A Review.. written by Ned who guessed a sketch correctly awhile ago. Here is his review:
I met my mate Macca at a Thai place on Johnston St. It’s called Son in Law. There are no pictures of food and no one taking pictures of any either. It’s contemporary and relaxed and the staff were pleasant. I ordered the titular egg and some tofu, Macca a more hearty ‘big plate’. The egg (one split into quarters) was great; lightly crumbed and fried, silken soft and dressed in sweet tamarind with generous slices of fresh red chilli giving it a bit more character. It is a big task for the ol’ bean curd to offer the same, never being blessed with a bootload of flavour, and despite the best efforts of another nice, light and sweet dressing, the overwhelming taste was…evasive. Maybe I’ll stick to meat next time, as Macca’s plate of twice cooked pork belly was hot, glistening and aromatic and disappeared smartly.
After the food we went across the road to the Tote to see a gig. We drank Coopers Dark because it’s nice and autumnal and harder to spill than a pot. We missed the first support but caught Wet Lips, who were snarling and fun. They finished with the Can’t Take it Anymore, a sneering and timely rebuke to male scenester wankerism, as during the song, Macca was trying to be mature and chivalrous and stand his 6’1 self to the side, so as to not obstruct anyone’s view.. only for an unkempt 6’7 beanpole to sidle up directly in front of him, like a hairy solar eclipse.
Anyway, headliner’s Rolling Blackout C.F. began with older track Clean Slate, an rolling appeal to the pursuit of personal renewal, failure, and renewal again, the band then moving through one album and a handful of EP’s worth of singles and couldabeen singles. Sick Bug’s bittersweet Go Betweens homage guitar line and desperate chorus was the most attention grabbing moment, before latest single French Press closed the set with layered meaning, layered vocals, layered guitars. If the influences occasionally shine through, Rolling Blackout’s still have the songs and the honesty to back them up without overt sentimentality or nostalgia. See them soon.The Tote hasn’t changed since the last time you went there, the dunny still stinks and the sound was great but maybe a little adaptation would give the old pub more than what it would take away.
Dinner – tasty and enjoyable, good place to catch up with friends without the all the noise of the main drags.
Drink – Coopers Dark. They didn’t have any dark beer on tap, otherwise it would have been Black and Tans. We bloody love them in our house at this time of year. Homemade one’s are best.
Music – Good listening.
Toodle-pip, Ned
