Bobbysix.com's End of Year Review 2011 - The final results!

Over the past few days we've brought you a whole bunch of 'best of' lists from 2011. In that time, the number crunchers in Bobbysix Towers have been busy totalling everything up in an attempt to draw some conclusions. As well as our knowledgeable writers giving their opinion and our industry buddies telling us what's on their stereo, for the first time ever we've invited the general public to contribute. So, if you don't agree with the winners of our End of Year Poll, don't blame Bobbysix.com, blame stupid democracy. Here goes:

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Album of the Year: RADIOHEAD - THE KING OF LIMBS

Of all of the categories in our end of year poll, Album Of The Year offered the broadest spectrum of nominees, as voted for by the readers and writers of Bobbysix.com. Varying degrees of folk were represented by strong showings for Laura Marling, Bon Iver and Caitlin Park, while chunky guitar riffs won lots of votes in the form of Foo Fighters and The Black Keys. Meanwhile, Veronica Falls and The Jezabels waved the flag for melodic indie. However, in the end, it was the ever-inventive, ever-relevant Radiohead (pictured, above) that were victorious, with their album The King of Limbs. Not only was it a quality record but, delightfully, it was given away for free on the band's website. On 18th February, with little fanfare and, indeed, a day ahead of schedule, guitarist Ed O'Brien posted online: "It's Friday... It's almost the weekend...It's a full moon....You can download The King of Limbs now if you so wish!"

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Song of the Year: CAMERAS - DEFEATIST

Husky's History's Door was popular, Kimbra was well-represented for Cameo Lover and for her collaboration with Gotye and Bon Iver received the biggest number of collective votes (but for different songs). But it was Sydney trio Cameras who received the most love for the fantastic Defeatist. Great song and a great video, in which The Preachers' Isabella looks simply beautiful. Bravo.

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Gig of the Year: THE GRATES - The Metro, Sydney, 12th November

This was a three-way race between The Grates, Seeker Lover Keeper and Florence + The Machine. The Brisbane band eventually won it by a single vote. Here's our review the show in question:

In Patience Hodgson, The Grates boast one of the most appealing lead-singers in the business. She announced her arrival on stage by bouncing up and down on the spot like an over-excited kid at Christmas and was crowd-surfing by the conclusion of the second song. Looking splendiferous in a sheer blue blouse and red skirt, the front-woman constantly engaged the audience in banter, accepted roses from besotted fans, handed out glow-stick bracelets and got members of the crowd to make out. It was impossible to take your eyes off her. During songs, she bounded around the stage and danced like the biggest dork in the world, her limbs flailing in every direction. It is very apparent that Hodgson just wants to have fun, without caring a jot about being cool. And that, of course, makes her cooler than most. As Young Pricks brought the set to a frenzied end, the band's performance demanded an encore, which closed with the giant sweary singalong of Inside, Outside. With the beguiling combination of infectious pop, meaty post-grunge and a singer that owns the room with her utter lust for life, tonight once again proved that to see The Grates live is to best understand them (read the full review here).
 
"Oh wow," Patience tweeted having read our review of the night. "Perceptive review, I AM A DORK. It's undeniable, it's who I am. I drink Sugar Free Caffeine Free Coke = DORK." Not just any old dork either, Patience, but our favourite dork. And we can't think of a bigger compliment than that.

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Film of the Year - DRIVE

This was a close battle between Submarine and Drive, with the latter just edging it in the end. Two very different films - one sweet, charming and funny, the other edgy and violent. Both had good soundtracks though.

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So, that's it. Another year over. Thanks for reading in 2011. The site has gone from strength to strength over the past 12 months and it's because of you. Well, actually, it's down to a small gang of people spending a lot of hours in front of the laptop, on the phone and in sweaty music venues, for no money, but simply for a love of doing what we do. But if you didn't read our words, then there would be no point in any of this. As the song goes, everything we do, we do it for you. In 2012, we're relaunching the site with a new name, more writers and a prettier, user-friendly look. We hope you'll join us.

Bobbysix.com's End of Year Review 2011 - Our showbiz mates

We managed to round up a few of our friends from the world of entertainment and ask them to contribute to our End of Year Poll. Here's what they offered us.

Jim Bob
Jim Bob (above) has had a busy 2011, finishing his new book, doing stuff at the Edinburgh Festival and playing sold-out shows with his band, Carter USM. Here’s what he listened to/watched when he had some down time.

Top 5 albums
1. Good News - WITHERED HAND
2. Own Side Now - CAITLIN ROSE
3. A Creature I Don't Know - LAURA MARLING
4. The Life Equation - AKIRA THE DON
5. Distraction Pieces - SCROOBIUS PIP

Top 5 films
1. Submarine
2. Attack the Block
3. Animal Kingdom
4. True Grit
5. Another Year 
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Amber Anderson
You may have first seen super-talented actress/model/musician and all-round lovely human-being Amber in the Match.com ads. Since then, she has worked on a number of movies, campaigns and editorials and we predict HUGE things for her in 2012. For now, check out her top albums and films from this year.
 
Top 5 albums (in no particular order) 
Ceremonials - FLORENCE + THE MACHINE 
21 - ADELE 
Suck It and See - ARCTIC MONKEYS 
+ - ED SHEERAN 
The English Riviera - METRONOMY 

Top 5 films (in no particular order) 
The Help 
We Need To Talk About Kevin
The Inbetweeners Movie 
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy 
My Week With Marilyn
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Cameras' Fraser Harvey 
Fraser (left in picture) is one-third of Sydney band, Cameras. Here, he tells us a little about the records he has been playing as his band has toured Australia and The States.

Top 5 albums 
1. Blood Pressures – THE KILLS
I instantly loved every song on this record, but I kept liking it for different reasons every time I put it on. Plus, who doesn’t want Alison Mosshart to have her way with them and then sing you The Last Goodbye.
2. The Child EP – THE CHILD
We played a show with these guys in LA, they’re also on Manimal and right from the first song I was enamoured. The ditties sound simple, but underneath there are actually a lot of complexities that will pass you by if you’re not careful. Their drummer Norm recorded and mixed this. Bitchin’.
3. The King Of Limbs – RADIOHEAD
This was so much to swallow when I first heard it. They seem to make every single idea work, all at once – and this album leaves you discovering subtleties well into your 10th listen and beyond. Very few bands achieve this.
4. Let England Shake - PJ HARVEY
C’mon, it’s the Peej so of course it’s going to be good – but this was a particular slice of form. Plus I’m a sucker for some Autoharp.
5. Grinderman 2 – GRINDERMAN  
I know this came out in late 2010, but I only got onto this in 2011, so it’s going on my list. I can’t begin to tell you how much I enjoy crude lyrics, and there are few better than Mr. Cave in this department. Fuck off Boy & Bear’s record was better than this.
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Clytem Scanning
Our favourite Parisian purveyor of beat-driven electro-pop melodies filled with dark ambiances sent us her top five albums and her top four films. “I couldn't find any 5th film cause I am pretty difficult with recent movies,” she told us.

Top 5 albums;
1. work (work, work) - HTRK
2. W - PLANNINGTOROCK
3. Absence - SNOWMAN
4. Faults - SEEFEEL
5. Wounded Galaxies Tap at the Window - CYCLOBE

Top 4 films
1.We Need To Talk About Kevin
2.The Murderer
3.Triangle
4.Meek's Cutoff 
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Sienna Guillory
As well as filming the new Resident Evil movie and trying to get Stone Roses tickets (she did), Sienna has also become a Mum to twins this year. So she hasn’t had much time to watch new movies or to discover new albums. Here's the five artists she has been most listening to in 2011. 

1. Neutral Milk Hotel 
2. Caveman 
3. Beirut
4. Waters 
5. The XX
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Chicks Who Love Guns' Cass Navarro
Cass (front left in picture) is the frontman for awesome band Chicks Who Love Guns, who have been wowing crowds in Sydney with their high-energy punk amazingness. We reckon that 2012 is going to be a good year for them. Here are Cass' choices for records and moves of the year.


Top 5 Albums (in no particular order)
New Start Again - DICK DIVER
Exmilitary - DEATH GRIPS
Royal Headache - ROYAL HEADACHE
Ugly Animals - RETOX
Smoke Ring For My Halo - KURT VILE

Top 5 Films (in no particular order)
Autoluminescent
Submarine
Drive
The Inbetweeners Movie
Hanna
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Holiday Sidewinder
The Bridezilla frontwoman, solo-artist and long-term friend of Bobbysix.com didn’t have much to offer in terms of her top five lists. However, we very much approve of the one name she gave: “I actually haven’t done much watching or listening of new stuff, so aside from Twerps, I dunno.”
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Larry Heath 

Larry (pictured with Bobby) is the brains (and hours and hours and hours of hard work) behind brilliant website, The AU Review. 

Top 5 albums
1. Gloss Drop - BATTLES
2. Prisoner - THE JEZABELS
3. Simple Math - MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA
4. Don't Say We Didn't Warn You - DOES IT OFFEND YOU, YEAH?
5. Wasting Light - FOO FIGHTERS
 
Top 5 films 
1. Drive
2. Midnight in Paris
3. Harry Potter 7.2
4. Tucker and Dale vs Evil
5. Super 8
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Colin Delaney
Colin is a music, arts, film and travel writer based in Sydney. He is also a fine fellow indeed.

1. BURNING MAN
Jonathan Teplitzky’s latest is inspired by his own experiences of love, loss and the downward spiral it can send a man on. Brit Matthew Goode plays chef Tom who struggles to juggle the various women in his life as it turns inside out from grief. It turns inside out for us too. Between Teplitzky and editor Martin Connor the non-linear storytelling proper fucks with you. The film is as brilliant as it is difficult to discuss without giving away some major plot points. Just go see it and sob like a baby. 
2. BRIDESMAIDS
The girls out-bromanced the bros. If you didn’t like this film I hope you get diarrhoea in your wedding dress.
3. DRIVE
Speaking of bromance… if you’re a guy and you don’t get the whole Ryan Gosling thing yet, watch Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive. A merciless prick on a revenge drive through Los Angeles, Gosling remains pretty under pressure, all to a cool yet soulless score by Cliff Martinez and College’s “A Real Hero.” 
4. CAUGHT INSIDE
There may have been a better thriller made this year but this little Australian film, which was like Bra Boys meets Dead Calm as a chartered surf trip turns bad, scores points for the following reasons… 
A) The film could have easily been another schlock teen horror but first time feature director Adam Blaiklock handled his script competently to find the right balance. 
B) Made for just about nothing and filmed on location with a tight cast and crew of less than twenty, it’s an example of putting all your budget on screen. It should be seen by all aspiring filmmakers as fodder of what can be done on a limited budget. 
C) Bon Oxenbould gives what will hopefully be for him a career-turning performance, ala Eric Bana in Chopper, to steer him away from his Nudge (yes, as in Hey Dad!) character. 
D) Unlike every surf-based drama that came before it, Caught Inside doesn’t fall into a cliché trappings of the surf lifestyle. With Blaiklock a surfer, it was something he was all too aware of, both in story and filming techniques… as in, every actor had to be able to surf. 
5. CATFISH
Another film that’s hard to talk about… This documentary about Facebook was certainly more affecting than The Social Network. Scary, sad, funny, we all know someone who thought to quit Facebook over a stalker. It took a lot of balls from the filmmakers to follow through with what they did. I’d have probably just quit Facers and reactivated my Bebo account.

Colin gives notable mentions to: Red State, Snowtown, Midnight in Paris, Hanna and The Tunnel.
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We'd like to thank our industry pals for taking time out of their schedules to tell us what has been floating their boat this year. And thanks to you for voting as well. Be sure to check back in to Bobbysix.com tomorrow for the grand results of our epic End of Year Review. We'll be revealing the overall best album, best song, best gig and best film of 2011. 


