ThreeThousand

Intro:

Wednesday 31st May – 7th June

Geek is the new black. Square framed glasses rule the city, and from toys to comics, people are no longer afraid to reveal their secret passions. Gone are the days of wedgies in the schoolyard and never again will people be ridiculed for their inability to kick a football 50 metres.

ThreeThousand Issue 057 celebrates geek in all its high IQ’d glory. We analyse the new Robio store on Gertrude St, hypothesise about the ‘cinema’ of video games and study hard at the City Library. For music nerds we feature the new album from Danish band Mew and for technocrats we feature Gizmodo - the site where 1s make love to 0s. In addition, we footnote five great gigs and encourage you to do your bit for a good cause at the photographic exhibition Identity Uncut at CityLights.

So if you’re a bit too smart, a little bit skinny, a fraction too pale and the only root you’ve ever heard of is a square one, then this issue of ThreeThousand is for you.

ThreeThousand Issue 057 – revenge of the nerds

Cover photo by tin&ed. If you would like to submit a cover photo, email photo@tinanded.com.au

Being Hunted
Tunng
The Organ
Party Monster
Semi-Permanent
New Young Pony Club
Splendour In The Grass

Tell us what's cool cool@threethousand.com.au

Wedgies
Biting your tongue
Piano lessons
Not getting invited to parties
Semi-trailers
Sport clubs
Grass stains

Tell us what's fool fool@threethousand.com.au

When you’ve already had six coffees for the day, it’s raining, and all you want is somewhere to hide, the City Library is the perfect place. Here you can expand your mind without reducing your wallet because the knowledge is free and the leather couches are more comfortable than a milk crate.

Although the interior is modern, it still has all the trademarks of a classic library, complete with sleeping students and that unfamiliar yet comforting feeling of quiet.

From borrowing DVDs to internet access, we could ramble on for hours about this inner-city sanctuary. However, undoubtedly the best way to learn about the City Library is to explore it yourself.

What:
City Library

Where:
253 Flinders Lane, City

When:
8-8 Mon-Thurs, 8-6 Mon-Fri, 10-1 Sat

Contact:
9664 0800 or online

It kind of sounds like Jamie’s Kitchen but with cameras and no pukka accent. Over the past 12 weeks, 10 at risk young Melbournians have been slugging it out as part of a photography course at the Centre of Contemporary Photography (CCP).

Organised by Open Family, the project was designed to give kids who’ve had their share of tough times instruction in digital photography, plus the chance to exhibit their pictures to the entire city.

Running for six weeks in Hosier Lane, Identity Uncut profiles work created during the course, touching on themes of self-identity, but not necessarily through direct portraits. From hyper-colour ‘Fruitloops’ to the quiet isolation of a jumbled room, the snapshots themselves are raw and talented expressions of a life few have experienced first-hand.

What:
Identity Uncut: a selection of self portraits

Where:
Citylights, Hosier Lane, Melbourne

When:
Opening 6-8pm June 1
until July 13

How much:
Free

Read:
An interview with course teacher Tatjana Plitt here.

In an age where we count Napoleon Dynamite, Batman and Hello Kitty amongst our icons, and pay homage to vinyl, video games and wacky gadgets, Robio proves that geek-ridden childhood paraphernalia is still incredibly cool.

Up and running since December 2005, team Robio stalk the globe in search of wacked toys, clothing, gadgets and other goodies and then inject them into an arena where our pop-culturised fantasies unite.

A dream store of nerds, iPod introverts and Transformer coverts, the site is a shrine to everything from Rainbow Brite sweatbands and iPod coolers, to Lost In Translation-esque ‘2 Faced Dunny’ (bunny) Uglydolls from Kidrobot.

Best of all is the fact that you can lie sprawled on the couch, stuffing in crinkle-cut Smiths, while the goods are delivered strait to your door. Flippin Sweet.

