1. Defeatist - CAMERAS
2.
History’s Door -
HUSKY
3. Cameo Lover - KIMBRA
4. Who Are You? - TWERPS
5.
Walk Like Thunder - KIMYA DAWSON
6. Even Though
I’m a Woman - SEEKER LOVER KEEPER
7. Found Love in a Graveyard - VERONICA FALLS
8. Back in the Crowd -
TOM WAITS
9. Endless Summer - THE JEZABELS
10.
Covered By Snow - DEAD LETTER CHORUS
Top 10 gigs
1. FLORENCE + THE MACHINE - Seymour Centre,
Sydney
So magical was the atmosphere in room during
this perfect occasion that to step back into the real world felt
painfully mundane. This was a wonderful and unforgettable night.
2.
DAVID FORD - The Empire Bar, Belfast
At the midway
point, Ford ran down the street in order to play a song at Duke Special
and Phil Jupitus’ gig. They passed him on the way and came to read some
poems at The Empire Bar.
3.
KIMBRA - The Metro, Sydney
Her effervescence was
complimented by her band as finger-clicking, red-suited male backing
singers boogied in the background. She even managed a mid-set costume
change.
4.SEEKER LOVER KEEPER -
St Stephen’s Church, Sydney
A night in a
warmly-lit church watching three talented and charming musicians can be
aptly summed-up in a single word. Lovely.
5.
THE GRATES - The Metro, Sydney
With the combination
of infectious pop, post-grunge and a singer that owns the room with her
lust for life, tonight once again proved that to see The Grates live is
to best understand them.
6.
CAMERAS - Changing Lanes Festival, Sydney
While
their atmospheric sound is best suited to playing in the dark, they
still gave one of the performances - if not the performance - of the
day (pictured, left)
7 SIMONE FELICE - The
Vanguard, Sydney
His voice was beautiful, ethereal,
transfixing and when he bowed at the end of the gig he did so with the
awkward charm of a five-year-old having performed in the school nativity
play.
8. KIMYA DAWSON & AESOP ROCK - Manning
Bar, Sydney
It was a rare joy to see two such different
artists sharing a stage and creating an evening of such eclecticism.
9.
THE JEZABELS - Homebake Festival, Sydney
Singer
Hayley Mary has something of the Kate Bush about her in terms of her
vocal and the band's pop songs were powerful and engaging.
10.
HOWLING BELLS - The Standard, Sydney
Simply, they
sound like a proper band, with clean, strong guitar driven indie songs
and an excellent vocalist in Juanita Stein.
Top
10 Films
1. Submarine
2.
Bill Cunningham New York
3. Snowtown
4.
Midnight in Paris
5. We Need To Talk About Kevin
6.
Black Swan
7. Senna
8. Drive
9.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
10. The Guard
Top
5 TV Shows
1. 24 Hours in A&E
2. Match of the Day
3.
Boardwalk Empire
4. At The Movies
5.
Q & A
Top 5 radio
shows/podcasts
1. Kermode and Mayo’s Film Reviews - BBC
Radio 5Live
2. Guardian Football Weekly Podcast
3.
Arvos - FBi Radio
4. Desert Island Disks - BBC Radio 4
5.
The Allnighter - FBi Radio
Favourite
interview of the year
There were a few
actually. It was a joy to chat to Florence Welch, even though it was at
7am and I hadn’t been to bed from the night before. I also enjoyed doing
a face-to-face with Juanita Stein from Howling Bells. Our interview
would lead to me drunkenly teaching her how to use the DJ decks at
Sydney’s World Bar the next night. Speaking to Britany Nola was very
interesting. I always enjoy interviewing models, as they have so much to say and are rarely afforded the opportunity. Her words about
human rights and tolerance were inspiring. However, my favourite interview was with Laura Marling. I adore her work - firmly believing
her to be the best lyricist of her generation - and I enjoyed catching
up with her, as we first spoke over three years ago, when she was a shy
18-year-old. Though she is now a pretty big deal, it was lovely to
discover that she remains as unassuming, polite and friendly as she was
back then.
Highlight of the year.
Being
able to attend the first Brighton & Hove Albion game at The
American Express Community Stadium was an incredibly emotional end to a 14-year journey and something I will never forget. However, my actual
highlight came at Sydney’s Metro Theatre in September. I was attempting
to woo an especially beautiful lady when a young man came up to me and
said “Excuse me, I just wanted to say I love your blog.” It is the only
time in my life I have appeared cool and his timing was excellent.
2011
in words
Regina Spektor once told me that, "Man plans and God laughs." She could very well have been talking about my 2011. A fucked up fruitcake of a year, starting in the snow of England, ending in the heat of Australia, via Scotland, Northern Ireland and Eastern Europe. An era ending. Stolen moments in Budapest. A head resting on my chest in Sydney. Tourbus hilarity on the motorways of Britain. New friends on both sides of the world. A crack in everything. That's how the light gets in.
Prediction
for 2012
Our new website is going to blow your fucking
minds. Watch this space.
Bobby is the Editor of Bobbysix.com. He has written for publications and websites including CNN, Drum Media, Inpress, BBM, Time Off, Rip It Up and The Argus. He has also appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC 7. He splits his time between Australia and England.
