Thursday, January 21, 2010

The Decemberists - 19 Jan 2010 - The Metro

Sydney's much hyped - and ubiquitous support band - Bridezilla opened the show to an already fairly full Metro Theatre. Their reception was tepid and distant, much like the band itself, who didn't try for engagement with the audience. Though their music was atmospheric and dramatic, and they looked striking lined up along the front of the stage with their violist writhing away over her instrument, musically they were all moody sound and little fury.


(photo from Chicago, 2009)

But the night belonged to The Decemberists and a palpable anticipation was in the air by 9:30pm. This was the Decemberists' first non-festival show in Australia, something frontman Colin Meloy was quick to point out as the band took to the stage to rousing cheers. They were playing for an audience who had been waiting six years and five albums to see them, their music and reputation for live shows preceding them. They did not disappoint. Fun and funny, engaged and engaging, The Decemberists played a hour and a half long set packed with old favourites, new material (a song from the upcoming record, one a cover so new Meloy still needed lyric sheets), and tonnes of enjoyment for both the band and the audience.

Highlights of the night often involved Meloy demonstrating something akin to a God complex as he orchestrated audience participation. Halfway through 'Billy Liar', Meloy divided the crowd into left and right hand sides by an invisible line stretching the entire length of the theatre, then pitted the two sides in a battle of impassioned singing of the 'ba dum bah' refrain. Flattering each side in turn to raise the volume of the singing, Meloy then became the puppetmaster, raising and lowering the volume in jerky motions with his hands, the audience complying with his every move!

He was back to his tricks again in main set closer 'The Chimbley Sweep'. Meloy and guitarist Christ Funk began mock-duelling midway through the song, showing off their skills on their guitars with licks and riffs until both were playing their instruments above and behind their heads, to the audience's glee. Meloy followed this by sinking to the floor, and soon the entire band had followed suit. With a wave of his hand, the entire theatre began to sink to its knees too, until every person was low to the floor. Oh the power! Meloy pretended to be asleep before mischievously narrating the 'awakening' of the theatre, as Jenny Conlee's sweet voice brought us back into the song.

The whole band were consummate musicians, switching easily between a variety of instruments. 'The Rake's Song', possibly the most fun anyone can have singing about infanticide, hurtles along with an ominous triple beat, with Conlee and Funk joining John Moen on drums. And on the last song of the night, 'Sons and Daughters', it was a wondrous sight to look across the stage and see the accordion, upright bass, drums, bouzouki and hurdy gurdy playing in fantastic harmony to great effect.

But I was won over long before that last note, long before Meloy's banter had me clutching my sides laughing, long before the beauty of the quieter moments, the slower songs. For me, from the moment they launched into the second song, the epic 12 minute long 'The Island', with its prog rock intro to its hushed, sad ending, I knew I was in for a glorious show. The power of the music, the talent of the band; it was just amazing. This concert, this night, will be a hard one to top.

My friend braved sore arms to capture the entirety of 'The Island' on video, and she is my hero. :)






The Crane Wife 3
The Island
The Sporting Life
Billy Liar
July, July!
Shankill Butchers
The Engine Driver
On The Bus Mall
(new song)
The Rake's Song
O Valencia!
16 Military Wives
The Chimbley Sweep

Eli, The Barrow Boy
Bye Bye Pride (Go-Betweens Cover)
Sons and Daughters [another great video, taken by celerity59]

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Neko Case - 12 Jan 10 - City Recital Hall

After seeing Neko Case from afar, red hair streaming in the afternoon breeze, her clear-as-a-bell voice ringing out over the gathered crowd on a hot Sunday afternoon at Lollapalooza, I was itching to hear her again, this time in a more intimate setting, closer to home.


I came away pleased with the show, still completely infatuated with the sound of her voice, humming snatches of her songs all night long.

Let's get the bad out of the way first: yes, as noted in other reviews, there were some sound issues. For me, at times the four piece band threatened to overwhelm Neko Case's fantastic instrument of a voice, but luckily it never quite could subdue the beauty of it.

Obviously it was bothering others too; an audience member on the floor took advantage of a tuning lull to yell for the amps to be turned down.

"Lady, this is a rock show," Case shot back as she pulled her mane of flaming red hair into a messy bun. "You're in the wrong place."

The (inappropriate) request seemed to give Case a spark that diffused some of the rarified atmosphere stifling audience and performer alike in the City Recital Hall. For the first few songs the audience seemed to be at a much more formal show, afraid to voice their appreciation. Case herself seemed hesistant and subdued by the hall, bouncing on her toes before the mike every now and then nervily. She spoke very little, and often in a rushed stream that rendered the words inaudible. It was up to Kelly Hogan, her backup singer, to liven up the show with her endless stream of softly spoken quips and giggles.

But musically, it was bold from the get go, starting with the Americana twang of 'Things That Scare Me' (with some great banjo work), followed by another song from earlier in her career, 'Maybe Sparrow'. But as Case noted, tonight was almost the one year anniversary of the start of the tour for her 2009 album, Middle Cyclone, and the set was heavy with songs from that great album.

I was glad to hear all my favourites from Middle Cyclone, from the back-to-back pairing of 'The Pharoahs', the first time that night I felt Case's voice really break through the sound issues and just wrap its soaring spell around the audience, and the smoky 'Polar Nettles'; to 'Prison Girls' live, with its ominous, dark sound; and the closer to the main set 'This Tornado Loves You', thrumming with energy and longing, until its very end with Case and Hogan's voice harmonising fantastically on that heartbreaking last line, "What will make you believe me?"


We ran into Jess in the lobby, and she let me take a picture of the setlist she scored, and told me the changes, which was great because I hadn't been keeping notes for once! :)


Things That Scare Me
Maybe Sparrow
People Got A Lotta Nerve
Fever
Hold On, Hold On
I'm An Animal
Middle Cyclone
The Pharaohs
Polar Nettles
Deep Red Bells
Margaret Vs. Pauline
Prison Girls
The Tigers Have Spoken
Red Tide
Don't Forget Me
That Teenage Feeling
This Tornado Loves You

Vengeance Is Sleeping
Star Witness