Posts from 2024
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Disable power exporting when the price goes negative with an Enphase solar inverter
A few weeks ago we got a Tesla Powerwall installed, taking advantage of the price drop and the NSW government subsidy. I've signed up for Amber, who pass through the wholesale power price such that in…
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Herbie Hancock
Not usually my kind of thing but my mate Damion was visiting from Melbourne and bought tickets for both nights and I'm always up for catching up with him and I'm a sucker for Opera House gigs. Crackin…
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EGOISM
It's been a long time since I've been to a gig in someone's front room! This gig was advertised as a "secret" location and that turned out to be someone's terrace house in Redfern. Lots of fun as they…
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Belle and Sebastian
There's a short list of bands that I'll see every time there's an opportunity. Nick Cave, The Cure, Billy Bragg, The New Pornographers and... Belle and Sebastian. Always a great night out and this was…
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Adventures in sous vide and smoking
I did my second crack at sous vide pulled pork using Serious Eats' great recipe. First time was great though my smoker gave up soon after getting it going, so I finished it using a foil-wrapped packet…
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The Last Dinner Party
I've been waiting for this band to come out for a couple of years, seeing them play Glastonbury and all the European festivals. Finally they made it to the Hordern Pavillion. Interesting crowd: lots o…
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Genesis Owusu in The Tank
This was a bit of an unusual gig. The Tank is a giant underground oil tank previously used for ship oil by the Navy. Now it's been repurposed as a gallery space under the Art Gallery of NSW's new mode…
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Mildlife
Friday night rolled around and we had Melbourne band Mildlife at the Factory Theatre, conveniently around the corner from our place. Normally I'd take my mate Gab to this gig but he was in Japan so Ho…
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Gig catch up: Nick Cave, The Clouds, Elefant Traks and Glass Beams
I've gotten a bit behind in my gig reports so here's a big dump of what's happened since May. Nick Cave 7th May, 2024 at State Theatre We've seen Saint Nick of Warracknabeal many times over the years…
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How to get your stuff repaired when the retailer and manufacturer don't wanna: take 'em to court
A few weeks ago I was roasting some pumpkin for a delicious soup and towards the end of the cooking time the fan on the oven started into overdrive, making a lot of noise then it started beeping and p…
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Companies: why are you like this?
25 years ago a bunch of Internet people cracked the shits with the inhuman, one-way corporate speak employed by the companies they interacted with, consulted to and advised. Those rants became The Clu…
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sleepmakeswaves and Elephant Gym
Last Saturday night I went to see sleepmakeswaves at the Manning Bar in Sydney Uni with a couple of mates. I have many fond memories of this gig: the epic Freaky Loops gigs, Terrence McKenna and lunch…
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White Bay Power Station: 700 Feel + Ryan Fennis & Voidhood
I've been entering the ballots for Phoenix Central Park 's music programmes for a while now and never managed to get tickets. It's a tiny venue and the gigs are free, but often artists you've never he…
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Floodlights: Oz Rock revival?
As a kid of the late 70s, Oz Rock was my childhood soundtrack. In the mainstream in the 1980s it was bogan classics: Cold Chisel, The Angels, Rose Tattoo, Dragon, The Radiators, Australian Crawl, Barn…
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Battlesnake: metal madness!
Last Saturday night I went with my mate Michael to see Battlesnake. This band have been on my radar to watch with their over-the-top stage theatrics and right-on hard rock. Think Saxon by way of Spina…
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Brekky Boy
My favourite music venue gains it's favour because it's so close. I can be at the Factory Theatre in about 5 minutes. Back when they only had terrible beer we used to duck home in between bands for a…
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Golden Plains 2024
Holly and I have been going to this incredible festival as often as possible since 2018. It's like no other festival: amazing people and vibe, single stage with a really diverse lineup of bands and so…
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Minami Deutsch at Marrickville Bowlo
I was willing to go see this band just because of the description: Japanese Krautrock. It's like the punchline to a joke at Pitchfork Media's expense. But they were good. Really good. Tight, clever an…
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Apple Vision Pro demo
I'm currently in Austin, Texas for MeasureCamp so when I read you could book demos (via The Sizzle, of course) I waited until it was 7 days out and booked it in. Easily done on the Apple site, though…
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Russian Circles
Last night's gig was Russian Circles, a "post-metal" band from the US. I've followed them since the 2000s. It was a stinking hot night: 28° and something like 90% humidity, so of course I rode my bike…
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Updating ContractOrPermie.com
I've been a contractor rather than permanent employee for a good chunk of my working life. I started working in the mid-1990s when the business world had been clearly demonstrating that they had no lo…
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Egoism at the Marrickville Bowlo
Rounding out 2023 we saw Egoism on the 22nd December. The gig was a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis Community Care so there were a few bands. Sound seemed a bit iffy on the night though one of the supp…