Review: The Getaway Plan U18

People walking through Russell Street on Friday afternoon were wondering why the hell so many different teenagers were lined up around several corners, throwing Starburst at each other, drinking Coke, yelling, laughing, or simply sitting on the concrete. The reason? The Getaway Plan were back in town.

Cheerleader, the first support act, were vaguely energetic and politely received. Despite that, they seemed to lack enthusiasm and only were able to summon a cordial response from the audience. The next band, Built on Secrets, were able to garner more of a reaction, with engaging performances from each member, particularly the drummer. However, the more well-known Stealing O’Neal eclipsed both the previous acts, stealing the show with a healthy mixture of old favourites, entirely new tracks and banter, performed with a riotous exuberance and the confident declaration that this was their best performance ever. In between acts, speakers reminded the audience of the show’s cause: to raise awareness about depression, addiction, self harm and suicide.

After Stealing O’Neal, the curtains went down, and Billboard the Venue buzzed with an almost overwhelming nervous excitement from hundreds of teens desperate for a hit of The Getaway Plan. The rising curtains heralded frenzied cheers from the crowd, and the resulting band appeared much the same, except for a haircut and smart black coat for vocalist, Matt Wright. They performed admirably considering their year-long absence, blazing through their set with songs from their last album, Other Voices, Other Rooms, including Sleep Spindles, Shadows, Red Flag and of course, ending with the ever-popular Where The City Meets The Sea.
There was some disappointment at their decision to include only one song from pre-Other Voices times. Nevertheless, The New Year added to the showcase of Matt Wright’s impressive vocal range, ranging from screaming to singing to whispering.

The encore song, Rhapsody on a Windy Night, was preluded by the haunting Entr’acte, similar to the album version. Any lingering thoughts that The Getaway Plan weren’t fully back were forgotten as Matt leapt from the stage into the crowd complete with microphone, sparking a crazy few minutes with some doubt as to whether the singer would emerge again. He did, and The Getaway Plan went out with a bang.

Are they really back? The clock is counting down...



So that was my review of the show. Also, I EFFING LOVE THE GETAWAY PLAN TO DEATH. In other news, my goal in life is to become a rockstar. 

Contemplating starting a second blog.

Because well, I have a feeling personal blogs are meant to be for, well, personal stuff. But, having watched the first two seasons of Buffy (again) in two days, I'm feeling all...Whedon-y. And I'm going to picspam the hell out of general people.

Also, I love Joss Whedon. So much that I've decided to call my future kid Joseph, just so I can nickname him Joss. Haha. Jokes. Probably.

So yes, new blog, old blog, yes, no. Hmmmm.

Also, I'm feeling not too bad today. Must have something to do with not actually having been in direct sunlight all day. Go me.

Insanity.

For a long time, our school has had three houses. Mather, Warrell and Bruce. Blue, yellow and red. Everything has been simple. Warrell are ultra competitive, Bruce are very close and have fun, and Mather just sort of get along.

There has always been talk of a fourth house, but to be honest, I don't think any of us ever expected it to happen while we were at school. Well it happened. Next year there's going to be a new house, and the only thing that has been decided is its name, and the teacher who is going to head it.

Today they chose the students that will lead it. Because nothing has been decided, they'll be helping to decide on colours, emblem, motto, pretty much everything. I got chosen to be a vice-captain.

At first I was incredibly excited. And happy. And so proud to be able to be part of the first leadership group for this new house, that we'll get to shape and build.

Then I heard everyone's opinion on the matter. Most of the students are not happy. They're not happy they didn't get to choose these captains, not happy that they weren't consulted, not happy that the four students all were part of the Simunye Experience (a charity trip to South Africa), not happy that it was the principal and vice-principal that chose us, not happy.

And it makes me think, maybe I'm not good enough. Not adequate, and not popular, not someone they would want to be a leader, not pretty enough, not sporty enough, not enough of a leader. Maybe I would've been their last choice. Maybe.

I'm not even blaming them. I know when I tell them I feel like shit about it, they think I'm attacking them. I'm not. I genuinely feel awful, and like complete crap, and so inadequate. They have no idea.

It's enough to make me want to resign from the position. I honestly thought about it, for a split second. But, I won't. Because I wanted it so badly. And I'm not going to lie down and give up. As easy as it would be. The only thing I can really do is just keep going.

And hope things get better.

I'm kinda disappointed.

Mostly with myself.

I'm disappointed with my lack of drama-ness and ability to speak coherently that makes people likeable. I'm disappointed in my lack of control. I'm disappointed in my inability to concentrate on anything. I'm disappointed in my obvious lack of appeal which has led to no one calling me up for a Christmas job. I'm disappointed in myself because I feel very inadequate. What brought this on? Mostly the announcement of the school captains today.

