Geebung, Queensland Superthread

[phanan]

Honestly, it surprises me just how long U2 wait between releasing an album and going on tour. Other bands I follow don't do that at all. A 4-5 month gap between album and opening night of the tour is honestly a bit ridiculous.

I guess with having families and everything, they figure it is easier to start up after the holiday season.

Although I would suggest doing a very short fall tour once the album comes out, and then resuming the next year. Kind of like a rapid fire tour where they make one stop only at each major city, then start up again in February/March with a longer trek with multi-night stands.

But that would cost more money, so forget that idea.

 

[Axver]

The worst thing about this part of Melbourne is the fucking 'Toorak Matrons*' who a-are yet to realise that Surrey Hills is not Toorak and b-that just because they have a 4WD does not give them the right to try to mow me down everytime I cross the street.

We did have a blackout recently that lasted 72 odd hours. I thought of looting but the only store near me is a Red Rooster and a bakery.

* Toorak is the perceived 'Beverly Hills' of Melbourne.

I've only actually been through Toorak once, and very quickly too, but I've heard all about its people. I get the impression it is populated with far too many middle class people who think they are actually upper class and live far, far beyond their means. Those people drove me nuts on the Gold Coast; plenty of their vapid offspring went to high school with me and I'm sure are currently beginning to follow in their parents' footsteps. As for Surrey Hills, I'm not even familiar with it; I'm still learning Melbourne's geography.

I'm over in Brunswick West, which I think is fairly nice, all things considered. Sure, it's not the classiest or richest place, but it's quiet and undergoing gentrification in an unassuming way. Plus I like how ethnically diverse it is. In my own block of flats, there's two Indian couples, a Middle Eastern fellow, this weird Asian lady I don't like, an Aussie teacher, and my Kiwi self.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Oh, I lived on the western fringe of the Gold Coast for a while, 11/2003 to 02/2006, and bushfires were a constant source of concern. We had two in my time there, one of which came alarmingly close - everybody from three houses up our street onwards were evacuated, but we were allowed to stay. I suffered considerable asthma and had my stuff packed and ready to go, but it was brought under control fairly quickly and I didn't have to leave. Ever since then, I've resolved to only live in relatively inner suburbs as long as I stay in Australia. I'll probably have to if I get a job in academia anyway.

The heatwave was a bit more variable here, some days were closer to 30 than 40, so it was a bit harder to get used to it. And I just hate heat in the first place, it's why I left Queensland, so I was bloody relieved when it finished. At the moment, I'm looking forward to the weather dropping a few more degrees - it was doing nicely a couple of weeks ago, but has unfortunately warmed up a little.

If you're asthmatic, then yeah, that makes it a bigger problem. Were you guys seriously considering leaving earlier due to the fires?

That the heat in other cities did change frequently would have made the effect a bit different, I guess - the upper 30s, low 40s would have been intolerable after a 30 or so. Despite being around 40-44 for so long, I think people began to adapt and settle with it.

 

[Axver]

I guess with having families and everything, they figure it is easier to start up after the holiday season.

Although I would suggest doing a very short fall tour once the album comes out, and then resuming the next year. Kind of like a rapid fire tour where they make one stop only at each major city, then start up again in February/March with a longer trek with multi-night stands.

But that would cost more money, so forget that idea.

I don't see why starting after the holiday season has to equate to starting in late March rather than late January. And it just seems like a really long time to let the album sit with no tour. My suggestion would be not to start in the US at all (gasp, shock, horror!). Say the album comes out in late October. They've got September and October to promote the shit out of it in the Northern Hemisphere in TV appearances and whatnot. Then begin the tour proper in the Southern Hemisphere - they could do Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and possibly South America in November and the first half of December. I don't pick my own region out of bias; I pick it because it can be viably toured in that short space. Then they can spend a couple of months off for the holidays with their families before restarting the tour in North America in late February or March, rock around there for a few months, and then head to Europe for another few months and finish the tour there about a year after it began.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Got to admit, I tried one of those and I really felt it wasn't much different at all to their standard sub.

I've been to Red Rooster... three times in my life? The first was on a trip to Queensland in 1995 where I guess I had a kid's meal or something, the second was last year when I got a chicken burger with unexpected BBQ sauce, and the third time was a few weeks ago when I went for one of those souvlakis. So I don't know how they compare to their other subs. All I know is that the bread was super crusty and there needed to be MORE TZATZIKI.

 

[phanan]

I don't see why starting after the holiday season has to equate to starting in late March rather than late January. And it just seems like a really long time to let the album sit with no tour. My suggestion would be not to start in the US at all (gasp, shock, horror!). Say the album comes out in late October. They've got September and October to promote the shit out of it in the Northern Hemisphere in TV appearances and whatnot. Then begin the tour proper in the Southern Hemisphere - they could do Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and possibly South America in November and the first half of December. I don't pick my own region out of bias; I pick it because it can be viably toured in that short space. Then they can spend a couple of months off for the holidays with their families before restarting the tour in North America in late February or March, rock around there for a few months, and then head to Europe for another few months and finish the tour there about a year after it began.

A most logical idea.

Too bad it'll never happen.

 

[Axver]

If you're asthmatic, then yeah, that makes it a bigger problem. Were you guys seriously considering leaving earlier due to the fires?

That the heat in other cities did change frequently would have made the effect a bit different, I guess - the upper 30s, low 40s would have been intolerable after a 30 or so. Despite being around 40-44 for so long, I think people began to adapt and settle with it.

No, I was the only one who was overly troubled by it. Neither fire was terribly substantial in the grand scheme of things, plus the more major fire (it severely damaged one house further up and superficially damaged some more) actually occurred when one of my stepbrothers and I were the only ones home - Mum and Alan completely missed out on it. They all still live in the very same place. I left when I began university and haven't looked back.

