Interpol

Opera House

Sydney, Australia

January 5, 2019

Joy Division. A band whose legacy and focus on mood, melancholy and expression has never ceased to reverberate through the realm of alternative music. Musically, it would be difficulty to deny that Joy Division’s sparse eerie spatiality and illusion of physicality, i.e.  Hook’s trademark physical high lead bass lines, the distorted guitars that intentionally left gaps and the non-traditional passive drumming along with Curtis’ laconic, baritone vocal delivery has had a major influence on Interpol’s approach to channelling their angsty alchemy.

Incarnating underneath an illuminated disco ball, Interpol’s silhouettes with their trademark tailored suits were set in scene by a sophisticated and at times powerful light show, that not only added to their atmospheric performance but was at times expertly used not merely as an amplifier – specifically when it comes to their subtle yet seismic tempo changes - but as a counterpoint, which certainly aided the enthusiastic audience to get lost and fully immerse themselves in a setlist that spanned their fifteen year long career.

Interpol creates hauntingly beautiful big music that creates a canvas for recipients to project and infuse their songs with their own sentiments, which creates a sense of intimacy and their live show is a natural extension of that dislocating and at times both alienating and unifying experience.

Deliberately understated, the dark glamour and ennui of Interpol is warmer than Joy Division’s desolated, noir-ish existentialism – there is something comforting, romantic and uplifting glistening through the gloom which is framed and set in scene with the timeless melange of spectral vigour and haunting shadow play.

A live show that is cinematic and puts one in touch with the anonymity of being lost in a dark metropolis, which is more often than not the essence and one of the driving themes of Interpol’s narrative.

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Photos by Daniel Boud (provided)

Mind Over Matter – Cryo

Every now and then it is perfectly okay to let go and cry, unrepressed and unhindered -- after all showing emotions is what makes us human and crying provides relief from inner weight you are lugging around.

What?

No?

Oh, Cryotherapy it is?

Gotcha.

Now, per definitionem cryotherapy is the cold equivalent to a sauna. Cold as in icy, i.e. below artic temperatures.

Benefits include improvement of sleep, boost of immunity and elevation of mood by exposing your corpse to extremely cold temperatures, we are talking up to -160 degrees Celsius for up to three minutes.

One of the benefits is that your body releases endorphins, which results in an energy boost followed by a state of relaxation as after the treatment, filtered, oxygen-rich blood flows back through your body helping to combat the affiliated pain of swelling and redness.

Now, how does it feel?

You disrobe, step into a chamber in your underwear with your extremities covered in UGG boots and gloves and as soon as the temperature drops, you feel an incredible rush, which has been credited to the release of endorphins and adrenalin coursing through the blood as the brain attempts to find an adequate course of action to combat the cold.

Imagine switching a pleasantly warm shower to an ice cold on steroids.

A friendly little reminder of what being alive feels like.

One of the original purposes of Cryotherapy aims at elevating pain from limbs and joints. Running long distances on a regular basis and just having arrived from a long-distance flight, I felt muscle and joint pain subside immediately even during the cold process, specifically in the ankle and knee regions and the relief lasted for the rest of the day.

Best thing is that despite the ridiculously low temperature, it is not piercingly painful at all and certainly intense yet borderline enjoyable experience due to the absence of wetness and the use of dry cold. Cue walking into a butcher’s which is a very pleasant scenario given the scorching heat during summer on terra australis.

The whole experience usually only lasts for three minutes and it takes about the same time for your body to return to its previous equilibrium.

Given the intense nature of the cryotherapeutic treatment, an LED light session proves to be a pleasant book end.

Luckily CRYO offers both -- state-of-the-art Cryotherapy machinery that emits extremely fine cold particles as an FDA approved LED light bed. The fact that CRYO’s ambience and location is one stylish operation par excellence adds to overall experience.

18,240 LED bulbs a quarter of an inch away from your body expose your bodily shell to a soothing and natural glow to promote wellness and physiological function, as it stimulates ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) production, which is deemed necessary for almost every immune function. In other words, it heals your body inside out, improves blood circulation and builds collagen.

Sounds odd and weird?

Well, I dare you to try both and not feel like it is something that you need in your life on a regular basis.

Read more of T's Mind Over Matter blog series here.

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Photos by t and Cryo.com.au

Water of Life – Chivas The Blend

Bell & Brio

Sydney, Australia

Chivas is an interesting one.

In layman terms, Chivas represents the epitome of an amalgamated whisky as the traditional expression is a melange of over forty germinated cereal and regular grain whiskies that make the DNA of it.

If there is a range available, I usually go for the Chivas Regal Ultis as it is a reliable malt blend made using five of the main single malts Chivas employs in creating their whisky, i.e. Braeval, Strathisla, Allt A’Bhainne, Longmorn and Tormore and matured in hand-selected casks.

Chivas Regal Ultis is a rich and complex aroma mix with fruity honey as well as a bit of malt being predominant, which extends to the palate with hints of nuts and char and culminates in a citrussy toffee finish.

A solid premium everyday drop that is accessible even for those who normally do not dabble in whisky.

Now, Chivas being a blended whisky, a guided blending session allowing you to learn about the craftsmanship while demystifying the world of whisky in a fun and informative way was the natural next step and we were able to attend The Blend session at Bell & Brio recently.

