One of the big highlights of my Layne Beachley Aim for the Stars experience was being able to make one of my best friends' dreams come true.
You may be aware that Camille from CurlyPops blog is a big INXS fan. You may also be aware she needs some new lungs. Sadly she isn't able to get to an INXS concert due to her illness, but she has not stopped loving the band. Camille and I have become great friends after meeting through blogging, and we have bonded over cake and pretty clothes and accessories and more dessert. She made my Western Suburbs bag that I took overseas and also my gorgeous capelet for the Aim for the Stars ball.
You may also be aware that Layne Beachley is married to Kirk Pengilly from INXS. And he was at the ball. I mentioned Camille to Layne the previous night, and she told me he would be there.
After a couple of drinks I went up to Kirk (he was the man that the young ones couldn't quite recognise!) and introduced myself. I told him about Camille and asked him if he could call her. "Make sure you introduce yourself as she doesn't answer the home phone" I told him.
"Hello, can I speak to Camille please? Is Camille there?" She said she realised it wasn't a telemarketer and picked up the phone.
And oh gosh! Camille was beside herself!!! They chatted for a few minutes. He asked her if she was ok and if she was watching the Manly Sea Eagles play (Yes and No). She told him she has all of their albums. I was crying with excitement! And when I got up on stage to make my speech, I told Layne.
Here are some selfies right after the call. A little while later I told Kirk that Camille was beyond excited! He was so pleased to have made her day :)
Thanks Kirk for making this incredible woman so very happy!
"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
Read about Camille's excitement here. As a huge fan of Darren Hayes, I completely understand and love the excitement she felt :)!
I got this iTunes shuffle from Bern Morley's blog. She says it's easy and a lazy thing to do on a blog in the summer months. Hell, I even got this picture from her blog. I am lazy as.
I always listen to music on my computer if I am not watching TV. Currently my iTunes is on shuffle, which is very rare because usually I select/make a playlist of the artist/s I want to listen to.
Anyhow, here's my iTunes shuffle. It's like the music I've been missing. You can do one too.
Instructions: Put your ipod or media player on Shuffle. The the first fifteen songs that play must be written down, with a short explanation of what it means to you (if anything).
I preface this by saying not all the music I listen to is on my Macbook. I have many CDs, another computer full of music, plus my iPod which I am too scared to load onto my Macbook in case the content gets deleted. (Can someone please tell me how to safely do this?)
Hold on my Heart - Sarah Blasko
I bought As Day Follows Night after I saw Sarah Blasko in Albury last year. She's got an unusual voice. Lovely music to drift to sleep to.
Tears of Pearls - Savage Garden
Of course a Savage Garden song would come up. There is about four hours worth of Darren Hayes and Savage Garden on my Macbook. Tears of Pearls was from their 1997 self titled album. It's so pop! 'We twist and turn where angels burn. Like fallen soldiers we will learn...' I don't recall this video at all... And I call myself a fan...
Time is Running Out - Muse
My favourite Muse song, the first I heard. I love the beat. The gasps. It's theatrical. It was awesome live last year. I have very fond memories of listening to this song.
Your Song - Elton John
So someone I know said they like Elton John and so I downloaded some of his music for conversational purposes. Yep, the things I do for love. Now I am listening to the lyrics, Your Song is not too bad.
We Won't Run - Sarah Blasko
Another track from As Day Follows Night. We Won't Run is one of my favourites of Sarah Blasko's. It's got a nice beat. And nice lyrics. 'Let's not waste another minute of our lives...'
By My Side - INXS
I loved INXS in the Michael Hutchence days, except I got into their music after he died. I remember buying their album when I was about 17. By My Side is probably my favourite song of theirs after Never Tear Us Apart. I remember when Michael Hutchence died - I was making up my bed and Mum told me he'd died, a few months after Princess Di. His coffin was covered in purple flowers. It was so very sad. I recently posted this article on my Facebook and offended some INXS fans. I got a little nostalgic at the U2 concert when Bono dedicated Stuck in a Moment to Michael.
Big Love (live) - Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac is a band my Dad got me into. They are my favourite band from my parents' era. I remember in 1997, we would sit in front of the TV watching The Dance on VHS. I bought the CD for my Dad's birthday and was afraid that me doing so would bump Savage Garden off the top spot of the charts!
Rabbit Heart - Florence and the Machine
I love Florence's power songs. She is quite beautiful and reminds me of Cate from All cats are grey at night. Is this a religious song? The official video is very ornate.
