:::::: 03.19.03: dust storms and human statuary ::::::
we went to a new cultural center in melbourne today. it was an architectural maelstrom. it had so many shapes and textures, like a patchwork of cement and glass. Standing in the courtyard it unfolded in dense patterns. strange to see something so chaotic actually formed into solid stucture.

there were students, elderlies, a battalion of chinese tourists and your obligatory guy painted gold, acting like a statue and holding poses for cash. I wonder who was the first one of these guys to paint themselves gold and hit the local pedestrian thoroughfare? I think hollywood blvd might be the birthing ground of these individuals. I remember seeing them pop up there when I was a child. that street seems to have the right ingredients to bear a public phenomena such as the human statue. I wonder if there is a rivalry between them and the michael jackson imitators? maybe something akin to the long standing rivalry between mimes and clowns? the streets of LA also spawned the chainsaw juggler during my youth, and urban legend has it that his arm got it one day. I wince at the thought of kids with balloons and old ladies strolling casually as the chainsaw goes out of control.

we found a neighborhood of shops and cafes, and had lunch. outside we noticed a strong hot wind blowing and saw an ominous mass on the horizon. apparently it was a dust storm coming in from the outback. it had a strange effect on the day, a kind of end of the world effect. but it was still sunny. I think the idea of the end of the world being a sunny day is more disturbing than images of hail and frogs.

our show went on well. the audience was relaxed and probably dust laden. we were in an old theater, next store to a shut down amusement park from the 40's and down the street from the club we played 10 years ago with the blues explosion, stories of which I'll relate later.