The Award Tour: Hello Melbourne…

The Award Tour feat Gavin Crossley

Day 3:

Welcome to Melbourne. This is coming from a tourist and frequent visitor. Although when I’m not holidaying in this city, BAD things happen to me. So any delusions of living this cosmopolitan hub of fun with shitty weather and LOTS of Footy for me to watch can never happen. EVER!

Melbourne is one of my favourite places in the world, even though anytime (twice) I tried to live here, things go horribly wrong. I take that a sign that this is pretty much like my 2nd ‘Fuck Buddy City” (the other FBC being Sydney). I come over every so often, we have fun, share some experiences and some food and then I go home, no attachments and no commitment.

As I’m tending to keep to myself on this tour, I’m not heading on any wild drinking expeditions with any foreigner this time around. Maybe next time my German and Canadian friends.

So I’ve moved from one of the best nights of life in that ATCQ show. I will rave about it to any who asks though. They’re playing in Melbourne as I type; I hope they get what I got from their last show. Everyone deserves that kind of natural high.

Melbourne ayyyy…

I touched down in Melbourne in blustery, cold weather. I was psyching myself up for a rough landing with lots of turbulence and a bit of scare. Our pilot did incredibly well and touched down smoothly…and I was almost disappointed.

Jumped on the Skybus and headed into the city where one of my best friends Simona was waiting for me. Mona and I have been friends for years, we started as ‘Keypals’ and eventually met when I was studying in Melbourne, the friendship has just grown from there. Her family loves me, especially her mum. She’s everything you picture in a stereotypical Italian Mama, feeds you, shows incredible hospitality and thinks the world of me for some reason. Maria is awesome.

I checked in my new hostel, and headed out for lunch with Mona. We headed a place she knows called “Vietnamese Noodle House”. Creatively titled huh?

What’s hilarious/awesome about this place is the service. It’s fucking horrible! The practically throw the plate at you, they yell at each other in Vietnamese and when you pay they stare you like my Dad killed theirs in battle at Long Tan (for the record my dad never was conscripted/served in Vietnam). I want to go back. I may tomorrow, because the food is amazing, it’s super cheap and I love the novelty of being treated like shit in a restaurant by EVERYONE, it’s an experience.

“Vietnamese Noodle House: Go for the Food, Not the Service.”

We then kicked onto the least patrolled cafe in Melbourne (I can’t remember its name but it was in Federation Square). Mona and I watched 3 couples walk out of the place without paying for the coffee. We could have easily done this ourselves but it was a really good Affogato. So they got my patronage and money. That and I think the waitress who served me had a crush on me. Who wouldn’t…..what?

Then I was treated to Pasta by the Giacominato family for dinner (free dinners and hugs are always a good thing) and then took a train back to the hostel. During that trip I got some phone time in with my dear Renae, as much fun as I’m having I do miss her. She is definitely something worth coming home to. I look forward to seeing her on Wednesday.

Tomorrow will be a day of not doing much apart from sleep, listening to Podcasts and then some shopping for a Beanie and new headphones before heading out to the MCG for Essendon Vs Collingwood. I love the thought of 80,000 rabid Victorians going nuts over their footy. Wish me luck.

With Good Coffee

Gav

The Award Tour: A Tribe Called Quest Day

The Award Tour feat Gavin Crossley

Day 2:

To quote the guy I stood next to the whole night “We’re about to see A Tribe Called fucking Quest…Holy Shit”

Holy Shit Indeed! A Tribe Called Quest. BEST GIG OF MY LIFE!!! I don’t think it’ll ever be topped either. My body is sore, my flesh is weak, i’m truly drained this morning…and it was worth every drop of sweat, every raise of my hands, every scream of joy when and another favourite came bursting through my speakers and every lyrics I rapped and screamed along with Tip and Phife.

I let go all of my inhibitions for this gig. Shit, I even got over excited when they asked any from Perth in here…about 3 people screamed…I was probably the only they heard. They mentioned no other city apart from that…I felt honoured they knew or at least Google what Perth is or that even exists?

For record people in the VIP section aka the front row all looked at me knowing I was ‘Mr.Perth’, because we all spoke and had our Tribe/Hip Hop nerd-fest before the gig started and I had come the longest way to be there (‘much respect’ apparently). Even the Kiwis couldn’t compete with that kind of commitment.

They played pretty much played every one of my favourite songs, from ‘Award Tour’ (see the connection now…huh? huh?) to ‘Excursions’. They had dance moves, their rhymes and wordplay are damn near telepathic, and Q-Tip was a man possessed (he was literally climbing on speaker stacks). He gave his all out there. When ‘Award Tour’ was being played he jumped on the crowd barrier and was mobbed by adoring fans…including this over excited blogger putting my hand out to pat the man on the shoulder, which something I would normally find stupid and gay but fuck it this guys music had kept me sane during my late teens and early twenties, he deserved the pat. Yes I have washed my hand since, so don’t think i’m sniffing my hand and hold it close to chest while I sleep.

I was in Hip Hop heaven at the Hordin Pavilion! It’s truly hard to describe how good this show was. I don’t really have any favourite bands apart from ATCQ. I like tracks, I like artists, but Tribe are no.1 this was the ONLY group/band or performer I would fly to another city to see. This will more than likely be the only time they come to Australia (even though Phife said they will be back). So I had to go, for the sake of my musical soul. It was worth it.

For record I only had two alcoholic drinks for the night, one starter drink with dinner and one before the show. I want to remember EVERY detail of the show. I was also good to be around Hip Hop purists again. Most of the folks I hung around with when I was still heavily involved in Oz Hip Hop the folks involved in that scene are pretty scummy; they’re basically for the most part either herby soft Uni kids (Herbs) or Bogans with a hoodie. To be around an educated, sane, normal Hip-Hop crowd was great. Also it was good to have women in the venue too. No one likes a sausage fest. This is another reason why I don’t bother with Oz Hip Hop anymore, too many dicks on the dancefloor.

The show was 90 minutes of bliss for me and I was spent afterwards when I left to grab my jacket, bag and the merchandise I purchased (2 shirts and a hat). Called Renae all buzzed and ecstatic about what had just transpired (I had to share it with someone). I hadn’t that much innocent fun and felt that good after it since the 2005 Sydney Swans Premiership win. A truly amazing show and one I won’t forget. Thank You A Tribe Called Quest, I knew you won’t let me down.

With Joy

Gav

P.S If you’re wondering about the rest of the day’s event, they were as follows…A trip to the markets where I purchased cheap sunnies and boardies, had a swim in the hostel pool and chilled in the sauna. Then had a nap before the show…not exactly a worth writing about compared to that ATCQ show.