Shifty Swifty

Our neighbourhood frequently sees a blonde old bag seemingly permanently ensconced in polarfleece accompanied by a smiling orange dog walking at a fairly slow pace as she (the dog, not the old bag) sniffs at every drive way they pass. However, that's merely a very clever disguise.

Some of you might remember the latest local mystery that Milly and myself are in the process of uncovering for your edification:

Just why is this car painted this way and who or what is 'Swifty' and 'The Operatives'?

As luck would have it, the other day Milly and I were walking past the cutest Post Office in the world, see:

....and Swifty the car was there, with a real human bloke inside!

Casting aside all fears of being considered insane, nosey or as potential rape-and-pillage opportunity, I rapped at the passenger's window and got Swifty's attention.

Swifty is indeed in reference to the car, a Suzuki Swift, which was painted last year by a visiting international graffiti artist rapper, beat-boxer, home dawg, free-stylin', rumble-in-da-jungle, keepin' it real chap. I think. The owner of the car, Jerry, runs a business called 'The Operatives' who - according to the postcard he gave me, combined themselves with Funktion to run an event called 'Recloose', featuring Dexter, Dizz, Curse the Machines, Kano, Dan Motive and JPS. Held down in Brown Alley, unless that's a euphemism.

All clear now?

Since then, young Jerry has been busy setting up other kinds of events, most notably once featuring Shamik the Human Beatbox from Vancouver. No, that's not a form of torture involving cardboard and moose horns, or I don't think so anyway. I'm sure your Nanna's heard of him.

Like Karen Carpenter, Shamik "hears music in his head" and uses beatboxing (well, Karen played the drums, didn't she) to bring it to life.

"He has performed in Canada, USA, Czech Republic, India, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Philippines. With crushing basslines and crisp rhythms, Shamik has captivated audiences from nightclubs to outdoor festivals by creating a DJ set with his mouth. After performing alongside artists like Q-Bert, Bassnectar, Method Man & Redman, Skream, Thievery Corporation, Z-Trip, Freq Nasty, Killa Kela, Tanya Tagaq, Sub Swara, and The Glitch Mob, he continues to spread the artform of his vocal percussion."

Okaaaaay, I feel about a million years old now and am dying for a cup of tea and a fast opening Jason recliner. But look, there are local people featuring on the bill as well, so maybe I'll run into some of them at Safeway on my Friday morning grocery grab:

Simon Wrinkler - I wonder if he's works part time at the dry cleaner's on Pin Oak Crescent?

Inkswel - Tattoo artist, Dandy or Stationer?

Rambl - Allergic to 'e' or an ex-student of the studiously ignored Debney Park high school?

Dan Motive - Thank goodness his mother didn't call him 'Ulterior' or 'Obvious'

Ms Butt - celebrating her best asset presumably, unless she's the jollier-sized one of the two young girls who fry up the bacon and egg rolls at the cafe next to the tattslotto shop?

As it says, it's "Music for and from our generation!!! Upfront, Upclose and personal...."

But a tad too late for me. Bless them for trying, but Shamik isn't on until 2:30am when I'm already three hours into (hopefully) a good REM snooze session.

Nevertheless, for your sakes dear reader, Milly and I will keep on doggedly trying to catch Jerry again for more information even though he's clearly a Man of the Night and I'm a Moron of the Morning.