The Dandy Warhols, The Tivoli, Tuesday 31st May 2011

Happy first day of winter everybody! I am celebrating it with a cough and sore throat and day in bed. Hooray. :(

Before that however I celebrated by seeing the Dandy's live for the first time in my life. This fact is quite silly as they have had many tours and I have had many chances to see them, who I have always had a great love for. Better late than never. And being my first time, my expectations were pretty high along with my excitement level. It was also my first valley gig since moving there and I was keen to take advantage (actually being able to walk home in less than 10 minutes, what!).

What followed was a gig that totally exceeded my expectations beyond belief, which is a hard feat. My group and I got caught up with food and drink and hence missed the support act, Los Huevos, which I was a little looking forward to checking out, but being a Brisbane band I'm sure I'll have the chance to see them again. Before long, the main act arrived; Courtney Taylor-Taylor, still very doable even with his hair in a bun, Zia McCabe, similarly doable enhanced by her rock chick long hair, epicly teased-haired Brent de Boer on a low to the ground drum kit, and shy on the sidelines guitarist Peter Holmström. They began with a long wall of sound which then became "Be-In". from 'Come Down'. Having 'Be-In' as an opener was literally the best thing they could have done (to me imo) and I was thrilled. It is such a perfect opening for that album and one of my favourites of theirs. I expected the crowd to be just as thrilled but I felt a little dorky jigging around and fist pumping while the rest around me just stood and watched. It's not a big

thing but it is really awkward getting into a song when no one else is... it's so much more fun when others are (safely and not rudely!) going mad for it with you. GUYS, AREN'T YOU AS EXCITED AS ME! IT'S THE DANDY'S! Oh that's right you've all probably seen them three times already. Sigh.

On the topic of going mad for it I cannot avoid talking about the middle aged lady who was in front of me the whole gig. First she introduced her weird thing by thinking that my (well it was oversized, I had come straight from work), handbag was a dog. Ummmmm. Then for the rest of the gig anyone that came within any sort of proximity to her was moved aside, by her. When the crowd DID get into it, and others' space were being invaded (NOT hers), she made it her business to butt in and have her say, to the point of harshly pushing someone right through the crowd, which was more damage than he was doing at the time (and again, NOT TO HER).

It was pretty brutal and distracting and further reinforces my view (which I am often reminded of while accompanying my parents to gigs) that if you have big issues with having yours or others' space invaded at shows/festivals, then there are probably better places for you to stand. And the Tivoli has a perfectly good balcony where she would have enjoyed herself more. There aren't so much 'rules' at gigs as expectations, and while people pushing through is annoying, of course, to most people, there is really nothing you can do about it, as in a General Admission gig, no piece of space is rightfully anyones. All personal space boundary rules are totally broken in mosh pits, and they always will be. And there is always that annoying drunk idiot who dances around completely unaware of other people in their wake. It happens, we get annoyed (as do I), but it's to be expected, and if it's not for you, there are better places to view the show.

Speaking of the show, back to it. The set was absolutely epic. They played a huge stack from 'Come Down' and '13 Tales from Urban Bohemia' and won the crowd with their hits from 'Welcome to the Monkey House' (namely "You Were the Last High" and "We Used to be Friends"). The earlier two albums I completely adore so I was ecstatic to hear so much from them. It's fantastic when a band picks a setlist that seems to echo completely your personal favourites, and it sounds wanky, but it was as if the band went into my brain and picked out the songs I had really been enjoying and decided there was a good selection there and went with it. And with that, played the songs extremely well, with full passion, power and harmony.

There were a few new songs there which sounded really good and appeared to hark back to their rawer earlier sound, moreso than the synth driven songs of their later offerings. Courtney decided to break up the momentum a little by leading the audience into a softer, slower acoustic version of "Everyday Should Be A Holiday", which worked really well even though it would have been just as fun to rock out to with the full band. Where horns were present in songs such as "Godless", the band sang 'ba-ba-ba's' to make up for it, and with the audience going along as well, it didn't feel like anything was missing.

The last of the set was a real highlight, with "Pete International Airport" blissing me out until it lead into "Boys Better" which was a super crowd pleaser and topped off the musical euphoria. As a 'final' song they went with "Country Leaver", which was an odd but cute choice that in the end I was glad for, as it is the type of song to put a cheeky smile on your face and leave me with a sweet memory to take home with.

Courtney's cheeky smile

It had been such a long set, at least over an hour and 45 minutes, so I wasn't expecting an encore. But soon after exiting, the band returned for "the only encore of the Australian tour", although I may need confirmation from other concert goers... If it was true, we were the lucky ones treated to a cover of "Hell's Bells" by AC/DC. I am by no means a fan of AC/DC but they did an excellent take of it, and I enjoyed a final helping of their sound before heading home.

I couldn't really speak about it afterwards as it was so much to take in. A culmination of years of Dandy fandom all in an epic 2 hour explosion of music, left me a bit speechless. God knows what I'm going to be like if I ever see something like Radiohead. I'll probably have an aneurysm.

Nine unzipped bananas out of ten, and a serious contender for gig of the year.... but we'll see about that, there's Pulp and Elbow to yet see.........

.... and i also got tickets to Steely Dan. Bet you can't wait for that post.

(some of the) Caxton Wine and Seafood Festival, Caxton St, 1st May, 2011

So this site is back to normal now it seems, without wanting to recover any of my lost stuff, so here goes again. I promise reviews will be more regular (well as I see shows!)

Thought I would check out the Caxton festival on the first sunny weekend of May, with my parents... again, why can I not find people my own age to see bands with? Oh well, the more you hang out with your parents at events the more drinks they buy you without realising...

I hadn't been feeling the best that day, and I am afraid it overshadowed the experience somewhat, and being a seafood festival I felt a little uncertain about it... not wanting to disrupt my recent foray into vegetarianism (too much). Nonetheless I was there to see the bands, and while there was a stack of artists there, there was one in particularly I was really keen for, which was Hugh Cornwell from the Stranglers. For $25 dollars entry, that was a bargain for me. Not too mention the other quite seminal Australian acts on offer.

As we wandered around the area looking for some food, wine and a place to sit, we were treated with some house music before the first set: Beck's "Odelay". I know this information is irrelevant, but this immensely pleased me as it is an excellent sunny day soundtrack.

The first act that we saw was the Radiators, and while we sat for most of it, the music washed over the crowd indulging in seafood, wine, beer and sunshine. From a distance they looked pretty decent for their age and the music was quite good. Not really having known much of the Radiators, I wasn't sure what sort of stuff they had brought to the Australian music industry, but I was pleased to recognise a few songs. So it was a nicely educational and enjoyable experience.

Sitting in the hot sun drinking wine and eating food my body hadn't been used to in a while, was not a good mix for someone who had not been feeling well in the first place, so as we walked over to check out Gangajang, I quickly started feeling pretty faint. This was disappointing, not just because I was feeling my worst when they played their iconic "Sounds of Then", or as Dad would describe it "Down by the Patio We Sit". Kids of young and old were dancing along to it, after looking pretty stoic during their previously played songs, which were well played and while a little dated-sounding, nice tunes. I think. I was kinda seeing stars at this point.

As much as "Sounds of Then" has been flogged over the years not least because of ad campaigns milking the lyrics for all its worth; it really is a great song that does capture what Australia is all about, even now.

A couple of bottled waters later, I was feeling a bit better and stumbled over to see Hugh. He announced himself very subtly, "Hello. My name is Hugh. I used to play in a band called the Stranglers, you might have heard of them". A sweet humbling introduction. I'd seen the Stranglers play the Tivoli many years ago at one of my first ever gigs, with Paul Roberts fronting, who had long ago replaced Hugh once he had decided to leave the band. That was a great show, but it was fantastic to see the original frontman in action, and you could see on his face and in his voice the huge relationship he had with this music and lyrics.

See, you can see it on his face.

Hugh and band opened with "Nice and Sleazy", and immediately my ill feeling left me, as I got into the music with the rest of the crowd. It was fantastic to bop around with the old dudes who had come to hear the classic songs they loved so long ago. He played a great selection of the Stranglers' best material, "Peaches", "Duchess", "Golden Brown". Golden Brown was quite amazing, sounding a little different without an organ but still having the same vibe as the original tune. (My dad thinks otherwise). His voice was clear and it was lovely to hear the original voice of the Stranglers live, and the songs sounded just as good as on record. Even though it was a festival gig, he managed to do an encore as he had finished a little earlier. After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, he came to the audience and told us "I think we'll do an extended version of "Walk On By"", which was a nasty tease. He did instead, a great version of "Get A Grip (On Yourself)" which was just as satisfying.

Whenever I see gigs like these, I again, as I've said many times before, feel like I really was born in the wrong era. It's still great to see the passion and creativity still persisting many years after the creation of the true 'punk' revolution. The songs still resonate, but to a different audience. You could tell Hugh was proud of the songs he was singing and enjoying every minute of it.

Due to a topsy turvy day, I decided to leave after Hugh Cornwell, missing out on the huge amount of other artists that were performing that day. Unfortunate, but I still got more than my monies worth. And no more sunshine wine on a icky stomach, or seafood for me. Blerg.

7.5 overpriced wines out of 10. Would have been more had I been fit to drink more overpriced wine.

Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Rockwiz et al, Byron Bay Bluesfest, Monday 25th April, 2011

Here I was, yet another concert experience with my parents. This one was a little different; being a festival experience. How was I going to handle the idiosyncracies of my family at a festival? How were they going to handle the idiosyncracies of a festival?? We were there also to celebrate my uncle's 50th, so what better way than with a historical musical assortment?

We began by checking out the RockWiz show, my mum's favourite thing in the whole world, which of course my siblings refer to with disgust (luckily, absent) because as if you could enjoy something your mum likes?? I tried to get said mum to compete as a contestant, as Brian Nankervis was finishing up recruiting as we got to the stage, but to no avail. Half of me wished I had the guts to put my hand up, but the other half knows that my reaction time plus limited knowledge of anything I'm not a fan of, would make me look a right fool. So on with the show, and Nankervis entertainingly got the 18 selected people up for a few rounds of the game, so that the 4 best could be determined for the show. This was a bit of fun, and some of the personalities of the people up there were quite colourful, including a bubbly young girl in her 20's (or younger) who managed to make it through, and a young strapping hippy fellow, determined to throw as many corny pick up lines to her rockwiz highness Julia Zemiro, as possible. Julia is even dishier in real life as she is onscreen, (that picture is awful) and her charisma even bigger. It was very obvious that she's done this for so many years and things were pretty heightened and over the top, but to be 'on' for such a long period of time has got to be hard, and she does it well. She also handled sleazy hippy guy without batting an eyelid.

The incredibly charismatic and entertaining Henry Wagons, and put-out looking Kate Miller-Heidke were the guests of the day. I realised on this day, after an exciting little number from Henry, what I don't like about Kate. Kate prides herself on her quirky tunes with a little in joke involved (see that Facebook song, Australian Idol song, Psycho Killer cover), which could be misleadingly described as well written. Take away those jokes though, and you have some pretty vacant and awfully written songs. Also, that quirky fun personality that she tries to emit through her songs, just does not transfer through her on stage persona (or, as I have not seen her perform in years, televised persona). It certainly didn't today, and throughout the whole show, she looked like she would have rather been anywhere else. Julia tried to banter with her with very brief returns, and she really didn't provide much to the experience at all. Perhaps she was roped in? Perhaps she was hungover? Hmmmm.

"Henry, f*** off so I can go write a song with Bemg Folndes"

The greatest part of the RockWiz show were the regular musical guests from other artists at the festival, a lovely treat, as we were only there for a day and wouldn't have the opportunity to check everything out. We got some great performances from Irma Thomas (ahhh she just had to open her mouth slightly to make amazing sweet music come out of it), Eli Paperboy Reed, and Barrence Whitfield, finishing up with a group song at the end with the whole gang.

So the RockWiz part of the day could have been the most value, not just for the gameshow and Julia, but the performances we were treated to. I walked out of the tent to be graced with moans and groans from the oldies at their aching bones and backs and legs... and being the smug young thing I am, I had to say "This is only the beginning!!"

Catering for the older group, the festival had some differences that I was not used to at Splendour and Sunset Sounds and such, particular as it had designated places for picnic chairs, which diehard fans had set up in the main tent for hours staking their prime spot for Bob. So in the end, my dear father got us some chairs for us to copy, and I have to say it was nice to be able to sit and relax in between acts.

Before Bob, we caught a snippet of Tim Robbin's band, and a set from Buffy Sainte Marie. She was quite interesting, and I was surprised to find she'd written a few pretty well known songs, such as "Universal Soldier" (Donovan) and "Love Lifts Us Up Where We Belong" (but we won't talk about that...). She was very passionate about her Native American upbringing and standing up for rights, and had a lot of energy and passion... I did feel nasty comparing her voice to Yoko Ono, but it really is quite unique and hard to warm to. Her set was much more interesting than the one that followed, by Warren Haynes of Allman Brothers' fame, a band I really know nothing of and doesn't seem to be my preferred style. I was very bored with Warren's set and could not get into it, but I think it's just a type of music, that country-blues-m.o.r. style, that isn't for me.

That was over soon enough, and Dylan's time was now. As anticlimactic as the whole thing was, it was... truly a unique show. They had shut off the screens for the audience, so there was no closeups of Bob's anything. Because the crowd was so huge, all you could see was a blur with a top hat.

As the music began, I experienced the worst live performance of my life. From beginning to end, it was the dreadfullest. His voice was not a voice, but a crackle of spat out verses... not in sentences but in quickly strung together words. There were moments where he sounded like he was loosening up a bit, but it never really improved. There were so many songs that both myself nor my long-time-Dylan-listener family members could not identify. Even such obvious classics like :Tangled Up In Blue", "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall" and "Like A Rolling Stone" were impossible to pick until a poorly executed version of the choruses were played. If the band had been amazing, one may have been able to pick the tune, but even the band weren't anything to rave about... they did the job required, nothing exceptional, but nothing terrible.

From not being able to see much to not being able to hear anything worth hearing, it was much like a really bad session of karaoke, but one you did not have any patience for. Actually, at least a really bad session of karaoke is a bit cheaper and supplemented by egging on and alcohol. This was much much worse, and worser still from such an iconic musical hero to so many people.

By the end of it I was so happy for it to be over. It was embarrassing. I usually have no problem with ageing rockstars touring in this day and age, because they do often have some appeal to the new generation- and while they meant something different to the people listening when they were big, they mean something else to me now. But Bob Dylan needs to stop. right now. Brian Wilson was endearing in his lack of performance skills, and at least he seemed to be enjoying himself. And we all know he's crazy. Bob is ruining his music genius and influencer of all status, by making us pay squillions to squirm at awfulness.

If it weren't for Elvis (and RockWiz earlier) it would have been a total money waster.

What I love about Elvis Costello’s performances, this being the second one I’d seen (first being his QPAC Brisbane show in 2004) is his tendency not to mess around, but get straight into playing as many much loved tunes as he can, with only a small break of minimum crowd banter in between. He flies through one after the other smooth as a whip, swapping guitars now and then thanks to on-guard roadies. It makes for such an energetic show, coupled with the fact that this guy refuses to lose any momentum due to age. His voice is still stunningly powerful and full of emotion, his musicianship is still amazing, and he looks like he’s having a fantastic time, unlike Mr D an hour previously (well from what I could hear anyway). Elvis began with a classic guaranteed to move the crowd out of their depressed slumber, "Pump It Up", and moved quickly through an excellent selection of favourites, including a fair few from 'My Aim is True', 'Next Years Model' and 'Oliver’s Army' (the three essentials in my humble opinion). He also played a couple of new ones from 'National Ransom', and brought up Secret Sisters to sing one (1) word of the chorus of “A Slow Drag with Josephine". They sounded like sweet songs, with as much of the country element as the last toured album I'd heard, 'The Delivery Man'. We were treated to an emotional “Alison”. "Beyond Belief", and an extended version of "(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace Love and Understanding". He didn’t play my absolute favourite that gave me tears in my eyes at QPAC, "I Want You", but I wasn’t going to hold it against him; its themes of dark stalkery obsession aren’t really festival material.

Once that whirlwind ended, the feelings of hopeless embarrassment were replaced with a warm fuzzy sigh of relief, and thankfulness that it all hadn’t been a wasted festival. I was so glad Elvis had headlined the Monday night and the best was saved until last, but still a shame that his performance was overshadowed by the folk king Dylan.

Upon writing this review, I’ve looked at a few other reviews of the day, and many sung the praises of Bob’s performance. I don’t know whether they were at the same show as me, or there is a little cognitive dissonance coming into play… justifying paying an arm and a leg (up to $150 a night??) for a terrible performance, by pretending it was awesome?? The inability to accept that such a legend can sound terrible? Geez, get a grip journies.

Post re-edited and re-posted! phew. 6.5 blog hosts out of 10.