Thursday night at the Corner Hotel in Melbourne saw the return of Sierra and Bianca Casady aka CocoRosie. The two beautiful Rainbow Warriors took to the stage armed with poignant rap, operatic musings, megaphones, and care bears. Sounds bizarre? Sure is, but in the best way possible. From the pleasantly soporific ‘Good Friday’, to the playful ‘Kitty Cat’ outspoken ‘Japan’, CocoRosie covered all bases and appealed to a diverse yet unified audience. Despite two well-earned encores, ‘Noahs Ark’ was nowhere to be seen, however, ‘By Your Side’ did manage to reduce this little media student to tears. Despite my blubbering, I still couldn’t recommend experiencing CocoRosie enough. Last chance to see them perform in Australia, in Sydney at Metro tonight and Playground Weekender on the 9^th.

Hey guys just wanting to give you all a heads up for a new program on the SBS called Skins. It’s from the same people who made Shameless and Dirty Tricks so it has plenty of that sly humor, as well as some brilliant young actors. It follows the lives of a group of friends attending a government school in Bristol, England, and their experiences with sex, drugs, drinking, partying, unattainable and unrequited love, music, rebellion, sabotage, reckless behavior, freedom, and paralyzing fear. Each episode focuses on one character in particular, all of which will simultaneously make you laugh, and break your heart. To say it is an accurate depiction on youth today may be a slight exaggeration, but it’s certainly more realistic and thought provoking then the poor-little-rich-kids so often depicted in today’s teen dramas. By juxtaposing the ‘daily struggle’ of drug dealers, eating disorders, half-wit parents and strange nipples, to the reckless abandonment of all inhibitions at their decadent parties, the show encapsulates adolescent life; it’s no party, but it’s certainly what we live for. The second season is about to kick off in the UK, but in Australia the first season is just starting up 10:00pm SBS Monday nights. Get onto it!

No doubt 2007 has seen some amazing musical talent grace the shores of our vast brown nation, whether you were pinging at Daft Punk or prefer the smooth moves of Justin Timberlake, I’m sure good times have been had by all. But spare a thought for our local talent, who are finding greater fortune outside their own country. Midnight Juggernauts have been relentlessly touring with the likes of Justice, The Klaxons, Bloc Party, !!!, Busy P and Crystal Castles, performing to crowds of over 6000 who sing every word right back to them. So the message? Instead of forking out the cashola to see some ‘internationally acclaimed extravaganza’, pop down to your local pub, grab a beer and get excited about the local talent in your neck of the woods, before the rest of the world cottons onto a good thing.