were rockers such as Mission Control and at there with light shows and mass learning to dance classes!

So that’s why I love January, it’s a time where Sydney returns to ‘the Olympics’ mode, everyone is smiling and dancing – and there is a huge sense of unity.

Truly a Global Gathering?

2009-04-21T10:15:00.002+10:00

There’s been some interesting discussion about the function of some of the notable global music festivals (like Live 8, Live Earth etc..): whether it’s all about the music, whether the stated purpose of the festival actually has an impact when the amplifiers are turned off and the crowd leaves the sanctified grounds of the stadium.

But another question has been bugging me recently: to what extent can we really call these ‘global’ festivals?

‘GlobalGathering’ is certainly a misnomer – the festival is predominantly a British and continental phenomenon (despite a quick stop-over in Australia last year).

I know Live Earth had a concert on every continent, bringing together people from Sydney, London, New Jersey, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro and Johannesburg, among others. But what about Takula, Angola, where oil drilling continues unabated, and what about Nanjing, China or Charodi, India, where millions of new cars are being made for people who’ve never owned a car before.

But what about the good ol’ World Wide Web, you say? Sure, these concerts were simulcast on the web, with the potential to reach a much wider audience. Live Earth set new records for having 8 million viewers stream some of the concerts. But 8 million, out of more than 6 billion people on the Earth? Hardly global – but then again, neither is the internet (less than 1 in 4 people in the world have access to the internet).

Understanding Happiness

2009-04-20T23:50:00.003+10:00

On ABC news radio the other day, they were discussion the concept of 'happiness.' Because of this economic crisis, a lot of people have become uncertain, unhappy, worried and nervous. This lead the host of the show to ask the guest "why?"

The guest responded quite simply, "because people place more stock in their jobs than ever before." The ABC host seemed a little taken back by this and asked why jobs had become more important to people than simply being a method of putting food on the table.

I guess it is easy for the ABC host to ask such questions, because hosting a show on the ABC could hardly feel like a chore. I know when I hosted a show on 92.5fm it certainly felt like anything but a job. True, I was not getting paid for it, but I enjoyed it. But what the ABC host did, was not sound naieve, but actually get the tickers thinking of the nation-wide audience.

Why have we become so obsessed with our jobs? When did it stop becoming about putting food on the table and putting a roof over our heads?

We have begun to associate our job with our identity. They have become synonymous. But why is that?

Is it because of the emphasis on capitalism? Is the desire to become successful in the business world as a method of finding social acceptance?

I know that when I finish uni I want to have job that I feel good about. A job which feels anything but a chore, but is filled with purpose. So perhaps I too have fallen into this new trap. But I myself do not believe a job makes a man. I want a particular job because it is either just what I want to do, what needs to be done, or at very worst, pays the bills. A job will never define me, however, I will be defined by my work. That might sound contradictory, but what I mean is that what I put out is hopefully who I am. But that is certainly not limited to how I pay the bills.

So has it really reached a point where we have begun identify our job as part of us, or even us? Are we doctors, lawyers, activists, politicians, computer salesmen, call centre workers or garbage men? Do our jobs really reflect who we are? Our jobs do become labels. But why is that the focus of who we are?
Why is it when we meet people we ask what they do for a living? Is that a way to immediately assess someone? Does that put up barriers, make inroads and help us to understand people?

If our jobs define us, then they define our happiness. If they define our happiness, then haven't we lost sight of what is truly important in life? I am sure a lot of people love their jobs. One day I would like to be such a person. But I would suspect that so few people actually love their job. Most people I know do not love their job. And then they ask themselves "why am I unhappy?"
Life is about lessons. And for most people, we think having a job enables us to participate the happiness club: by rising up the corporate ladder we gain respect. By buying a bigger, faster car, we gain respect. By having a trophy wife, we gain respect of our mates. By having a nice house, we gain respect. Be a winner, not a loser.

And the key to all that is a job.

Or so we think.

For centuries, we have had that old proverb "money does not buy happiness," and yet we seem to place so much value in our job and our possessions, so that our job and our house, our car, our toys define us. There is always more. More to buy. More respect to gain. More money to earn.

I believe quite strongly that a lot of us have no idea as to what happiness is. And I think we as members of the human race need to understand where happiness comes from.

I'll give you a clue...you can't find it in money.

Music & Lyrics

2009-04-20T09:46:00.006+10:00

...And now that the awkwardness of breaking the ice is out of the way, I can tell you what I really what I wanted to talk about this week: my half-baked, week-old theory about the correlation between music, lyrics and community sentiment.