Interviews by Bobby Townsend

Bobbysix.com's End of Year Review 2011 - Heidi Pett

We're just a couple of days away from the big announcement of Bobbysix.com's overall winner of best album, film, gig and song of 2011. Before that, Deputy Editor Heidi Pett talks us through her favourite things from this year:

You’ll note that these lists have not been numbered. That’s because I’ve been known to take days sweating over my Triple J Hottest 100 votes (should I vote for my personal favourite on the album, or the most popular single, propelling a worthy artist to a higher rank? Is that selling out? What about that little-known band who I love but that will never make it in, is that wasting my vote? And if I do that, will Art vs fucking Science achieve a better result than they would have if I’d voted for, say, The Grates instead?) etc, etc, until oblivion. And that’s an anonymous vote which doesn’t even have to be ordered. So in the interests of my continuing to exist as a functioning member of society, here are my top picks of 2011, in no particular order.

10 Albums/EPs
Bon Iver - BON IVER (pictured, above)
Crystal Theatre - BELLES WILL RING
Forever So - HUSKY
Carry On - PATRICK JAMES
The Josephine March - THE JOSEPHINE MARCH
Absence - SNOWMAN
Milk Annual - CAITLIN PARK
I Want That You Are Always Happy - THE MIDDLE EAST
Helplessness Blues - FLEET FOXES
Secret Rituals - THE GRATES

10 Songs 
History’s Door - HUSKY
Last Night I Heard Everything In Slow Motion - OLIVER TANK
Rose Coloured Glasses - THE JOSEPHINE MARCH
Falling Away - BIG SCARY
Wishingbone -WINTER PEOPLE
Warriors With Wild Hearts - CAITLIN PARK
Paper Thin - FLUME
Please You - PATRICK JAMES
Hector Myola - TIN SPARROW
Holocene - BON IVER

10 Music Videos 
Bizness - TUNE-YARDS
Aroused - TOM VEK
Awkward - SAN CISCO
Little Frog - SUI ZHEN
Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra) - GOTYE
Cameo Lover - KIMBRA

Featherstone - PAPER KITES

Fat Monk - RAT vs POSSUM

Holocene - BON IVER

Defeatist - CAMERAS

5 Gigs 

FLORENCE + THE MACHINE - Seymour Centre, Sydney

THE GRATES - The Metro, Sydney

SEEKER LOVER KEEPER - St Stephen’s Church, Sydney

PATRICK JAMES - Hibernian House, Sydney

HOWLING BELLS - The Standard, Sydney

5 Books

Eating Animals - JONATHAN SAFRAN FOER

All That I Am - ANNA FUNDER

Tall Man - CHLOE HOOPER

You’ll Be Sorry When I’m Dead - MARIEKE HARDY

Penguin Plays Rough - VARIOUS

5 Festivals

Woodford Folk Festival

TiNA/Emerging Young Writers Festival

Jaipur Literature Festival

The Human Rights Arts and Film Festival

Changing Lanes Festival

10 Blogs/Websites

I spend a fairly embarrassing amount of time jaunting around the internet, getting inspired by people who are making and doing things. Often I’ll read the entire archives of a blog and then forget to bookmark it for later reference, so here are a few that I actually remember:

suizhen.tumblr.com/

palahniukandchocolate.tumblr.com

thespitpress.com

reasonsyouwillhateme.com

heathenscripture.wordpress.com

thehairpin.com

mimihlvst.blogspot.com

thingsmypretentiousfriendssay.tumblr.com

http://ausreleases.tumblr.com/

raddestrightnow.blogspot.com

2011 in words 

I started volunteering with FBi Radio in June and have finally found that community of beautiful, creative, interesting and interested people that I’ve been looking for in Sydney. Because, you know, I was starting to think this town was full of wankers and everybody was too cool for everything. These people give up their time and their skills out of love and passion and a desire to create, and it’s the best bullshit filter I’ve ever come across. What feels like forever ago, I spent two months sharing a backpack with my best friend as we travelled around India. Trains that were 19 hours late, colour and dust and beauty and heartbreak, escaping Darjeeling in the back of an army jeep, making dinosaur noises at leering men on train platforms, packing more books than clothes, dark green eyes and a hand on the small of my back. And the fact that when we got home we were too embarrassed to reach for the handles on the train, as we reeked of filthy Delhi bathrooms and four days of unwashed transit.

