3 minutes 30 seconds and Fade Out.

Obligatory End of Year list: Top 10 Albums of 2011

2011-12-13T23:00:00.000-08:00

As the label suggests.

10. Britney Spears- Femme Fatale This is her comeback record. Let's hope she progresses forward with this change in sound

9. Foster The People- TorchesThe whole record is brilliant, which doesn't often happen with a debut.

8. Wild Beasts- SmotherBeautiful and heartfelt.

7. Metronomy- The English Riviera Soundtrack to my winter break. A cocktail in musical form.

6. Nicola Roberts- Cinderella's EyesPop perfection. I had high hopes for Nicola's solo debut considering I find her bandmates' solo outings lacklustre. And let me tell you, she did not disappoint me at all. Pop but from the heart.

5. Will Young- EchoesFrom the minute I heard the lead single 'Jealousy', I had a feeling that this album would be stunning. Really think he's hit his stride here lyrically and sonically.

4. Coldplay- Mylo XylotoBias? Perhaps. But there were a few tracks, namely the acoustic-esque tracks, that are growers.

3. Florence and The Machine- CeremonialsLike Lungs, but bigger, boom-ier and bassier.

2. Clare Maguire- Light After DarkAnother fantastic debut. From start to finish, the only word to describe this album is 'epic'.

1. Adele- 21Review: Need I say more? 2011 is the year of Adele.

Special Mentions: Yelle- Safari Disco Club, Wolf Gang- Suego Faults

Albums I had high hopes for but turned out to be a bit ho-hum in the end: Kimbra- Vows. Starts off great, but the second half is very slow. Great tracks, but they don't grab you like the opening tracks.

Lady Gaga- Born This Way. Too much going on in some songs like 'Judas'. But the album also gave us gems like 'Scheisse' and 'Heavy Metal Lover', so it wasn't a total fail.

Breaking Dawn as told by Madonna

2011-10-03T06:28:00.000-07:00

The final instalment in the Twilight Saga as retold through the power of song. The power of MADONNA songs that is.

Wedding

Honeymmon/Isle Esme

Pregnant with demon half vampire/human baby

Bella dies during childbirth

OR

Vampire!Bella, Edward and demon child are a family after Bella wakes up from vampcoma.

Jacob imprints on demon spawn

OR

Preparing for non existent fight with ancient Vamps

Fight is one massive anticlimax. Everyone goes home.

Edward and Bella and demon child live happily ever after

Thoughts? Questions? Rashes?

All credit to Madonna. I would thank Stephenie Meyer but she wrote the Twilight Saga, so....

New stuff from old favourites

2011-06-03T19:30:00.001-07:00

Coldplay- Every Teardrop is a Waterfall

It is not as good as this:

Or this:

But it is better than this:

And nowhere near as broody as this:

And it also has a sample from 'I Go to Rio' by Peter Allen.

Incredible. I really just want to get up and dance to it. Love the synths, the bit when the beat comes in, Chris's voice. What an uplifting tune and a surefire departure from their earlier work but an evolution of the last album. Begging to be remixed.

Rating: 8/10

Nicola Roberts- Beat of My Drum

It's always the quiet ones. The third Girls Aloud member to go solo, Nicola's debut packs so much more of a punch than Cheryl or Nadine's. She really is the underdog. The drum breakdown at the end is OH so necessary. The bridge almost doesn't fit in with the rest of the song, but after a few listens, you get over it. And that chorus.
Wow. So fierce.
Diplo/Major Lazer worked on this track and were responsible for Beyonce's underwhelming 'Run the World (Girls)' and out of the two, I know which one I'd prefer to listen to.

(Nicola's.)

Rating: 7.5-8/10

Heavy Rotation

2011-05-09T07:16:00.000-07:00

Currently being played over and over again are:

Depeche Mode- Enjoy the Silence: How am I only just discovering this now? Amazing and sounds so fresh even after all these years. I'm thinking I need to get my hands on their GH.

Lady Gaga- Judas: It doesn't hold a candle to the perfection that is Bad Romance, but it's still catchy and fun. Video is good too, bar the ending. Something is off with this era though. Can't seem to put my finger on it.

N.E.R.D- Hypnotize U: Sexy and hypnotic. The beat and Pharell's voice just do it for me in this track. I haven't liked a N.E.R.D song in years so this kind of a big deal.

Kanye West et al- All of The Lights: Genius. Pure genius.

Jay-Z ft Chris Martin- Beach Chair: This is quickly becoming one of my favourites from Hov. Am I biased? Maybe. Lyrically it's brilliant. Whenever I'm having a low moment, I find myself turning to this track. The sound of the piano is so strange you can't help but listen. Definitely one of the best collaborations that Chris Martin has done.

Album Review: Britney Spears 'Femme Fatale (Deluxe Edition)'

2011-04-19T05:23:00.000-07:00

Oh Britney. What have you done?

For those of you that don't know me, from 1999 to 2005, I was a massive Britney stan. Huge. Until her knee screwed everything up. From that point on, when she decided her career was nothing and that celebrity status was more important, I decided to flip her the bird and move on. Sure, I bought 'Blackout' and 'Circus' but months after their releases and with minimal excitement. 'Blackout' was great leap forward for her, but 'Circus' was full of filler and seems like such a whimper compared to its predecessor (even 'In The Zone' was more of a leap forward than 'Circus').

So, my thoughts then on Femme Fatale, her seventh studio album.

It is much, much better than 'Circus'. My biggest problem with Britney was that she still had the lyrics and music of a teeny bopper. Not so much on here even though she is still working with Max Martin (who, if you didn't know by now, wrote 'Baby One More Time'). There's a nice duality in the opening tracks 'Til the World Ends' and 'Hold it Against Me'- both of them have the 'faux-dubstep' sound but are very much what Britney should sound like in 2011.
The fan favourite 'Inside Out' is next and while it's a good track, I don't get the hype over it. That's not to say I don't like it though. But it's no where near her top 10 best tracks. That honour should go to the next track, 'I Wanna Go'. The hook, the whistle effects, the beat- it sounds so fresh and different from anything else she's done. I keep going back to this track the most.
'How I Roll' is a cute sounding song with amateurish lyrics, but that's okay. Is it weird that my favourite bit about the song is just opening effects? SMS or e-mail me the answer plz.

The next three tracks that follow have this dance/techno (I use that term incredibly lightly) concept. I really would love to hear a mashup of 'Trouble For Me' with 'Take Me to The Love Parade' *coughmakeithappenpleasecough* There's a real 90s dance vibe on these tracks, in my opinion. 'Trip To Your Heart' another fan favourite off the cut, is good, but it doesn't live up to the hype. It does sound like the older, wiser sister of 'Heaven on Earth' though.'Gasoline' is a catchy albeit filler-ish track using the extended metaphor of petrol for adrenaline/lust. #shrugs
The standard album ends with 'Criminal'. Yes it's a good song, downtempo and harks back to Madonna circa American Life BUT ever since I read the observation that the chorus sounds like 'The Logical Song', it's been tainted. Just a bit.

Now, the real goodies are on the deluxe edition. 'Up N Down' has a great bridge and catchy chorus, as does 'Selfish'. The real highlight on the album is 'He About To Lose Me'. All I can say is: That. Beat. Totally hypnotic. Wonderfully understated. Just a shame that it doesn't sound like Britney sings the chorus at all.

It's a good album. Not the 'Ray of Light' esqueness that we had been told to expect. But then again, I don't think Britney could carry that sound or thematic concerns off very well. Indeed, the album is based on sex and dancing. Or dancing as a metaphor for sex. So it's a safe album in terms of lyrics, but thank god the sound has progressed. Her fanbase isn't 12 years old anymore and neither is she. The big question from here is whether she wants to continue to be a popstar or not, because it looks and sounds like it's just not her thing anymore.

Verdict: 7 Mickey's out of 10 Mouse Clubs
Standout Tracks: I Wanna Go, He About To Lose Me, Till The World Ends

NB: Big Fat Bass and (Drop Dead) Beautiful are both shit. Except for the piano bit on the former.

Album Review: Adele '21'

2011-04-18T05:56:00.000-07:00

For many weeks after it's release, I avoided this album like the plague. Adele's debut album, '19', whilst having some great singles, did not live up to my expectations at all and so I was wary of falling into a similar trap.

And then I heard 'Rolling in the Deep'. The first single is an ear assault. It's punchy, with big vocals and full of vitriol. Actually, the whole album is peppered by hate, or perhaps regret. Either way it's one of the best breakup albums I've heard.
So after this, I watched her performances of 'Someone Like You' at the Brit Awards.

Sold.

This is kind of performance that's destined to leave you in tears, clutching a pillow and rocking back and forth in the foetal position. Not that I did or anything....

post performance, I headed to my local CD store and had to have the album. And this time I was not disappointed. Tracks like 'Rumour Has It' and 'I'll Be Waiting' keep the spirit of the album alive in between heartbreaking songs like 'Set Fire to the Rain' and 'Turning Tables'. I've yet to warm up to 'One and Only' and 'Lovesong', but an average of 9 out of 11 brilliant tracks makes up for that. Her voice is so soulful and full of emotion, that you can hear the pain when she sings. Lyrically, it's very good. I particularly enjoy this one from 'Turning Tables': 'Next time I'll be braver/ I'll be my own saviour/when the thunder calls for me'. Achingly beautiful.

Adele was lumped in with Winehouse and Duffy as her contemporaries. Out of those three, it seems like she's the one that's made progress musically and may have long term success.

A stunning gem of an album.