I made out that I didn't really care all that much, until they were actually announced. And then I realised how much I needed this to feel valued. It sort of feels like no one gives a crap about the last five years of my life, because hey, it's about exposure, and who is known by the most people. The captains are my friends, and I'm happy for them, but then I also resent them, which makes me feel like a terrible person. And then I feel that I've done so much more, and then I feel guilty for thinking it.

And I know for the rest of my school life, I am going to be trying to prove myself. It's completely irrational. But it's what I'll be doing.

Joss Whedon is a god.

I'm honest.

Why is he a god? Because he is one of the most amazing writers/directors ever. Okay, whatever, Quentin Tarantino, Stanley Kubrick, Christopher Nolan, I know, I know.

But okay guys. Joss Whedon not only created, wrote and directed Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly and Dollhouse. He also helped create/write/direct/produce Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog, which is, well, 100% quotable, directed an episode of Glee, and co-wrote Toy Story. Oh yeah, and he's co-writing/directing the Avengers. Yeah. He's awesome, okay?

And I was thinking about it (after I a status on Facebook and everyone joined in the quote-fest), and someone said that it was great how when someone posted a Whedon quote, all the Whedon fans joined in. And yeah, that's why Joss Whedon kicks ass.

Because his characters and stories transcend you know, gender, age, genre preference, and whatever-the-hell-else. He makes up cool words (shiny, guys, just shiny), believable people, and believable not-people.

And also, just because come on. He's awesome.

Now...I'm going to watch Buffy again. Because I haven't watched an episode since this morning.

Or maybe I'll watch Dr. Horrible again. Who knows.

I know you're just a rag doll now, sewn together with memories that we might have had.


I know you're just the dream inside of a dream


And don't worry, I know I don't know you, anymore.


From here

Do I just not have a sense of humour?

Because I get irrationally angry when I see/hear/read people making fun of transvestites, transgendered people, gay people, or most minorities. I know it's meant to be a joke, but it just really pisses me off that people use 'gay' or 'transvestite' as a slur, like it's a huge, awful thing, and I hate it.

I know that these people don't mean any harm (at least, I don't think they do). It just makes me mad.

Happyness.

"It was right then that I started thinking about Thomas Jefferson on the Declaration of Independence and the part about our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And I remember thinking how did he know to put the pursuit part in there? That maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue and maybe we can actually never have it. No matter what. How did he know that?"
-Christopher, The Pursuit of Happyness

“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.”
- Albert Einstein.

Good stuff and bad stuff and other stuff.

Well, I have these stupid braces and elastics that I always need to wear. On the bad side, my teeth are a pain - I tried to eat some Special K today. I ate about three pieces before I gave up, due to my teeth yelling at me. On the good side, it means I'm not constantly snacking.

Good side, I've had some pretty great conversations with two or three really great people lately. On the downside, I've been asked to be someone's backup girlfriend. Which makes me think that I'm not going to ever be a real girlfriend. Real comforting.

We also got our school photos (terrible), one of my friends got expelled (awful, horrible, angering, and many more unpleasant emotions), we're watching Clueless in Lit (totally DOPE), I'm thinking about getting a new phone (vaguely exciting), tomorrow is the audition for the Christmas Choir at Crown, and I'm eagerly looking forward to the holidays.

I'm trying to write a 'fanfiction' for Pride and Prejudice, which is irritating because I don't think I can write something linked to Pride and Prejudice that is short. Because Pride and Prejudice is a ridiculously long and very idealistic book. So I can't make the Darcys have marital problems, or affairs, or anything, because Jane Austen FINISHES THE BOOK by saying blah blah, they're happy forever. Dammit.

And oh yeah, I won first prize. Hello $300 and reaffirmation of my potential in the field of writing.

This was an incredibly boring post. I apologise.

Running

Do you ever feel like you're running very fast? Running away from something but you're not sure what, and towards something, but you don't know what that is either? And you don't know what it is, but you have the feeling that when you reach it, everything will be okay and you'll be someone different? Or someone more, or someone less, or someone. And you're running out of time, so you run faster. And then there's a cliff coming up and you're running too fast to avoid it. So you fall.

 Insert indie photograph here.


"Sometimes I feel so - I don't know - lonely. The kind of helplessness feeling when everything you're used to has been ripped away. Like there's no more gravity, and I'm left to drift in outer space with no idea where I'm going."
- Sputnik Sweetheart, Haruki Murakami

We could be.

We don't have to be an epic symphony or you know, a never-ending story. We could just be a world of emotion squeezed into a four minute rock song. A short and sweet summer hit, or I don't know, just the tuning of the orchestra.

We don't have to be perfect. Not really.

Then again, I don't think we're ever going to be a we. It's not like a fairytale or something.





I don't really know what I'm doing anymore, to be honest. I don't know who I am, or who I'm going to be, but I always have the feeling that I'd be better somewhere else.