A n d a n t e

Introduction

Under a curious sky, two musicians met. In their hands, they held eight objects, each holding a precious story waiting to be unlocked.

Join us as we introduce these musical trinkets and their intriguing histories.

walk on memories

July 18th, 2017

She let her head fall against the headrest as a gentle summer rhythm washed over her ears. The bright notes were a strange contrast to the grey sky, as though the clouds were hiding the promise of a sunny day. But with the music in her ears, she could pretend, at least until the song came to an end, that she was surrounded by coconut trees and the crashing of the waves, instead of the heavy downpour battering down the windows.

“Why aren't we there yet?” her brother piped up beside her, unable to sit still when there were false promises of beaches and sunshine to look forward to. She ignored the incessant whining and focused instead on the tropical heaven her mind had conjured.

The cans make the man

October 1st, 2016

How can you put yourself as close to hearing the original performance as possible?

People have obsessed over artists for decades, people have wished they were present at the time of their favourite songs being recorded. Artists have passed away, leaving fans forever unable to hear them perform in the flesh. But why limit oneself to hearing recordings through inadequete audio output? Quality cans are important if you want to hear what the artist wanted to convey. Through all generations, through all genres of music, a quality pair of headphones like these will always be your best friend.

Little but Loved

July 16th, 2009

"Thank you, and goodnight" says an anonymous rock star, hurling a small, battered object into a crowd of cheering fans. One young man reaches out, and without any effort, finds the item float right into his hand.

In the fingers of many guitarists, grasped tightly, is a guitar pick. Interdimensional objects able to transport themselves into another realm when they are dropped, a pick remains a must for many musicians. Bashed and harrassed, these little things are struck and dragged against steel strings day in and day out, but yet they remain trustworthy and reliable.

A little louder at the back

September 21st, 2015

The adrenaline coursed through her veins as she made her way through the crowd, nudging away the drunken bodies and squeezing through the gaps, all in a feeble attempt to get closer to the DJ.

Ah, the DJ. A must have for any decent party, yet somehow more overlooked than the punch bowls. But still, despite everything, she found herself drawn towards the turn table, the reinventor of old tunes, tunes that seemed to no longer have a hold on her, no longer made her feel like dancing away her life.

No. Now, the magic happened at the turn table, just beyond her reach. She sighed. Instead of accepting her fate, she foolishly sought out the nearest speaker, just to feel the bass reverbrating down to her bones. Little did she know that her eardrums were the ones that would reverbrate out of her head.

Stand up and shout

August 28th, 1978

Running rampart on stages across the world are guitarists, bassists, keytarists, everyone. The freedom of movement, the ability to run, jump, dance, whilst still comfortably playing their instrument is a luxary often overlooked.

At the core of every performance is movement and energy. Movement creates rhythm and rhythm causes movement. Where would modern performance be without the guitar strap?

The limitations of a cumbersome instrument can be overcome, by simply carrying it on your shoulders.

A Colourful saviour

December 30th, 2016

"Physical music mediums aren't dead. Not yet."

In an age of mp3s, physical music sales had plummeted. But somehow sales figures have again begun to rise. How so? Vinyl. There is likely no single correct answer as to why there is a sudden increase in appeal for the format, however, limited releases, coloured variants and collectabiliy has risen the appeal of purchasing physical media again phenominally. Along with this, the desire to support artists has returned in an age where music streaming pays artists next to nothing.

Compulsive? Maybe.

March 3rd, 2007

His ears rang like the roaring onset of tinnitus. Never before had he heard something so loud, so demanding. It was the coolest concert he had been to, and the greatest sounding guitar he had ever heard.

For some it is essential. What is rock music without a crisply distored guitar? There is nothing more satisfying than stomping on a pedal and kicking things into overdrive. Perhaps it covers up an insecure guitarists flaws, or for others maybe it enhances their playing like no other sound ever could. From the days of tearing up speakers with razor blades to having a small pedal to turn on, distortion has always been a desired sound for any guitarist. Maybe its an obsession? Or a compulsion? Or just expected at this point? Who knows.

Broken chords & Blue neighbourhoods

February 5th, 2013

I love it when a song you haven’t listened to in weeks, months
Or even years
Finds its way back to you
Yet again
As though it recognised your calling
And finally found its place

For there’s something comforting
About the familiarity of an old song
It’s a memory that paints your life
With heartfelt lyrics
And soulful melodies
So you can experience its joy
As though you are listening to it
For the very first time

Every lyric feels like a story
A story told in rising notes and letters of love
And a rhythm that makes its way into your heartbeat
And weaves its thread through your bones

About The Curators

Chan A.

"Rivers of sand unentwine through my hands
To know what they've seen, well, my burdens all pale."

My CD collection started off with the occasional present, and soon developed to shelves of CDs of all different genres and languages, as well as soundtracks of my favourite movies. There's something special in the way we share music, even when we don't share the language, and it has made me all the more open-minded. I hope to grow my tastes and meet others who've grown up with multicultural music.

Lachlan P.

Simply put, I spend far too much money on vinyl and guitar gear. I love to support growing Australian artists by purchasing their usually limited release records, and to collect my favourite albums from the artists of the century passed. Because I, perhaps delusionally, fancy myself a reasonably competent guitarist, the money I don't spend on music is usually spent on gear to enable myself to make music. Fortunately, Melbourne has such a thriving music scene, and I would certainly consider myself very fortunate to be living right here in it.