Music
You see, late one night about a week ago, I was waiting for my bus home, when a lady in her 50s or 60s rocked up beside me. She was wearing hot pink trackies, pale pink shoes and frequently blew bits of fringe that flew into her face away mid-sentence. Bella, a former ballerina, doctor and law student, formerly imprisoned for protesting (presumably against human rights abuse) in various countries, offered me a lifetime of worldly advice in the 30 minutes it took to get from the city to my home. But one thing she said to me struck me as particularly profound:

"I've always believed that God created music so that even when people stopped wanting to listen to Him speak, they could still hear Him in song."

Lyrics
Admittedly the whole night was all very 'Yes Man' ala Danny Wallace, and probably nothing to take too much to heart. But then it got me thinking. If you look at popular songs that reference God or a higher power in the last ten years, the tone has definitely changed.

*"If God had a name, what would it be and would you call it to his face if you were faced with him in all his glory? And yeah yeah God is great yeah yeah God is good
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah" - Joan Osbourne, 'What if God was one of us?', 1995

*"We are never broken, We are God's eyes, God's hands, God's mind." - Jewel, 'Hands', 2003

*"I found God on the corner of 1st and Amistad where the West was all but won. All alone, smoking his last cigarette...Where were you, when everything was falling apart? All my days were spent by the telephone that never rang. And all I needed was a call that never came." - The Fray, "You found me", 2009

*"Ever since He can remember people have died in His good name, long before that September, long before hijacking planes...this has been going on too long." - Lily Allen, "Him", 2009

In a mere decade, the world has become a very different place, and its young people far more aware and critical of its many flaws, as is most evident in the lyrics of our songs. So if Bella's right, and music is a higher power's way of speaking to us, then maybe it's His (or Her) way of admitting we're better off turning to each other to make things better than they are.

What do you think?

Hi! My name is...

2009-04-20T08:40:00.004+10:00

So I've been posting on Three Things for a few weeks now, and have only just realised that I have yet to introduce myself. How rude of me.

My name's Jane, and I'm currently a sub-editor/writer for a publishing firm in Sydney. I'd always wanted to get involved with a charity like Oxfam but didn't know how, or never made the effort I should have. So I jumped at the chance to be involved in the Three Things project, which seemed like a unique way to a) Volunteer for a worthy cause b) Find out more about Oxfam's work and c) Be creative with fellow young people while I'm at it! I haven't had a chance to go to any of Three Things' events as yet, but I will definitely be making an appearance at one or two in the next month or so.

So here I am. Bursting with creative juices at least once a week before your very eyes.

Viva La Vida

2009-04-17T18:31:00.004+10:00

Recently, I chatted to my friend Dom about the 2009 Coldplay tour. This is from the perspective of someone who checks the Coldplay website everyday for updates and forces us to listen to Coldplay at every opportunity.

Here's a bit of what he had to say...

The Coldplay concert ultimately had a great atmosphere, mixing fun with a touch of emotion! The heavy drums and electric amps complimented the piano solos and acoustic rhythms. The concert was not just a musical show, as the band moved around the stage and interacted with the audience. At one stage, the band members even went out into the stage where the audience was sitting. There were even huge yellow balls that pop to release confetti.

During a climatic moment of a song, coloured butterflies were blown from the roof and really escalated the entire experience. I loved the colourful butterfy confetti and but mostly the touch of emotion.

Does Dom prefer larger or smaller gigs?

It depends on what type of gig it is. Small ones are lovely and intimate but are more suited to slower music. Larger gigs give you an entirely different experience. Ultimately smaller is better for an emotional journey but bigger is better if you're after a secret euphoric dance with the person next to you (and no one else can see).

So did you go to see Coldplay? And do you prefer larger or smaller gigs?

No Discernable Musical Talent Required!

2009-04-16T16:27:00.003+10:00

Kim’s post raises some interesting questions – a concert like Live 8 can be a great way of raising awareness about a particular issue by bringing influential people together to celebrate, communicating with people through a shared love of music. But is having a worldwide concert the best way to do it?

No doubt, the series of 10 concerts were extraordinary - Youssou N'Dour’s performance of ‘Seven Seconds’ with Dido would have to be my favourite performance of the lot. But at the end of the day, did the concert achieve its goal of ‘making poverty history’? Of course, that’s debatable, but it did bring the issue to the forefront of public and political consciousness.

Ultimately, you don’t need an amazing singing voice or even any discernable musical talent to change the world. You just need an idea and a plan to put that idea into action. Every one of us is capable of great things by putting our own skills and talents to task realising these ideas. As a ‘universal language’, music’s just one way of getting that idea out.

Check out what one woman is doing to put smiles on all of our faces:
The Smile World Project

What a difference a day makes.

2009-04-15T07:03:00.002+10:00

I was definitely too young to remember Live Aid, the 1980s concert aimed at raising funds for awareness of poverty in Ethiopia. However the defining equivalent of Live Aid for Gen Y and Z would be its younger sister Live 8 in 2005.

