"Fat Freddy's Drop" (concert review)

I'd been looking forward to this for some time, with my friend Kerry.
We were not disappointed.
The Bruce Mason Centre filled up and we managed to get good seats in the General Admission section.

The curtains went up and there were the 10 Freddies, backed by a lovely lighting effect of small stars in an evening constellation.
The concert was beautiful - spacy, proggy, trippy, creative, evocative, moving...
4 brass, 1 DJ, one keys, 1 guitar, lead guitar and vox, 2 backing vox.

I loved the way the music began as something, then morphed slowly, surprisingly into something else - at times it was like a meeting/jam session with Pink Floyd and Bob Marley...
The music, I'm happy to say, was beyond categorisation!

The brass players were a total knockout - songs delivered with beauty, passion and a generous dollop of humour at times...

My one, small reservation was that the front man really didn't make much effort to build rapport with the audience - on one level I suppose unnecessary, but on another level a bit gauche (reminded me of Bryan Ferry fronting Roxy Music at Sweetwaters back in 1980 - BIG disappointment).

Still, musically (and the mix was superb, thank you, techies), one of the best gigs I've attended in the last few years.

All the best on your European jaunt, Freddies!

Tripping In and Out...

Into school.
Sleep in, punctuated by news of NZ's soccer victory over the Serbs.
Children gone before me (and wife too).

Classes running like clockwork, with many truanting visitors from other classes (thanks for dropping in, kids - off to class now).
Find remnants of gold tooth left behind on Fri.
Chase up attendees for Marriage of Figaro tomorrow night - we have a full house.
Apology from year 9 verbal abuser - all done with due dignity and respect.

No pain.
No nausea.
A trippy feeling that I am going too fast for myself - not unduly uncomfortable - just a bit weird.

G.

"Robin Hood" (movie review)

... dir. Ridley Scott.
Starring: Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett.

I thoroughly enjoyed this.
Don't expect historical accuracy - but then when has Robin Hood ever been historically accurate?
It's not in his nature...
So here you see Robin Hood getting King John to consider the Magna Carta, R. Hood beating back the French invasion with the help of his wife (Cate = Marian), and generally getting involved in political and military matters of consequence.
Don't get hung up on these details!
We have a wonderful, smouldering performance from R. Crowe, a beautiful, strong presentation from Cate, and a lovely romantic sideline resulting from this.
Scenery terrific, soundtrack a la Lord of the Rings, superb set design.
The thing that grabs me about R. Scott's movies is his action photography - crisp, clear, sharp...and this one is no exception.
I understand that it's the first part of a 2 part film - it gets left up n the air at the end, and we all need to see King John get his just desserts...
I miss Alan Rickman as the evil sheriff, though.

8/10.

"Horse Play" (Play review)

...by Ken Duncum.
Performed by ATC, at Maidment Theatre.
Dir. Simon Bennett
John Leigh as Ronald Hugh Morrieson.
Tim Balme as James K. Baxter

This is a welcome addition to the "what if?" type of play, chance meetings which never actually happened, pitting real life characters against each other as values and perspectives search for new, non-contextual, relevance.

In this case it's the prophet/poet James K. Baxter meets Underrated (at the time) and promising Morrieson.

Strong features of this play were the central performances of the 2 blokes, and the supporting female performances.

The mood shifted strongly, between outright hilarity through to pathetic (genuine) poignancy, through psychotic rage, and everything else in between.

The most hilarious scene was shortly after the start of Act 2, with James K Baxter facing summary execution at the hands of Morrieson, and with the horse in question's rear end and back legs playing a significant part in Baxter's fate.

And the most beautiful section Morrieson's go-for-it monologue towards the end of the play, where he proves (at least to this audience, in this reality), that he can be a poet (a bit of a Hawera transposition of Under Milkwood).

Having seen Robin Hood last week, I have been through a very post-modern week where it really doesn't matter too much how "real" incidents are, or should I say "factual", and certainly found the Morrieson/Baxter menage exciting, slick, powerfully acted and novel.

Is it great, iconic theatre? Who can say? Will time tell?

Whatever it was, it was a great night out!

Thanks, ATC )also loved the Anthony Watson music which added tension/zeitgeist and nostalgia to the proceedings).

G.

