The final week of my time in Australia has finally arrived and there’s a different atmosphere surrounding myself and the other students. After more than a month abroad and classes finishing, many of us beginning to experience travel fatigue and a strong desire to return home. Some will get to do so soon but many of us will travel to New Zealand for about a week. From there all the other American students will return home, except for Alex and me. We will continue travelling and fly to South Korea to visit friends of mine that I have made in my previous international adventures.
My last week in Australia has been spent pursuing musical aspirations. Alex and I continued rehearsing at the local music store for our upcoming Sydney gig , and I finally cracked and purchased a nice drum practice pad that I had been eyeing as of late. We had been hoping to join our friends from the show at the Valve for a jam or practice session but things kept getting postponed. Unfortunately a couple days later Josh, the bassist informed us that their band was taking a break and wouldn’t be performing at the upcoming show, the silver lining being that we were given their slot and thus could perform a longer set. With this change of events, Alex and I had an emergency rehearsal session in order to prepare for an unexpected, extended performance.
We ended up meeting with Josh for lunch in order to simply hang out but to also talk about our combined musical and band experiences. After taking the train to a Sydney suburb known as Revesby and meeting up with him, we walked to a nearby burger stand known as ‘Stumpy’s’. Here we ate and had a long conversation about our bands and musical aspirations. We discussed some of the logistics of planning a series of gigs for Alex and my band in the Sydney area and what we could do for accommodations if we decided to return for a small tour of sorts. Josh was kind enough to offer any help he could provide to us, telling us we could stay at his place should we ever return. He also told us he would do what he could on the ground in Australia to serve as our liaison between us and the local venues and bands we would be playing with.
The day of our gig arrived and both Alex and I were a bit nervous, we hadn’t performed in well over a month. We also wouldn’t have a bass player so we would have to bring a lot of energy to make up for the lack of low end. That morning and afternoon passed at what felt like a snail’s pace; we spent the time practicing individually. I was breaking in the new practice pad and Alex could be heard warming up his voice and playing through songs on his acoustic. When the time came we walked to the venue in hopes of finding out more info on what equipment we would be using. We arrived before anyone else was there so we waited outside patiently. The two of us knew little about the details of the show beforehand other than that it was a line up of metal bands and that we were supposed to be the opening act.
After a few minutes of waiting I noticed up the street an individual crossing the street and I immediately knew he would be able to help us out. How you may ask? Well, if you’re like me and have been to many concerts and shows, you begin to notice that anyone walking to a venue possesses a certain strut to them. One which combines a sense of urgency and anticipation. Anyway, he approached the venue and stood next to us for a few awkward moments, making short sporadic eye contact before finally exclaiming, “Wait, you’re the Americans?!”. We introduced ourselves and expressed how glad we were that someone else from the show was expecting us. Alex and I had been a bit worried about the certainty of us actually playing since the only person we had communicated with about the show was Josh, who was no longer going to be there.
We met the other bands as they showed up and eventually Alex and I were able to get some equipment from the others to set up with. As we were doing so our professor and several of our friends arrived to show their support. After a brief soundcheck I went to change into some drumming clothes and to psych myself up. We stepped onto the stage and the whole room quieted. The few ephemeral moments before a performance starts are usually saturated with tension for me. I always take a few deep breathes and relax myself before I begin the first song, knowing that once I make the first stroke a stick, the performance has begun and you can’t go back now. Similar to the sensation one gets when they are strapped into a roller coaster right before it begins the first climb.
The performance went well and everyone there was really into our music. A few even told us they appreciated our emotional playing which was quite flattering. The following bands were all fun to watch and it was definitely nice seeing an underground metal show again. After all the bands performances Alex and I conversed with several of the other musicians and networked a bit. Given our reception and all the Australian friends we have made and musicians we’ve met, the prospect of returning in a couple years’ time to go on a small tour seems all the more feasible. Even better, our bassist would be with us and the band could play at full strength. With some determination and luck we could even cultivate a following in Australia and take our music to the international stage.
Our last few days in Australia were spent completing papers for class and getting some final looks at the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The day we went to the harbour was sunny and there were many people present on the walkways enjoying the pleasant afternoon. Later that evening however, after finishing our papers, Alex and I went on a late night walk. Without having planned it, our walk actually led us back to the harbour where we saw these landmarks in moonlight. We even decided to walk across the bridge at this time. Both of us had wanted to do so the entire time here but hadn’t gotten around to it. So in a moment of late night spontaneity we figured now was as good a time as any. It was an interesting dichotomy seeing this location in such opposite circumstances. No one else was around, we had the Opera House and bridge to ourselves.
Picture taken from Harbour Bridge
Saying goodbye to Matt from the music store was another priority of ours. He is without a doubt the coolest Aussie that we met, and if there was ever someone I would refer to as a mate, he’s the guy. Matt helped Alex and I, and our band, in ways that we appreciate beyond expression. If/when we return to Australia, he’ll be the first to know. On that day we also took this time to further explore the University of Sydney’s campus. Our classes and schedule hadn’t granted us much opportunity to previously do so. Sticking around after sunset also provided spooky, ethereal vibe to the whole place.
sazcha and matt 
spooky statue on campus
There was a mellow, existential atmosphere hanging over these days as it was setting in that we would be leaving Sydney, the city which had been our new home these past 6 weeks. For many students, this had been their first experience abroad and it coming to a close was bittersweet. Several expressed having fallen in love with the city and never wanting to leave, but that they were happy to return home and see their family. Soon we will leave for Auckland where the adventure will continue. I’m excited to see what New Zealand has in store for us.
I'm in Australia, Everything is Upside Down, and I'm Scared 