It is amazing that it can stretch through 1000 musicians, 182 television networks and 2000 radio networks over 10 simultaneous concerts including Japan, London, Philadelphia, Berlin, Rome, Paris and Barrie. I found it amazing that this ‘community’ extended to texting in to get tickets, to the television and radio broadcasts and following Live 8 on the internet forums.

Who could forget Robbie William’s energy draining “We will rock you”, along with performances from music royalty – Madonna, Coldplay and U2. I remember watching the concerts and just getting chills, just to the enormity of the community event. Not only that, but that Live 8 made such a huge impact on the G8 millennium development goals (arguably only then).

What do you think of music festivals partnering with the community in some way? Is it just a way for artists to come out of retirement and boost their own bank balances or revive a career (John Farnham a la Sound Relief anyone?) or is it actually feasible in raising awareness for a good cause?

Sweet Festivals...

2009-04-14T08:10:00.003+10:00

We’ve talked a lot about corporate sponsorship of music festivals, including the brand-heavy V Festival. But many festivals also like to partner up with civil organisations – and the result is often spectacular (i.e. the three things tent at Future Music)... :).

Whether it’s to hush the niggling little voice of their conscience or as part of a more conscious move towards corporate social responsibility (CSR), the relationship can be beneficial to both parties. It’s a physical manifestation of the fact that a music festival is not only about the music, nor should it be restricted as such. This broader outlook can add a special dimension to the festival...

Look at Homebake 08, where the well-known Aussie festival partnered with Amnesty to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. What better way to celebrate the universal nature of human rights than with the universal language of music? (expertly provided by acts ranging from Crowded House to Cut Copy!)

Song & Dance Men

2009-04-11T11:38:00.008+10:00

I’ve spent many a night pondering the political importance of music in Western society. I mentioned Bob Dylan in my other blog and I thought about steering clear of him this time but his career forms the crux of my concern. By now we’re all aware of the significance of 'Blowing in the Wind' in the African-American civil rights movement. Dylan sensed the importance of those times and asserted his egalitarian influence accordingly. He was there for Dr King’s ‘March on Washington’, singing his anthem which has since become inseparable from images of that day. The day Dr King declared, ‘I have a dream.’ Through various documentaries on the subject, we are handed a portrait of Dylan as a freedom fighter, the voice of the working class, the embodiment of a new American consciousness striving to instill equality. Maybe that was once true but Dylan gave all that up to play pop music.

Joan Baez, Dylan’s one-time partner and contemporary, is often quoted as saying activists are naive to think that Bob Dylan will appear at their rallies or promote their cause; he never shows. Why should he among all musicians feel obligated? He never claimed he could fix the world, he just wrote songs.

This point can be applied to many musicians. What did John Lennon actually achieve by singing ‘Imagine’; did he change the world or did he write a pop song? And why is the sentiment of that song so at odds with the often pernicious figure who emerges from Lennon biographies? Is providing a little inspiration enough to single someone out as one of the key personalities in a century? Why are musicians held up as world-shapers when friends, whose names may seep into anonymity along with our own, often inspire us to a much greater extent? The one advantage high selling musicians have over us ordinary folk is access to a wide ranging medium through which awareness can be created.

I would argue that music is at its most useful when it targets a pop audience, using pop culture’s ubiquity to reach the populace, rather than when it stands stern and moralistic at the pulpit, dictating the maxims of a just existence. People go to events like Live Aid and Sound Relief because they have a conscience, not because bands act as their conscience. Yes, they go as much for the clang as the cause but the turn-outs to such events are unprecedented because of the good will present in our communities. So the fund raising capacity of music may well be the best channel for a contribution to society. After all, I have never heard a song in which a budget is outlined or an action plan for the introduction of contraception in societies with high incidents of HIV discussed in full detail.

Having said all that, when Obama quoted Sam Cooke in his victory speech, harking back to the words of a black man living through civil unrest, pronouncing, ‘It’s been a long, long time coming, but I know a change is gunna come.’ I cried. I am not afraid to allow an earnest and heartfelt sentiment move me. Good music, like Sam Cooke’s song, will always be able to do that.

Classical Gas?

2009-04-11T11:32:00.003+10:00

If you were a kid who hated playing music you were probably me. The mind convulses thinking about those awkward early recitals, hideous music teacher bearing down with coffee stained teeth, an untraceable accent and a bottom broadened into the smooth shape of a wheely bin by years of sitting bolt upright on a stool. Kids aren’t meant to sit like that; it traps the gas inside of them and turns it into fear: the fear of a wrong note. Somehow I found myself a multi-instrumentalist at the age of nine. Well, at least I had the reputation of being one. I was a musician when viewed through the glass of the classroom window.