(Another) One of Those Days

Woke up in good time.
Took a dexamethasone to keep nausea at bay (no nausea - yay!).
Get into the office - out comes the crown of a lower right molar (no nerves - no pain).
Period 1 - speak to yr 13 health class about my "journey with cancer". They gave me chocolates! ("Sir, you are an inspiration to us!" Wow...)
Period 2 - book in with dentist!
Morning break - dunkin' donuts with Learning Support Crew (and discussing politics). They gave me mandarins!
Period 3 - lesson with year 9s who keep being distracted by yr 12 Kings College being taught how to haka by O.C. yr 12s (yr 12 student exchange).
Period 4 - yr 13s whipped into a frenzied, panicked state as they realise performance assessments are nigh (oh well, dreams are for free!).
Tutors - go to 9S to receive formal apology from girl who verbally abused me last week, but she has disappeared! (which is another part of the tragedy...)
Return to 10T to crack funny joke I heard 20 years ago at O.C. from a year 10 English student called Moondog...
Q: How do you circumcise a whale?
A: Send down four skin (foreskin) divers!
Still cracks'em up - thank you Moondog, wherever you are! (34...)
Lunch - Supertwelve...er, 6 today (will we EVER have 12????).
P5 - yr 11s, becoming a favourite class of mine - we have a good laugh, do some good work and treat each other with due care and respect...most of these kids will be coming to the Marriage of Figaro with me on Tuesday!
After school - dash off to dentist - a great team at Onehunga Dental Centre - temporary filling installed.
AND NOW - we look forward to Fat Freddy's Drop at Bruce Mason Centre Takapuna, with friend Kerry (will need to celebrate Lois's dazzling 86% in Public Law TOMORROW).
Reviews to follow: Horseplay, Robin Hood and The Freddies Show....

"The Trigan Empire" (book review)

...by Don Lawrence and some other people.
This book, this comic strip, begun in the late 60s by Don Lawrence (the artist) and another bloke who doesn't even get credited in this hardback compendium, is a real treasure trove for me.
I first got hooked by reading my sister Plonie's, and later my, Look and Learn magazines.
Then in 1972 I visited Holland and a magical thing happened - I went into my Auntie's attic and found in a pile of old comics (in Dutch) the very first instalments of the story!
It was like discovering Atlantis, or El Dorado!
Magic.

I picked up this compendium a number of years ago, and it also takes us right back to the start of the Trigan story (this time in English).
The Trigan story is part Roman Empire (including togas and centurion-types) and part Dan Dare (including evil alien types with green bald heads and superior weapons and inferior morals).
But the thing that gets me every time is the art work - every frame lovingly water-coloured or inked or a combo - vivid sunsets, treacherous canyons and steep inclines, frothingly evil baddies and heroic, jutting-chinned heroes.

Never been to the planet Elekton, but if my plans for a Martian sojourn fall through, it will make a good backup plan.

G.

Back in the Saddle!

Without falling out!
Many thanks to the people sending prayers, love, hope and faith my way.
"Without hope..."
So, back with the pump on.
Tomorrow, all going to plan. I will be talking to a Year 12 class about my experiences - hopefully demystifying and humanising cancer for them, BUT so much remains a mystery anyway!
So far, so good...
Good to be back into the movie routine again - Robin Hood today (review out soon).
Appetite still okay.
Energy fine so far.
Freddies tomorrow!
Feeling positive - got my Bob Marley on - how can you NOT dance to this?!?!?!
G.

Cancer Update

Tomorrow I go back into chemo.
Yesterday Lois and I met with Paul Thompson to talk about where things are at.
My cancer markers dropped down to 160 over the 2 weeks that I had a holiday from chemo, from 269,
Paul was surprised by this, as he had expected the count to go up.
This trend encouraged Paul to recommend going back into chemo and keeping a close eye on the markers and my comfort/pain levels.
After "one of those nights" in which mortality gets weighed up with pain and rational thought competes with intuition, and the daily grind pits itself against residual dreaming and inspiration, I have decided to go ahead with the chemo.
On condition that my comfort/pain levels stay good.
I do not relish and will not abide days of squirming in agony on a sofa with only the cat for company (lovable though he is).
Paul did say he thought I may see Christmas this year.
Unlikely to see Christmas 2011.
But he does get things wrong!
Chemo is designed to buy a few months extra time, and as the champion footballers among us know, extra time is a mixed blessing, and not much fun if you're on the losing side!
So, watch this space.
A spiritual adviser pointed out that I am by nature an optimistic/hopeful person and that I do need to go with this aspect of my character.
I have concerts, CDs and compositions still to complete, and fully relish getting into these things, as well as nurturing the wonderful teenagers I deal with every day (including my own!).
So, there we are...
For now...

