Ghost Inputs Live at Wytaliba 08
Let’s start with some ghostly images thanks to R:
All in all a good performance! Possibly out best so far, but still a long way from perfect. Iain reported recieving many positive comments after the show. I didn’t stick around to find out, as I was pretty over it and needed the peace and quite of home. Why so? Let’s tell the story:
R and I were set to go up from Armidale to Wytaliba with our car load of music equipement and camping gear at 3pm, aiming to arrive at the venue two hours later. A mere 17kms out of town my car decides produce an alaming little explosion and strange sounds causing us to pull over. Deciding that car was un-drivable we hitched back to town, got in R’s car and drove back out to my car with some oil and to better inspect what had happened. It turns out the radiator had exploded! A visible crack had allowed all the liquid inside to fizz out everywhere rendering the car’s cooling system defunct (and who knows what else just at this moment). Realising we couldn’t get my car back to town we headed home and started to call the local road-side assistance organisation to book in some towing. Fortunately, a very friendly Simon from the NRMA was nearby and I was off on the highway again with him to get my car. Despite the cracked radiator the car would still run ok, just enough life in it to drive it up onto the tow truck. Simon nicely droped the car off at the mechanic and everything was squared off. R and I had a quick bite to each, made sure we had everything pack in her car, and headed up the highway, again, at 7pm.
We bumped our way into Wytaliba after 9pm, to hear the party going at the shop and Bruce’s punk-metal act Suspected Terrorists brutalising some aggression into the air. The vibe certainly didn’t seem that welcoming, and we had a little trouble finding Iain amongst the bleary eyed roamers and drunk people arguing about something. R found Iain grooving out to the music and despite us being 4 hours late it was ok to still play live set after Bruce (whew!).
The highlight of the set was our new version of Massive Attack’s ‘Angel’ which we’ve morphed into a much more dancy version. We had a good handful of people get up and groove out to that, and thus Iain did a good job of extending it out to take them on a longer ride. It was strange though, I felt we played even better the song after with our own work ‘Life This Free’ but having hardly anyone dancing for it – I guess people love being rewarded with something they know. The vibe wasn’t quite there with the party, some 50 odd people milling about, a lot of passive observation and quite a few moments of aggression or imposing manipulatively behaviour. There were two notable moments of this. One was a younger fellow decided that he needed to join us on the drum kit, play out of time and generally ignore the feel of what we were doing (even though he was happy enough about doing all this). The other moment was between songs toward the end of our set where an old bloke came up to me and started gibbering something I could understand fully, something about how I don’t need all this technology I’m using and that I’m a crap guitarist. He then proceeded to give me the finger! I guess you can’t please everyone! Who knows what that was all about…
Fittingly, the power generator ran out of petrol just as we finished our last song.
Iain, on behalf of Zia, had offered us to stay on and sleep over, upgrading from camping to sleeping in a room. But we’d both had enough by that point. Feeling pretty pumped from playing and realising that it was only 10:30pm we decided to make a run for home, to peace and quiet and neglected pets waiting… In bed by 1:30am. What a gig adventure!
Tags: ghost inputs, iain mackay, Live, wytaliba
November 26th, 2008 at 9:14 am
YO MARK!! Pity about the car!! Hopefully, it is just the radiator, and no other damage. Luckily, because you look after the car generally, it shouldn’t have stuffed anything else up. Better the radiator to go then crack the engine head!!
Before I forget, where abouts is Wytaliba again? Is it up near Glen Innes? In relation to the ‘vibe’ of the place, bec and I have decided to throw in the towel when it comes to going to clubs and or even pubs. Too much agro, too much stupidity and senseless non-reasoning!! The only way you can ‘get into the vibe’ is to be drunk yourself, which is exactly what I choose not to do anymore!!
Anyway, you’re wiser for the experience and all that, and good to get some music out there. As for the old bugger? If he is the only one to voice a displeasurable opinion, AND he’s under the influence of alcohol/drugs, then you’ve done pretty bloody good…… I’d vote for ya’!!!!!
December 2nd, 2008 at 7:40 am
SO what? NO NEWS FROM YOU?! I HATE YOU DARLING! YOU SLEPT WITH ME AND THEN WUTWUT IN THE BUTT?!!!
April 15th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Hahahhaaa
Re: The old bugger – His name is Kev, and yes, he does that a lot! Dude, forget him, you rocked – sorry you had a bad time, we’re about the toughest crowd in the world some nights. If i’d seen Kev giving you shit i would have had him dragged away, best though is just nod and smile. Very anti-tech chip on that blokes shoulder, really he just needs to make his own band or fuck off.
As for the drummer, man, you all were troopers, yeah i know that isn’t the regular gig thing, but there ya go.
I was the crazy bastard going nuts trying to give Iain props for that wicked “Booommmbbb” sound he had on one of his pads. If only we’d known you were in a shit mood before arriving – next time be honest, and i hope you will come back and play again, those of us who dug your sound, really dug it!
Cheers for making the supremo effort to even show up after the car issues
April 15th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
Oh yeah, as for the song after Angel
Personally, I was outside for some of your set, NextG reception is non-existant until you wander 50m or so from the house toward the shop – I was on the phone to other community members who were home with food poisoning, trying to get them to come check you out cos your sound is one i know they would have loved.