What:
Robio

Where:
Cyberspace or 73 Gertrude St, Fitzroy

When:
24/7 online or Wed-Sat 11-6

Contact:
info@robio.com.au or 9415 0727

The world changes quickly. Before you know it you can plug your iPod in and use it for either running or sexual pleasure. These are two things that you don’t want to get confused, so to help get on top of the technology game and prevent embarrassing situations you really should read Gizmodo.

Keeping you up to date with facts, commentaries and occasionally humour Gizmodo specialise in laptops, mobiles, iPods and portable media. Another good factor is that you don’t have to be a Star Trek fan to find it interesting and relevant. Nowadays technology doesn’t discriminate, so neither do they.

What:
Gizmodo

Where:
Gizmodo .com

Described as a ‘60 minute rock head-f*ck’, And The Glass Handed Kites by Danish band Mew is an ethereal exploration of bliss rock. Dark and twisted in both its lyrics and its instrumentation, Mew have managed to conjure up both their nightmares and dreams. With the sort of inspiration that can only come in the dark they have rolled them into an album that sits somewhere between the asylum and the bedroom, and between Radiohead’s Kid A and My Bloody Valentine.

As one long song, bassist Johan Wohlert admits that it was ‘difficult to do’ and that ‘it’s a difficult record to listen to’. But nothing good comes easy. This album is not the musical equivalent of fast food but rather a five-course sit down dinner with wine, absinthe and maybe even opium included.

Prepared slowly and with care, the ingredients of And The Glass Handed Kites are vast while complimentary, and most importantly, they encourage us to engage with the album as a whole rather than just as a chart-topping single.

What:
And The Glass Handed Kites

Who:
Mew

On:
The Red Label

Video games have always been a great way to escape the evils of reality and battle supernatural evil thumbs first. Gaming helped many of us bypass the awkward years, it provided a doorway into a virtual world, a world where camaraderie was fostered without a need for verbalisation, a world where we could be anything from an Italian plumber to a Tekken Iron Fist Champion.

While gaming culture used to pivot on SMS vs. NES, it’s now serious business. With faster computers and more realistic graphics, the medium has even manifested itself into cultural forms like cinema and music.

At ACMI you can see the crossover process at work. Held in the effervescent glow of the Games Lab, ‘Playing the Movies’ looks at gaming in terms of Machinima short films and Activision’s tycoon/simulation game The Movies. Create a virtual studio film and give Lara Croft a run for her DD’s by modifying your own character. When it’s pouring with rain and you’re feeling socially stunted, this is a great way to while away the hours.

What:
Playing the Movies

Where:
Games Lab @ ACMI, Federation Square, Flinders St, Melbourne

When:
Until July 16

How much:
Free

Contact:
ACMI online or 8663 2200

For a geek, the only thing more terrifying than playing football is being in contact with the people who support it. Public transport is tough at the best of times let alone when it is packed with loud fat men clutching bourbon cans.

The rational mind understands that sport is good for morale and that it is part of our nation’s identity. However, it’s not always easy to think this way when wearing your black and white stripey tee on a tram crammed with jeering Bomber’s fans.

Football unleashes upon our city what can only be described as a mob. Although laws have replaced their pitchforks with flags, they remain a horrible and inescapable reality and with the season nearing the halfway mark ‘footy fever’, like the plague, is only going to get worse.

Run (or at least walk briskly) while you still can.

What:
Footy Crowds

Where:
Trains, trams

When:
When you least expect it

What:
Digitalism and The Presets

When:
Thursday June 1, 9pm

Where:
Prince Bandroom, 9pm

How much:
Tickets $27.50 + b/f from Polyester Records, Central Station Records, Prince of Wales public bar 9536 1168

Description:
If you missed last Friday’s Modular bash, this time around they’ve scored The Presets and Digitalism from Germany. Plus Cut Copy DJs, Kim, DJ Belgium and the Modular DJs.

What:
Pinky Tuscadero

When:
Saturday June 3, 8pm

Where:
The Public Bar, 238 Victoria St, North Melbourne

How much:
$5, or WIN their EP

Description:
They’ve just released their new EP Look Your Best and now the Sydney-based “crash bang pop” band are headed to Melbourne. Their EP launch is sold out up north so this is a nice op to catch the quintet before they’re playing gigs at the Rod Laver toilet block. They are supported by acoustic act Ash.