D-day on the horizon...

Tomorrow.
What does my blood tell the experts?
What will my pain and discomfort signify?
How will I find ease and peace?
Do I smile?
Do I grimace?
Do I cry??
What will be will be.
Our days are all numbered.
You cannot fight Gravity, Taxes, Death, God....not forever.
And you can't fathom Gravity, Taxes, Death, God either.

"Dark Glasses" account...

I guess that if I was throwing a party these days and invited all my friends and family, it would look or feel something like this...Yours Truly on stage singing songs written by self, backed up by a wonderful band with exquisitely mixed sound, and followed by wonderful chocolate cake!

In many ways last night was a lot like some huge reunion of colleagues, students, friends, family, etc.

The scariest thing for me is the ten minutes before we go on...there I am sitting in the front row with my back turned to the stage, and the noise behind me gets louder and louder...and surprise! There IS an audience!
And a sizeable one at that!

Oh well, here we go!
Just as well we did some practice!

And for an hour I take these willing victims through 12 songs exploring "the human condition" as I put it in the programme (ha! what songs DON'T explore the human condition to some degree??).

My top 5 highlights??

1. The high-powered kick-off song, which launches itself with a bit of an angry snarl...
2. Jo singing "Fight Back", accompanied by some delicious saxes, bells and beautiful slides...
3. Prisoner's Lament ("The Pink Floyd song"!), exploring depression...
4. "Love" (a song I can close my eyes with and sing directly to God)
5. A STANDING OVATION (whoa, people! are you sure you came to the right concert??), followed by many many hugs and kisses (amongst them my favourite one from my wife!), and some big ups from my son (my very own musically discerning and totally unbiased son!).

Thanks to:
The ever-faithful and 150% Jo McG (vocals),
The following-in-my-musical-footsteps (or Lois's??) Sophie vW (flute and bells),
The "Three Saxes" - Andrew, Netta and Andrew,
The meticulously cool Mike Coleman (electric guitar),
The solid-as-a-rock, make-the-stage-wobble, Dave Machell (bass),
The wild and wonderful Rob Boasman (drums),
The try-anything-at-least-once Graeme Olding (keyboard),
The friend indeed and in word and in everything Michael B (sound, lighting, moral support)
The apt, appropriate, artistic Adrienne (powerpoint),
The hospitable hostesses with the mostesses, Linda and Heather (food and welcomes),
The keen, reliable Aaron (technical assistant),
Cameraman Cameron,
The audience!
God (Big, Loving, Scary, Untamed and Omnipresent)...

If you missed it, make that the last time you miss something I offer you for free!!

Love,

G.

My Top Five Cliches...

1. Life is too short.
2. Rock'n'roll!
3. What do you wanna be when you grow up?
4. Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.
5. Everything's under control...

Counting Down...

Dark Glasses on Saturday, 7pm.
One final run/soundcheck.
Will we all be there?
Will I be "okay"?
Enjoying life without chemo.
Getting my body back, as recently liberated mums would say.
Wish I could lose the hernia.
As to final countdown...
Who knows?
Fat Freddy, Marriage of Figaro, Cat Yusuf Stevens...all gigs on the horizon.
Life ain't dull, but it is short!

Counting Down...

Sunday thoughts

Seen some good videos lately.
Aviator, Eagle v Shark, Absolute Power...
Eagle v Shark is the movie Taika Waititi made before Boy - it has Boy elements, is a little slower, but definitely quirkily funny.
This week I get to perform again.
If you're not busy on Saturday at 7pm, come and see Dark Glasses, a concert of 12 songs dealing with "the human condition" (I suppose most songs do that anyway!).
I have a lovely band lined up to accompany, and the wonderful female vocal tones of Jo McGibbon, and a great sound guy, so it should be a good night (oh, also a powerpoint show to accompany the songs).
And no chemo!
On chemo holiday for at least another 10 days.
Feels good so far.

I'm Glad I...