By the age of twelve I’d faked my way to the first chair of the first violins in the school orchestra. Perhaps I should have turned my attention to the discipline of method acting. My gestures were flawless, my bow moved in perfect synch with the rest of the orchestra. Between you and I, there must have been a period of three years during which not a single note originated from my violin. In reflection I stare into a soundless abyss which bridges the gap between my first attempt at Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and the conductor’s demand for a solo, first chair entry into Wagner (which brought about my timely undoing).

It would be a lie to say that I hated music itself. In truth, I listened to every recording I could get my hands on with a fervour bordering on obsession. My piano teacher, Olga Franklah, a lovely woman who I have just unfairly demonised (see ‘bottom broadened into the smooth shape of a wheely bin’), must have recognised a streak of the connoisseur in me as she insisted I would one day return to music despite the cessation of our lessons. And, of course, this blog would not exist were there not a positive twist for your hero (i.e. me).

Picking up a guitar, aged fifteen, is probably the best thing I have ever done. I wanted to be Bob Dylan, I wanted to be Jimi Hendrix, I longed to express the angst of Kurt Cobain using the melodic approach of Tom Yorke. What ended up happening was that I became Jonathan Leonard.

I cannot claim to have fully discovered an original music unto myself. The influences I have carried from the start are obvious in my music, some of which is downright derivative, but that lessens my pleasure in composing not one bit. I have, through music, uncovered aspects of my personality that may have otherwise remained dormant. This is how I have come to know myself. I have also discovered a world in which associates become friends as a result of a mutual appreciation of each other’s music. In this world, unknown names get together on tribute nights to pay back debts to their heroes, they agree to any concert with a charitable cause and they phone each other to ensure that no one amongst them has fallen victim to the unruly trials of the tortured artist. We’re too fond of mockery to let that happen.

Welcome to the social...

2009-04-09T07:51:00.007+10:00

There’s been a lot of talk about sharing and caring... just check Sandra and Jane’s posts to see their opinion. But the tech side of things brings a whole new dimension to the concept of sharing and community...

And no... i’m not talking about Bittorrent – I mean how can you really feel connected to an IP address halfway across the world?

I’m talking about the Zune. Never heard of it? It’s MP3 player released by Microsoft (groan, I know) in the US. It’s tagline is ‘Welcome to the social’ – check out one of the ads...

What interests me is not the player itself but one of its features – ‘social’, where you can connect with people around you and share music wirelessly. When you think about it, the possibilities are endless. It’s often said that you can learn a lot about a person by looking at their playlist – imagine your reaction when you found out the emo sitting across from you is actually a hardcore Britney fan?

Mind-bending stuff.

Somewhere only we know.

2009-04-08T18:13:00.003+10:00

Hi guys, it may seem a little weird but I'm going to head back and actually introduce myself which is something I haven't done in any of my blogs.

I'm Kim and I've been involved with the Three Things project since August last year. This all came about finding a call for volunteers on a uni website.

What draws me to three things?

Three things draws me because it actually makes an effort to see what people in our generation think. I was involved in events such as the Future Music Festival, Tropfest and locations such as Parramatta Westfield. What I love are the responses that I get which kind of says "stuff you" to any old politician or old person who considers generation Y to be lazy and self centred.

Best three things response?

I clearly remember my favourite “three things” question and answer from Tropfest a few months ago.

“Three things that put a spring in your step” –
“Beers in the park, toast & cake and dugongs”

What I find to be awesome is the whole collection of awesome answers we’ve collated; it kind of gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling that the world isn’t screwed. And it's not only the responses you get but the characters you meet and work with are great.

Looking forward to our next event and hearing more great responses from everyone.

(In the mean time you can go to www.threethings.com.au for the link to our facebook and myspace to share "Three things I'm doing to reduce my carbon footprint").

First Day Jitters

2009-04-08T13:49:00.012+10:00

Hi! Let me begin with a quick introduction to me- My name is Sarah, I'm a 19-year-old Interior Design student and I LOVE to have a laugh (usually with friends but I sometimes have a little giggle to myself too), dance (particularly jazz and hip-hop) and party (but who doesn't?).

What brings me to three things? After an inspiring trip to India last year, I decided to make the move (away from my private school, North Shore bubble) and become more involved in addressing social justice issues. I ventured to Oxfam's website and decided to get active, like it so aptly suggests, and registered to become a volunteer.

Within a week I was on board with the project and went along to my first event last weekend- the 'Down in the Park' Youth Festival in Cronulla. I have to say, I was quite anxious to begin with and not too sure what to expect. I was worried about the possibility of dealing with uncooperative people, getting shut down with the questions or being forced to attempt the skateboarding half-pipe! These were all running through my mind...

Once I arrived at the event I was feeling a little more comfortable having met the other volunteers in the same boat as me. After a quick briefing we were sent on our way with a chalkboard and camera in hand, ready to question and mingle with the youth of Cronulla.