Verdict: 9 angry texts out of 10 screened phone calls
Standout Tracks: Rolling in the Deep, Rumour Has It, Set Fire To The Rain, Someone Like You

Album Review: Aston 'Aston'

2011-04-09T07:39:00.000-07:00

Here's something different. Aston are a classical music group.
WAIT! DON'T LEAVE!
They do covers of pop songs.
Still here? Good. Because these guys are brilliant. I took one look at the track listing and went 'yes, yes, YES!', as if they had stumbled upon my music collection purposely. They arrange the tracks themselves and in some cases, they have one upped the originals. Muse, Coldplay, Florence + The Machine; hell even Rihanna and Lady Gaga get treatments here. It's all instrumental but it just sounds amazing. Each track sweeps and soars- you can feel the emotionality of these songs that you may not have noticed before. Perfect for a mainstream music lover who wants something a bit different.

Verdict:9 woods out of 10 winds
Stand out tracks: ET, You've Got The Love, Rude Boy

How to Cover.... True Faith

2011-03-29T06:51:00.000-07:00

This is a good cover:

This is a not so good cover:

Just an opinion

Track of the Day: Bat For Lashes 'Strangelove'

2011-02-28T01:39:00.000-08:00

This track surfaced sometime last week and is the official track for the new Gucci 'Guilty' campaign. I'm not familiar with the original by Depeche Mode, but having had Bat for Lashes stunning version on repeat since it was made available, I will make a note to hunt down DM's. Musically, it doesn't sound like anything off the last album, nor does it sound like their contribution to the Twilight: Eclipse soundtrack, the fantastic 'Let's Get Lost' featuring Beck. Natasha Kahn (pictured) provides stunning vocals and the strumming riff that occurs throughout the track give it this mysterious edge.'Strangelove' indeed.

Verdict: Without comparing to the original, 8 Bats out of 10 Lashes
NB: not sure whether I'm allowed to post the track or not but Google is your friend *coughcough*

Album Review: Take That 'Progress'

2010-12-06T02:12:00.000-08:00

A bit of history: I became a fan of Robbie Williams in 2000 after I received a copy of his album 'Sing When You're Winning' for my birthday. I've been wearing my RW fan badge with pride ever since. Considering I'm too young to remember Take That v1.0, in a span of 10 years I went from: not knowing who the hell they were, knowing they sang 'Back For Good', knowing that Robbie left the group in 1995, listening to their greatest hits and finally liking and accepting them as a four piece. So when news broke that Robbie Williams was rejoining them, I was aghast. I like my Robbie solo and my TT as a four piece.

I would like to officially state, for the record, that I'm now on board for TT v 3.0 (or v1.0 mark 2). And it's all because of 'The Flood'. It doesn't quite sound like TT, nor does it sound like Robbie's last record. In fact, much like the rest of 'Progress', it's the best of worlds, shaken up Bryan Brown Cocktail style, and presented in the most delightful fashion. 'The Flood' is epic in all sense of the word and although there isn't anything else like it on the rest of the album, it makes sense as the opener. 'SOS' and 'Kidz' are upBEAT. The drums are loud as are the choruses (catchy as hell). It's been said a million times in other reviews, but you can hear the Muse influence at play here. If they choose to cover the band on tour, I vote 'Undisclosed Desires' or 'Neutron Star Collision' (But they'll probably incorporate 'Uprising'). Similarly, Robbie's 'solo' track 'Underground Machine' is in this dystopic rock style. And yes, I just made that genre up. :D

There's even hints of hip-hop influences in 'Wait'. At first, I didn't like it, but that chorus is just... catchy. And that's the thing with every track on the album. If the verse or bridge is dull, the choruses come to the rescue. Not saying that's a bad thing at all though.

The middle tracks 'Pretty Things' and 'Happy Now' have this Bee Gees esque ness about them, especially the latter. 'Pretty Things' has this 'We-are-starring-in-a-period-drama-produced-by-BBC'. I lol'd at first, but it grew on me considerably.

'Affirmation' and 'Eight Letters' are really amazing tracks that round off the album. 'Flowerbed' as the finale is sweet as and that second chorus when the beat really kicks in is sort of heartbreaking.

The ultimate standout track for me here is Mark Owen's solo track 'What Do You Want From Me?'. Over the past three days since I've listened to the album, I find that it's the one track I keep coming back to. It's uplifting and sweet but also again, heartbreaking. You can hear the emotion in his voice- he means every word he's singing. I can just imagine the video for this: close ups of him, black and white, fists in the air and pulling it down to his chest. Sadly, this track also contains the cringeworthy lyric of 'I still want to have sex with you' which I like to block out every time. However, I think, in the spirit of this album's concept, that these are men who are in their late 30s and early 40s- they are not teenagers. If they can't sing about sex, then who can?

Without a doubt, this is one of the best album's of 2010 for me. With the help of Stuart Price, the group have moved on...yes, they've made progress from they boys they once were to men who are scared, happy, nervous, asking for forgiveness. Whether Robbie stays or not is the point here; it's how they can take this sound and evolve it.

Verdict: 4.5 Takes out of 5 Thats.
Standout Tracks: The Flood, SOS, Kidz, What Do You Want From Me?

Track of the Day: Coldplay 'Christmas Lights'

2010-12-02T19:09:00.000-08:00

There was much hoopla and hype surrounding this new release from Coldplay. I ignored all that in order to listen sans bias so I'm hoping this review would be significantly less peppered with my fangirl judgement.

It's a Christmas track, and as we know from my previous post, there are really only a few Christmas songs I need (count em: 3). But I think this one may quickly be working itself into that exclusive group. NOT JUST BECAUSE IT'S COLDPLAY.

To be honest, I didn't love it straight away. The chorus isn't catchy and the melody (or tempo) changes midway. I think it's a case of '42' for the band again, where they wanted to have one song but make it sound like 2 different tracks. It worked for 42, but I'm not sure if it works for 'Christmas Lights'.

Another thing that struck me was the use of lyrics from another new-ish song that they had previewed on 'The South Bank Show' doco called 'Wedding Bells'. At first, I thought it was clever, but then I thought, well, what if this means that they've shelved the latter? I hope I'm wrong. The lyric in particular is 'I always loved you and I always will'. *melts*

Having said that, and giving the song repeated listens plus a day to sink in, I actually really love the track. It's not close to my favourite Coldplay songs, but the lyrics are really interesting and sweet. The opening piano bars sort of remind me of 'The Black Parade' by My Chemical Romance, there's a kind of sweet melancholy and nostalgia there, the kind normally associated with Christmas time. I know some reviews have said it's more 'Nightswimming' by REM but I've never really heard it, so I can only compare to what I know. At some points, in kind of soars, so it's perfect for a drunken Christmas singalong.
It veers towards the sweet and wintery rather than the cheesy and lame that a lot of Christmas songs can fall prey to. Well worth a listen. And the video is very well done too. Reminds me of 'Don't Panic' in a way.
Verdict: 7.5 Santas out of 10 Clauses

It's December 1st....

2010-11-30T20:02:00.000-08:00

So you know what that means. Only 3 tracks on heavy rotation:

1. Last Christmas- Wham!
2. All I Want For Christmas is You- Mariah Carey
3. Do They Know it's Christmas?- Band Aid II (original is also acceptable)

Album Review: Duffy 'Endlessly'

2010-11-29T16:44:00.000-08:00

There's a reason why a sophmore album is labelled 'the very difficult second album'. Some artists get it right whilst others do not. That's because when you're coming off an exceptional debut, there's either a decision to stick with the same sound (it worked the first time, so why not) or change it up so audiences don't get bored. There's an equal chance of both options failing or being successful.

Here though, Duffy has cleverly decided to both change it up and keep her blue-eyed soul sound that rocketed her to stardom on her debut 'Rockferry'.
Whilst her debut was mainly ballad heavy, 'Endlessly' is a more upbeat affair. Yes, there are ballads ('Too Hurt to Dance, 'Don't Forsake Me' and 'Hard for the Heart'), but there are also tracks like the first single 'Well, Well, Well' which show this other side to her that 'Mercy' really only hinted at. Heck, she even goes a bit disco on 'Lovestruck'. I know, guys. I know. But it works. It's almost like the upbeat blue eyed soul of the 60s in a contemporary format. There's beats! And drums! And strings!

As for singles, nothing really standouts as opposed to her debut, but as an album it works well. The change in her production and writing team really shows (I believe the dance sound is ultimately due to Stuart Price's co-production on some tracks- gosh, he is getting around this year!) and while some audiences may find her uber-vibrato voice grating, I quite enjoy it. Certainly, out of her peers (Amy Winehouse and Adele) her album was by far my favourite and this second album solidifies it. My only gripe is the lack of dual epicness. On 'Rockferry' we had the title track and closed with 'Distant Dreamer' but the siblings here 'My Boy' and 'Hard For the Heart', although amazing, fall short of the grandiose aspects of the former tracks.

Verdict:A solid effort. 4 out of 5.
Key tracks: My Boy, Breath Away, Hard For The Heart, Keeping My Baby, Well, Well, Well.

Interrupting our normal programming....

2010-11-25T17:59:00.001-08:00

Today I was hoping to do a review of Duffy's new album 'Endlessly'.

(This is a picture of it)

Sadly, my local CD store did not have it.

I was also hoping to write up my thoughts on Take That's new album 'Progress'

(This is a picture of it too. Nifty, isn't it?)

Sadly, I'm still waiting on my order courtesy of the same CD store.

