The Press Club
After Sunday afternoon/evening’s events… I headed back to Scott’s place because I had already missed my last bus home and it was cheaper to get a taxi to his place. So we hung out there for a little while and decided to go out and get some food, which always ends up meaning, go drinking. So we went and got some subway, the international students staple food, always good always relatively cheap. Our goal was to find a pub that was playing the March Madness games. It was a wild goose chase we had a few leads, but most didn’t even know what it was. We got a few drinks and decided to head to the “Valley” the undisputed capital for pubs clubs and bars in Southeast Queensland just northeast of the Brisbane Central Business District.
We found ourselves standing outside a very trendy Press Room its very small luxury live music venue with a very intimate feel… it hard a large open wall to the street, allowing the local music to spill out onto the sidewalk enticing those passing by to stop in for a drink or two. It was also stuffed to the max with plush purple velvety lounges with large wrap around headrests adding to the intimacy surrounding you with a secluded V.I.P feel making you think you were watching a private live performance. Needless to say this has become my favorite night spot, surpassing my previous favorite Murphy’s Irish pub a very vibrant Irish hangout with two levels, with an authentic decor and a small stage for Jigs. Irish Murphy’s is good, but the Press Box takes the cake partly because the feeling it has, but mostly because of the featured music.
Bordello
We were hanging out most of the evening tucked away in the corner near the window to the street. I was taking the drinking easy… like I had two all night long because I just could not afford it. But I found myself entranced by the music. I didn’t even realize it at first, I was just chilling out kind of half watching people inside the club, and outside on the street, chit chatting here and there, and all of a sudden I realized my toe is tapping my head is bobbing im practically break-dancing in the booth. This music grabbed ahold of me me and then started shaking and wouldn’t let go.
I went up and talked with the lead singer of the band in between sets. Turns out there were going to play three this evening and we just happened to sit down right when they started their first one. The band I was so entranced with is Bordello and they are originally from Perth, moved recently to Melbourne, they were on a small tour of the Australian East Coast, moving up and down from Sydney Last week to the Gold Coast this week, Cairnes in there somewhere and then back down again. I was in heaven, and I was set for the night… it was only about 9 and I was game to just sit back relax, spend the rest of the evening here, enjoying awesome music and not spend another dime.
There was a dj, drummer, lead guitar, lead vocals… and then another chick singer that came up onstage every couple songs. But there was something about this music, something that could not be replicated when the song was played a second time. I think it was the dj, it added a very distinct sound that carried well through the small club. The music was alive, it had a raw musical noise to it. It is the first time I have really been turned on about live music. I usually prefer the recorded version because it is usually more refined and has a smoother polished feeling. But this music was meant to be live, it had character it flowed well, and it was full of volume that surrounded you, pulled you in and made you want to be a part of it.
I went to their website the next morning and downloaded a few sample songs. At first I thought I had the wrong website and the wrong band. These songs sounded absolutely nothing like the band I heard the night before. However after a few minutes of listening I started to pick up on some of the lyrics and melody, I realized that these really were the songs I heard the night before. The beat was there and the lyrics were even there so it was the same song. But then again it really wasn’t it was such a different experience listening to them live, and hearing the small dead, flat sounding renditions of those beautiful full bodied, lively songs played 12 hours earlier, there was just no comparison. For the first time I understand the craze the lure of live music. I have always enjoyed concerts, but never have I felt something so intimate and so alive. I will be attending moe shows at the Press Club.