Apart from learning more about Chivas’ history and merits, one got to create one’s own idiosyncratic, unique two-hundred ml bottle of whisky.

Inspired by your very own palate, one was able to mix and channel the blending alchemy by using five different flavours ranging from fruity to smoky to aim for the perfect harmony between smoothness and flavour.

The fact that the base components were carefully chosen and curated might have played an integral part in my very own liquid emission ended up being quite an enjoyable drop.

Not saying that what resulted from The Blend session is anything to compete with what the Chivas brethren have perfectioned, but it certainly has a distinct character and crowned an enjoyable evening that was expertly hosted by Chivas ambassador extraordinaire Emily Andrew.

Read more Water of Life entries here.

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Photos provided

What’s Sumatra with You?

Wonderous Potions

Yawn.

I know - recovery and energy drinks are flooding the beverage markets and come in manifold colourful variations that promise everything from hydration to performance enhancement.

I hardly ever feel the urge to use them, if not for the occasional can of wings as a last resort when needed.

Numerous trips to Asia have acquainted me with the little vitamin laden shots that have become omnipresent in the Eastern regions of said continent, which were seemingly a major inspiration for Shojo Tonic: Etymologically named after a spirit of the seas dedicated to the celebration of life, Shojo is a functional drink that brings the merit of their Asian equivalents to the Western market.

Touted as a “wellness drink”, Shojo has become one my go-tos --  no matter if I need a pick me up after an extended workout session or after a night out indulging in less savoury pleasures. Packed with turmeric and its essence curcumin, a barrage of vitamins Shojo does a fine job combatting fatigue and confining inflammation as well as effects that harm the liver.

In essence, Shojo takes what has been refined traditional Asian medicinal practises and in Japan over the last thirty years and infused it with their own flavour.

While Shojo is doing its job, I would not miss my beloved coffee for anything else.

When I heard of carbonated coffee it intrigued me – naturally because I do love all things sparkling and I adore coffee, so I had to test drive it.

After a bit of trial and error I came across the first Australian variant, that goes under the guide of Strange Brew, which comes in three flavours, i.e. Original, Ginger and Blood Orange.

While “mixing sparkling water and cold drip coffee that has been steeped for four to eight hours” sounds straight forward, there is a “je ne sais quoi” x-factor component that makes it an interesting concoction that is not quite like any other caffeinated drink.

I would not go as far as claiming that Strange Brew is the equivalent of caffeinated champagne, but it for sure makes for a refreshing pick-me-up that quenches thirst as well.

Read previous insallments of What’s Sumatra with You?.

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Lead photo by T, others provided

The Offspring.

A band I’ve always had an interesting relationship with.

Interesting in that I have yet to come across a musical emission from them that I do not like. Be it their debut on Nemesis Records or what followed and catapulted them to become one of the biggest bands out of the realm of oozing ah-ing melodic punk rock Californian bands. The fact that their breakthrough happened when it was a tough time for any hardcore punk warrior, i.e. #the year punkdied made it a bit more complicated for a teenage version of myself to really get behind them. I never subscribed to the concept behind the notion of having guilty pleasures, but seeing local jocks showing up to “our” shows in Offspring and No FX gear was not a pleasant sight.

Either way, The Offspring’s Smash album is one solid melange of hits that has stood the test of time. I revisited it recently during an extended run and it instantly became apparent that while Offspring are not exactly known for experimenting a whole lot, they have an idiosyncratic sound that works on many levels.

The fact that Offspring singer and lyricist Dexter Holland not only rested on his laurels as an MTV icon but pursued a PHD in and eventually started his own hot sauce company only added to the appeal.

Late 2018 saw The Offspring descent on terra australis to headline the Good Things festivals in all major Australian cities to celebrate “Smash” in its entirety. Needless to say that each show was a fulminant hit fest that saw the band belt out their hits in fine form.

Being a hot sauce aficionado, I felt like this was the right time to shed light on Dexter Holland’s excellent range of hot sauces that are being sold worldwide under the banner of “Gringo Bandito.”

Now, rest assured that I was weary as I was worried that it could be a half-assed attempt of a novelty sauce that is legitimized by celebrity endorsement, yet the reality could not be further from that: Turns out that Dexter has spent a large number of years almost scientifically researching and perfecting his own blend of peppers and spices – research the culminated in one delicious range of hot sauces, whose three pepper combination ( the triumvirate of Habanero, Jalapeño and Red Japanese Chili Peppers) give it depth and versatility that works with literally anything.

Gringo Bandito reminds me of the core heat of Sriracha crossed with a reduced version of Tabasco, one of my old faithfuls as it is hot but not just hot for novelty hotness’ sake. The smell alone is an experience, reminiscent of the tropics of Mexico with dominant habanero notes.

The hotness is not so much on the nose but subtle: It’s well calibrated, not overpowering and locked in at a level that would please both the occasional dabbler in hot sauce as well as the hardcore aficionado.

Needless to say that the packaging is an exercise in detailed labelling with an eye-catching twist of incorporating the California/Mexico flag colour schemes.

In essence, Gringo Bandito offers a fun, savoury flavourful and tantalizing hot sauce range and with that is a natural extension of what The Offspring epitomizes as a band.

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Lead photo by T, others provided