There's a party going on at Ross' house in Newtown, a place our friend Karma used to live. I load everyone into the van and drive them all to Newtown. It's still reasonably early. Rorn wants some alcohol, so I walk to the bottle store. I decide just to go to the supermarket instead because it's closer. So I'm walking down the road, and then I see this poster, and it says that Daemon are playing in town tonight. These guys are old friends of mine, and I'm really excited at this amazing coincidence!
I get Rorn a bottle of wine and then head back to the party, and tell Rorn. She's not so excited, but my sister is insisting that I go, and so I do. My sister walks me down to the bus stop, and I get on a bus and head to town. It doesn't go quite where I'm hoping it will go, so I jump off at the Basin Reserve and walk the rest of the way. I've somehow consumed an energy drink, and the caffiene is starting to rip into me: I'm really not supposed to have that evil shit. I stop at a petrol station and use their toilets: they don't know how much they've saved my night.
I get to the bar, The Southern Cross Tavern, on Abel Smith Street. It's going to be in the front bar: a new little one called The Cross Bar. I look in the windows, and nothing seems to be happening. I talk to a guy at the door: he doesn't know where the band are. I'm trying to get in free, but in the end I give the guy $2, and he's stoked, because every little bit helps, and there's no way they're making profit off this gig. The stamp is a pattern of leaves, and the guy is looking at it and wondering what it is. I tell him it's leaves, and confuse him by saying "It's like autumn on my arm". I leave, look through all the other bars, scoping the Friday night crowd for Metalheads. No luck.
The guy at the door has told me that it doesn't start until 23:00. It's only about 21:30. I walk down Cuba Street. I get to Cuba Mall. It's full of people, as I expect. Swirling like a flashback. Nothing's changed since the days me and my brother used to hang out here: goths, drunks, and lots of assorted random people all loud, colourful, active...
I get to a bus stop, and check out the timetable. I was hoping that there would be a late bus, because I remembered that there used to be late buses on Friday and Saturday nights. But the bus timetable says "Late buses: 1am, 2am, 3am: Saturday & Sunday nights". So I'm thinking that the latest bus I can get is 23:50. If the show starts on time, I'll get to see most of it, so I'm not too worried.
As I'm walking back up Cuba Mall, wearing my pink hoody of course, a guy comes up and starts talking to me in a European accent: "Hey, how's it going?" - "Alright" - "What are you up to tonight?" - "Um, I'm just going to see a band. What are you up to?" - "I'm just looking for some friends". I start to get the feeling that this guy is trying to pick me up. "Where are you from?" - "I'm Dutch, but I live here in Miramar" - "OK, that's great". I don't really have anything to say to this guy, and he soon gives up on me.
I get back to the venue, and Dead BC sees me through the window; points and says loud enough for me to hear him "Look, it's Slow!" I get inside and they're all really excited to see me. It's been over a year. I explain the amazing coincidence that has led me to be here tonight. "That's a nice hoody you have on. Is it red?" - "No, you can't tell in this light, but it's hot pink actually".
I talk to band leader, the singer/guitarist Xanataph about stuff. It seems they have a new EP out, that they've somehow managed to score a video grant. That things in Nelson have mellowed out, that they've all mellowed out. Xanataph tells me how he's been meditating, how he's been feeling more energy, that he's realised that it's better to put out positive energy if you want to get it back. This is quite amazing coming from a Satanic Black Metaller. I have also been finding new energies lately, and I'm amazed again at the coincidence. I'm getting an energy from just having this conversation with him. Really buzzing.
It must be about 23:30 when they finally start to play. Someone is going around with a hat trying to get the old drunks [this is a down-market bar filled with slot-machines and old drunks] to make a donation to see Daemon. This leads to complaining and heckling. I get to hear the first song, and then they start to play a new song off the EP, the one they've got a video grant for. It's sounding great. But then I notice that my friend Brunka has arrived. She is over the other side of the room. I'm only 99% sure it's her, so I'm staring at her. She gets up and leaves. I'm now sure it's her. I get up and follow her out. "Brunka! Brunka!" She turns around, and it takes her a while to recognise me. She's excited to see me and gives me a hug.
She's going down Cuba Street to check out another gig at Indigo. I walk down with her. I have to go anyway. I get there. Tell her that we're gonna be living down here, so I'll call her sometime. And that's the end of that. I get to the bus stop, it turns up, and I'm on my way back to Newtown, wondering how the party has turned out.
The next day I realise that the buses did go on Friday and Saturday nights: it's just that technically that is Saturday and Sunday morning. I can't believe my stupidity at missing Daemon because I couldn't read a bus timetable properly, but it was probably all for the best, because everyone was counting on me to get home from the party.
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5 years ago
