Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan

Wednesday night Leanne and I caught up for a few beers and saw the Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan gig. I meant to catch them the last time they played London but my laziness got in the way. Although both Isobel (ex Belle and Sebastian) and Mark have a huge repertoire of songs between them, however, they have only released the one album together and I was quite curious to see how it transpired into a live act. Worked it did. Mark's amazing baritone vocals were so deep I felt like I was wallowing in the depths of his octaves. He makes Lee Hazelwood, Tom Waits and Nick Cave sound like pre-pubescent choir boys, whilst in beautiful comparison Isobel's breathy, sweet, delicate vocals frolicked while Mark's gave chase. Isobel is like an amalgamation of Dusty, Nancy Sinatra (to whom she and Mark constantly get compared to. They even did a Nancy and Lee Hazelwood cover of 'Sand' for an encore which had me gasping and teary eyed) and Brigitte Bardot on her best day. And as for Mark? I have this whole idea of who he really is. He's the kind of man who spends money on the occasional prostitute, he drinks Jim Beam straight from the bottle, not because he can't afford anything better but because its his drink of choice. And he smokes Marlbro Reds.... and lots of them. But then I've always had an over active imagination.

The contrast of her light and his dark are just magic. There whole set was reminicent of 'Some Velvet Morning' It had such shape and colour. You could feel it peak and soar and then be taken down again to the depths of the lowest depressions you ever thought imaginable.
It made me long to have that breathy girlish voice that I will never have...

I need a montage!

Nothing funnier than cats falling off stuff

from fifteen to two to one

Apologies for my blogger slackness of late. I've been too busy with visitors and daunting job propositions to give you my full attention but I'm back in the land of blog so here is the latest....

• The designers finally arrived and we had a great time. I showed them around the East and took them to some great galleries (sadly they missed Damien Hirst by 2 days) and some great shopping (Hello Nog) and in return they took me to Jamie Oliver's 'Fifteen' in Shoreditch. The food was divine (I had the caprese salad with tomatoes straight from Jamie's garden apparently and the gnocchi with pork ragu) Possibly the only thing to tarnish the evening was the fact that her two kids were quite tired and decided to have a pyscho attack right there in the middle of the restaurant complete with the older daughter throwing cushions at her father and screaming at the top of her lungs that she hated us all. Oh how the other diners loved us.
• As well as having the designers here two of my friends from Belfast came over for the weekend. The two booze hounds had been to London before but haven't done the whole tourist thing so it was fun for me to play the tour guide and show them around my London. I found myself constantly smiling and looking at London with a fondness that has taken 6 months to develop but is now firmly lodged in my affections. I really do love it here now.
• The biggest news that I have is that while I was with the designers, I was quickly informed that the old offer of me being the New York Manager was still on the table. The current Manager extended his contract for another year after I had to turn them down this year but that runs out in May 2008 (coincidentally when my UK visa runs out) and he is definitely planning on coming home to Australia next year. He says he has loved New York but is tired and wants to come home. This means that I have the opportunity to move to New York for 3 years (or longer if I choose to stay on) Liane says that Dinosaur will obviously get my visa for me and let me stay in their apartment until I find my own place.... if I take the job. They seem to have total faith in me and I can't believe they are offering me the job again after I dicked them around so much in the beginning of the year. Its such an amazing opportunity I don't know if I can turn it down twice, although I have to say, its a huge responsibility plus it still scares the shit out of me (they would have to make me a Managing Director of the company and I would do all the American and European press as well as run the store eeek!) and I still don't know if I'm ready for it but I guess if they have faith in me.... I trepidatiously mentioned it to Peter the other night and he is completely on board. He thinks it would be a great experience for us to live in New York for a few years and made us start looking at apartments straight away to see where we could afford to live. Hes been really supportive and I feel really lucky to have met someone so great. I know I've got plenty of time til may next year but I figure it will be here before you know it and I'll need a fair bit of time to mentally prepare myself as well as sort out all my visas and come home for a visit (which I'm doing in March so lookout!) so I really need to make a decision quite soon about if I'm really going to do this this time around. What do you think? Am I ready?

I love spending other people's money

I got an email from one of my old bosses yesterday saying that she would be in town this week and wanted to catch up. I'm so excited to see her but I immediately started to think of fabulous restaurants that I've always wanted to go to here that I could never afford otherwise. I'm thinking Claridges, Ubon or the Oxo Tower Restaurant. Any other suggestions?

OOIOO goes all tribal and early Tim Burton on yo ass

Man, these chics are cool.....

the Aussie invasion

Recently I have made a few discoveries of Australian products available right here in London, making my exsistence all the more enjoyable. As well as the overpriced Aussie supplies store near Covent Garden, Sainsbury's now stock both Vegemite AND Tim Tams, Selfridges are about to start stocking Aesop skincare products and the best discovery I've made so far is that we are now able to get Coopers beers in selected supermarkets! Hurrah! Now excuse me while I go drink my weight in delicious beer....