The second support act Circa Survive were a little rough at the beginning of their set, and the crowd response was minimal, but I quite enjoyed them by the end. Their frontman was crazy into performing, and also had a surprisingly high voice which contrasted with their heavier sound. They also had this crazy sense of rhythm, a lot of syncopation in their beats, which kept things on edge, and lead to some really interesting (and also kind of alarming) resonance.
But I was here for My Chemical Romance, and let’s be honest: I love everything – the theatrics, the mouthy attitude, their concern for fans, the unashamed rock roots in their punk music, the grand anthemic songs. The show did not disappoint despite seeing them only a few months ago – it was a bigger affair overall with the larger venue, the pyro, the fantastic solid playlist of hits and old favourites. The energy on the floor was great, and the band were playing well (despite losing their drummer to a wrist injury a few weeks ago and having to play with a substitute instead). I spent most of the night watching lead singer Gerard Way, with his deliciously camp showmanship, and guitarist Ray Toro with his halo of hair and power stance guitar playing.
Highlights for me included Mama (complete with Way's hilariously OTT fake crying at the end; Toro's awesome extended guitar solo leading into Teenagers; the grand, slow-build of Sleep; and once again, the incredible feeling of joy that I get from seeing and hearing Famous Last Words live, my arm in the air like every other kid there, yelling the same affirmative words. I also loved the amount of songs they played from second album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge as well as getting to hear songs that are not usually in their live shows.
How I Disappear
Dead!
I’m Not Okay
Give ‘em Hell
The Sharpest Lives
Mama
Cemetary Drive
Welcome to the Black Parade
I Don’t Love You
House of Wolves
You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison
Teenagers
Helena
Sleep
Cancer
-
Desert Song
Famous Last Words
Friday, November 30, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Muse - 17 Nov 2007 - Sydney Entertainment Centre
We wanted to be close enough to watch Matt Bellamy play, so we zipped from space to space until we were about 8 or so people behind the barrier right in front of Matt Bellamy by the middle of the night. It was a magnificent sight to behold! Muse were in rock god mode last night, and watching Matt shredding on his guitar was so awesome. There was also the awesome piano, which was transparent and lighted-up at times, and when the camera threw up on the big screen Matt's fingers on the keys during the spectacular piano solo during the middle of Butterflies and Hurricanes it was a musical epiphany for me.
Muse seem to have a certain backbone to their set list where they cycle certain songs within that framework, and it seemed the energy levels didn't spike until New Born, when the mosh really picked up. I was glad for the slowed down period in the middle with the ballads, to focus on listening to the lovely music and Matt’s unearthly voice - Ruled by Secrecy was absolutely beautiful live - and watch him play from a good distance without the frenzy of the mosh getting in the way.
The highlight for me was Time Is Running Out and Bliss back to back, with the pretty pink confetti balloons making a reappearance, the songs sounding crazy fierce with awesome energy and the crowd mightily appreciative all around me. The first encore was good too, another dose of joy and energy from hearing two well-loved songs. It was an interesting set overall, pretty evenly distributed with songs from the last three albums (*nothing* from Showbiz though other recent set lists have seen Sunburn substituted for Invincible), with lot of extended intros and outros between songs of riffs from (mostly) b-sides, an appeasement for the hardcore fans seeing them for the second time within a year.
I was massively dehydrated by the end and yet soaked in sweat, my legs sore and shaking as we walked out of the Ent Cent. But during the dying moments of Knights of Cydonia, I looked across to this tiny girl near me and we just got each other - we were both wrecked and sore but we had matching smiles because, yeah, it was an awesome experience.
Take A Bow
Map of the Problematique
New Born
Butterflies and Hurricanes
Supermassive Black Hole
Citizen Erased
Feeling Good
Ruled by Secrecy
Invincible
Hysteria
Fury
Starlight
Time is Running Out
Bliss
--
Plug In Baby
Stockholm Syndrome
--
Knights of Cydonia
Muse seem to have a certain backbone to their set list where they cycle certain songs within that framework, and it seemed the energy levels didn't spike until New Born, when the mosh really picked up. I was glad for the slowed down period in the middle with the ballads, to focus on listening to the lovely music and Matt’s unearthly voice - Ruled by Secrecy was absolutely beautiful live - and watch him play from a good distance without the frenzy of the mosh getting in the way.
The highlight for me was Time Is Running Out and Bliss back to back, with the pretty pink confetti balloons making a reappearance, the songs sounding crazy fierce with awesome energy and the crowd mightily appreciative all around me. The first encore was good too, another dose of joy and energy from hearing two well-loved songs. It was an interesting set overall, pretty evenly distributed with songs from the last three albums (*nothing* from Showbiz though other recent set lists have seen Sunburn substituted for Invincible), with lot of extended intros and outros between songs of riffs from (mostly) b-sides, an appeasement for the hardcore fans seeing them for the second time within a year.
I was massively dehydrated by the end and yet soaked in sweat, my legs sore and shaking as we walked out of the Ent Cent. But during the dying moments of Knights of Cydonia, I looked across to this tiny girl near me and we just got each other - we were both wrecked and sore but we had matching smiles because, yeah, it was an awesome experience.
