It's awfully hard to say goodbye, don't you think? It was hard saying goodbye to my friends in Brisbane when I left, despite knowing they were but a two hour flight and a ten minute phone call away, and it was even harder to say goodbye to friends in London and Sweden when I travelled last year, knowing I wouldn't see them for far, far too long. But, with a brave smile and an occasional tear, we bid our goodbyes, holding in hope the future brings far brighter prospects.
The Lucksmiths have arguably been my favourite Australian band since about 2001, and they've recently announced their break-up after a final farewell tour of Australia. In some respects, I have thought this was on the cards for the last couple of years, but the news is always hardest once it hits. I could offer a million stories about The Lucksmiths, each one of them cloaked in its own fond memory for me of being young and brimming with excitement about a pop band who made me smile with their witty lyrics and grin even wider with melodies like sunshine.
I can still remember buying Why That Doesn't Surprise Me back in late 2001 or early 2002 and falling in love instantly, as Tali White's vocals on 'Music To Hold Hands To' serenaded me:
I could never understand you, hating music to hold hands to
Sometimes something you can dance to is the last thing that you need
Even now, living in the heart of Lucksmiths territory, I understand the lyrics so much better: I feel like going visiting this even, across the rooftops of North Carlton while the suburb is asleep.
I could write for hours and hours about The Lucksmiths - meeting cute boys in Belle & Sebastian shirts at their Brisbane shows, being unimaginably excited at hearing 'The Golden Age of Aviation' played live, seeing which brilliant pop band from Europe or America they'd brought on tour with them this time (without The Lucksmiths, I would not have seen The Ladybug Transistor nor Pipas play). Dancing at their shows was one of the most satisfying experiences ever - just about without fail, every Brisbane Luckies show would feature Catherine, Akiko and I dancing like crazy up the front, without a damn for any naysayers or poseurs. We loved the songs and dancing at their shows felt more irresistable than anything. Even if I tried to stand still, I couldn't do it.
I'll be travelling back to Brisbane for their final show - it wouldn't be right to see my final Luckies show here in Melbourne, having seen pretty much every one of their Brisbane shows since I was seventeen. I'll miss their presence, that's for sure, and I'll miss those incredible one liners.
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On another sad note, the June issue of English music magazine Plan B will be its last. Being a brief contributor to the amazing writing and bands featured in this magazine over the past six months has been an incredible honour, and I feel so lucky to have had an opportunity to write and share my love of bands in such an amazing medium. Can there be another magazine to take its place, or has the internet killed off any further hopes for high quality magazines with a high standard of writing? I surely hope not.
5 comments:
Sad about the Lucksmiths. No more T-shirt weather :(
one of the earliest songs i wrote was about the lucksmiths... it was called "some bands are bigger than others". it's actually better than i'd expected of a 17-year-old me :)
I missed their last Seattle show a couple of years ago, which I still regret, so I'll be in Melbourne for the last show, and Hobart as well. I'm looking forward to the jet lag haze for the 5 days I'm in Australia. Can't let them leave without saying goodbye :-)
Nooooooooooo. This can't be. The Lucksmiths breaking up. Saw them live a number of times in London and they were one of the few live acts I really enjoyed. Sunlight In A Jar has made the shortlist for the first song at me and the girlfriend's wedding (whenever that may be). They should have been bigger than the Beatles.
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