As Bryce mentioned in his blog, we got a lot of responses to the three things questions and the crowd was such a great bunch of people who were willing to get involved. It was a lot of fun attending the event, which had a great atmosphere, mixing with new people and also seeing all the varied responses. I really enjoyed my first event and look forward to what's in store next!

Down in the Park

2009-04-07T15:11:00.005+10:00

Just a quick time-out to introduce myself! Hi, My name’s Bryce (as you probably know) and I’m into music (as you also probably know). I love all kinds of music – you name it – indie/rock/pop/electro/jazz/classical/rnb, but I particularly like music with a good beat and/or great lyrics.

I’ve been involved with the three things project since November last year, and it’s helped me connect with new music and new people. Ever since I responded to a volunteer opening on the Oxfam page, it’s been a heap of fun (and a little bit of hard work, too.). With the project, I’ve met people at Finders Keepers, Chinese New Year, Tropfest and Future Music Festival (to name a few).

Last weekend, I went to the ‘Down in the Park’ festival in Cronulla with three things. Great music (British India, Amy Meredith, Light Noise), great crowd and lots of stuff to do (from skating on the massive half-pipe to balancing on the mechanical surfboard) – what more could you ask for? Well, the weather wasn’t perfect, but that didn’t stop heaps of people turning up. The three things tent was equally sweet – the funky badge-making set-up was particularly popular, and we did get lots of responses to our three things questions on the day...

three things that you do each day...

three things that puzzle you...

three things that make you sad...

I’ll put up some pics here, but for the full set, check out our facebook or myspace.

Sharing IS Caring

2009-04-06T22:23:00.005+10:00

Speaking of communities and music...this video kind of epitomises it all, doesn't it?

I lived about five minutes from where this was shot, in a main Tube station in central London, for a few months last year. If you think Sydney's public transport system is crowded, try being on a subway in a city with about 20 times the population and gazillion times more services.

This is a city where buskers in subway stations have to audition before they're allowed to play/sing:
1. To keep homeless people out and
2. To make an otherwise stressful, claustrophobic daily experience a little less painful.

Needless to say, it is not the happiest place in the world, particularly when you have to change trains about three times to get to your destination (which is often the case), and when all you have to look forward to upon alighting, shoulder to shoulder with millions of grumpy strangers in just as much of a rush as you, is the dreary cloudy English weather.

With all that in mind, it's kind of nice the way something as simple as music can move the masses. Makes you wonder.

The Siren Song of (un)Australian music

2009-04-02T16:47:00.010+11:00

The Australian music industry is certainly a small and developing one, one made up of a small band of culture warriors (pun intended), persistently expanding the boundaries of the ‘Australian music’ niche. From my perspective, there’s a lot of talented singers, guitarists, keyboarders and the like in Australia to justify the removal of the niche tag, and it’s sad that Australian artists don’t get wider promotion.

Which is why I was so frustrated by the V Festival’s line-up. Given, it was originally a British festival – but that doesn’t mean the Australian version can’t have some big Aussie names. Of the headliners, 7 were from the UK, 3 were American and 2 were French. The few Aussie bands scheduled to play were relegated to second-class ‘support act positions’.

The MTV Australia Music Video Awards, held last week, were supposed to be a step in the right direction – but could anyone consider an event under the patronage of Audrina from The Hills, and hosted by Americans 5 years in a row progressive?

Don’t get me wrong – I love Royksopp and CSS just like anyone else, but I’d just hate to see the Australian music industry go down the path of the Australian film industry. Bring back the Aussie festival!

Former Child Stars

2009-04-01T12:21:00.006+11:00

On a recent adventure, I accompanied my mate AA to Oxford Art Factory. This is the experience from her eyes.

Yellow Brick Road launch, feat. Former Child. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Leung.

Former Child Stars were doing a residency at OAF for four nights in March, every Friday, in an event that's called "After Work Art", which showcased new artists' wall art, 3D art as well as short films. At the two times that I was there, there were from 10 people (at around 8) to at least 50 people at its peak at around 10-11pm.

Perhaps for you understand what it was like, I should describe that only the underground bar is used during these small events (the other stage on the other side held a gig you had to pay for), and it is a 4 by 8m area (the size of two standard sized bedrooms), and there is no stage;the band is cramped in one corner (which people have to pass through to get to the toilet or the bar). The place was very small, and it was guaranteed that by the end of the night you would recognise everyone there.

The atmosphere was relaxed. There was a DJ for between band sets, cheap jugs, couches and it was reminiscent of a house party with close friends. When the band wasn't playing, there is absolutely need to shout loudly or suddenly know sign language (unlike in clubs, where it's impossible to get a word across). Some people dance, but most people just chill and share a jug of "Andy Warhol" (Vodka, OJ, Grapefruit), or "Van Gogh" (Scotch based I believe).

For these reasons I prefer smaller gigs; mostly because it means less known bands and more intimacy and "stage" interaction between the band and the viewers. There is also less people to "compete" to the front of the "stage", although I've never encountered any pushing and shoving at OAF. That's probably due to the fact that no one knows who the hell Former Child Stars are.

Which do you prefer; smaller or larger gigs and why?

What's so good about music?

2009-03-31T18:44:00.002+11:00

People don't speak enough. Views often remain silent for fear of being discounted, invalidated or contested. The irony is that the world crave news, opinions and drama from the rich and the (in)famous, and it plagues our newspapers and magazines. It seems celebrities can and do talk about and discuss whatever they choose. I think one amazing thing about the internet that has come about in recent years is the website YouTube. It is a site that allows its users to upload videos and promote them, all for free. So recently I got to thinking that YouTube would be a great place to share my thoughts and feelings on all sorts of issues. Not to try to make myself (in)famous, to earn respect or to spread propaganda, but as a means to try and promote the discussion of ideas, experiences, feelings and more. There is so much that can be done through YouTube. It is not just for bands, for tv shows, or politicians. It is for everybody, and everybody, everywhere has an opinion and a story to share. I think one of the most beautiful things about humanity is the ability to share.

So with this in mind, I decided to create a "YouTube Biography," a series of videos about some things in my life, as well as my thoughts and feelings on issues. To make it seem less like a rant, I asked my friends from many parts of the world to simply send in questions they would like answered- things about me they wanted to know or to ask what I thought about something.
It began and continues to be a very organic idea. Nothing or no one inspired me, it just came to me one day and I thought it would be an interesting activity to do. As I did this, I realised many other people have used YouTube for similar reasons. What a great resource it is!

So this is a video based on a question about one of my big loves in life: music! I hope you enjoy it.

What's so good about music?

2009-03-31T18:09:00.009+11:00

So with this in mind, I decided to create a "YouTube Biography," a series of videos about some things in my life, as well as my thoughts and feelings on issues. To make it seem less like a rant, I asked my friends from many parts of the world to simply send in questions they would like answered- things about me they wanted to know or to ask what I thought about something.

It began and continues to be a very organic idea. Nothing or no one inspired me, it just came to me one day and I thought it would be an interesting activity to do. As I did this, I realised many other people have used YouTube for similar reasons. What a great resource it is!

So this is a video based on a question about one of my big loves in life: music! I hope you enjoy it.

My first teenage love affair.

2009-03-31T11:04:00.002+11:00

The best gig I’ve been to so far (not that there have been many, but still) was last year’s Alicia Keys concert at Acer Arena.

Crooning her lyrics in unison, it was like we were each re-living the same high school memory of being heartbroken and singing ‘I keep on fallin’ in and out of love with-a-you’ into a hairbrush in our bedrooms, at the same time.

Once self-conscious strangers transformed into friends, dancing alongside one another. We left with the same goofy grin plastered over our faces, in total awe, analysing all the things that had made it such a great night.

Of course there was Keys herself, oozing more charisma than Obama. But more than that - it was spending a couple of hours with thousands of complete stranger-friends, including Keys herself, and sharing something that each could relate to in their own way.

By contrast, the recent free concert given by Evermore outside Wynyard station was underwhelming at best. The lead singer’s silver pants and peroxide hair, didn’t seem to connect so well with the some 40 half-awake business suited men and women that served as his audience, dutifully filming him on their mobile phones.

Standing almost completely still, the closest thing to enthusiasm came in the form of a couple of drunk guys headbanging in the middle of the crowd, who were met with silent stares and the odd smirk. As soon as the last song finished, no one lingered for autographs, photos or even a chat- everyone just clapped politely and filed away, as though they had never been there.

I guess it’s as much the audience, as it is the performer that makes or breaks the experience of live music.

And maybe the same can be said for most other things.

2009-03-31T09:38:00.004+11:00

Welcome to the three things blog. We've created this space to share thoughts and ideas on what makes our world tick and how we can make it better. Aside from chatting about music and community, each month we go out asking random three things questions such as:

three things about me...
three things I want to do in the future...
three things I’d do if I was in charge...

Questions are put forward on our facebook and MySpace pages, through postcards, online competitions, SMS texts and face to face at music festivals and events by our Street Team of volunteers. We work closely with designers, film makers and animators to reflect people’s responses back to them in creative ways such as street posters, t-shirts, zines, animations and short films to mention just a few.

Over the last couple of months we’ve taken three things to the Finders Keepers markets (CarriageWorks, Sydney), Bondi Beach, Parramatta Westfield, Chinese New Year festivities at Belmore Park, Tropfest and Future Music Festival and have connected with thousands of people along the way. Check out our space at Future Music Festival:

Thanks to our authors Kim, Sandra, Bryce and Jane for your contributions.

Ps. I have fond memories of dancing to 'Ice, Ice Baby' in my living room. Rumour has it Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer will be here this time next year for a concert. Bring on the parachute pants!!