Can still do my job,
Have the colleagues I have,
Saw my kids into secondary school, and some way through adolescence,
Stayed with my family,
Met the people I met,
Found God and Jesus,
Made music since I was 6,
Drifted into teaching,
Have the family I have now and the friends I have now,
Didn't go deaf!

I Wish I Coulda...

Visited Iguacu Falls,
Written all the shows I still want to,
Seen Van Morrison in a small, intimate venue,
Written the novels I have within me,
Visited Antarctica,
Played viola with Van,
Seen my children marry etc.,
Seen Lois run again,
Got rid of N.C.E.A.,
Had a big party with ALL my friends, BIG SKA sounds and the sun shining!

Friday Morning 3am...

Woken by...
Electric hiss from the bedroom down the corridor,
Vague (phantom?)pains in the nether regions,
Finding oneself on the bedge (edge of the bed),
Feeling too warm,
The knowledge that the Roman Empire and its history awaits,
Thoughts of breakfast,
A lightly coloured night sky with premonitions of rain,
The realisation that there are only a few more songs/concerts to go,
Financial worries!,
Hopes for children and life partner("You're gonna make me lonesome when you go"...),
Fears of increasingly yellow complexion (who wants to make an exit as a lemon??),
...the gifts of sleep and comfort would be most welcome now!
...anybody else out there not sleeping?

Arms Wide Open

Arms wide open to embrace all,
Arms outstretched, acknowledging and accepting Universe and Insect,
All that is to come and all that has been.
Arms wide open, nailed to the immovable and unrelenting cross.
Arms wide open to embrace me.

And I, what shall I do?
What is to come and what has been?
"Let go", they cry!
Let the hurt and pain and fear and disappointment and betrayal fall from my hands.
Reach out, embrace Death, then Life and Love.
And fly?
Into outstretched arms, with arms wide open.

24 hours

24 hours makes such a big difference.
Time won, time lost.
Worlds and universes turned upside down.
Faith lost, faith regained.
Friendships fractured, relationships wrecked.
Small into big, big into small.
Governments toppled, new world orders instituted.
The big mouth of a small man silenced.
24 hours to save the world.
24 hours to save a life.

what to say?

Stayed home today - didn't want to repeat yesterday's drama.
After watching Tomorrow Never Dies picked up Lois from Uni and headed to Hospital.
Fearing the "worst", my fears were met to some degree.
CT reveals no change - if anything tumours appear a bit bigger and more sharply defined.
Told dr of cramps etc.
Decided to give me "a break", so no chemo this Thu.
Blood test to see what cancer markers are up to - they have not reduced significantly.
Feeling v. low at present - something to go thru before being cheery, pleasant, at-peace-with-the-universe self.
Good music makes a big difference.
The art of living must never be underestimated.
Where to now?

"Cat's Eye" (book review)

by Margaret Atwood, 1988.

The life story of a painter.
With fascinating flashbacks, the usual combination of mundane, humorous, horrific, bizarre.
This is a big book!
Long, detailed, captivating.
One of the special attractions is that Atwood's descriptions of the paintings are so vivid you end up thinking they must exist physically somewhere.
Another treat is that MA gets under the skin of all the characters who inhabit the story...nothing 2-dimensional about any of it.
Entomologists, artists, single women, opportunistic men, phantoms hanging by the bridge, dismal cities, refugees...many classic Atwood characters and themes.
And yet something novel is spun out of the ingredients.
A must read!

Blip(s)

Cramps again.
Arrived on a Saturday.
Still with me.
Knocked me around on Sunday.
Lasted 2 hours at school.
Taken home by Theo.
So good to be able to speak to one person, and have them take care of the rest of the day!
My thanks today go to Theo, Lee, Dave and all the others who helped with a smooth exit from work.
Later cramps left and I had fried eggs on toast for lunch at 2pm.
Big day tomorrow.
Milestone sorting out of what is what.
At least it feels that way today...
G.