Goodbye Mr A - The Hoosiers
I have never heard this song til now. Sometimes I see a recommendation for a song by someone whose music choice I respect. So I do a disrespectful thing and illegally download it. And I think this was the case with the Hoosiers. I believe Darren Hayes pointed me in the direction of The Hoosiers. Because that's the kind of power Mr Hayes has over me. Disclaimer: Darren Hayes did not encourage me to illegally download music. Goodbye Mr A is nice and upbeat. I may have to respectfully purchase more of The Hoosiers.
Outside of Me - Killing Heidi
I LOVED Killing Heidi when I was 17 - 19. They were from Violet Town, quite close to Albury. When I was in first year uni, I saw them play live in Albury, then met them at the record store where they signed my CDs. I had a huge crush on the drummer Adam Pedretti (left on picture below) and took a million photos of him. I even wrote a poem about him. No I will not share it with you.
Beauty on the Fire - Natalie Imbruglia
Oh Natalie Imbruglia. One of my girl crushes. I really liked her second album. And her first and third. I think she's underrated.
Family Portrait - P!nk
I have only become a fan of P!nk in recent times. 2007 was when I won tickets to her concert and I was blown away. I never much liked her old stuff, but I did like this song.
All the Colours - Angus and Julia Stone
This is Angus doing Julia's Wasted, reggae style. I love this particular concept of a cover version.
Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World - U2
From my favourite album by U2, Achtung! Baby. Two mentions of Dali. 'A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle...'
Hands Clean - Alanis Morissette
So was this song also about Alanis's underage relationship with Joey from Full House, just like You Oughta Know? Though, as I mentioned, I didn't like much of her stuff after Jagged Little Pill, I liked this one. The lyrics are sad, hinting at advantage taken, and possibly pedophilia, written from the perspective of whoever she had a relationship with.
Ok, so now that is done, I realise it was much harder work than being lazy. Lucky this is a blog entry I've prepared earlier ;)
Rob Thomas Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Friday 5 February 2010
Last night I went to the Rob Thomas concert that I won tickets for. Thanks Nova 100!
I was really excited about seeing Rob Thomas play solo. I've been to four Matchbox Twenty concerts before, and LOVED them so much. I'd also watched Something to Be tour live on DVD and enjoyed it. Matchbox Twenty is one of my favourite bands, and their album Yourself or Someone Like You is a high played, high loved album for me.
But I found out last night, a Rob Thomas concert is much different to a Matchbox Twenty concert.
It's not that I didn't enjoy it.
And it's not that it wasn't great.
I just expected to hear some familiar Matchbox Twenty songs. Honestly, the only Rob Thomas songs I know are the ones played on radio. I like the singles he has released, but don't identify with and adore them as I do Matchbox Twenty songs. At last night's concert he ONLY played his solo stuff. Fair enough because he has had so many singles from his two albums, plus Smooth. But of all the songs played up to the last two songs, Smooth was my favourite. The songs just didn't gel with me. I expected to hear more. I wanted to sing along with his songs.
Bent Push If You're Gone Disease Bright Lights Rest Stop How Far We've Come etc
(And Darren Hayes performs Savage Garden songs in his solo shows - I just thought Rob Thomas may, too.)
Rob is a great performer - heartfelt, charismatic, sexy, brilliant singer and beautiful songwriter. I love the way he punches his chest. The way he leans over the piano when he plays it. The combined aggression and passion in his eyes when he sings. He is great. But I didn't buzz as much as I have at a Matchbox Twenty concert.
I admit though, hearing some of the lyrics to the songs that I'm not as familiar with was great - it does amaze me that he consistently writes heartfelt, beautiful lyrics. I think the song lyrics that touched me the most was Ever The Same.
A friend told me yesterday that INXS would play with Rob. I was really looking forward to this. And the collision of the two acts was amazing (aside from seeing/hearing some fracas behind us because a drunk guy in the corporate box broke a glass on the head of a guy sitting in front of him).
If INXS needs a new frontman, Rob Thomas is it. Yes, I am a supporter of leaving INXS be with Michael Hutchence, and no further songs coming from them under the name INXS. Michael was fantastic, irreplaceable and god-like. But Rob Thomas brought a real flair to INXS, and could easily slot in as a believable, quality frontman, 'covering' the songs made famous by Michael.
They played Never Tear Us Apart and Don't Change.
It was a privilege to see INXS play live, even if not in their original form. Those two songs of the concert was my highlight.
I could have easily watched a whole INXS gig fronted by Rob Thomas, singing INXS songs.
We sat very far from the stage (second row from the back) and my photos aren't that great compared to others I've taken. But they are better than I thought they'd turn out.
A little while later I told Kirk that Camille was beyond excited! He was so pleased to have made her day :) 