Is there any musical justice in the world? (and not the french electropop duo)!

2009-03-31T08:39:00.003+11:00

Wayfaring down King St, as I often do, I came across a peculiar telegraph poster, instructing me that it was my moral duty to ‘right music wrongs’...

Despite its status as a marketing gimmick by V Fest organisers, it got me thinking... does some music constitute such an offence to society at large that punishment is in order? (perhaps being prohibited from being within 100m of a recording studio?) I know music is very much a personal thing – but did anyone really like Crazy Frog? Or Nikki Webster?

As a promo, it was designed to advertise Vanilla Ice’s presence at the festival, where he was to perform his ‘hit’ Ice, Ice, Baby. I can tell you from personal experience, having a name that rhymes with ice is enough of a reason to regret Vanilla Ice’s existence.

That being said, the grossest injustice (as voted by visitors) is currently this...

...which I personally find hilarious (especially the mesh shirt), rather than particularly annoying.

What do you think? Are you persuaded beyond reasonable doubt that a particular artist is guilty of crimes against humanity?

Is sharing really caring?

2009-03-30T23:55:00.002+11:00

Do you guys remember before the iREVOLUTION... when we ate weet-bix in front of the tv to TV Hits and we boogied like the spice girls with the family in our living room on Saturday & Sunday mornings… remember??? (Ok, maybe just me then) But far out things have changed, its like music has taken "personal" to a-whole-nother level… Music is more “MEsic” than “Me&Usic” if you get what I mean. I spend a lot of time on public transport these days and people have become so consumed by their personal music space that they sometimes forget their earphones aren’t exactly sound proof from the outside…Are people really that deaf to need to blast Akon so loud that it can still be heard in the next carriage? At least update your tunes before you try and share it with your fellow train mates people!!! And isn’t it just the worse start to your day when you realise you haven’t charged your ipod? It means you have to listen to mr or miss X’s music...you know, the stranger that you get stuck sitting next to on the train.. LOL

Any funny ipod stories on the train you wanna share guys!?

Make a noise and make it clear, Oh-o-o-o, whoa-o-o-o!

2009-03-28T01:53:00.004+11:00

Sydney’s Sound Relief really exceeded my expectations. For a concert which was planned in such a short period of time, the line up was spectacular! In particular, I thought Coldplay, Jet and The Presets were amazing.

I never would have thought that Coldplay would open an act as after the enormity of their success, they (in recent years) always headline music events. However, having their concert later that night at Acer Arena, Coldplay had to be the first to perform during the day.

Coldplay were absolutely amazing live. Their seven song set included “Life in Technicolour II” and “Viva La Vida”; combined yellow confetti from the stage and Chris Martin running through the crowd at the SCG got me very pumped up. What gave me goosebumps was Coldplay and John Farnham’s performance of “You’re the Voice”. I have never heard so many people chime into a song. It made me quite proud and I felt this kind of unity with everyone else in the crowd.

The Presets were EPIC. At that point it was literally pouring down rain (for the second time, the first being when Taylor Swift performed), and I was soaked. The rain and lightning just heightened The Presets’ performance as everyone just danced in the downpour, particularly when one of the massive screens blacked out. As one of my mates put it “It went off!”

More than a week has passed since Sound Relief and I’m still dealing with the consequences of dancing in the rain. That said - having “pneumonia” and aching legs were so worth it for such a great 10 hours.

So did you go to Sound Relief? What did you think of it?

"We don't need another love song, we need a love bomb!"

2009-03-13T12:04:00.006+11:00

N*E*R*D say it best when they sing about projectiles and fuzing spheres of charged explosives filled with…

“LOVE”

LOL. Love bomb is quite the oxymoron but let's think about it for sec, how many flippin’ love songs are there out there people? Too damn many I say! Actually they are more about love loss and the lack of love but that doesn’t concern me. What does- is the need for some more lovin’ in our communities. It’s safe to say music festivals are about music.. derr don’t need a PHD to work that out guys… but what is music about? Three things is about community and young people and I’ve made it my task for the day to work out what the parallels between music and community are and what music represents.

Most culturally exposed folks would say “Music” is the universal language of the world, I don’t say I disagree but I think music is more than a language. I don’t exactly know how to better put it but, community and music correspond well because music is one of the few things in life that draws people together in spite of culture, religion and class. To say music festivals should be more about community than just music undermines the power of “love” behind music and for those who don’t quite understand the full extent of community bonding present at music festivals need to consider the following…

*close your eyes and imagine this*(read it first obviously otherwise you’’ll miss it.. Lmao)So, your favourite band/artist is performing on the main stage. Your objective is to sing the lyrics as loud as you can at the top your lungs and still keep a smile in case the lead singer pops a glance your way…bodies collide, limbs become entangled and yes the person next to you may reek and forgotten to put on deodorant that morning but… for that hr or so slot where you are fully engaged in the music and everyone around you is also in the same state of mind… something spiritual happens…

That my friend is community at its finest…

Pharrell might not have purposely intended to contradict himself but I reckon in writing another “love song” he in fact dropped a “love bomb” of his own…

they felt it too...

