Wish You Were Where?

Rip It Up, Issue 226, 1 June 1996, Page 36

Wish You Were Where?

Nearly everyone has an empty space in their memory where cherished recollections of a special event should be stored, an event missed due to any number of circumstantial reasons — the tyranny of distance, a sick aunt, being in the wrong place at the right time, or maybe you just plain weren’t invited. RipltUp cornered a handful of wideboys and girls and asked: Over the past 10 years, at what major musical event would you like to have been present?

“The party at Snoop’s when his parents went out.” Nick Dwyer, Max TV and bFM.

“Watching Astrud Gilberto per--form. I wasn’t sure how to find out if she even does perform still, as she’s in her 50s now. Roy Colbert surfed the Net for me, to no avail. Then by chance I mentioned my dilemma to a friend, • who told me this tale. “In 90 or 91 he called the SOB club in New York; he thought BDP were playing and wanted to hear them live over the phone. Instead he got their answerphone, which said: ‘Tonight at SOB we have Astrud Gilberto.’ “So, that is where I would be, table near the front, casual cocktails, and Astrud Gilberto slenderly crooning ‘The Girl From Ipanema’, lit by one golden spotlight in the smoky room. Perhaps not a major event but... Demarnia Lloyd, Mink and Cloudboy. “The John Spencer Blues Explosion’s last gig at their local before making it big.” Fraser Mclnnes, Beats Bodega and Bar Bodega. “Any Tindersticks concert with full orchestra. Failing that, watch-

ing Pearl Jam being Surf Rescued on an Auckland beach would be almost as entertaining.” Steven Hinderwell, the Gardening Angels. “The photo shoot for the cover of Kajagoogoo’s debut album.” Tom Larkin, Shihad. “The Radio Birdman shows in Australia — especially the small bar shows, they’re always the best. I planned to go but didn’t make it. I guess I just wasn’t meant to be there.” Brian Wafer, Truly Fine Citizen. “Michael Jackson’s honeymoon.” Adam Hyde, 95bFM station manager.

“I would like to have been there when Kurt Cobain shot himself in the head, ’cause I would have taken off with Courtney and the drugs.” Richard Davies, Evilis. “The Dragon reunion gig at Mountain Rock." Chris van de Geer, Second Child. “A show I would’ve dearly liked to have seen was Mark Pauline from Survival Research Laboratories’ 1986 San Francisco extravaganza entitled A Cruel and Relentless

Plot to Pervert the Flesh of Beasts to Unholy Uses. Billed as ‘a parable of reanimated flesh’, highlighted with fires of varying origin. The most technically advanced show yet, it featured the huge Billy ’ Graham robot, real robotised mummies, a military type CO2 laser, a mobile Mr Satan, the rabbit Kow-Tow, stink dogs, a squirming rocket target, a 400 LB mechanised tick, and the Mummy-Go-Round. Part of the National Offense Show, major destruction was promised. -. Apparently many members of the high paying audience were injured or burnt, but all claimed to have got their money’s worth.” Dave White, Claire’s Un Natural Twin. “Fugazi, anywhere.” Jules Desmond, Letterbox Lambs. “Roger Waters’ Berlin Wall. I would love to have played all the bass parts when he was singing and not playing bass.” Andrew Featherstone, Hanger 18 (ex-Adrenaline). ~ “All of ’em — even the ones I was at!” Dylan Taite, TV3’s music guru.