In conclusion, I have no new music to report on as yet. Stay tuned.

The case for B-side

2010-11-24T00:39:00.000-08:00

'These are dark times...'
(Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- J.K Rowling)

Around 10 years ago, when I was 10 or 11 years old, I used to look forward to Monday afternoons. Why? Because I knew there would be two things waiting for me in the car when my mother picked my sisters and I up from school. These were 1)the weekly magazines (Woman's Day, New Idea and NW. Sometimes Who) and 2) the new chart releases i.e the humble CD single. Fast forward to now and I rarely pick up the weeklies (mainly because 80% of their stories are junk journalism) and the CD single is a dying species.

In the digital age, the argument for the (slow) eradication of the physical single has been because of the increase of mp3s (illegal and legal downloads), whereby consumers can have the song that they want instantaneously without having any of the ad-ons.

This is all well and good for casual fans of artists, but what about the uber-fans? By taking away the CD single, there is nothing tangible for them to invest in emotionally. Sure we have the mp3, but that's just a track existing in the murky depths of cyber space and brings up all sorts of meta-physical and existential questions (in the vein of 'if a tree falls in the middle of the forest and no-one hears it, did it really fall?')

The uber-fan needs the physical single as proof of their ingroup status and their identification of their fandom. It's something the can hold up and say 'SEE!!! I DO LOVE THIS ARTIST!'

Sadly, it doesn't look as though the single will ever come back in a big way. Many stores have stopped stocking them and in an ironic sort of fashion, the only place to find them is to order them online.

Which brings me to the idea of the digital single and the uber-fan. For some reason, many artists are now only putting out 1 tracks or digital bundles with a bajillion remixes on them. The 1-tracks are perfect for the casual fan (who actually *GASP* pays for their music) but the lack of b-sides are becoming problematic for uber-fans. Without a b-side on a single, the incentive to buy is withdrawn, thus forcing the fan to question the status of their ingroup membership- it makes them stop and go 'Well, I've already got the album. Why do I need this single?' I know some fans love the remixes, but there are even more who love new material. There are some who don't question their fandom and continue to support the artist and I tip my proverbial hat off to them.

Personally, I believe that a b-side shows us another side to an album's era and is part and parcel of a singles success. It's like ying and yang: the b-side balances out the a-side so it's not all club beats and dubs.

And with that, I think I'll go weep into my jewel cases now.

Track of the Day

2010-11-23T04:27:00.000-08:00

Katy Perry- Firework

Well, Katy Purry, who I've had a so-so relationship with in the past, has really piqued my interest with her last two singles off her latest album 'Teenage Dream'. The title track is a fantastic, punchy pop track, encapsulating the freedom of youth and the feelings of summer within each punctured beat of the chorus. I was hooked from the opening guitar chords and a few months later, I'm still loving it. Not so with with the first single 'California Gurls' which I felt was a shambolic 'Tik-Tok' ripoff (I'm pretty sure I'm not alone on that.) And I really couldn't stand 'Tik-Tok'.

So when I heard her third single 'Firework', I held my breath and reserved judgment until the end. And I was not disappointed. It's not as great as its predecessor, but it's full on, ballsy chorus does a pretty good job of sitting in your head for hours after listening. And that, in my opinion, makes for an excellent pop song. It comes complete with cheesy lyrics ('Do you ever feel like a plastic bag?'- why yes, Katy. All the time) and 'meaningful' video- kid with cancer, gay men kissing, thugs, fireworks exploding from Katy's chest. You know. Symbolic stuff.
Not a classic but close enough.

Apols.

2010-11-23T04:10:00.000-08:00

I realise it's been a whole year since I've updated. So, I'd like to take this time to say I'm sorry.
It's not, you it's me. I had a lot on my plate this year with uni and such... I'm sorry. Come back!
I miss you :(
I promise to try harder.
I'll be around more often, what with the holidays and such.
You've got to try harder to communicate with me- that's the only way this relationship will ever work.
I'll bring more presents- photos, and goodies and updates etc...
Just don't leave me again. Please.
I'm sorry.
:(

Robbie Tuesday- I've Been Expecting You

2009-11-24T01:21:00.000-08:00

First off, Merry Robbie Tuesday to you all. Today we are going to look at Robbie's second album, I've Been Expecting You released in 1998.

Strong: Robbie's sing-a-long song. So much fun to sing to and good album opener. It really sets the mood of the album: let me pour my heart to you and have a cocktail with an umbrella whilst I do so.
No Regrets: One of my all time favourites. Features Neil Tennant and Neil Hannon on guest vocals and is just superb. The choruses are just epic but I think what really shines here are Robbie's lyrics; not so much about who they pertain to (Take That) but the anger and frustration that builds on each line. Key lyric: I didn't lose my mind/it was mine to give away. And Suppose it's just a point of view/but they tell me I'm doing fine.
Millennium: the first single off the album. Uses a sample of 'You Only Live Twice' and this Bond theme was used in the video and the album artwork. A deserving number 1 though I've never quite worked out what it's about. If I'm to harbour a guess, I'd say it is about Robbie.
Phoenix From the Flames: a beautiful ballad that is soft in the verses and loud in the choruses. It's one of his best slow songs- yes, right up there with Angels and Feel. Lovely piano part at the beginning and one of his rare falsetto moments during the verses.
Win Some Lose Some: A mid-tempo number about a summer fling. Really lovely and has a summer vibe.
Grace: Another midtempo number in the same vein, but after learning about what the song was originally about, it kind of made me sad to listen to. Grace was what Robbie was planning on calling his and Nicole Appleton's unborn child and I think the chorus speaks volumes. At first, I thought he was talking about the concept of Grace, which is probably what most people think of now. But with lines like 'Grace, I'm not yet born/come embrace a soul that's torn' its hard not to speculate.
It's Only Us: the replacement song for Jesus in a Camper Van, this was put on the reissued version from 2002 onwards. And it's rocker Robbie, a really fun high action song. Love the 'Rock me Amadaeus' shout out.
Heaven From Here: An acoustic ballad that is the younger brother to One of God's Better People. It's sung beautifully and is a stronger song than its predecessor, though I enjoy both.
Karma Killer: In my top 10 Robbie songs, this has got to be in the top 5. Absolute corker. It builds and builds until it has a spaz attack at the end. And that climax is wonderful- the string section sounds like it's high on coke. And it's the ultimate fuck you song with some brilliant lyrics i.e I hope you choke on your Bacardi and Coke.
She's The One: yes it's a cover, but it's a brilliant cover- the type that makes you forget that the original ever existed. A heartbreaking ballad about love or lost love, I'm not sure. But it's sung with such romance it's hard not to fall in love with it.
Man Machine: Like Karma Killer, if Karma Killer was in a Guy Ritchie film. So it's clever, less angry but its still up there in fuck the world stakes.
These Dreams: a beautiful ballad to end the album and is a touching story about a woman in a relationship that she shouldn't be in.

I think you can tell that I consider this one of Robbie Williams best albums and is in my top 3. Only wish I'd discovered it earlier. It's such a strong, consistent pop album and was a wonderful way to cap off the decade.
9.5-10/10

Robbie Tuesday

2009-11-16T20:28:00.001-08:00

Merry Robbie Tuesday everyone! First off, Congrats to the man himself for scoring another Australian number 1 album and number 2 in Britain, unfortunately beaten by JLS by a margin.

Today, I've decided to review Reality Killed the Video Star, taking a detour from the retrospective analyses that I was planning on.

The album starts off with the ballad Morning Sun, which kicks in at around the 30sec mark with percussion and lush strings. The strings seem to be the centrepiece of the whole album, and so they should be because they sound AMAZING.
Bodies, the first single, packs a punch and is really the only upbeat number on the record. Not that I'm complaining. I still believe it is one of his best songs and is catchier than crabs. The video however is a letdown.
You Know Me, the second single, is a doo-wop number and is an achingly sweet song. The video features Robbie as a giant bunny rabbit. Nuff said. The chorus stays in your head for hours on end and I love the repeat chorus after the middle 8 (around the 2:50 mark)
Blasphemy is the last song Robbie and Guy Chambers wrote together and is from the Escapology sessions. The lyrics are very clever indeed, but the tune doesn't entirely strike me as catchy. I think more listens are necessary to appreciate it. Key lyric: What's so great about the great depression?/Was it a blast for you?/Because it's Blasphemy
Do You Mind? is a little more classic Rob i.e Sing/Escapology that's been given a kick up the arse. Bridge reminds me of another song, but I just can't put my finger on it. The chorus is a lot of fun to sing along to and I can imagine this being a fan favourite live. 'Does anyone fancy Monaco?'
Up next is Last Days of Disco WHICH WILL BLOW YOUR MIND AND YOUR LOINS. Hands down one of the best Robbie songs ever. I love when he goes heavy disco and the bridge is fantastic especially on its second and third appearances where he goes for a key change almost, and kinda sounds like Neil Tennant. And the dance break down? Amazing. The strings and synths just work so well together. 'Don't call it a comeback/Look what I invented here/ I thought it was easy' and 'The fascination of/a boy and girl in love'. Epitomy of heavy disco. Almost like a fuck you song.
The next track, Somewhere, is one minute long, but isn't called an interlude offically. It is very pretty and almost Swing Robbie.
Deceptacon is up next and it's another synth + strings mix. It's sounds really lovely too because it kind of soars during the chorus. The lyrics are great too: 'From all of us here/to all of us there'... 'And all over Britain/we wait for permission/to form another queue'.
Starstruck was described as the lovechild of Fastlove and Amazing by George Michael and it does very much sound like that. After LDoD, this was the next track I was eager to hear and did not dissappoint. The chorus is very ballsy. Someone on a message board said this is the kind of song Kylie needs- pop but mellow and catchy and I can definately hear her singing this. Key lyric: 'I guess the odds are very good/but the goods are very odd'
Aaah, Difficult for Weirdos. Upon first listen, I didn't take much notice of this. But then I heard it again. And again. And I love it. Wouldn't sit out of place on Rudebox. It is very much electro-pop Robbie, which I happen to love. Double points for this lyric: 'He's a lesbian/but that's okay' And the handclap breakdown.
Superblind: amazing chorus, average verses. But I can deal with that. Favourite lyric from this track: 'I'm the genius behind me/Maybe I shouldn't have said it.'
Won't Do That: Robbie's first love song. And it reminds me of Something Beautiful, a little bit in the chorus and I can hear remnants of Dusty Springfield and Marcia Hines in the horn section as well.
The album finishes with a reprise of Morning Sun, thus coming full circle.
Overall, I really love this album. His voice sounds so good and strong and I can totally understand what he meants when he said it's New Robbie meets Old Robbie and a Robbie we haven't met yet. It's a mellow album, but it packs more a punch than Intensive Care (possibly due to Trevor Horn's production. Moar please!). There's hints of Escapology and it's not as experimental as Rudebox. And like Intensive Care, it sounds like an album, like a body of work. The reprise also reminds me of what Coldplay did on Viva La Vida by using Life in Technicolor at the beginning and at the end of the album. Definately in my top 3 Robbie albums and a must have.
8.5-9/10