2009-03-13T12:03:00.004+11:00

Fresh-faced freshers plastered in fluoro t’s, huddled around a speaker, blasting out the latest club hits in all of their low-fi glory. Yes, it’s time again for the wave of festivals and events that inevitably cram their way into the first few weeks of semester…

You’ve got Beachball & Surreal Sounds @ Sydney, Start of Session parties @UNSW (this year’s is ominously titled ‘Hoedown’) and the inevitable mix of ‘back to school’ bashes (for the nostalgic freshers) and ‘toga’ parties (for the VERY nostalgic postgrads)…

Uni festivals have plenty of attractions… esoteric indie bands from Scandinavian countries you didn’t even know existed, masses of ‘intoxicated youths’ who apparently ‘know their limits’ and cantankerous security guards that give credence to the old platitude that ‘power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’…

But there’s something else that makes uni festivals (and I guess all festivals in general) special… a secret ingredient that makes or breaks an event. Kind of like the MSG in Chinese food or the Apple logo on anything remotely marketable….

I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, until last year at Sounds in the Grounds at Sydney Uni’s Manning Bar. Getting to the front of the crowd, right up against the barrier, waiting for my beloved Van She (NB: they were amazing), it hit me. Maybe it was the pungent reek of unwashed moshers in the air, but at that moment, I felt a sense of solidarity. Not only amongst the people in the front row - who had the pleasure of being sprayed with water just before passing out and the legacy of a few crushed internal organs - but with everyone in the room. A sense of shared focus, a sense of shared elation at every riff, squeak and synthesised beat that emerged from the uplifting platform in front. I turned to the people beside me, and no words needed to be spoken…they felt it too.

It’s this feeling that I now crave whenever I go to a festival. This feeling of belonging, of community… but not in the traditional doublespeak ‘doing this for the Australian community’ that haunts the vocabulary of our most treasured politicians…but in a new, refreshing sense of community.

Have you felt this before? Which events did/didn’t have it?

What's an event without music?

2009-03-10T14:38:00.009+11:00

Hi all! My first post on this blog :). I think Kim's post below really raises some interesting questions. I thought I'd answer some of her questions through this blog post.

Last weekend was a long weekend here in the ONC (Our Nation's Capital) to celebrate the official naming of Canberra. As I attend the various events happening this weekend, something struck me - music seems to be an integral part of what are, essentially, community events. It seems to me that a community event without music would feel just "wrong". Its music that lends the air of celebration as the community comes together to celebrate its unity and diversity.

Band (forgot their name!) at the Canberra Day Celebration

I think that in many ways, music festivals are already linked to the community. Just as how music is the celebration, it is the community who celebrates. Even the wider community is affected and in turn, affects music festivals. As with most things, it is the planning of the festival and the acceptance of festival go-ers and the wider community that will determine whether community spaces in music festivals are received positively.

Stalls at the Canberra Day Celebrations included businesses and community organisations.

In short, the 3 things I like to see in music festivals - great music, diversity and community. What are yours?

Please don't stop the music.

2009-03-02T20:58:00.006+11:00

The Beatles sung about only ever needing love. However I propose (unoriginally) ‘all you need is music’. Why else would we spend ludicrous amounts of money on music festival tickets and be so devoted to going, rain, hail or shine? These indicate that festival goers are just focused and committed to the music, after all – it is the whole point; to appreciate the music and support the bands.

However there is a new argument which proposes there should be more community involvement linked to music festivals. Initially I was sceptical, how would the wider community be involved? It’s clear that a community would be created between the music festival goers but not necessarily between ‘randoms’ in the wider community. Then I could not help think of events like the Tamworth Music Festival where whole communities (young and old) are so united, where the bonds extend beyond the town of Tamworth to other country towns and even to city folks.

If there were to be community involvement I would love to see spaces where I would be able to communicate. Statistics have shown that people have been less involved in things such as church groups and scouts. However I see it as people are still participating in things, just in different mediums particularly the internet. Therefore I would love to see graffiti walls, couches and sofas where I could lounge and update my twitter / facebook status. That way the bonds can extend to the online community. I would love to see stalls with information on different religions, ways of life and events going on in the community. To have access to that opportunity is invaluable. Logistically it makes sense; it won’t be distracting or annoying if it’s all wrapped up before the performances and it’s really beneficial when you get there really early and need something to do.

Predominantly the day should be about the music, but there is nothing to lose by broadening our horizons.

So should a music festival be linked to the community or should it just be about the music? What spaces would you like at a music festival?