thefuckoffkid

So I didn't really explain the whole Steve Kilbey gig thing. It was at the Basement, right down near Circular Quay, the harbour end of the city.

I was there on my own, as the girl isn't a huge fan and the other gig-going people I talk with weren't up for it. (The one person I should've asked I forgot to, but that's another story.) So I stand near the merchandise table, and the girl there starts talking to me. She tells me about some of the tribute shows that get put on around Sydney and how she's involved with some of them. I don't tell her that the last time I was at the Basement was a few years back, when I played a Jeff and Tim Buckley tribute night and, er, it didn't go so well really. So I say nothing about it.

Finally, Steve Kilbey's brother Russell turns up, and I wave hello. Russell and I used to play i a band together a few years back and haven't been in touch for some time. Talking to him again is good, although I'd been hearing a bit about what he'd been up to since my younger brother and his girlfriend are friends with John Kilbey. (Still with me?)

So it's a bit of a memory lane thing, catching up with Russell, hearing him talk about his kids, and doing some catching up on old times.

His brother takes the stage, in semi-unplugged form, with another acoustic guitarist, a drummer, and a songwriter called David Lane on piano. Steve's on pretty good form and the gig is going well.

Then the memory lane thing really kicks in. Steve introduces his band, and mentions the guitarist's name: David Scotland. Now, Dave Scotland was a guy who worked in a music store in Canberra when I was growing up, and he played with one of Steve's early bands, Baby Grande. I never knew what became of Dave, but I remember him as this left-handed guitarist who could make a guitar sound amazing every time he picked it up.

There were three guys I knew at that time who worked in guitar stores who were amazing players. One was Gordon Navara, who is still working in one of the stores as far as I know. The second is Frank Gambale , who's gone on to become rather famous. The third was Dave. And here I am, years later, seeing him play with Steve Kilbey again.

I whisper to Russell "Is that the Dave Scotland from years back?" Of course, it is. He sounds good.

I get introduced to him after the show, but he has no clue who I am. Heh.

Memory Lane.