Rove: signing off...

2009-11-15T18:33:00.000-08:00

To cap off my lame birthday, I was in the middle of dinner on Sunday night when my buddy Karina texted me that what was billed as Rove's final show of the season was actually his final show ever. EVAH.
*cue sad face*
As a fan of the show, I can't say I'm too pleased with this news. It's been an amazing rollercoaster these last ten years. And yes, I was almost in tears last night during his final comments. It's hard to put into words what the show meant to me. It helped me get through high school and some weird moments in my life. I've met and bonded with some awesome people through it. But most of all, I've grown up with it. So it seems strange and at the same time right that this happened the day after I turned 20. It really does feel like the end of an era.

Thank you to Rove and all the cast and crew for everything. Especially the memories.

Coming up!

2009-11-11T01:01:00.000-08:00

Exams are over, uni is over for another year. Huzzah! Which means I can now devote some more time you my dear blogettes.

So here's what you can expect: - Robbie Tuesdays, including a review of 'Reality Killed The Video Star'

- My reviews of the Little Boots, Natalie Imbruglia, Damien Leith plus others
- ARIA awards rundown
- Girls Aloud and Sugababes belated reviews.

Plus anything else that pops up. Strap yourselves in peeps!

What I've Been Listening To...

2009-10-18T03:44:00.000-07:00

Firstly, apologies are in order for missing Robbie Tuesday. Was tres busy with uni work and considering I have exams coming up, don't expect an update until after November 11.

However, here is a quick run down on what I have been currently bingeing on music wise:

Air- The Virgin Suicides. Fantastic. Breathy, macabre and all round brilliance

Bat For Lashes- Two Suns. After falling in love with 'Daniel' and 'Sleep Alone', I decided I needed to get my paws on the rest of the album. Sister said it was 'a bit Bjork'. I'd say it's like a middle ground of Goldfraap's 'Supernature' and '7th Tree'. Really enjoyed it, but deserves multiple listens to take it all in.

The Noisettes- Wild Young Hearts. Don't expect disco anthems like 'Don't Upset the Rhythm' like I did. However, I actually found myself really enjoying this album. The singer reminds me of Amy Winehouse but less grating and the songs are very catchy indeed.

Empire of the Sun: I had high hopes for this one considering I love their singles. Unfortunately, the album for me is a bit of a letdown. Starts off great, but goes into 'bizarro' territory in the middle. May re-visit it though.

Little Boots- Hands. Praise be to the Little Boots! Fantastic pop album. 'Symmetry' in particular blows my mind.

C'est tout!

Just a little post on Girls Aloud

2009-10-08T05:07:00.000-07:00

Ah, GA. I have a love/hate relationship with them. Love their music, but hate (strong word) their personalities (or lack of). Last night, I revisited their 2005 album 'Chemistry' which led to me working on my personal GA playlist. Somewhere between Tangled Up and Out of Control I lost interest which is why I don't have the latter album. Their cruel win over Coldplay at this years Brit Awards didn't help either. Is 'The Promise' a good song? Yes. But was the Best British single of 2008? No. A travesty. It's not that it's not good it's just compared to Viva La Vida, it's a little less. I am becoming more and more enamoured with the song as the days go by.
All this because someone posted the new Cheryl Cole song.
WHY!!?!!?!?

Robbie Tuesday: News and Life Thru a Lens

2009-10-06T01:53:00.000-07:00

Well, it really is Robbie Tuesday. Firstly, 'Electric Proms', Robbie's first proper show of the year, will be screened in cinemas in Australia from Nov 6. Mark that date down. Fingers crossed I can haul my arse down to a cinema between exams.
If not, there's always his ARIA awards performance on Nov 26 at Acer Arena.
Next, the great xolondon has duly noted that a minute long snippet of 'Last Days of Disco' is on a promo vid for the album. Head on another to the blog or the official site to check it out. Personally, I love it. It is very dancey, dark and Pet Shop Boys esque. Like the next step from Rudebox (the album). http://xolondon.blogspot.com

And now, as promised, a track by track on Robbie's first solo album 'Life thru a lens'
1. Lazy Days: Reminds me of Sundays. A very mellow track, but a solid album opener. I always chuckle at the 'we will have...a jolly good time' lyric. Sums him up (at the time).
2. Life Thru a Lens: Title track (duh). Starts off nice then goes right off the rails. Loves it. Fav lyric: 'your clothes are very kitsch, just because your daddy's rich'. Definately sounds like he was off his tits when he recorded this one. And if he wasn't, I'll eat my shoe. The ending is mental but doesn't compare to Karma Killer's epic closing (more on that next week)
3. Ego A Go Go: More upness. Huzzah! Cheeky Rob taking the piss out of himself. Sounds very Britpop, but not in that cheesy way. 'Circus is gone now all that's left is the clown'. Ominous much? (See Take That's album The Circus for the reference. Fools)
4.Angels: There's nothing to say about this track that hasn't been said in the past 12 years. Amazing. Beautiful. And nothing compares to this original. The brutal honesty in the delivery, the guitar solo, the string section... The live version at Knebowrth is chills-down-your-spine- worthy. A definite pop classic.
5. South of the Border: Forgettable. That doesn't mean it's terrible, but stacking up next to the other songs, it just sounds like filler, but good filler. Sounds like 'Knutsford City Limits' on pot.
6. Old Before I Die: Catchy chorus. Sounds like Guy Chambers had a hand but this is acutally one of the Guy-less tunes on the record. Robbie rocking out in his own special way. Awww...
7. One of God's Better People: A lovely acoustic number. This is actually one of my favourites off the record. Honest and raw. 'My wish was pure/oh so pure'. So sweet. File this next to 'Nan's Song'. The guitar bits before the chorus are just nutty and sort of grip you. And I'm only now picking up on the horn sections in the second chorus. Wow.
8. Let Me Entertain You: This is the sort of song that grabs you by the balls and goes 'IN YOUR FACE MOFO!' I think Robbie once said that this track was born to open shows. Totally agree. Rocks out with its...socks out :P The guitar break towards the last choruses and the piano bit are just fantastic. Lyrically, its so clever. I can't see anyone but the great showman himself sing it. The video is a personal favourite- Robbie in a KISS cover band? Yes ploise.
9. Killing Me: brings the tempo of the album back down off its high. Achingly beautiful. You can tell he's just opening his wound on this track. 'Words cut deep when you're defenceless'. Puck yeah. And don't get me started on the horns at the end. I think this is just making it into my Robbie Top 10.
10. Clean: A fun, happy stupid song about trying to get off drugs.
11. Baby Girl Window: A pretty song to end the album. Just noticed the lyric 'a place where heaven breathes'. Some people hate lyric recyclers, but personally I love these little nods. This lyric can be found on the Robbie/Guy song 'Loveboat' by Kylie Minogue (2000).
Overall, I don't think this is my favourite out of his records, but at least it's a solid effort with plenty of great rock/pop songs. Very Britpop-lite and he sounds coked out at times. Or doing a Gallagher borthers impression. 6.5-7 Robbie's out of 10 Wiliiams.

I digress...

2009-10-05T04:45:00.000-07:00

Revolver by Madonna is not that bad.

*runs and hides behind a couch*

Robbie Tuesday

2009-09-29T02:43:00.000-07:00

This: has me excited for Reality Killed The Video Star. It's good to see the British tabloids actually being positive about Robbie. I partly blame them for the failure of Rudebox, one of his best records to date. If it wasn't for them lambasting the title track and being very, very pro Take That comeback, then the album would have done better in the UK. Not that it matters so much; Rudebox was a number 1 hit here.

And another thing: as cool as it would be for Robbie to go back to TT, I hope it's not permananent. I'm quite happy with the arrangement they have now: TT as a four piece and Robbie as the mega uber star he deserves to be.

In the lead up to the release of the new album, I'll be going through Robbie's albums and assessing them, starting from next Tuesday with Life Thru a Lens . Get excited peoples!

