The Woodford Files 2

2pm: I'm sitting in the First Aid tent, holding a bag of ice to my leg, calming a mysterious insect bite that has festered for a few days and is now large and swollen, angry red with a dull yellow centre. I think the culprit was a green ant, but I can't be sure since I felt only the bite, early Friday morning.

3pm: I was a bit harsh on poor Juzzie, wasn't I? I guess I was so surprised at the contrast between his music and his lyrics; I think he desperately needs a lyricist.

I had a Chinese massage just then, just on my head, neck and shoulders, and heard not one, not two, but THREE ambulances struggle past us through the crowded dirt streets. On the way back to the stall, my shoulders plastered with deep heat patches, I wandered past Juzzie's concert and found it silent, an area cordoned off, and all three ambulances parked beside the venue, the crowd hushed and anxious. I didn't want to stay and gawk, and I haven't heard any goss, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't Juzzie himself. What a bummer of a thing to happen in a gig!

7.00pm: it's raining. S&E (my bro & sis in-law) have had a rush on their rainbow umbrellas, handing them out & taking money so fast none of us could keep count. Suddenly all the venues are standing room only. Entire families walk past in those cheap temporary rainsheets, looking like groups of ghosts in various pastel colours, looking, in fact, more exotic than some of the street acts.

I spent this morning life drawing. The teacher was fantastic, taking a bunch of mostly absolute beginners through an intense 3-hour drawing expedition: quick poses with charcoal, contour drawing, working with tone, working with line, and finishing with a great drawing exercise that forced us to really think about composition. She was great, and I came away completely invigorated. Best way to spend $35 ever.

7.50pm: I had a great Woodford moment last night... We got (free, necessary for crowd control) tickets to the Mutant Barnyard, and while waiting for the next session, went for a wander up to the nearest loo. It was near The Muse, and it only had a smattering of people in it, but the voice drifting out from the stage was haunting and familiar in an 'oh, I know that song so well, but can't remember her name' sort of way. I asked the bar staff who this was, and they said 'Roger Loves Betty', which was NOT what I was expecting. By the time I came out of the loo I'd cracked it: Jodi Phillis, who used to be half of that glorious 80s duo, The Clouds.

Dammit! I had to go back to the Barnyard, a room stuffed with stuffed and skeletal mutant animals - interesting but not where I wanted to be at that exact moment. Afterwards I dashed back to my programme and researched the rest of the gigs for Roger Loves Betty.

So here I am, staking out my claim in the shamefully empty Empire, awaiting more of Jodi's voice. There should be more people here. Anyway, they're starting. I'll tell you how they were, tomorrow.

I hope you're all having fun too! I'm not reading comments or other blogs at the moment, but will when I get back to (your) civilisation!


-- Post From My iPhone