We're growing, keen to join us?

Hey there music lovers,

Tram Sessions is starting to gain momentum. We've recently had two great sessions with Fourth Floor Collapse and Loren. Yarra Trams is behind us and we have bands lined up for next year. Life's good!

What would make our lives even better though, would be if we could get some more cracking people to come onboard and help us making this project a success. We're looking for people interested in music, culture and having a good time. If you enjoy writing, are a keen camera or sound person, please write us a email and tell us a little bit about yourself. We're excited to hear what you have to say!

Happy Commuting!

/ Nick & CJ (team@tramsessions.com)

Live from Bambuser

Hi there,
We've just tried Bambuser live from an iPhone, great fun! So hopefully we can get it organised for the next session on Tuesday. Fingers crossed that the 3G network in Australia copes...

All day

While we wait with eagerness to what iTunes will do or release tonight (Streaming?!), we crank up the volume with Girl Talk's latest and FREE offering 'All Day'. The mash-up king (is he?) has done it again, another smashing album to get anyone dancing all day long (pun intended, expect to see more of that one on other sites).



I'm pretty sure, had this been in 2006 and when I first heard 'Night Ripper', I would have said something pretentious, stupid and unknowingly of the future, like this

"It's not surprising, in this day and age when we can listen to music anytime and anywhere with the help of torrents, MySpace and iPods, that there would be someone, somewhere releasing an album that goes in the same pace as we flick through the tunes on our iPod. It's the post-modern dream come to life in music."

This is barely the point of Girl Talk. The point of Girl Talk, and what Gregg Michael Gillis does best, is to throw a great party, mixing with anything he gets his hands on. And that the new album is free is neither a sign of the times we live in, rather it's an deluxe invitation to buy a ticket to his next gig that might be an ultimate party, a gig and nightclubbing combo.

Have a listen!

Beautiful Excuses

Oh my, I have you seen this?!

One of the most beautiful songs this years, with the most beautiful intro of the year Excuses by The Morning Benders has been recorded live with a bunch of Benders' San Francisco friends. This is what music should be like, big and festive! Kudos to Yours Truly who produced and directed the session.



It's a must watch! See it over here. Then come back to us and tell us who you could spot in the crowd. So far I've only recognised John Vanderslice and Christopher Owens of Girls.

And on those notes... Did you hear Girls' Heartbreaker? Or did you miss Jens Lekmans' 2010 summer mix A Summer in 3/4 Time feauturing The Morning Benders Excuses?

Long Weekend, no mad-hatters party

A short hiatus due to long weekend away in Apollo Bay. One of the most spectacular places I've seen in a long time. Obviously it was pouring down, and there were small floodings and a landslide had blocked of one of the lanes somewhere between Lavers Hill and the Twelve Apostles.



After almost being blown off the cliffs we returned to a sunny Apollo Bay and enjoyed the sunset with the latest Badly Drawn Boy, Philip Glass and Keith Jarrett.

But, enough about us and that. What we all wonder, I assume, is; Nick how's Sweden?

Finishing School, the illegitimate child of Wigan Casino

Luxury is to reach Friday knowingly that a good weekend is to begin. Heaven is to know that it will include a drink with friends, good music and a dance, especially if it's Finishing School over at Bella Union.



Andrew McClelland (there's definately an overload of c's and l's in that surname) and friends knows how to put on an old-fashioned indie/pop dance night. Half dancing, half spying out over the dance-floor it's a joy to see heads bopping up and down, beat-stomping, spins, turns and the constant feel of the floorboards swaying.

With Mr. McClelland behind the decks I cannot stop thinking that this is the sort of illegitimate child of Wigan Casino, the famous 70's/80's northern english nightclub spurring up a Northern Soul movement and dance style, that exist over the world.

It might just be in my dreams, in my mind, that I get these connotations, but I believe that the friendly and happy atmosphere, the non-stop spinning of Mr. McClelland in his suit, and the supreme location of Trades Hall/Bella Union, has something to with it. Possibly the only clue that you are not at Wigan is the alcohol and the sometimes modern music like Arcade Fire.

See you there next time, I will try to dare a Northern Soul spin if Mr. McClelland plays I Shall Not Be Moved by Barrino Brothers.

R.I.P. General

Exactly a week ago General Norman Johnson passed away. A sweet soul voice, deep, eager, desperate, sometimes painful but most of the time sweet and soulful disappeared. Left to the world is some of the finest soul songs.



I believe that for most people the first time you hear Give Me Just A Little More Time you are taken aback. You can't move, just sit still and take it all in, dream away with the hopeful lyrics of a rejected lover, wonderful choirs, trumpets and near to howling. And after, you question yourself, 'why haven't I heard this before?' and then you go on playing it on repeat for hours.

If you have heard it before, Listen again. If you haven't, Listen on repeat.

Give Me Just A Little More Time (YouTube)

You Got Me Dangling On A String (YouTube)

I'm On My Way To A Better Place (YouTube)

Obsessed, possessed

For the ones that have seen Johnnie, Johnnie and the Johnnies perform live, a word like 'possessed' seems pretty fitting to describe this 4-piece, Melbourne based, surf/a-go-go-psychedelic band. It was like an electric eel swirling away on a sandy dance floor, drinking coconut and umbrella drinks in a dusty and sweaty venue underground. It might be the music or the keyboardist Johnnie Sweet Cheek's manic jumping, skipping, dancing, keyboard banging or it might be the both. Their performances are utterly beautiful, fun and engaging.



