| Mike's
Pith & Wind - Al fresco
Al fresco: In the fresh air; outdoors
Somehow I think we got the concept wrong. Well, maybe not
the concept so much, but certainly the execution. I was
waiting for my seafood laksa yesterday at Sugami in my new
suburb of Mt Waverley and after about ten minutes I found
it just too oppressively hot and noisy inside and opted
to sit outside where at least there was a breeze. But, of
course, the table was right next to the road with traffic
whizzing by, so it was almost as noisy as it was inside,
and there was a grey-haired guy with a pony tail smoking
a cigarette outside the pizzeria next door, so I was copping
his second hand smoke as well as the car fumes. I guess
it’s a bit like opera – it sounds more romantic
when you can’t understand what’s being said.
It was al fresco as we understand it alright, but
it wasn’t your actual fresh air.
As I write I can hear the Newport Folk Festival of whatever
year on Foxtel’s Stvdio channel in the background.
I suppose it’s obvious in retrospect that it was ripe
for subversion – much too self-satisfied and middle
class - and it’s a matter of history that Bob Dylan
did exactly that, but people tend to forget that he wasn’t
the only electric act on the bill, so it wasn’t that
he flew in the face of the folk establishment by simply
going electric as is often said. In fact, the exact circumstances
of the resultant furor are disputed by the various parties,
but given His Bobness’ subsequent career, gratuitous
truancy on his part was a probable component.
But I’ve done enough Dylan bashing in this.. read
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