Melbourne at one point seemed to be going through these cycles of 20, 22, 25, 29, 41, 40, repeat. The heat during March was more consistently high, but still fluctuated in true Melbourne style and the 40 days were hell. I think the worst part was that it barely cooled down at night and trying to sleep in 30+ degrees is horrible.

 

[Pearl]

Hi everyone

 

[Axver]

I've been to Red Rooster... three times in my life? The first was on a trip to Queensland in 1995 where I guess I had a kid's meal or something, the second was last year when I got a chicken burger with unexpected BBQ sauce, and the third time was a few weeks ago when I went for one of those souvlakis. So I don't know how they compare to their other subs. All I know is that the bread was super crusty and there needed to be MORE TZATZIKI.

I'd been to Red Rooster twice in my life before moving to Melbourne. But there's a Red Rooster about an eight minute walk from my place, so I've been a bit more, and Fellow Albino Railfan is a bit fond of it so she's suggested it for lunch during some of our photographic treks. Though we usually end up at Hungry Jack's because it's cheaper than Red Rooster or Subway and better quality than Macca's.

And yes, my assessment of Red Rooster's souvlaki sub is pretty much the same as yours.

 

[Axver]

Hi everyone

Morning.

How are you?

 

[Pearl]

Tired! I'm doing a summer internship, and I had to get up at 3:30am to be in by 6am

 

[Axver]

Tired! I'm doing a summer internship, and I had to get up at 3:30am to be in by 6am

Holy shit, that's awful! I hope you're doing something good enough to make that worth it, though I struggle to imagine anything that I would find worth it to get up at 3:30am for. I'm barely in bed by then most days ...

 

[Pearl]

Yeah, its worth it. I got cool people to intern for. But this whole eating lunch at 9am, taking public transit at 4:30am as a female, should screw up my system somehow.

 

[Varitek]

pearl, are you way out in the burbs or something? that's really early. what's the internship?

 

[Varitek]

uuuuuuuuh wtf i just lost 3+ posts. i remember a few posts ago i was 11106 cause i was watching to see when i'd hit 11111. now i'm 11103. ????

 

[The Sad Punk]

I was supposedta go to bed about three hours though (trying to get a good sleep routine going, nevermind the fact it's a holiday tomorrow) so I'll be out. Have a good one, all. And good luck with all that, Pearl!

 

[Axver]

Public transit at 4:30am? Wow, I'm impressed it runs then. In Melbourne, the trams effectively shut down between midnight (1am on Fri/Sat) and 5am.

As for safety, I'm wary enough myself, and I'm a guy who tends to stick to relatively safe parts of Melbourne and quiet tram routes! Though I've felt more safe ever since I got my cane, heh ...

 

[Axver]

I was supposedta go to bed about three hours though (trying to get a good sleep routine going, nevermind the fact it's a holiday tomorrow) so I'll be out. Have a good one, all. And good luck with all that, Pearl!

I keep meaning to get my sleeping schedule back to something sane ... then quite by chance I find it's suddenly 2:15am rather than midnight without me even realising, so I've just given up on that for now.

Have a good one!

 

[Pearl]

pearl, are you way out in the burbs or something? that's really early. what's the internship?

Sort of. I live on Staten Island (aka the Forgotten Borough of NYC), and transportation is awful out there, especially at the hour.

As for the internship, its for a local TV station.

 

[Varitek]

it's nyc ax, they're serious when they say it never sleeps.

 

[Screwtape2]

I put a blog up about Corianderstem so add your thoughts on her.

 

[Pearl]

I was supposedta go to bed about three hours though (trying to get a good sleep routine going, nevermind the fact it's a holiday tomorrow) so I'll be out. Have a good one, all. And good luck with all that, Pearl!

Thanks!

 

[Axver]

it's nyc ax, they're serious when they say it never sleeps.

See, I still find myself amazed by the fact there are 24 hour McDonald's and Hungry Jack's outlets in Melbourne. I grew up in small town New Zealand, where nothing opened on Sundays and probably only opened 9am-1pm on Saturdays. Then in Queensland, "late night Thursdays" means trading goes until 9:30pm rather than 6pm or so.

I still can't figure out who the fuck wants to go to Macca's at 4am, or how enough of them exist for it to be commercially viable to stay open.

 

[Varitek]

When I was living in NY I got angry when shit was closed at night, like my fry place.

 

[Axver]

When I was living in NY I got angry when shit was closed at night, like my fry place.

I've lived in Melbourne long enough that I expect supermarkets and things to be open well into the evening, like to 9-10pm, but a small store open beyond 6pm on any night other than a Thursday would genuinely surprise me. Well, unless it's a restaurant, in which case I'd bloody well expect it to be open, heh.

 

[Varitek]

why thursday?

in vienna it drove me crazy that stores closed at 6 or 7 and weren't open sundays. wtf.

 

[Pearl]

My parents just got back from France, and they say everything - except the restaurants - are closed until about noon.

 

[Axver]

why thursday?

in vienna it drove me crazy that stores closed at 6 or 7 and weren't open sundays. wtf.

At most shopping centres, Thursday is late night shopping, usually to 9:30. I imagine it's some marketing gimmick devised after somebody saw Thursday had the worst sales figures of the week and thought it would be a way to rope more people into the shopping centres.

 

[Varitek]

My parents just got back from France, and they say everything - except the restaurants - are closed until about noon.

see that's more on my schedule!

 

[No spoken words]

Sort of. I live on Staten Island (aka the Forgotten Borough of NYC), and transportation is awful out there, especially at the hour.

As for the internship, its for a local TV station.

I lived in NYC for the first 27 years of my life and stepped foot on Staten Island once. To people in The Bronx, Staten Island is a world away.