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/2659297/Robbie-Williams-new-album-is-best-for-years.html

My thoughts on: Madonna- Celebration

2009-09-26T19:40:00.000-07:00

Ok, so Madonna this week has released her third official Greatest Hits and her last with Warner Records. Being a Madonna fan, I was put in a bit of a weird situation. Got all her 94work and beyond, Immaculate Collection and GHV2. So essentially, I paid $20 for 2 new songs (and Everybody and Burning Up. But We won't count those.) 'Celebration' (the track) is a fun, inane party song that has finally worked it's magic on me. I listened to the first 5 seconds of 'Revolver' but I haven't made any further progress on it.
The tracklisting is predicatable but good. I picked it up and did a mental checklist 'YES! Yes, NOOO (4 mins- terrible) Yep, YES, YES' etc... Although fans were asked for their input, it seems like it didn't get through to the powers that be. GHs are really for the casual/non fan and yet relative hardcore fans like myself get suckered into buying them. *le sigh*

Taken from togerland: Disc 1 vs Disc 2. My choices are in bold.

1. Hung Up vs Dress You Up
2. Music vs Material Girl
3. Vogue vs La Isla Bonita
4. 4 Minutes vs Papa Don't Preach
5. Holiday vs Lucky Star
6. Everybody vs Burning Up
7. Like A Virgin vs Crazy For You
8. Into The Groove vs Who's That Girl
9. Like A Prayer vs Frozen
10. Ray Of Light vs Miles Away
11. Sorry vs Take A Bow
12. Express Yourself vs Live To Tell
13. Open Your Heart vs Beautiful Stranger
14. Borderline vs Hollywood
15. Secret vs Die Another Day
16. Erotica vs Don't Tell Me
17. Justify My Love vs Cherish
18. Revolver vs Celebration

RESULT: 12 votes to 6. Disc 1 is a winner. Overall, worth it.
Non-fan: 4/5
Fans: 3/5

Top 5 Coldplay songs of Viva era

2009-09-24T22:31:00.000-07:00

All credit to coldplaying message board. Thought I would post my choices here too.
5. Lost!: Instant for me. The hip-hop beats, the way the song grows and its message. Fantastic. The acoustic version scores points as well.
4. Strawberry Swing: Makes me think about a beautiful summer's day, rolling around on the grass. Great video and they pull it off live.
3. Prospekt's March/Poppyfields: love the mysterious, weary vocals and how it grows into the climatic ending.
2. Lovers in Japan (Osaka Sun Mix): chose this as I think Reign of Love is a weak point and this mix adds something different. The song is beautiful too- make sme sort of nostalgic for a place I've never been too and a time I've never had. Double points for the video.
1. Viva La Vida: a career turning point. By far, one of the best songs from them. Looking back on 2008, this song defines that year and is definately one of the best songs this decade. Everything from the narrative, the violins and the church bell sounds majestic. Shame the vid lets it down.

Honors list
Lhuna: Yes, I'm biased, but it was so lovely to hear this duet. Sort of like 'Where the Wild Roses Grow' but less macabre. Love both Chris and Kylie's vocals.
Life in Technicolor ii: Massive singalong! And the video wins points for creative genius.
Glass of Water: Rock hard, rock long.
Lovers in Japan Acoustic: I get a bit teary eyed for some reason. Love this interpretation.

Discuss.

Coldplay Viva La vida World Tour Sydney March 14 2009 Acer Arena

2009-06-05T00:55:00.000-07:00

This show marked the second time I had been to a Coldplay show. And what a difference 3 years makes. They are really developing as entertainers and changing their live experience to make it more a more colourful, interactive and even more enjoyable experience.
In a weird twist of fate, not only was this show exactly 4 months to the day that I saw Kylie, but I was sitting in the section directly opposite to where I was for Kylie. Odd? Un peu. Turns out we had some pretty awesome seats. Right next to the C-Stage. *high-fives self*

I couldn't even begin to say what my favourite parts of the show were, there were just too many. I will have to say that there is nothing better than hearing 'Viva La Vida' being sung by an audience of 18 000 people at the tope of their lungs. Chilling and uniting at the same time.

As this was the same day of the Sound Relief concert, the show was shortened by a little bit, which meant no Speed of Sound or Will singing Death will Never Conquer (which I was really looking forward). Instead we got Shane Warne on maracas. Yay. But that was my only qualm.

I am also proud to say I was singing and dancing the whole time. except for The Hardest Part/Postcards from Far Away. How you can dance to that, i'm not sure. You could do a nice sway I suppose.

I felt kind of sad at the end though. the whole knowing that it was over and that I'd have to wait a few more years to see them again. It's worth it though.
*waits for dvd*

Kylie XTOUR2008 Dec 14 Acer Arena

2009-06-05T00:44:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm well aware that the show took place many months ago. I just never got around to writing about it. So, I'm doing a brief write up now. When I should be studying for exams. My bad. I won't go into details, because everybody knows about it now, but I will say that for my first Kylie concert, I couldn't have asked for a better experience. The setlist was quite Light Years/X heavy, which was a-ok by me. Kylie both looked and sounded fantastic. At points she was holding the notes and singing in a higher register. I have a feeling this is her way 'F U!" to critics. As I already knew most of setlist due to the London broadcast, no major surprises. Personal highlights were the opening, Naughty Manga Girl, Black and White, Slow (when the percussion kicks in. Just amazing. but she didn't put Free in :( )and 2 Hearts (I demand an extended version!). I even liked the Pool Party section (to a degree). Honourable mention to the lovely couple in front of us. During Slow, Eleni and I both sang 'read my...BODY LANGUAGE!' bit so loudly, that they turned around and started giggling at us. Thanks guys! I also happen to knwo Step back in Time is one of their favourite songs. Overall, it was worth every dollar I spent. Just wish I had gotten the program :(

3 months late, but still worth it.

2009-06-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

I'm such a bad blogger. I realised that I haven't blogged about the Kylie concert (Dec 08) nor the Coldplay concert (March 09).
*slaps hand. twice*
Videos will be up shortly. Along with delayed commentary.

Hmmm....

2009-06-01T05:04:00.001-07:00

No, I do not have a problem officer.
*shuffles feet awkwardly*

Playlists...discuss!

2009-06-01T04:50:00.000-07:00

And now for something entirely different.

I need thoughts, suggestions, additions for two new playlists I'm trying to make happen. First, songs for a sunny day. These are songs that make you feel as light as a feather and make you want to roll around on freshly cut grass. So far, it looks a little like this:
Strawberry Swing Coldplay
Drivin' Me Wild (ft. Lily Allen) Common
Walking on a Dream Empire of the Sun
Love Is In The Air John Paul Young
Nothing Can Stop Us [*] Kylie Minogue
Love Don't Live Here Ladyhawke
I Could Say Lily Allen
Win Some, Lose Some Robbie Williams
Love at First Sight Kylie Minogue
Where Do I Begin Sneaky Sound System
Greatest Day Take That
New Year's Day U2
Bittersweet Symphony (Live) Coldplay & Richard Ashcroft

Songs for a rainy day elicit feelings of melancholy, sadness, fatigue with a hint of loneliness. Or they could just be songs about rain.
Rainy Day Coldplay
Daniel Bat For Lashes
Warwick Avenue Duffy
Move on Now Hard-Fi
See It In A Boy's Eyes Jamelia
Rain On You Parade Duffy
No More Rain Kylie Minogue
Coffee Tea & Sympathy Robbie Williams
Back For Good Take That
Photograph Gary Numan
The Trouble With Me Robbie Williams
Cosmic Kylie Minogue

Ladies, gentlemen, sheep, I'm asking for your help. Twitter me or leave a comment here and let me know what you think I should add.

Toodles!
Annie A

Rove- Third time’s a charm: SYTYCD Afterparty show

2009-04-27T07:07:00.000-07:00

RO “I guess this means you’re blogging again”
Me: “Oh shit”
And so, here we are, my faithful audience (all 5 of you) on our latest adventure. RO, your humble narrator and Tia had found ourselves waiting as patiently as we could in the entrance of Carraigeworks, trying to pass the time any way we could imagine. This being our third time in Rove’s studio audience, RO and I consider ourselves absolute pros. We had the waiting down, the eat-before you get there thing, and laughed and clapped in sync (*giggles*) down pat. Pros, I tells ye!
To pass the time I decided to try and twitter from my iPod. Epic Fail. RO also befriended Nandos man. Not so Epic Fail.
We were finally led through at around 8ish. Me being watchless, this is of course an approximate time. Bear with me.
The three of us agonized over seats until RO decided to take charge and lead us right into the center seats. In front of the stage. Directly underneath a microphone.
As usual Kynan Barker came out and warmed the audience up (nerdy fan alert!) until Rove came back from the SYTYCD set to say a quick hello and remind me of how I totally thought Ben was gay this whole season. He left and RO and I commented that the set seemed different to the last time. The sign appeared to be in a different spot and the desk was much closer to the couch, almost squashed together. The sound was infintaley better though.
Some hasty notes on the show:
-Rove’s outfit: the ruffled shirt. Most men would look like a gay pirate in this shirt. Rove looks like a gay pirate. :P JOKES, JOKES PEOPLE! It looked good. Great to see him changing up the wardrobe.
-Pete’s beard: interesting. He explained that it was for his new film, which is exciting news.
- Mono went down well. Forgot to mention that before the show started Rove did a girly jump off his chair. Huzzah!
- Nat Bass: I luff me some Nat Bass. Wanted her shows so badly. Her mic though was left on as she went to change during the Fabulous Gretel Killeen’s interview which was quite unfortunate. I do believe I heard her pass wind. Could have been a zipper though….
- Voting: Is he worried about his chances? Hmmm…. We shall see come Sunday (yes, I will post a review of the Logies too!)
- Carrie at the news desk: good this weeks, but poor Bonnie over did it a little bit. Just a little bit.
- Gretel Killeen: the woman who got me through early high school. Love, love, LOVE Gretski! Biggest mistake Ch 10 ever did was fire her.
- Sarah Murdoch: Am beginning to like her more and more. A model with brains and beauty? Que’est- ce que c’est ca?
- Rove and Twitter: I think someone has a problem… Throughout most of the ad breaks, Rove was constantly on his iPhone twittering. He also came up to our section of the audience asking if anyone was twittering and he saw RO and asked “Is the twitter thing still there?”
Me: *jump in* Yeah, I think so.
RO: *nods head* you have to scroll down though
R: Ahh. Nice to see you again.
RO: Yeah, thank you!
- Rove and Bliss n Esso: Not a fan oif the band, but Rove got his hip-hop on. He’s soooo down with the bishes. And a little too white.
All in all, another fantastic show and another awesomeexperience!