Heidi Pett - Deputy Editor
As well as being a fine writer, Heidi is an award-winning radio producer and presenter. She takes photographs through a plastic lens, drinks wine, listens to folk songs with gratuitous swears and can more often than not be found with her head buried in a book.

Bobbysix.com's End of Year Review 2011 - Neil Martin

As we head towards the conclusion of our End of Year reviews, Neil Martin give his recommendations from 2011. Check back on New Year's Day for Bobbysix.com's overall winners of best film, album, gig and song:

Top 10 Albums
1. We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves - JOHN MAUS (pictured, above)
2. Space Is Only Noise - NICHOLAS JAAR
3. Wolfroy Goes To Town - BONNIE PRINCE BILLY
4. The Ship’s Piano -DARREN HAYMAN
5. Veronica Falls - VERONICA FALLS
6. The Last Of The Country Gentlemen - JOSH T. PEARSON
7. Ravedeath, 1972 - TIM HECKER
8. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming - M83
9. James Blake – JAMES BLAKE
10. All Eternals Deck - THE MOUNTAIN GOATS

Top 10 Songs
1. On Battleship Hill - PJ HARVEY
2. Believer - JOHN MAUS
3. Space Is Only Noise If You Can See - NICHOLAS JAAR
4. Found Love In A Graveyard - VERONICA FALLS
5. Boeing 737 - THE LOW ANTHEM
6. Love The Way You Walk Away - BLITZEN TRAPPER
7. Tree By The River - IRON AND WINE
8. Thou Art Loosed - JOSH T. PEARSON
9. Blue Suicide - COMA CINEMA
10. Replica - ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER

Films

1. Drive 

2. Snowtown
3. The Guard
4. Troll Hunter
5. Small Town Murder Songs
6. The Future
7. Confessions
8. Tyrannosaur
9. Submarine
10. Attack The Block

Neil Martin - Contributor
Englishman Neil is a media teacher, musician and disc golfer - not necessarily in that order. He also knows more about films than you know about anything.

Bobbysix.com's End of Year Review 2011 - Andy James

Continuing our series of End of Year Reviews from our contributors, culminating in a grand announcement of overall winners later in the week, Andy James gives us his top albums, song, tv shows and gigs:

1. The Whole Love - WILCO
The Whole Love weaves together great pop songs and alt-country in a real return to form for Wilco. From the opening electronic beats of Art of Almost to the 12-minute acoustic closer One Sunday Morning it’s a belter.
2. Let it Beard - BOSTON SPACESHIPS
A double album with little in the way of fat - a testament to Robert Pollard’s knack for never letting a song overstay its welcome. A guest appearance from J. Mascis is just the icing on the cake as the Boston Spaceships checked out on a real high.

3. Ashes & Fire - RYAN ADAMS

Having ditched the Cardinals somewhere on route, the lovely and restrained Ashes & Fire features some of Ryan Adams’ best material since Heartbreaker and The Suicide Handbook - and that voice just gets better and better with age.

4. Lord of the Birdcage - ROBERT POLLARD
Like much of Robert Pollard’s vast back catalogue, Lord of the Birdcage isn't immediate but grows on you with every listen. As his 4,537^th release is unlikely to win over hipsters or mountains of new fans - but like the Boston Spaceships’ effort it's a fine record nonetheless.