What:
Birchville Cat Motel

When:
Sunday June 4, 8.30pm

Where:
Old Bar , 74-76 Johnston St, Fitzroy

How much:
$6 or WIN some here

Description:
New Zealand “noise experimentalist”Campbell Kneil has toured the US, Europe and collaborated with Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth. This week he brings his electro brainchild Birchville Cat Motel back to Melbourne. With Marisa Nadler (USA), Winterville, Robert McManus (Grey Daturas) and 3rd Octave Band (NZ).

What:
Silence is Sound

When:
Sunday June 4, 7-9pm

Where:
Loop, 23 Meyers Place, Melbourne

How much:
Gold coin donation on entry

Description:
Chris Rainier (lapsteel/effects) and Mat Watson (percussion/analog synth) and special guest Ollie Olsen present two hours of improvised soundtracks to silent short films from the 1920’s and 30’s, includes works from Directors Marcel Duchamp, Man Ray and Hans Richter.

What:
Game On – Retro Gaming

When:
Tuesday June 6, 7.30pm

Where:
Horse Bazaar, 397 Lt Lonsdale St, Melbourne

How much:
$10

Description:
Come and prove that you’re the real Super Mario every Tuesday night when digital media bar Horse Bazaar puts on Atari and Nintendo tournaments on their big screen.

Campbell Kneil is one man with a bunch of electronic instruments, which he manipulates to create “loud and caustic to quietly textured” tracks. His electric wallpaper sound concentrates as much on the craft of noise as the final composition. We have two tickets to Birchville Cat Motel on Sunday June 4 at the Old Bar.

This weeks question:
Which of the following geeks is famous for their high pants?

a)	Steve Urkel
b)	Steve Bracks
c)	Steve Martin
d)	Steve Zissou

To be in the running send your answer to win@threethousand.com.au

ThreeThousand is a weekly snapshot of Melbourne's subculture, fired by email into the loving arms of people who realise that the best things in life are often hard to find. It is compiled by an amorphous gaggle of writers, stylists, designers, photographers, sub-cultural attaches and a large troupe of monkeys who enjoy working for peanuts.

Without editorial independence ThreeThousand has nothing. All editorial you read is featured because it's worth it – not because it's paid for.

Advertising Partnerships:
ThreeThousand is funded in full by one advertising partner per issue. We warmly invite advertisers who see the benefit in speaking to Melbourne through a trusted and targeted medium to contact Francesco at frunch@rightanglepublishing.com

Editorial Submissions:
The editorial team at ThreeThousand may know a lot - but they don't know everything. Feel free to send information on events, venues or anything else to chris@threethousand.com.au

Feedback:
Heap praise, sling abuse, ramble inanely – if you have anything to say to us please send it directly to talk@threethousand.com.au

We Built this City on Rock n Roll

Right Angle Publishing
ThreeThousand and TwoThousand are published by Right Angle Publishing.

Right Angle Publishing
Level 6, Curtin House
252 Swanston Street
Melbourne, 3000
(03) 9662 1657

Group Publisher
Barrie Barton
03 9662 1657
barrie@rightanglepublishing.com

Editor
Chris Barton
chris@threethousand.com.au

Deputy Editor
Nadia Saccardo
nadia@threethousand.com.au

Design Monkeys
tin&ed
www.tinanded.com.au

Contributing Monkeys
Charlotte McInnes
Nigel Carboon
Reuben Ruiter
Tom Hyde
Will Larnach-Jones
Max Olijnyk
Ana Cecilia
Toby Temper Temper
Jade Barclay
Joanna Weekes
Blingrid
Pollyanna
Jeanne Tan
Annie Fox
Dan Honey
Richard Hack
Lewis Mulvey
Richard Janko
Tom Jackson
Nick Sweeney
Lauren Katsikitis
Reuben Acciano
Lucy Morieson
Dana Nikanpour
Kath Loftus
Jonah DeMallory