The lovely folks at Portable Film Festival have asked me to screen + intro Darren Hanlon’s All These Things Music Video this Friday.
Should be fun!

Last year saw my video for Darren Hanlon’s -Electric Skeleton get to #27. This year I reckon we can do better. Help us get there by voting for Darren Hanlon’s – All These Things video here

Thanks for your support!

I recently went on the hunt for some footage for the Punters Club closing to include in the Tote Documentary…and then I unexpectedly ended up cutting some promos for their Reunion Shows at The Corner this November. Feeling rather lucky to be able to look at all the footage especially considering I wasn’t able to attend at the time and it was my lounge room in the late 90′s.
(For those who don’t know the Punters Club was a fanastic live music venue in Melbourne in the 90′s and sadly closed in 2003. The Punters Club closing inspired the Tote Documentary.)

Finally, the timing is right to start constructing this six-year-in-the-making film. Hoorah!

Ken Sallows is our editor and we are very excited to have him onboard. Amongst many many many other things he’s edited ‘Chopper’ and one of my favorite Aussie indie film ‘ Silent Partner’. (That’s not him in the photo)

More news soon…

I’m popping in to this years Splendour in the Grass for this…

Sunday August 1st.

10:00AM – 11:30AM
FILM AND PANEL: APRA PRESENTS ‘FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO PARTY: Deadly Serious Threats to Australia’s Live Music Scene’
APRA presents a preview screening of the as-yet unseen Tote Documentary that charts the rise, fall and rise again of the landmark Melbourne pub that has served as a rite of passage for hundreds of Australian and overseas bands. Host Chit Chat (Max TV/MGF) will moderate a panel of musicians and activists from around Australia including rocker Dan Sultan, the organisers of Melbourne’s SLAM rally, Queensland music industry stalwart Craig Spann (AMIN, Soundslikebrisbane), NSW’s award-winning musician/lobbyist John Wardle and Tote doco director Natalie van den Dungen as they explore the legal, political and social battles faced by live music venues across the country.

More details here

….and now that it’s happened…

Last week I helped Mr Darren Hanlon make a diorama of his new album cover. It even has buttons that light up tiny lights in the house and one that makes the tin on the ground vibrate like in an earth quake!

It’s been in the window of Polyester Records, Fish and soon Rockinghorse in Brisbane.
Try the buttons if you get a chance!

a photo.

By Ben Butcher

Here’s a little write up…
http://portable.tv/music/post/darren-hanlon-is-just-too-sweet/

Brisbane singer/songwriter Darren Hanlon has long been known for his intimate, anecdotal approach to songwriting, and his new video visualises the sitting-around-the-fire-at-school-camp feeling encompassed in his songs…by placing him on an school auditorium stage, in front of a (fake) camp fire.

Hanlon made the video for the song All These Things (from his yet-to-be-released fifth album “I Will Love You At All”) with the help of frequent collaborator and occasional tour manager, director Natalie van den Dungen. van den Dungen was also responsible for the videos for Hanlon’s tracks Electric Skeleton, Fingertips + Mountaintops and Elbows, as well as his electronic press kit.

None of those possess half the charm of this latest video, which features rose petals, sparklers, earmuffs, gold glitter dinner jackets, fake snow and synchronised amateur tap-dancing. From the cardboard piano to the solar system stage backdrop, the whole thing reeks of whimsy. And if there’s one thing we can’t afford to deny ourselves, it’s a little bit of whimsy on a Monday morning.

Dan Deacon’s Paddling Ghost has clocked over 110 000 views online!

We’ve now got a facebook group where you can show your support and keep updated on the documentary’s progress.