Bid Farewell to the Land of Midnight Oil

My final night in Sydney was one of the best that I'd ever spent there. I have said before, maybe not here, that Death Cab for Cutie are the nicest bunch of people that I have ever been on a tour with. They are so concerned with each other's well-being, and they manage to never lose their sense of humor even when they are doing a show in the armpit of Australia. I wish that I were that level-headed sometimes. So, on our last night in Australia, Death Cab played a show in celebration of Architecture Record's 5th anniversary party. Apparently Architecture was the first, and until recently, the only label to distribute Death Cab's records down there, so it was a big deal for these guys to show their gratitude. As for those of us who are accustomed to going to work when a band hits the stage, we were quite confused when we arrived at the hall to find it decorated for a child's birthday party fit with hats, streamers, a pinata and cupcakes.

My friend Haydn, the wettest blanket in the west.
















The Strokes, who I left last December just played a show in London's Natural History Museum, right in the dinosaur room. I thought about this good and hard as I sat in the rec hall of a women's bowling club in Sydney waiting for the band to play to fifty or so kids, some of which were starting to fall asleep on surrounding couches.

















As for the crew, I grabbed a glass of wine and a seat...

















And the rest took a seat in the front row and nodded along.















It was impressive to see a band who have sold damn near one million records turn up to a show without instruments or crew and play a decent show. I think they actually may have had a good time as well. Damn straight.