There’s something about the very last gig of the year. I’ve got photo fatigue. The bands have gig fatigue. The crowd has partying fatigue. After those last few crazy weeks at work, coupled with madhouse Christmas shopping and drinking their body weight in champers at a plethora of parties, everyone tends to fall into that last gig, barely standing.
No one looks forward to it. It’s kind of like dragging yourself out of bed on a Friday after a long hard week, you muster up the energy for one last time. Drag yourself there, consigned to just going through the motions just one last time.
And then a funny thing happens. Everyone gets their second wind. The band kicks into gear, the beer flows, and I find not only the energy to shoot my last gig of the year – but my enthusiasm. That’s right! I actually want to be there! It was a Christmas miracle!
Last night, there was all kinds of socks being rocked as Freestate and Engine Three Seven trod the boards at the Gershwin Room one last time for 2011. Melbourne ripped out a killer summer’s night, and there was no better way to bid a fond farewell to rocking in 2011, than a few cheeky beers on The Espy front verandah as the sun set over Port Phillip Bay.
Freestate. They rocked. E37. They also rocked. I believe I’ve finally found someone more difficult than Chris to shoot – Casey jumped, danced with mike stands and threw shoes into the crowd. My approach? Dodge the crowd (and the thongs!) and spray and pray, my friends. Praise the lord for 16GB memory cards. I was very brave* when someone stomped viciously** on my foot, too.
Though I was very much not part of the ‘in’ crowd that night. The E37 boys and some of their die hards had some in joke about penguins, and gosh darn it, I totes want to know what it was. I hate being left out. Jerks.
*Squealed like a girl.
**Accidentally sort of stood on it.
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