The Finale

2008-11-16T05:55:00.000-08:00

“WHAT THE… NO FRIGGIN WAY!!!!!!”
I read the message over and over again.
“They’re letting us check out the greenroom”
My palms started to moisten, my brain running a million miles a second (ie very fast) and my heart began to pound rapidly, I thought it was going to leap out of my chest.
Immediately, I rang one of my bffs, Kat, who had some experience at dealing with me in these situations.
“KAT…..WEMIGHTBEMEEETINGROVE, OHMYGOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“Huh?”
I began explaining to her the e-mail that RO sent me, how nervous I was, and warned her “to not let me say anything stupid” (SPOILER ALERT: Didn’t really work, did it Kat, HMMMM??!?!?!)
Between Friday 14 Nov 4:20pm and Sunday16 Nov 5pm, I had so many questions on my mind: what would I say? What should I bring? But most importantly: What the hell was I going to wear? My fashion crisis was solved by my younger sister: “black jeans, and the shirt you wore when you met Wil Anderson”
Me: “My ‘I’m Your Fan Shirt’?”
Her: That’s the one
Me: Can I wear that one?
Her: Is he going to be there?
Me: Don’t think so
Her: Then you can wear it
(SPOILER ALERT: Didn’t really work did it, Laura, HMM!?!?!?!)
By 5:50pm, I had my bag packed and prepared. I think I can officially call myself a professional studio audience person thingy. I might get myself some business cards now.
6pm rolled on and so did my nerves. First Kat arrived to my house, then my dear dad (aka chauffeur) came to pick us up. Our first issue was that Kat was hungry. Very hungry. So we made a mental note to get food as soon as we arrived to Carriageworks (same studio as the first time, just bigger I think)
Second issue was finding the entrance. Dad had dropped us off at the loading dock, thus allowing us to walk confusedly (not a real word, suspend disbelief) back to the audience entrance.
“Hey, do you have any lip gloss”: RO to me upon our first meeting.
Our numbers had increased to three as we stood in line, crossing all body parts that we would get in okay.
We finally arrived to the desk. First moment of truth.
“Follow Murray to the greenroom please”
WE’RE IN!!!
We hastily put on our passes and followed the lovely Murray all the way to the makeshift greenroom. By this time, Kat had realised she had to go to the bathroom as well. Food and toilet…the girl has her priorities straight.
While Kat was munching happily on some bread and dip, RO and I wandered around the upper level of the greenroom, which we decided were makeshift offices and dressing rooms.
At about 7:30 ish, we had increased to 4, with the addition of RO’s plus one, Bob*
Waiting around, sipping on my lemonade, RO gets pulled away by Rove’s assistant Lucy. At this point we’re all thinking “Oh shit….are we in trouble?” Not that we should have been worried. She was just coming to tell her that Rove would like to meet us.
Let me repeat that just in case you didn’t read it properly.
ROVE WANTED TO MEET US.
I was starting to think that the paper bag would have been a very good idea after all.
I don't know where he popped up, but all of a sudden, the man, the myth, the legend was standing behind us. He shook RO’s hand and spoke to her a little bit before she introduced me. And my first words? They were “Hi. I blog.”
*insert embarrassment*
Rove kindly agreed to take photos of us (mine is now my wallpaper-sorry Coldplay!)
And then he talked to me!!! I asked him about plans for another dvd (something that us on roveonline.com thought would be a great idea) and he said that at the moment it’s a little harder because of clearances and that sketches : guests ratio is not as it used to be, but that maybe in a few more years it would be possible. He also said that he gets asked to put his standup shows on dvd, which he has no immediate plans of doing so. I requested more song and dance routines- he looked a bit sheepish at this moment, but that’s okay :) RO chimed in about his profanity during standup shows. Then we discussed his recent appearance on The Tonight Show in America and how I felt that he did much better than the other guest, Sarah Silverman.
EXCLUSIVE: Rove said that there will be an announcement about his future in the US in the next 24 hrs. Stay tuned.
Sadly, I can’t remember what was said after this, only that he promised to say hello during the show. WHICH HE TOTALLY DID!!!
Hang on, I think I remember him thanking RO for all her support, and maybe even something about the ARIAs and the last time we were at a taping. My memory is still a bit blurry.
Though I do remember flashing my shirt to Rove just before he left. I *think* he appreciated it.
Also, who should I see walk in to the green room? Megan Gale. Gorgeous!!!! Did I take a photo with her? No. Sadly.
Wil Anderson decides to walk in with Dave Hughes. Internally, I don’t know what was going on. Bits of me were giddy.

We got ushered into our totally VIP seats. I was laughing just quietly at the signs that had on our seats. First thing I noticed was that my seat was directly underneath a microphone. Great, more youtube moments (pj Karina)
Now onto the show itself: Opening mono: hilarious. Am loving the new style and hope he keeps it for next years season.
Peter and Carrie: great as usual. Before the show, Rove and Pete come out and introduce themselves to the audience. Rove told this hilarious story involving a mistaken hotel room, a gay couple and a stripper. You figure it out. Peter told us to laugh at his Swept Away joke- I took his time to point out hat it happens to be my dad’s favourite film. The Madonna version. True story.
Daniel Craig: Such a fox. But I kinda zoned out towards the end, before 20 bucks. Interestingly enough, Rove told me Daniel Craig doesn’t liked to be asked about his swimming trunks scene in Casino Royale. Would turn gay for Hugh Jackman: get your jousting sticks out Rove!
Now I can’t remember if it was at this point that Rove came up to briefly talk to us. (during an ad break)
R: How are you enjoying it?
Me: It’s brilliant!
R: Taking notes?
M: For sure!
R: what would you rate it? 4.. 5?
M: 5!
R: Out of 10!!!! Pfft…
M: :( No, out of 5.
Then he got distracted by Megan Gale, who was sitting an arm’s length away from RO. And we still didn’t do anything . *le sigh* She is so pretty in real life. Not that I expected her to be fugly, but you never know.
Dave Hughes: awesome. I couldn’t stop laughing. His spiel on how to act infront of celebs would have been helpful AN HOUR AGO!
Hamish and Andy: didn’t do much, but I figure that’s cause the show as jam packed as it was.
Ben Stiller and Chris Rock: funny, as was expected. And as I suspected to expect. (fantale for that reference). Did Chris Rock out Queen Latifah?
Ryan Shelton: wasn’t expecting the animation, but was pleasantly surprised.
Snow Patrol: they were good, but the best was Rove’s dance moves off camera. I’m telling you, he’s the triple threat: acting, singing and dancing. Is there anything this man CAN’T do?!?!?
Tom P: I just want to wrap him hip and take him home.
These things we love: aren’t they?!?! *le sigh*
Then the second most awesome thing happened right at the end, after the montage and credits rolled.
Rove ran up to RO and gave her a signed copy of the running order.
What a fantastic way to end an awesome show and a brilliant season. Am looking forward to 2009, the tenth year of Rove (hoorah! Double digits!) And a thank you once again to RO (whinging does work!), the Rove team and most importantly Rove for going above and beyond our expectations.

If What The... could be brought back

2008-05-22T23:24:00.000-07:00

Then surely this would be in it, right?

Found in "Psychology for Australian and New Zealand edition" by Westen.

Hail to the Rove!

2008-05-14T03:50:00.000-07:00

Upon opening my diary on the morning of Tuesday 13th May, I was pleasantly greeted by a photo of a boyish looking man with very short hair, holidng a fish bowl. May has officially been renamed as "The month formerly known as May that will now be known as Rove." At least in my world it has been. And my world is AWESOME!!

The whole day I was filled with nervous excitment (is there any other kind?). Going to Rove's stand up show was really, really special to me, becuase the last time he toured was in 2005. When I was overseas. In Egypt. Riding a friggin camel. In the desert. That may sound cool to other people, but clearly, I was not impressed. I came back from that holiday ON THE LAST NIGHT OF HIS SYDNEY SHOW.
So, you can imagine how adament I was on getting tickets to see him in Sydney, especially as they were first released with the words "ONE SHOW ONLY!" attached. (Token, I'm looking at you).
Learning from my experience at both the taping of "Rove" and the James Blunt concert, I came prepared. I charged my digital camera AND my phone, just in case-ys.
Katerina, my BFF and fellow nutcase, bravely agreed to see the show with me. I say brave because as it turns out, I almost spontaneously combusted. Almost.
The night was planned with military style precision.And it went a little bit like this:
1730 hrs: Leave house to go pick up Kat.
1800 hrs: Arrive at Kat's place.
1805 hrs: Kat enters car shoeless.
1806 hrs: Kat has both shoes on
1821 hrs: Arrive at Enmore Theatre.
Side note: I didn't realise there would be a HUGE FRIGGIN BILLBOARD OF ROVE at the Theatre. Otherwise, I would ahve been camera ready :(
1824 hrs: Walk around to find food.
1825 hrs: Food is found. (Chips ala Portugese style- doubley yum!)
1850 hrs: Walk back to Enmore.

