Em:

My goodness September what a month you have been! Every month I have to scroll back through my camera roll or peruse my hellscape calendar to try and remember what it was that I actually did. It’s a privilege to be so busy but I do sometimes wonder if it might be too many things. I’m inclined to say this month might have been too many things. The highlight was going to Canberra for a week to mentor at Noisy Futures. I got to see my beautiful Canberra friends, including spending the week at beautiful Lara and Meg’s house. Man what a beautiful program, it was so emotional and so fulfilling to see the kids grow and learn how to work together, and I cried several times throughout the week. This year I was a Band Manager, which meant I got to guide and help run band practice for a band of 6 15-16 year olds. Spouse got to perform for all the kids on the Tuesday, and I was honoured that my band wrote an epic 6 minute long emo song, including an off-mic scream from one of the vocalists. It’s incredibly moving working amongst such a beautiful and caring team, truly the safest space I’ve ever had the privilege of working within. If anyone is interested in mentoring, or knows young people ages 10-17 interested in music, please feel free to reach out, I actually cannot recommend it enough.

A movie I watched this month:

Watched many good movies this month!
Luka and I watched Funny Games together, 4.5 / 5 – excellent freak show, and I appreciated Haneke’s choice to never really show the violence on camera, made it more gruesome in a way.

I watched both Hellboy movies – 4 / 5 – (the Del Toro ones, which are the only ones that matter) with my best friends in Canberra, which was wonderful, I’m a sucker for a nerd movie and a practical effects movie, and thus, I was a sucker for Hellboy. Is he hot?? Colour me red and confused

The Melb movie gang watched The Fall together, oh man, oh boy, hummunah hummunah, truly a feast for the heart and the eyes.

An album I listened to this month:

Big Polvo month, I think Celebrate the New Dark Age was my favourite.

Also rinsed the new Frogurt album, beautiful stuff outta wollongong!

A gig I went to this month:

Went to both Swapmeet shows in Melb, it was a movie and a party both nights!

A book I read/Game I played this month:

Shamefully I did not read at all this month I believe.

A photo I took this month:

Swapmeet headstand in my room after waking me up at 4am

Ezra:

Great month! Admittedly I’m writing this kind late and it’s amazing how much you forget in just a few weeks. Went to the the medieval fair and watched jousting, that was pretty boss. Spouse staying busy, which feels great.

A movie I watched this month:

I watched every hunger game movie. Which i’d never seen before, but had a wonderful time. The first and second being by far the standouts, two I really liked. Got a little annoyed with the classic ‘what if the revolution took it too far’ trope, fuck that, I was excited when Snow got eaten by the people. Also really appreciate how weird the Peeta and Katniss relationship dynamic is, do not even ask if I’m team Gale or Peeta it’s like asking if I like my food seasoned or not.

An album I listened to this month:

Lot’s of Vince Staples, the self titled and Big Fish, which are both just so goddamn good. Also briefly revisited the old Mischief Brew albums and still really love those.

A gig I went to this month:

We got to go play at Noisy Futures which was really beautiful, saw some of the bands there practicing. Also played the birds release shows, which was really lovely, Wriding are incredible and it was lovely to see them a couple nights in a row.

A book I read/Game I played this month:

I’ve been reading Heretics of Dune and some Roman history books. One on Roman jokes and laughter by Mary Beard which was surprisingly kinda boring, now one about the Pax Romana which has been interesting. Dune is so fucking weird and only getting more so. I’m like 12’000 years in the future at this point.

Been playing Final Fantasy Tactics, that game rules, interesting political writing for an old game.

A photo I took this month:

Daan approaches final form.

Daan:

Hello Splogosphere! September has been a terribly exciting month. One for the history books certainly. To start the month, Ezra, Emmett & I went into Artsound to chat to Tim (shoutouts) about the release of Spouse’s new single ‘The Birds Are Dead Along The Highway’!. We ended up staying for over an hour just chatting between songs. It was a really lovely time, shoutouts community radio.

This month we also played two single launch shows for our new song!!! It’s been so nice to release music again. It’s been a real whirlwind behind the scenes & I can’t wait for what’s to come over the next few months. The shows were both top 3 shows for me, maybe it’s just because we have a song out now but there was so much energy and excitement at the shows and I was really really loving it, I think we were on fire that weekend. Thanks for coming!

I did some fun Gutwrench stuff including recording buffy (the tracks rule), planning for DIY Summer, announcing the screening for Georgia & I’s documentary ‘Blank Slate City’ and announcing our signing with Canberra band Royalla! The first official signing since Spouse.

Been such a great month & my diary has not heard the end of it trust me!

Oh also there was the Gutwrench Office Saga but I won’t get into that now.

A movie I watched this month:

According to my Letterboxd I only watched Uptown Girls with Meg, which I loved, but I also watched a screening on Silence Of The Lambs with my brother Thom at Dendy. It was one of those 35mm specialty screenings. The projectionist came out and spoke before the film and talked about how a lot of the characters state directly into the camera to make the viewer uneasy, once pointed out I noticed so much more and that was cool. It was my brothers first time watching it so I enjoyed getting to see his reaction as the film played out. Oh also I just remembered that I rewatched The Blair Witch Project with Jamie, Ellie and Ezra. Still the greatest.

An album I listened to this month:

I listened to soo much Charli XCX this month. I hadn’t dived into her new album yet but once I did I just fell in love and had it on repeat all month. I appreciate the more earnest moments like on ‘Camera’ where she evaluates her relationship to music, creativity and aging in the music industry. This was my take away anyway.

A gig I went to this month:

I went to the Nuta Mantis comeback show! Was so nice to see them back in action again, now with the addition of Tom (from Royalla) on drums. Love that guy. I got to jump on roto toms and percussion for the Ultrarage set and had the best time. Thanks for having me Ultrarage. I hadn’t been to a DIY in a minute and as always it’s a lovely reminder of why I love DIY, why I love music & why I love Canberra. After the show Royalla, Imogen, Kiera & Jenna all went out for dinner in Braddon. I got to chat with my new friends Imogen & Kiera at dinner which was lovely (shoutouts). We went to this pizza truck near the car wash (I can’t remember it’s name rn) but the guy who owned it promised us “a pizza that will make you happy” and he didn’t disappoint. They had a pizza called the ‘Canberra’ so obviously I had to get it, I would recommend. I love spending time with friends after a big gig, no feeling like it fr.

A book I read/Game I played this month:

This month I read ‘The Perks Of Being A Wall Flower’ (thanks for the lend Declan). I had never read it but I knew I’d probably like it… and I did! Like most people I’m particularly vulnerable to highschool age nostalgia and I spent most of the book clutching my chest and wanting to cry. It was lovely. I’m now reading the second book in the Skullduggery Pleasant series! It’s stupid how much I’m enjoying them but they’re just so fun. If I’d read these as a kid I would’ve absolutely loved them no doubt. I imagine I never got to read them as a kid because my mum doesn’t like skeletons or magic.

A photo I took this month: