I still remember the first one and everyone that I went to see, and how it completely blew my mind.
I think live performance is one of the greatest moments we can get in our lives.
And I'm just lucky and happy that I'm in Australia, and no one will stop me from going to gigs.
No matter whatever I go alone or not, I go there and experience the power of music which I think it is a pretty private thing.
Needless to say, if I can go with someone who shares the same interest, it will be pretty cool.
We can share the same experience at the same time on our own.
I think I have already been to many gigs, but still when I look back, I kind of regret that I did't go to some other gigs.
Maybe I should tell myself, "Fuck man, you're so lucky already! What are you on about?"
Anyway, here's the regret list: Sufjan Stevens, Built To Spill, Interpol / Youth Group, Cat Power, Iron & Wine, Broken Social Scene / Stars, Wilco, M83, Eels, The Stereophonics, Death Cab For Cutie, Jason Mraz.
2008 /Jan /17
The National / Iron On / The Ashes @ The Zoo
The pinnacle of the evening arrives as The National form on stage and kick off with the gorgeous Start A War. The two things that instantly stand out are Bryan Devendorf’s excellent drumming which is a highlight throughout the evening, and of course Matt Berninger’s rich baritone. Though The National’s recordings have a sweet, lackadaisical molasses to them, this element seems removed from their live show, the band turning the songs into a more energetic and vibrant affair. Berninger is an intense frontman at times, constantly fidgeting with his hands between sips of white wine and perfectly able to deliver a scream when need be. Ada is particularly elegant and Brainy gains dimension from the fantastic drumwork from Devendorf. Fake Empire is fantastic though I’m saddened the horn part is instead done on guitar, and Mr November is particularly furious.
2008 / Mar/ 05
Jens Lekman / Joel Saunders @The Troubadour
If you’re under six feet tall, good luck seeing anything. Visibility issues aside, Jens Lekman and his band of mixed Swedish and Melbournian musicians (the Australians recruited from his new current home) sound wonderful, kicking off with I’m Leaving You Because I Don’t Love You from his latest song collection. The addition of violin, cello, drums, keys, and samples elevate Lekman’s bittersweet and funny songs to a more expansive level, giving both new and old songs like The Opposite Of Hallelujah and Black Cab a wonderfully full sound. Despite being visibly jetlagged after flying in from Hamburg, he still creates a sense of intimacy, providing witty background commentary and cracking deadpan jokes about how the Brisbane indie scene resembles that of Gothenburg seven years ago. 2008 / Apr/ 01
Jesus And Mary Chain / The Rakes / Ghostwood @ The Arena
It matters little however, as tonight is all about the songs. For those of us who’ve spent the last few weeks revising with 21 Singles: 1984 – 1998, our selective studiousness is rewarded, as the band tread their more successful territory almost exclusively. It would have been nice to hear some more Psychocandy material aside from Just Like Honey and Some Candy Talking, but those songs have been around for over 20 years now.
The band return for an encore which thankfully includes Reverence, rendering – for me at least – the circle complete.
2008 / Apr / 16
The Raveonettes / The Black Ryder / The Neurotransmitters @ The Zoo
Live music – by contrast – thrives on the natural aesthetics of human interaction. The connection within the band, and between them and audience, feels restrained tonight. Far from the crowd driving the trio to new, enthusiastic tempos, they dance like languid puppets to the DAT’s steady beat. That said, it’s still a fantastic show, and songs like the bubblegum-pop You Want The Candy and the droning Aly, Walk With Me are still brilliant examples of composition. Twilight too, is great as an encore, though the band’s return to the stage is disappointingly short.
Ladytron / Familjen @ The Tivoli
Headliners Ladytron, with their mix of dead-eyed cool and unnerving confidence, appear soon after – singers Helena Marnie and Mira Arroyo, dressed in black with dark-rimmed eyes, take their places at the front of the stage, while Daniel Hunt and Reuben Wu lurk about behind keyboards in the background. Tonight’s show leans heavily towards tracks from their most recent release, Velocifero, which pairs the band’s pop songwriting with layers of droning keyboards and buzzing guitars. Predictably, the newer, noisier songs sound absolutely great on stage. The band open with Black Cat, and whip quickly through I’m Not Scared, Runaway and the stomping single Ghosts. Marnie’s vocals are as sweet as Arroyo’s spoken word intonations are ominous, but when the two work together, like on the squalling, sinister High Rise, they reach a kind of creepy, detached perfection.2008 / Nov / 16
Emiliana Torrini / Charge Group @ The Powerhouse Theatre
It doesn’t take too long for the audience to fall in love with the elfish Emiliana Torrini. About halfway through her introductory tale of last-minute wardrobe malfunctions and we’re eating out the palm of her tiny hands. A crack backing band accompany her songs of folky beauty, as well as the more exploratory elements of new album Me & Armini. Guns is her epic mood-creator, her screams combining with mounds of guitar and a highly animated drummer that uses a violin bow on cymbals for a truly moving experience. She moves from wine to whiskey halfway through the performance, denoting a desire to loosen up. A coy smile, many more stories about song composition and a sad song ends abruptly as Torrini bursts into laughter …ps. all reviews and some pics are from Rave Mag
No comments:
Post a Comment