So, if you’re wondering what to do this Saturday Night (July 23), come down and check out Von Klap, Undercurrents and DJ Big Gay Tony. I believe Von Klap are among the top seven bands performing in Christchurch this weekend, so make sure you pop down and check out what the lack of fuss is about.

The Bats are playing this Satrurday night, May 21. The gig is at the CPIT on Madras street. Look for the scruffy drunk emos and liberal looking middle-aged people. Doors from 8pm. There’s more info at the Chart site.

The always-excellent Nadia Reid and the vaguely acceptable Von Klap will be supporting.

For the record I am the better table tennis player.

Now we live in seperate houses in different parts of town and are doing our own things. Tim is going to be working at the new Cassels and Sons brewpub and I’m going to become a painter like Tony de Lautour/Mark Gore.

For those of you that miss him too and want to come to a nice, family friendly event and see Tim in his daytime guise, I will see you down at New Brighton library on Sunday evening.

Tim will be playing with Handsome Marlon and Lawrence Arabia for the launch of New Zealand Music Month in Christchurch. The event runs from 5.30-7.30.

And so, I think of the things that I loved most about the place. The bands and all the amazing music that was performed on that little stage, the back wall and the relentless labour of changing it every month, the monthly posters as they came in from different artists, Motorbike Night, Monday Debates, life drawing in a bar, table tennis, the pie-cart finally running, the Buzzcocks playing pissed at our piano after we locked the doors one night…

We created something that didn’t exist before we made it and now its over. We have started talking about Goodbye Blue Monday in the past tense.

It’s hard to pin down what it was that I loved the most? But the one thing that really made that place my favourite bar in the world was the people. It was the staff and my family working together on this madcap bar that liked to think it was different from anything else around.

When we opened, sometimes on a Monday Tim and I would be the only people in the place. Then slowly, over time, people began to visit. Then more regularly. Until the place was steadily popular. Sometimes, I looked about the crowd on a packed Saturday night and would know almost everybody in the place. And this was something I loved. We created a place that people chose to visit time and time again. And it was those people who showed up and sat on the couches and talked shit with Tim and I that made it special.

So, thank you to all of you that supported us. You know who you are. We like to think there were good times had at that pub. I hope you all had fun. We did.

I don’t know what we are all doing next. I will keep you all up-to-date.

Tonight we have Magic Eye and Bits ‘n’Pieces, two of the best little bands in Christchurch in my mind. They’ll be kicking off at 10.30 tonight. Make sure to come check them out.

Tomorrow night we have 47 Diamantes from Wellington. Check out their MySpace link. These guys from Wellington are really cool and the last time they were booked to play was the night of the big quake. So, let’s show them that Christchurch can still get out and support out-of-town bands.

You should all mark next Thursday December 2 in your diaries. We are proud to be hosting Jeff the Brotherhood from Nashville. Armed only with a three stringed guitar,  a beaten up drum kit and a fox tail, what they lack in gear, JEFF The Brotherhood compensates with guts in ten fold.

Gigging anywhere from art galleries and basements to rooftops and womens bathrooms, brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall have carved their names deep in American rock with their punchy, fuzzy, solid sound sharing stages with Jay Reatard, Sonic Youth, & Battles AND doing time in their now defunct punk group BE YOUR OWN PET.

Check out these links on YouTube.

Here

Here

And Here

This will be an excellent night with the always-fun The Transistors supporting. Make sure you get in at a reasonable time to ensure a space.

For the record, this is the first time Von Klap have played and I have not had to kick Tim out for being too drunk afterward. This lends credence to my theory that Tim may be growing up.

I also have some lovely photos of Matty J in his undies afterward. He was quite forthcoming with his poses and told me he didn’t care what I did with the photos. Then on Sunday he realised they might make their way onto the Internet and I was contacted and told permission was withdrawn.