Take A Bow
Map of the Problematique
New Born
Butterflies and Hurricanes
Supermassive Black Hole
Citizen Erased
Feeling Good
Ruled by Secrecy
Invincible
Hysteria
Fury
Starlight
Time is Running Out
Bliss
--
Plug In Baby
Stockholm Syndrome
--
Knights of Cydonia
Friday, November 2, 2007
Justin Timberlake - 1 Nov 2007 - Acer Arena
Considering how disappointed I was the last time JT played in Sydney, buying the (again v. expensive) tickets this time around was a bit of a wrench. But I'm so glad I did go, because this time around he brought the spectacle that I so wanted last time, the consummate showmanship, the real deal. Starting with the stage, a technical marvel in and of itself, which looked so bare and deceptively simple but turned out to be this intricate interlocking series of platforms. It was highly effective and bringing to the fore whatever part of the show was being featured - the back up singers, the musicians, the dancers, and of course, Justin himself. The whole stage show was awesomely done, from the amazing use of stage, lighting, visual effects and choreography, which didn't distract from the music, but helped enhance the concert experience into an all singing all dancing extravaganza.
The concert started with 'FutureSex/LoveSound' which worked really well to build up the atmosphere, from Justin’s voice in the dark with the ominous rhythmic hook backing him up to a brilliant interplay of light and sound. And then it was two solid hours of mostly hits with a few of his ballads thrown in. The instrumentation was great, the arrangements were good if not inventive, and there was lots of great dancing all around the stage – basically, everything you could possibly ask for from a pop concert done really really well.
Justin looked great, but his banter was terrible – apart from some obviously honed monologues about Aussies and drinking and surfing, he spent most of the night yelling “SYDNEY!!” at random intervals, eliciting huge screams for sure, but after the 8th time I was pretty sure everyone was clear on which city there were in, thanks. However, his voice was good and clear; it had its nasal moments, but he'd improved greatly from his NSYNC days. There was an obvious backing track, but excusable in light of how much dancing he had to do as well. Oh my goodness, he is such treat to watch, dancing singing and performing his little heart out.
There were problematic aspects, like the use of stripper-like dancers in 'Damn Girl', where the explicit sexuality just seemed too much and out of place considering the themes – costume and dance wise – for the rest of the night. (Also, rather distractingly, the dancer on our side looked A LOT like Britney in her VMA performance but y'know, not sedated) And as I said, the arrangement stuck really close the CD. The ballads still don’t hold up as well as the brisker songs, though they are few and far between and cushioned well by the dancier numbers, so the energy never flagged.
I also approved heartily of all piano playing moments; the projection screens were great in that they would show close ups of his fingers on the keys, mmmm. The encore was Justin alone on stage, out of his costume and in just a worn grey T-shirt and jeans, playing on the piano. It was a nice way to end the night, slower, but still very pretty (and the song wasn’t bad either. Boom-tish!)
FutureSex/LoveSound
Like I Love You
My Love
Senorita
Sexy Ladies
What Goes Around…Comes Around
Chop Me Up
Rock Your Body
Gone - Take It From Here – Last Night (medley)
Damn Girl
Summer Love
Losing My Way
Cry Me A River
Lovestoned
Sexy Back
(Another Song) All Over Again
The concert started with 'FutureSex/LoveSound' which worked really well to build up the atmosphere, from Justin’s voice in the dark with the ominous rhythmic hook backing him up to a brilliant interplay of light and sound. And then it was two solid hours of mostly hits with a few of his ballads thrown in. The instrumentation was great, the arrangements were good if not inventive, and there was lots of great dancing all around the stage – basically, everything you could possibly ask for from a pop concert done really really well.
Justin looked great, but his banter was terrible – apart from some obviously honed monologues about Aussies and drinking and surfing, he spent most of the night yelling “SYDNEY!!” at random intervals, eliciting huge screams for sure, but after the 8th time I was pretty sure everyone was clear on which city there were in, thanks. However, his voice was good and clear; it had its nasal moments, but he'd improved greatly from his NSYNC days. There was an obvious backing track, but excusable in light of how much dancing he had to do as well. Oh my goodness, he is such treat to watch, dancing singing and performing his little heart out.
There were problematic aspects, like the use of stripper-like dancers in 'Damn Girl', where the explicit sexuality just seemed too much and out of place considering the themes – costume and dance wise – for the rest of the night. (Also, rather distractingly, the dancer on our side looked A LOT like Britney in her VMA performance but y'know, not sedated) And as I said, the arrangement stuck really close the CD. The ballads still don’t hold up as well as the brisker songs, though they are few and far between and cushioned well by the dancier numbers, so the energy never flagged.
I also approved heartily of all piano playing moments; the projection screens were great in that they would show close ups of his fingers on the keys, mmmm. The encore was Justin alone on stage, out of his costume and in just a worn grey T-shirt and jeans, playing on the piano. It was a nice way to end the night, slower, but still very pretty (and the song wasn’t bad either. Boom-tish!)
FutureSex/LoveSound
Like I Love You
My Love
Senorita
Sexy Ladies
What Goes Around…Comes Around
Chop Me Up
Rock Your Body
Gone - Take It From Here – Last Night (medley)
Damn Girl
Summer Love
Losing My Way
Cry Me A River
Lovestoned
Sexy Back
(Another Song) All Over Again
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)