And this point, we arrived at our first dilemma- would they check bags? Quick answer: no. Crisis over. (I will give a fantail and/or cookie to the first person who gets the reference.)
Second dilemma (well for me, anyway). I have a thing with concerts and the like, where I have to get a t-shirt as a souvenir. Lo and behold, there in the corner, as Kat and I walked in, was the teeny tiny merchandising counter. (insert lame reference to Rove's height).
Me: OMG!!!! KAT!!! HE HAS T-SHIRTS!
Kat: Oh, cool. Are you gonna get one?
Me: *blank face* Duh.
Kat: Which one?
Me: OMG, BABY BUMP!!! Huh? oh...I don't know! Which one do you think I should get?
Kat: Baby Bump?
Me: I'll explain later. It's in the show. WHICH ONE SHOULD I GET?!?!
Kat: Which one do you like?
Me: Ths fish one looks nice...
Kat: So get that one.
Me: BUT BABY BUMP!!!!
Kat: *pauses* Think about it logically. Would you wear the Baby Bump tee to uni? What if you were bloated? It might look like you were preggers!
Me: *considers* True dat. And it's probably intended for guys anyway.
Lady at counter: Do you want the fitted or normal tee?
Me: OH GOD, MORE OPTIONS?!?!?!?

After that bit of crazy, we were ushered to our seats, which I have to say, deserve a special mention for being SO AWESOME! We were so close to the stage, I was literally having little freak outs and making sure my top was staying on (don't take it like that!!! It was really loose at the straps :( But so pretty!)
Took a picture of the stage twice. Once with my camera on the phone and the second, Kat took on my digital camera. But not before we mucked around and took like a thousand pictures of ourselves for facebook. (Again, reference scores a goodie.) Coincidentally, the two slightly older ladies behind us were doing the same. Kat and I both noticed the ratio of ladies to men was a bit out of whack. Make of that what you will.
Kat: "It's 7:35!"
Me: "ABCEDFGGGGGGGGGGG!!!" Squeel. Squeel. Squeel. Kat can show you the nail marks.

And it was with a bang (literally) that the show began. And the first thing I noticed? He was wearing my jeans. And he has tiny legs!! I had heard from another friend who had seen him at red carpet even that he was quite skinny, but at the "Rove" taping, I didn't notice because he was hidden underneath the suit. But he really is short and skinny. Cept for the bulging arms. Tres distracting.

ATTENTION!!!!!!!!! THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!! You have been warned.
I don't want to give too much away, but personal highlights are as follows:
- "I LIKE ICE-CREAM!" YESSSS!!! Bring it back Rovey. bring it back. I think I was the only one clapping when he said this.
- "Note to self- more dumb songs" Yes please. Loved both of them. In fact, any time that Rove sings and/or dances, there are bits of me that just go giddy.
- The fact that no-one was in the chair infront of me, thus allowing for perfect vision and attempts to make eye contact.
- The Benny Hill parts... *giggles*
- Emoticons! Rove is so good at facial funnies- he's a physical comic, which sometimes doesn't come across on the television.
-Cockroach bit- I swaer he was pointing and talking about Kat, but she denies this. Not what he said,b ut that he was referencing her.
- The George Bush part- Shout out to Eleni.
- SYTYCD- shout out to Karina.
-The Santa Clause part.
- When he had no idea where the joke was going.
- The bird part. I was so tempted to bring band aids just in case. But I loved the extra bit he put in at the end.
- The medical examination *giggles* "I've seen Rove's Logie,and it ain't so Gold!"
- Any and all times that he swore. As Kat and I agreed "He sounds like a 12 yr old cursing!"
- the girly voice. I *heart* it. AND HE DID HIS GIRLY RUN!!!!
- The fruit cake/sun dried part.
- The tabloids part. Nod, nod , nod.

Was also pleasantly surprised to find no opening act. Not that I'm against supporting new Aussie comics, but more Rovey for my buck pwease!
Sadly, unlike Wil Anderson's show, Rove went backstage immediately after the show and didn't come back out for meet and greet.
But not before I scored the pic at the start of this post. It's my new wallpaper on my computer *le sigh*
To be honest, I didn't want the show to end. It didn't feel like there we were there watching this mega star tell jokes to us: more like we just happened to stumble upon one another and start a conversation. A fantastic show; I give it 9 Roves' out of 10 McManus'

Logies 08

2008-05-05T06:39:00.001-07:00

The most wonderful time of the year....

Aaah, the Logie Awards. TV's night of nights. I *heart* it, not simply for it's un-Hollywood slickness that covers most awards ceremonies (we keep it real.) but simply because it is the only time we get to celebrate the best and worst of Aussie TV. I don't care what anyone says, I love it and will defend it to the end.

Let's get on with it then, shall we?

Red carpet started off brilliantly with Kylie's "Wow" being played. And then got progressively cheesier from there. Noticed a lot of off the shoulder/grecian style dresses and canary yellow seemed to be the in colour. Also, lots of black and white.
Best Dressed: hmmm...Megan Gale or Kate Ritchie, although my little sister described it as having "thrown a curtain on her and brishing her hair nice"
Georgie Parker..basic black but me likey. But there was no scrunchie! What's with that, Georgie, hmmm?!?!?
Worst Dressed: Jordi Gordon, hands down. Metallic tutu?!?!!? WTF. I didn't see Susan Eleman's outfit (was she even there?) I also wasn't feeling Natalie Blair's outfit. The hair ruined it for me. Michelle Bridges (trainer from the Biggest Loser) could have done without her wings. Andrew O'Keefe and his angry gold jacket.
Honourable mention: Rove's suit was classy, Mafia style. Jason Coleman...I have no words for you. Rhys, to stilletos on men, Australia says no.

The show
With 50 years of the Tv Week Logie Awards, I was expecting clips and montages aplenty. Instead, I found this years show to be the most entertaining out of any of the previous awards that I've watched. The show started with the top 10 from So You Think You Can Dance, who did an amazing job with "Don't Hold Back"
And yes, Jack was the shit and proved worthy of his title of "Australia's favourite dancer"
Couple of highlights/lowlights/lights:
-In lieu of clips and montages, they asked a bunch of stars questions like "Favourite Logie moment?" "Who do you associate with the Logies?" and "ever witnessed a controversial moment at the Logies?" Hilarious! Best part was the random dancing to the Veronicas' "Untouched". Loved it! If there's a link on youtube, I'll post it.

EDIT: Ta-dah!!!
[link]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge_r0vmsYhs[/link]

- When Binid Irwin won.
Nominees announced...
Me: I'll eat my slipper if she wins.
*winner announced*
Me: *spazz face* Oh shit.
- Hamish and Andy backstage.
- Adam Hills' reading his acceptance speech when his jokes fell flat.
-Patti Newton!!! and Ding Dong Drysdale!!!
- Danni Minogue and the ladies from Kath and Kim. I was loving myself sick.
- Mr G's performance. I was freaking out hardcore and my parents thought I was retarded. Actually, they thought I was retarded before this, but my reaction just solidifed it for them.
Screw it, any time Chris Lilley won. Twas brill.
- Stephen Curry's speech after winning "Most Outstanding Actor" for "The King." Totally deserved it!
- Rove winning "Most Popular Presenter" for the 6th time in a row. I was jumping up and down with joy! Or something similar to that feeling. RF and Ro have decided that they should officially rename the award "The Rove McManus award for Most Popular Presenter" Oh, and him checking his fly and deciding to announce to it to the audience.
- Sonia Kruger totally hating on HER OWN SHOW!! I love her/I hate her, I can't get enough of the Krug.
-"Australian Story: Some Meaning in This Life" winning and the ensuing beautiful speech by the team. Total silence in the auditorium. Though, I'm a little perturbed that Rove wasn't thanked. No biggie, but still....
- Daryl Sommers final hoorah.
"Maybe we should bring Hey Hey back?"
*expecting applause*
*dead silence*
Sucker.
- Peter Helliar as "Strauchnie" and giving Ch 9 a battering onstage with Eddie McGuire.
-Any mention of the Chaser boys.
-And for that, any Todd McKenney jokes.
- Andrew Denton and his 101:1 odds of winning.
- The lack of crappy American tv stars. Thank God!!!!
- Kate winning gold. Hapy endings for all.