Van Morrison Celebration (an account)

As mentioned before, it was VERY important for me to get this celebration done while my health permits.
I am a huge Van fan, and in that fanatic way wanted to do his music honour AND introduce it to "a bunch of kids from South Auckland".
Frustrated in Term 1 by the sheer level of disruption to the regular school timetable, I postponed the celebration to 5th May, week 3 of term 2.
I was glad I did, as it meant we had a clear run in most preparation schedules for the groups.
And some groups needed it!
FF to 5th May, and really, the time between end of school and the concert were some of the most disheartening, disillusioning moments of time I've spent!
Kids missing practices, kids calling in sick, kids suddenly not being able to make it due to "family circumstances" - blahblahblah...
This kind of thing gets harder and harder to get together year on year, as every year kids seem to have less sense of what is required....
Thankfully Theo, my longtime sidekick/sound-light man/adviser/everything and I managed to escape for a while, eat some KFC and lighten up.
We relocated from the Hall to the Dance/Drama Suite - smaller, cosier venue - we ended up having to get more and more seats for the audience - it was packed!
I loved the range of acts, from a couple of people singing, thru woodwind and string groups, thru to large bands and including "the singing principal", Gil Laurenson.
I also loved seeing old students coming back to support, and young ones emerging as exciting performers...
A great night - a night I think Van would have enjoyed, seeing the enthusiasm and sensitivity of the students to his songs.
A fantabulous night...
Thanks, everyone!
Thanks, Van!

Since I Last Blogged...

So much has happened!
Certainly physically and emotionally things turn around pretty quickly on Chemo...
Wednesday was the Van Morrison Celebration.
I will post a fuller account of this soon.
I finished watching the Rome TV series - definitely NOT for sub16s!
Started reading a book ALL about Rome.
My friend Andy managed to score us middle front row seats for Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam on June 29th.
YAY!!!!
Branch meeting to discuss Govt's insulting offer to teachers this year...
In a crazy-but-inspired move, I treated the Van Morrison performers to icecreams (hand-scooped by moi and Lee - well, using scoopers, of course!).
So nice to have a fridge in the Music Department (which of course has been padlocked!).

"Pincushion" (a poem)

One more needle.
Except it's never just one.
And the more they stick me, the harder it is to find a vein.
Nobody asks me how I feel.
And it's just as well.
The crucifixion was much worse, of course.
Bloodier, extended, thankless, seemingly futile.
If You can do it, maybe I can try?
How many holes will it take (Dylan/Beatles)??
It's all for the best.
I should be used to it.
Pierced with compassion, professionalism, indifference.
Pierced.
How DOES it feel?

Up and Down - Rollercoasting Thru Tuesday

Wake up with a lightflash too early - DOWN.
No breakfast (due to CT prep) - DOWN.
Make it to Ascot in time and go straight thru - UP.
Am overcome by weeping/sobbing as I emerge from the CT scanner for the umpteenth time - DOWN.
Radiologist gets a cup of coffee and some bickies - UP.
Phone call from Lois - UP.
Make my way into school, where the people are SO NICE - UP.
Practice with Arthur and Naomi for Into the Mystic - UP.
Year 9s want to learn guitar (even mad minimalist banger-boy) - UP.
Practice with yr 13 guitar lads and Arthur and Naomi - UP.
Orchestra of homeschoolers - about 15! Excellent sight readers! UP!
Yr 11s - 4 kids without theory books - DOWN.
Junior T "keen as" to practise Gloria, Here Comes the Night, Moondance - UP.
After school - not many strings turn up - DOWN.
But those who do practise well - UP.
Into S12 practice and get a good vibe going with "Whenever God Shines His Light On Me" - featuring Frank B as Cliff, and Onetoto leading the antiphonal response. UP.
Tired! DOWN.
Soon to head out to Dark Glasses practice - UP or DOWN????
Tune in tomorrow to find out!

What's Going On 5 - usual warnings apply

Have felt differing degrees of nausea since yesterday.
Manageable, but unpleasant.
Underlying aches.
Anxiety over the CT scan.
Sense of loss with each beautiful day that goes by and I don't feel up to walking out into it.
Enjoying my family very much.
Especially my son who is emerging from the fog of inarticulateness that ALL boys seem to go thru to different degrees.
Enjoying my CDs, and playing viola.
Wondering how I will cope with a big week.
Smells, tastes, all askew.
No cramps or neuropathy.

The Funny World of Chemo...

No day is ever the same.
Some days feel way better than others.
Yesterday was blimmin' good.
Buzzing thru the school day, performances and practices and lessons flying by.
Then a slowing down in the afternoon.
This morning cafe, hospital, queen st march (against mining), real groovy...
Then a slowing down.
Bits of memory fading in and out.
Carrying heavy boxes of records an epic ordeal.
Finding books about the Roman Empire.
Rain and sunshine, heat and cold.