The night we saw them was full, and long, night together with The Break and Dengue Fever brought to us by Melbourne Festival. A wonderful mix of similar-minded performers bringing their own take on surf/a-go-go-psychedelic band to the table. The Break with a bit more Space-Race twist and Dengue Fever with more a-go-go, a very tall base player and a very long beard.

Understandably there were several highlights, but I believe the highest of the highlights were the 40-something girls who sat next to us. Sharing their excitement for the music, all three bands, they were most happy to see The Break coming on stage which they showed by purchasing some The Break t-shirts before they even went on stage.

That's the kinds of passion for music you love to see.

image from Johnnie Johnnie and the Johnnies.

La Haine & DJ Dexter, extending your senses

I had the fortune to attend a wonderful cinematic experience yesterday. Melbourne Music Festival and acmi had a screening of the classic french masterpiece 'La Haine (The Hate)' accompanied with live mixing by one of Australia's top DJ's, DJ Dexter.



Mixing over the movie's soundtrack, DJ Dexter brought La Haine to new life, extending the viewers experience  from 'the past' to 'the now', and maybe from 2D to 3D. Because there is something interesting lying beneath the just now and then intertextuality with DJ Dexter standing (mostly sitting down) in-front of you, adding another dimension to the actual viewing experience. Even if DJ Dexter's seamless scratching and mixing didn't stop you from watching the film you, I at least, found myself looking over to him to see what he was up to. For brief seconds you would 'jump' out from the world of La Haine, find yourself in a room with a dj performing magic with his turntables with a screen playing something in the background, almost like the visuals became secondary.

The reason why this is so interesting is that it creates an experience you are not used to. We shouldn't accept mediums or the content as they are because then they will just be that, mediums and content. Sometimes it's good to break the boundaries for how you consume media to fully understand how great film and music might be.

... A bit like a band performing live on a tram.

Touched By A Parsnip [Updated]

Just a short note informing you that we have updated the Touched By A Parsnip section with one more video. Please have a look over here.

Green lights for Tote

I would be surprised if the following news has passed by anyone unnoticed. Anything regarding Melbourne music scene's liberty have been fronted in news the last couple months. Better that than Swine Flu. Or flu as we seem to be running towards autumn with full speed.



The 'mascot' for the liberation from licensing laws that make venues go under is as we all know the Tote. And it seems that the well-known and beloved rocker will get back up on it's feet again with a little help from neighboring Yah Yah's (Seventh Tipple).

Let's hope that this goes all the way and that, well, it turns out good and Mr Brumby puts in enough help and not only throws a party to get good PR. Mr Brumby apparently stated to SMH that the opening night might involve blocking off Wellington St. Seems that he's found of street parties nowadays.

Read the full article over at SMH.

Easter Egg Hunt

Hello fellow commuters!

We wish we could tell you all the things we have been doing lately, but unfortunately it has to wait a couple more weeks. It's a shame, because one of Tram Sessions founding pillars is to constantly share everything we do, and have an open conversation with you. Things are just more beautiful that way. You know, like having a conversation with a random person sitting next to you on your favourite tram, and that everyone else on the tram can secretly listen to.

But, this time, it just have to wait. So we apologize and give you an Easter egg in form of a third song by Open Swimmer. Hope you still like us.

Music Freedom Day

Today is Music Freedom Day, a global event that aims to inform the world about issues of freedom and expression for musicians. Organisations all over the world are arranging events and concerts to promote the cause. An extremely good cause, if you ask us. Music is a culture and culture is part a nation, a community or a groups identity. Banning certain styles of music or certain lyrics is holding people back to express themselves and their beliefs.

Please go to Freemuse.org to read more about the cause, what has been done and what will be done to help musicians.

Don't Kill Live Music!

Hi there!

If you come from our previous temporary blog - thank you for coming back and finding our new improved website! And if you found us on this address - great! That means our new site is working and hopefully attract new people as well!

It is true, we have been of the radar for quite a while. It was Christmas time and we celebrated it with our families in the snowy north. But we haven't only been lazy. We have been working hard on getting the new website up and running, thank you Oscar!

So, what's new? Well, there's so many functions that should make your visit here more pleasant: the commenting should be easier, looking at photos from the sessions is definitely easier and we have separated the blog and and the videos, so that it is easier for you to find what you are here for, the videos! You can also share stuff more easily with your tweetie bird, and all other things you might use on the internet. (Please do, we need more readers).

With the big Melbourne SLAMrally two days ago,we thought it would be appropriate to kick-start this website and give something back to the community. For the ones that thought Tram Sessions had been constrained by horrible regulations, you're wrong. We rather die than kill live music. We are now back, stronger, bigger and better... but still as humble as before. Once again, we are here to keep live music alive (on trams)!

Photos from ts#6

Thanks to the lovely Annelyne helping us with photos! A few more photos can be seen over at flickr.

Video will be up later on today.