The Last Town Chorus' Travelogue

Michael (Nieves, my manager) after our swim. Four minutes after nirvana, he was already using his mobile phone…

Michael, Rich, and Lauren during our amazing swim at the Bogey Hole in Newcastle. It was dug out by prisoners in 1920 to be a Commandant’s private bathing spot.

Bondi Beach in Sydney has been one of my favorite places in the world since I first visited a few years ago. Thirty minutes spent in the soft blue-green surf set my soul right (for at least 24 hours or so).

Sydney, AU: Back at Bondi Originally uploaded by MeganFromTheLastTownChorus

Serene morning swim at the hotel’s pool overlooking downtown Sydney. The crowd was warm and welcoming at the Hopetoun last night – over the course of our hour together, they helped me to lift my cloudy mood. I did an on-air interview on Triple J radio just before the show, via mobile phone – radio banter here is uber-chirpy and high-spirited, much like it is in the UK.

From: “Martin Jones”
To: <megan-@-thelasttownchorus.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Subject: Sharks!

Hey Megan,
How did the Melbourne shows go? I got lots of great reports from Queenscliff. Just thought I better let you know that there have been an alarming number of shark sightings/incidents up here over the last few weeks, especially around The Pass and Julian Rocks where they take you scuba diving. I wouldn’t be going too far out at the moment – might wanna rethink your dive.

Tim Kill, a local guitar maker, had arranged to bring some of his handmade acoustic lap steel guitars for me to check out before our show at Ruby’s. He ended up generously offering for me to take this guitar on loan until next time I’m in Australia. Tim’s a soulful human and craftsman – on this guitar he used Tasmanian blackwood and Indian ebony, and the green inlays were made with malachite crystals that Tim crushed into powder with a mortar and pestle…it looks and sounds brilliant. Our conversation at dinner altered my musical and spiritual DNA. Major.

Before our show at Ruby’s in Belgrave, we explored the lush forest of the nearby Dandenong Ranges. The contents of the forest were alien to our senses…humid and fern-scented hills packed with massively tall trees full of screaming kookaburra birds…I got separated from the others and loved feeling lost here.

After our show, a guy named Richard asked me to sign this piece of art he’d made, as well as a tiled jewelry box that was similarly rich with photos and complicated little handmade details. Kind of intense.

I took this picture from the stage of the The Northcote Social Club in Melbourne, which was full of seriously lovely people. ‘Twas the perfect evening to start off the Australian tour. During the show, I broke a string on my lap steel for the first time ever, and while Rich changed the string, I sang Journey’s “Faithfully” accapella for the first time ever — but not the last.

I’m so impressed with Melbourne. It’s sun-drenched and clean, with an almost cartoon-like charm about it, packed with color and bold, sometimes humorous architecture. Even the street art is pink and pleasing. During the day I walked, drank bubble tea, and had my hair cut.

Melbourne, AU: Pink originally uploaded by MeganFromTheLastTownChorus