Mobbed

I enter Arthouse and feel strangely nervous. There were posters of Jesse everywhere. It was only a few days ago when it was just us two hanging out- I taught him some jazz note sequences on the keyboard, we ate maccas overlooking the harbour, got inspired from a Dendy movie, and then strolled around Balmoral beach. We talked about how we can't wait till summer and plan to one day get drunk and compose songs and see what they sound like the next day. Overtime I have forgotten that he is Kid Kenobi and look nervously around at all the people waiting in anticipation for him to play. It felt surreal that they were waiting for him.

I see Tom (Q45) and walk to the VIP section with some friends. Had my fourth champagne. I meet Tom's friend DJ Farj. Danced a little. Chat to others around me. Everybody loves his new CD. He has been touring around the country and tonight was the night for his launch in Sydney.

And then Jesse came. I suddenly see heads turn, people stand up and a surge of people head in his direction. Everyone wants a turn in speaking to him. I stand aside waiting for him to see me. But he doesn't. I sidle up to him feeling like a groupie. He gave me 10 seconds to talk to him. And then busy once again. Mobbed. I see Cameron (MC Shureshock) near me and speak to him a bit longer. We both miss Chris. He asked me what drink I wanted. Champagne please. Didn't want beers that night because wanted to stay awake. Jesse came back with my drink and then got ready to play. Felt left aside again. Tom stumbles around trying to escape from a girl. Hilarious. She glares at me.

Then the breaks start. Hysterical crowd all excited. Some people come up to me and chat. Idle chit chat. Chat chat. And then the punchline- "So how do you know Jesse? I saw him talking to you". Time passed by really quickly. He closed off with his mix of Barcelona. Then was mobbed again. Mobbed mobbed mobbed. I told Farj it was weird seeing this and I wasn't used to this. I ask Cam if this always happens and he nods. Felt unimportant. Cam gave me a drink voucher. A Corona this time. I love beer.

Jesse told me he was leaving. Lefroy, another guy and I went out with him. Jesse looks business like and says he's got to fly to WA the next morning and puts me in a cab with one of his best mates Lefroy (DJ Ritual) because he lives in the north shore too. He then disappears. I end up in an apartment in Surry Hills. "Just a 10 minute stop", says Lefroy. Ok. We sit back and I start talking about how the night was weird for me. Lefroy says that Jesse is two different people. He is a different person in public. And that he really does care for his mates but he has to act the way he does in order to be successful.

Paul hands me over a joint. I suddenly realise that they had been smoking for awhile. For some reason I didn't notice the awful stench of pot. I said no thanks. Haven't touched a cigarette since I tried my first cigarette when I was 18 and lost my voice for a week. Talk talk. Another offer and in my mashed up state and dizziness I had a drag. I look at the wall and see a photograph by Bill Henson, the one where the girl is flying mid air. That photo has always grabbed me but now it grabbed me in a different way. Chat chat. Giggles. Shit- do I hear birds? Crap. It's morning. Lefroy and I jump in a cab. I sleep at 7am. zzzz....

Mum wakes me up at 10am. Walk around a gift show for 4 hours. Feel a bit mixed up. I tell Mum that I want to go home. Get fresh air when walking around Darling Harbour but then I hear something familiar. Jesse's CD is playing in some shop. Great.

Where do I turn to when I feel a bit down or confused? The Hotnesses of course. Send a long email to Hotness 1 and 2. Get an email back from Chris in Chile saying that I'm a selfish twat. That Jesse has to be like that and who else has seen his neatly labelled shirt cupboard? I laugh. Everything is better again.






Photos (in order): some posters, crowd, kat&me, kat&Dave&me, Lefroy (Dj Ritual), Tom (Q45), Jesse&Cam (kid kenobi & MC shureshock), jesse