SLOWLY SLOWLY - Melbourne
Pictured: Ben Stewart - SLOWLY SLOWLY
Taken from: Melbourne Youtube video
Reflections In Lockdown
Written by: Darcy Moore - Sense Music Media
2008—ish? Darcy moves to Melbourne. Hailing from NSW beaches; I had never been here. I knew next to no-one, and within max a week? I knew it was my town. (Zero hills. Winner winner, Parma Dinner)
1 week after moving; I catch a 45 minute train into the CBD to get into a THE WOMBATS gig at the well known, and – lest we forget – HI-FI bar. It was clearly sold out; which I learnt on arrival. Ahh to be naive and 19 again.
“Away with you, young Sir” is a polite way to put what the bouncers said to me that night - and away with me I did. Into the city lights. Since then I’ve had: rooftops over my head, friends for life, trips to the NGV to listen to SIGUR ROS and walk around the European Masters exhibition. I’ve made mates on milk crates. Lovers, heartbreaks, jobs lost and others gained, dancing at 4am, doing things I’ll never tell mum about. Heck, I moved overseas so I could come back.
I did some time in community radio, I followed a passion which I’m now proud to say I have a degree in. I was lucky enough to be a main photographer for Pub-Footy and an Indie-Punk festival Not Fest for 7 years, both of which I’ll hold dear forever. I had the bare-bones of a career (a puzzle I’m yet to piece together) and Melbourne gave me a home that I never knew I had. I signed an exciting contract, I decided to start a music media company with a mate. I had photo gigs booked in and it was looking like a barely leaking boat. You might even say it was looking good... Then – snap. Cover up. Covid.
It’s no shock that it really stuffed us. Melbourne and Victoria was hit hard. I have spent the better half of 7 months staring out this very window.
Pictured: A Melbourne Reflection
Photo by: Darcy Moore
“Shut Up, Darcy!” Ok, Ok. All I’m saying is that I’ve felt the weight of it. I’ve missed my friends and strangers smiles. What I’d do for a hug.
Enter Triple J “Quarantune” song challenge, Ben Stewart from Melbourne Indie-Punk band SLOWLY SLOWLY effortlessly, but passionately, brings out this beauty. In 24 hours mind you. Which really just says it all. I miss you, Melbourne.
It’s interesting reflecting on this song now on a Friday afternoon. Just as Melbourne’s slowly opening her eyes after a long nap.
Both mine and Stewarts checkpoints are barely freckles on the back of my hand, of the stories I could tell.
You may like this song. You may not. But I do. It says what it needs to say and I’m in the thick of it. If you can write something this good in a day - hats off my friend. Until then, I’ll maybe bump into you on the street, apologise, and then meet you again at our favourite pub.
I’m sorry we screwed it up once, Melbs. Can we not stuff it up again? We depend on it (because I’m getting good at video games).
Download
You can download your very own copy of Melbourne on Bandcamp
