Villages Music Video & EP (Friday 22nd October)

There’s never much time for sight seeing when Alpine go to Sydney, especially when we fly up the same day that we are to play a gig. We keep hoping to have a leisurely day, but I don’t think this will ever really be an option. (I’m not complaining, just saying) But, it didn't help that we accidentally missed our flight in the early morning, (Early morning + Alpine + traffic = hopeless outcome). A memorable moment for me was awkwardly sprinting to the check-in with heavy gear and then witnessing the entire content of phoebe’s bag spill onto the ground…We luckily got put on the next flight.

As we’re based in Melbourne and the label is in Sydney, when we are in Sydney, it’s time to do the things that we've been unable to do when in Melbourne. All of which means that from the time we have stepped off the plane, it's all go go go and in a blink of an eye we usually find ourselves on stage performing. This is why I believe it isn’t a crime in getting drunk after a gig as I get to enjoy the only time I have in Sydney without needing to be anywhere. 

Lately, I haven’t had much of a social life. My life consists of playing gigs in either Melbourne or Sydney or working on University assignments when i'm back home in Melbourne. Since august this year, some aspects of my life have changed. However, this change has been a good and a bad thing. The bad for instance, is not remembering the last time I went to a good fashioned house party in Melbourne or when I sat in my favourite bar or even had a coffee date with an old chum. But then, the good is loving everything that I am a part of in Alpine such as being closer with the band, the people we've met and basically experiencing things I wouldn't have otherwise - so it kind of balances out.

On the Friday we arrived in Sydney. We went to our manager’s office to discuss the later meeting we were to have with the director for our next music video. Before we talked about the video, I was sitting on the office floor, drinking a beer when I was surprised to get handed my own copy of our EP! All of us (sadly except for Ryan, who was catching a later flight) went quiet, each holding a copy with mammoth smiles and adoring eyes, knowing each of us contributed to it in some way.

We later began discussing the prospective meeting for our new music video for the song Villages. So far we had received the pitch and then following developed storyboard ideas. It was important to meet the director so she could get more of an idea of our personalities and to discuss in depth what her ideas were for the video and how they were to be executed.

After the office, Anella and I went in the car and drove to Marrickville to look for stage decorations while the others checked into the hotel. Anella and I listened to the EP over and over. when we heading back to the Oxford Arts Factory in order to load in the gear, we drove passed possibly the most hideous house in Sydney – Imagine if Barbie/A Greek old lady owned this house…this has nothing to do with anything, but I felt it was important to mention.

At 5pm, we met at this hidden away, underground/ old American saloon bar called Shady Pines Saloon in Darlinghurst. It was great! I wanted to start playing cowboys and Indians.

In the meeting we talked through the storyboard scene by scene, paying attention to aspects such as the location, make-up, outfits, and deciding who was to do what part etc. This meeting really helped us to discuss what aspects we liked or perhaps wanted to alter in some way and also to feel comfortable with the director. There were a couple of things that as band we didn’t want to include, but we compromised and we left feeling excited and confident. 

I’ll admit I’m not looking forward to the 13-hour day to shoot (and might I just add, 13 hours looks to be the minimum here!) Phoebe and I will be required for most of the hours, something I really need to convince myself that I’ll be able to do. On a positive note, the location is my favourite part; an old Victorian mansion, that's haunted.

Later that night at 9.20pm we played at The Oxford Arts Factory (fantastic venue). We had a great set and again the best time - Sydney crowds expressively dig Alpine. We even had people singing along to our songs (well trying to as no-one knows what the lyrics are) and we had some people come up to us saying they’d seen us a couple of times and came to specifically watch us. Left me on a high!