5. Smoke Ring For My Halo - KURT VILE
Philadelphia singer-songwriter Kurt Vile returned with a beautifully layered record which touches on slacker rock, Americana and psychedelic folk. A bourbon-drinking, Marlboro red-smoking gem.

Top 10 Songs
1.Tourist UFO - BOSTON SPACESHIPS
2. Art of Almost - WILCO
3. Defeatist - CAMERAS
4. Curtailed Dream - NICK WEBB
5. In a Circle - ROBERT POLLARD
6. Calgary - BON IVER

7. It's Real - REAL ESTATE
8. Runner Ups - KURT VILE
9. Benediction - THURSTON MOORE
10. Taken for a Fool - THE STROKES

Top 5 TV Shows
1. This is England '88
The second spin-off series from the 2006 film This Is England seemed more relevant than ever. Shit-awful Tory-led government running the show? Check. Disaffected youth? Check. Over-hyped England football team? Check.
2. The Killing
Far-fetched plot twists aside, when it comes to Danish-language police dramas with added knitwear, The Killing was in a league of its own. 
3. Match of the Day
More metrosexual banter and perma-tan tension than the average Channel 5 reality show. Not even a 0-0 at the Britannia or Lawrenson's gloom could take the shine off Shearer's shirts. 
4. PMQs
At times it seemed like Ed would never land a blow, but at least Cameron's own backbenches gave him the occasional kicking.
5. Treme
You don't have to be a lover of jazz to enjoy David Simon's Treme. The Wire creator's drama explored the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on the working-class residents of New Orleans.

Top 5 Gigs
SUFJAN STEVENS - The Dome, Brighton
GARY PAGE - The Lamb, Eastbourne
EELS - The Dome, Brighton
NICK WEBB - The Lamb, Eastbourne
STOP THINKING RECORDS X-MAS SHOWCASE - Bibendum, Eastbourne

2011 in Words
Geopolitical turmoil and economic meltdown aside, on a personal level 2011 didn't feel all that remarkable and certainly wasn't a vintage for new music. Going back through my most listened to albums and tracks of the year it was amazing how few of them were released in the last 12 months. 2012 is already shaping up to be a better one - the first three months of the year see releases from Craig Finn, Guided By Voices, Nada Surf and Lambchop, plus there's the fourth season of In The Loop to look forward to. What else? Well, getting kicked into touch was the catalyst for living like a student again and I've spent more hours sitting around in my pants watching football than is healthy for any thirty-something. I didn't do enough travelling either - although crossing over the Bosphorus from Europe into Asia felt special (albeit with a driver determined to play Bruno Mars on loop). Lots of other high points though, not least spending a lot more time with close friends and family, and an office crush which saw me through the last few months. All in all, life's pretty good.


Andy James - Contributor
Englishman Andy has an impressive knowledge of indie bands that you have probably never heard of and can tell you quite a bit about football too.

Bobbysix.com's End of Year Review 2011 - Victoria Gottschalk

Bobbysix's latest recruit, Victoria Gottschalk, lists what has been pleasing to her eyes and ears this year. Check back in on New Year's Day for the announcement of the overall winners of best album, gig, film and song, as voted for by Bobbysix's readers and writers:  

Top 5 albums
1. 21 - ADELE (pictured, above)
2. Take Care - DRAKE
3. Fairytales and Stepping Stones – TARA LONDON
4. + - ED SHEERAN
5. Who You Are – JESSIE J

Top 5 songs
1. Miss You – ED SHEERAN
2. Someone Like You - ADELE 

 

3. Suburbs – CHARLIE SIMPSON
4. Til The Day We Die – ROX
5. Shake It Out – FLORENCE + THE MACHINE

Top 5 gigs
1. CHARLIE SIMPSON – Concorde 2,  Brighton
2. JESSIE J – Brighton Centre, Brighton
3. THE SCRIPT – O2, London
4. PALOMA FAITH & FRIENDS – Union Chapel, London
5. EMINEM – V Festival, Chelmsford

Top 5 films
1. One Day
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2
3. The Help
4. Bridesmaids
5. Like Crazy

Top 5 books
1. One Day – DAVID NICHOLLS
2. How To Be A Woman – CAITLIN MORAN
3. Room – EMMA DONAGHUE
4. Before I Go To Sleep – S.J. WATSON
5. Postcards from the Heart – ELLA GRIFFIN

Highlight of the year.
The end of the News of the World newspaper. Here’s to PROPER journalism.