And now the full list of winners (from the Hearld Sun site):
POPULAR AWARDS
Gold Logie - Most Popular Personality on TV:Kate Ritchie (Home and Away)
Silver Logie - Most Popular Actress:Kate Ritchie (Home and Away)
Silver Logie - Most Popular Actor:Chris Lilley (Summer Heights High)
Most Popular Light Entertainment Program: Kath & Kim
Most Popular Presenter:Rove McManus (Rove / Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?)
Most Popular Sports Program:The Footy Show AFL
Most Popular New Female Talent: Bindi Irwin (The Jungle Girl)
Most Popular New Male Talent: Lincoln Lewis (Home and Away)
Most Popular Reality Program:Dancing With The Stars
Most Popular Factual Program:Bondi Rescue
Most Popular Lifestyle Program:Better Homes and Gardens
Most Popular Australian Drama:Home And Away

MOST OUTSTANDING AWARDS
Silver Logie - Most Outstanding Drama Series, Miniseries or Telemovie: Curtin
Silver Logie - Most Outstanding Actor:Stephen Curry (The King)
Silver Logie - Most Outstanding Actress:Alison Whyte (Satisfaction)
Most Outstanding News Coverage:Garuda Plane Crash
Most Outstanding Public Affairs Report:Some Meaning In This Life: Belinda Emmett
Most Outstanding Documentary:Constructing Australia: The Bridge
Most Outstanding Factual Series:Choir of Hard Knocks
Most Outstanding Comedy Program:Summer Heights High
Most Outstanding Sports Coverage:Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000
Most Outstanding Children's Program:Lockie Leonard
Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding New Talent:Tammy Clarkson (The Circuit)
Hall of Fame:John Clarke

(Apologies for the lack of pictures. I'm too scurred to put any up re: legalities)

James Blunt @ Ent Cent 3 May

2008-05-03T17:39:00.000-07:00

The first time I saw James Blunt live was at The Hordern Pavillion in 2006. Well actually, it was his performance at MTV AVAMA's, (but that's another story!). I was unsure of what to expect of him live, but after that evening, I came away a fully fledged fan.
So it was with absolute excitement that I entered the Ent Cent at 7:58pm, clutching my tickets and praying that I wouldn't fall over in my heels.
The support act was Gabriella Cilmi (of "Sweet About Me" fame). I had been listening to her record for two/three weeks now, before knowing she was booked for the show. Her record is good, some strong tracks, some forgettable ones. As a live performer, she's good, but a little lazy. She performed about 6 songs, including a cover of JT"s "Cry Me A River". Katerina noted, along with myself, that she seems to wear the same standard outfit for every appearance. Hmmmm...
The Blunt was brilliant. He played for around 2 hrs (including a 3 song encore). All the favourites were there- "Give Me Some Love", "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover" among some of them. Personal highlights were "Coz I Love You" ( a cover of the Slade classic, which he also had in his 06 show. Since that show, I've had a wonderful affair with the song, and I'm so glad I recorded his version). and "Annie" ("This is a song about a very naughty girl" Me: "OMG!!! YES!!!)
Although I did wish he would have put in "Where is My Mind" and "Fall At Your Feet", I'm glad he covered most of the songs off "All The Lost Souls", because it truly is a brilliant record.
In short, Jimmy was a blast. :)
Crap pics and video will be up shortly.

My night at Rove

2008-04-30T07:27:00.000-07:00

“And we’re on in 10..9..8..!”
The anticipation filled the makeshift television studio, a mixture of nerves and excitement ran through my veins as I watched Mr Entertainment, Rove McManus on the plasma screen in front of me. As he danced a jig, anxiously waiting for his cue to promo, a smile crept on to my face. I could hardly believe that I was going to be watching “Rove” not from the comfort of my living room, but from the source itself.
After a false start, involving driving back to my house to pick up my proof of age card (which turned out to be useless anyway), my BFF Karina and I arrived outside Carriageworks at 8:20 ish.
“Just ask those two ladies…”
My face soured.
“NOOOO!!! I can’t. Can’t you…”
“Fine.”
The thing with Karina is she has 110% confidence in these sorts of situations. She sees a celebrity and she will hunt them down. If you want anyone at these sorts of events, it’s her. Bless.
She grabbed my arm and led me towards the “Rove” entrance, albeit distracted by “So You Think Can Dance”.
I braced myself and hoped to Peter, Paul, Mary and Ringo that we would be let in.
“Hi!”
The petit but gentile lady at the desk looked up at me.
“Hello girls. Do you have your tickets?”
I fumbled nervously with the piece of paper that was at this moment more precious to me than gold.
“Great. Sitting or Standing?”
Pause.
“Standing.”
“Ok. And the name?”
After perusing the lists twice with no success, Kellie gave us two band passes and we worked towards the huddle that had gathered at Door 1.
“Is this the line?”
“I guess so…”
Wrong.
Technically, we didn’t cut in. Phones switched off, we headed down the cold corridor towards the studio. Passing by Kynan Barker, my eyes did a double take.
“That’s Kynan!!”
“Who?”
“Warm up guy.”
“Oh cool.”
Much to our surprise, Karina and I were given seats assigned for Channel 10 reps.
“We’re like old pros!”
“This beats the shit out of Idol!”
We got comfortable (or at least, as comfortable as we could be in our excitement). There was a buzz in the air; perhaps it was the fact that it was a big show, or maybe the alcohol everyone had beforehand.
My eyes did a bit of wondering and saw Tasma W take her seat in the audience. I pointed her out to Karina and did my “Oh” face.
Kynan came on stage and his warm up went a little like this:
“Hi guys! Blah blah blah..Level 1 clap…Level 2 clap…Apeshit nuts…Rove…excitement blah blah blah.”
I was becoming more and more distracted by the plasma TVs set up with the finale of SYTYCD playing for us.
“Oh God…Jack is going to be here!!!” squealed Karina in my ear.
“Calm down!” Oh, the irony.
“Check out the sign” I said as I pointed out the flashing bulbs that arranged themselves in a fashionable order.
“Ok, let’s make him welcome, the host of the show… ROVE MCMANUS!!!”
I clapped so hard my hands were red and numb. They’ll probably fall off by tonight, I thought.
“OMG!! He’s tiny” remarked Karina.
This time, I let out a squeal.
Rove’s first appearance on the set with Peter was hilarious. A definite highlight was seeing some leg- rawr. And his fugly socks- not so rawr. The outfit was a plus for me; only real men wear pink.
Moving along, and the show started off with only one person slapping Rove’s hand for his entrance. A nodded my head in disappointment. I was also insanely jealous of the standing members of the audience who interacted with the man himself. Then I remembered my problem in that around famous people, my brain works on a delay system. In hindsight it was probably better that I didn’t speak/get too close to Rove. Who knows what might have happened….
The monologue had me in stitches. I love it when he dances- awkward much? :P
I found myself watching his reactions to Carrie’s jokes, simply because I knew that he was off camera during this section. Fascinating.
Pete came on and did PeteSpace. Something I’ve noticed is that this year, there is less chatting during this part than last years season. I miss it!!
During Hugh Jackman’s interview, I swear, one could cut the sexual tension with A KNIFE. I held my breath and crossed my fingers during “$20 in 20 secs” Would he? Wouldn’t he? Was I taping this just in case there was a bit of man loving?
A let out a big “Awww!” (not the kind you make when you see something cute, the kind of sound you make when you’re disappointed) as Hugh teased Rove (and myself). At least we’ll always have Dan Radcliffe….
The adbreaks were a real treat though. More dancing and interaction with the Rove and co= muchos hilarity. Imagine watching a dvd only for the behind the scenes extras. That’s what it’s like.
“Any questions?”
Karina poked my arm “Ask something!”
Sour face appeared again. “I can’t. I don’t know what to say!”
Jack and Rhys’s appearance was lovely, were it not for Ms Giggles and Sighs next to me :P
Next up, Hamish and Andy. Or as I like to call them, Handy. Because they are.
For some stupid reason, I rolled up my jacket sleeve to reveal in plain view my “KM4E” H&A wristband. What the hell was I thinking? They weren’t going to notice it. *le sigh*
“MISCHA BARTON!!!”
Both Karina and I rolled our eyes.
“This takes me right back”
Noticing her handbag, I smirked to my buddy “Oh God, she’s going to try to spruik her bags!”
More eye-rolling throughout the interview. Nervous laughter. I think that interview will go in the “Never Again” bin for Rove. Karina and I both noticed her sullen look later in the show, but it wasn’t until Hamish and Andy discussed Hamish’s “elbow butting” that it made sense. Score: Hamish 1, Satan 0.
“HUGHSEY!!!”
Karina and I jolted upright in our seats. Our bogan hero.
The time came for Nat and the Rogue Traders to perform. Being a big RT fan, I was really looking forward to this performance, especially because “What You’re On” is one of my fav songs. I danced a little in my chair and mouthed the words along. I was a little embarrassed that the crew might be watching me, but I really didn’t care. I was enjoying myself too much.
Sadly, the last segment of the evening, “Things that we love” had arrived. Mischa mistake number 2: Rove explaining to her the joke is “because I’m short.”
Her response: “Oh.” *nods head slowly*
“OK, Camera time!”
“WHAT?!?!?!”
I grabbed my phone and pressed the on button. “Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up you stupid…”
I managed to turn on the camera setting, but stupidly took a video instead of a photo of Rove et al leaving. *slaps forehead*
Yawning, but happy, I turned to Karina “That was awesome. Ready to go home?”
“Yeah.”
That was before we saw the Ch 10 after party, during which Karina was in her element. I desperately wanted to shout something to Nat Bass, but I was too nervous. I bobbed my head, wondering if any of the Rove team were in there and how could I possibly get in without being seen.
Then, the phone rings. It’s my Dad aka the ride home.
“Arrrre you finishedt?!?!”
“YES DAD! WE’LL BE OUT IN A MINUTE”
Thus, here endeth the recount of the single most thrilling experience in my 18 years of life. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I did make eye contact with the man.
Sigh.

(PS Much thanks to Mike and RoveOnline- without whom, very little would be possible!)

Turn Head to the side pwease!