2011 in words
I dyed my hair green, found a long term friendship with vodka and my memory is completely shot to pieces. Obviously the latter has nothing to do with the 2nd point…

Prediction for 2012
Apparently 2012 will see in the end of the world. So on that note, drink up and make sure you have fun. Simple.

Victoria Gottschalk - Contributor

Victoria has a passion for attending gigs and digging nice and deep when she interviews people. Which makes her pretty much perfect for Bobbysix.com.

Bobbysix.com's End of Year Review 2011 - Alice Parsons

Today, Bobbysix's resident artist, reviewer and all round lovely human-being, Alice Parsons, tells us about her 2011. Be sure to keep an eye on Bobbysix.com later in the week as we'll be bringing you the overall winners of album/film/gig/song of the year:

Top 5 Albums
1. Wasting Light - FOO FIGHTERS
Not that I need any more reasons to suspect that Dave Grohl is a god but, Rope and White Limo offer pretty conclusive proof.
2. Skying - THE HORRORS
Beautiful album cover and beautiful trippy sounds. Still Life in particular.
3. Queens of the Stone Age - QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE
Avon do do do do do doooo
4. Suck it and See - ARCTIC MONKEYS   
5. The Peoples Temple - SONS OF STONE

Top 5 Gigs
1. DISTANT WORLDS -  The Royal Albert Hall, London
A full orchestra playing the haunting music of the Final Fantasy games. Yes I am a nerd... that is fine.
2. OK GO - Koko club, London
Two feet away from Damien Kulash *sigh*   
3. CHASE AND STATUS- Brixton Academy, London    
They really know how to put on a show.
4. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS - O2 Arena, London
Okay haters, I agree about the new stuff but the oldies are still classic. Really strong performance, to my surprise.
5. TELEPATHETIC - various Brighton venues
Admittedly my brother’s band but brilliant nonetheless.

Album Cover of the Year:
Bon Iver – Self Titled LP. Artwork by Gregory Euclide

2011 in Words
In order to remember what I’ve been doing with myself in this the year 2011, I had to have a little dig back through the pages of my big wave calendar in search of clues for the exciting events and glamorous parties I have surely attended. I was surprised to find that my only engagement in March was a visit to the dentist (clearly this was a big month for me). Luckily I had been more diligent across the rest of the year in noting my activities. Here follow a few of my 2011 highlights. Excellent year!

Item of the Year:
My vintage Moroccan Rug from the Atlas Mountains (found in Brighton). I am in love with it. It is joy in rug form. Also my suede peep-toe cut out wedges in pale blue from Office.

Art Highlight
Visiting the Mucha museum in Prague was really inspirational for me. His work is incredibly iconic and seeing the original sketches and poster prints just made me appreciate his skill even more. He was also super prolific, how can anyone produce so much work and still each piece be unique and worth looking at? I lost a lot of money in the gift shop as usual.

Brilliant Event
My lady friends and I took in our first Chap Olympiad. What a day. Gentlemen and Ladies, all decked out in exquisite vintage ‘chap’ attire (and sporting well groomed moustaches, well the men were anyway) enjoying Pimms and tea cakes whilst sheltering under brollies to watch the chaps compete in a number of daring events including ‘Swooning’, ‘Shouting at Foreigners’, ‘Not Playing Tennis’ and ‘The Umbrella Joust’. A top day of japery and high jinks was enjoyed by all. I will see you at the next one!

Alice Parsons - Contributor
Not only is Alice a genius illustrator/artist (she came up with the fantastic blog header at the top of the page), but she can write too and has also been known to do a spot of modelling. Is there no end to her talents?