Fleet Foxes, Tivoli Theatre, 11th of January 2012

Well folks, I was all set to transfer this blog over to Wordpress when either I clicked something to make it better or Blogger just suddenly got better. I am currently using an interface which doesn't suck and this is making an already satisfactory week even better. Congratulations for reading my thoughts blogger! (We'll see how long this lasts, and if I've broken the internet by typing the word 'blogger' into blogger.).

Now, remind me never to use the word 'folks' again, folks. 

Wednesday night was the second night of Fleet Foxes' Brisbane tour, on the back of their critically favoured second album, 'Helplessness Blues'. I'd heard just enough of the new one to discern a few enjoyable favourites, although I would describe the new one as "very Fleet Foxes", without quite as much magic as their 2008 self titled debut. Anyway, I arrived with gig posse just in time for support act Grand Salvo to start his slot, being a bearded folk singer with naught but his acoustic. As he commenced I noticed that the crowd was a quite distinct mix of old and new, with a fair serving of black-framed-glasses hipsterosity. So much so that the lady in front of us walked up to a black-framed stranger, thinking he was her black-framed husband for a few too many seconds until she found him standing on the other side of her. 

Grand Salvo with a boat

Back to the performance! While showing obvious talents on the strings of his guitar, and a sweetly tuned voice to accompany it, the consistently themed tunes he played us were also consistently melancholic-ally dull. It was clear he was chosen for the finger plucking melodic sounds that the Fleet Foxes share, but the interest value was very lacking, and I felt lulled to sleep more than pumped for the headlining band. Perhaps I'd enjoy him better as background music on a wintry afternoon. 

There was very little time to wait before the Fleet Foxes followed his departure, luckily, and frontman Robin Pecknold and company graced the stage with a visual image of stars trailing behind them. A bit of a fumble and they launched into "The Plains/Bitter Dancer" from the new record. Suddenly we were all awake, awed by the powerful crescendo of lushness, and amazingly strong harmonies, broken up by the perfectly synchronised verse chants. Another bit-too-long fumble later and they continued with "Mykonos" from their 'Sun Giant' EP. The band's pauses between songs were a little longer than expected, probably due to their preparation for each special arranged tune, as some members switched from mandolin to guitar, from double bass to flute, and so on. This was noticed by a few crowd douchebags who screeched out songs for them to play as they got ready, and most embarrassingly boganesque "YEAHYEAHH!!!"'s, dog calls, and the kind of yelling reserved for Rage Against the Machine gigs. I don't know if the perpetrators did this to be ironic or as a joke on the band, having been dragged there by others perhaps, but it wasn't funny and it even lead to Robin saying something like "That's not the way to behave in such a tasteful venue as the Tivoli theatre". Robin, drummer Joshua, and other guitarists (view fail.) were pleasantly engaging during these pauses, with relaxed banter and conversation about badly treated cymbals and the Brisbane heat. 

Christian Wargo (bass) and Robin Pecknold (beautiful, beautiful vocals)

Skuler Skjelset (lead guitar) and Morgan Henderson (most other things)

The sensational music continued with highlights from 'Helplessness Blues', including "Sim Sala Bim", "Battery Kinzie", and the lovely opening track "Montezuma". I can't express enough how perfect their harmonies and intricate instrumentals interacted together to create the most fantastic replications of their album songs. It was pristinely clear and completely un-faultable, and in combination with Robin's earnestness in his performance, was even better than on record. An array of visual patterns were projected to support the songs from time to time, and the continual rising of stars made the band look as if they were floating towards us, powered by their music. (I'm a wank.)
My favourite moments were their selection of songs from their first album, including harmony heaven "White Winter Hymnal", the brilliant "He Doesn't Know Why" (with that all powerful bridge "THERE'S NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTHING I CAN DOOOOOOOOOOOO..." projected to utmost satisfaction) and rollicking "Ragged Wood". To finish off before their encore, they decide to replicate the end of the new album, firstly "The Shrine/An Argument", in its layered, almost schizophrenic glory, and the quiet "Blue Spotted Tail" preluding the energetic "Grown Ocean". 

Circle of Robin

It didn't take long for them to come out again for a bit more fumbling and then a nicely packed encore. They treated us to  a lovely bunch of self-titled album songs, including constantly requested "Oliver James", (you lucky pesks), "Sun it Rises", and "Blue Ridge Mountains". Finally, as I had predicted to myself, they left us with their title song, "Helplessness Blues", which powered along fantastically leaving me slightly bittersweet that it was all about to end. Naww.
The crowd trudged out of the Tivoli with great difficulty, and a kind of speechless cloud was over me as I exited. What an amazing start to the year this performance was! Exclamation! The bar is totally set high by the FF's, and it's going to take a lot of perfection to beat this gig. My bittersweet thoughts appear to be shared, as a fellow gig attendee reported on facebook later "That was inspirational and upsetting. Acceptable and infuriating." Agreed.


9 snow topped trees out of 10. Please imagine these trees as we embrace this searing hot summer. Ahhh.

The Kooks, The Tivoli, Monday 2nd January 2012

The Kooks are a band I only just got into last year, namely their 2006 debut album 'Inside In/ Inside Out', which I bought on a $10 whim, and became quite acquainted with. They're a band I got very late on the bandwagon of, being UK indie pop darlings since their breakthrough. I get the feeling they are very loved among the Britons, if only from personal experience, as when I put "Naive" on at a friend's party largely attended by members of the UK, it resulted in a rather epic singalong. Did I mention how hip with it I am...

Anyway the Kooks were performing at the Tivoli in support of September 2011's album 'Junk of the Heart'. You may have already heard the incredibly adworthy (it may already be in an advertisement?) title song "Junk of the Heart (Happy)". It's their biggest single off it so far, and to be honest the only song I really could remember off the new album, having bought it a week before this performance. I'm the hippest.

Being a stone's throw away from the Tivoli I lose a bit of motivation for getting there early, so I missed support band Toucan, and hence got a pretty average spot in the middle of the crowd. Still, my photos weren't as bad as they have been in past reviews. The curly haired gang appeared onstage not long after we got there and launched into a packed set, full of their perfectly timed 3 minute pop songs, guaranteeing that much of their catalogue would be covered. They started with a new album track, "Is it Me", and followed without much hurrah with "Always Where I Need to Be" from Konk, during which the crowd were pleasantly receptive. While I wasn't too familiar with the first track it was a great introduction to the Kook's very easy to enjoy style, and their prowess with their instruments. It was with the next selection "Sofa Song", that the crowd were really pleased, and they presented it with all the energy and angst as on record. They were extremely tight and entertaining, and frontman Luke Pritchard carried the show on his shoulders, exploding on the stage with arms and legs flailing, serenading the audience with each heartfelt song.

Even while jumping up and down in peak song moments, you could still hear Luke's voice articulating the lyrics clear as day. Which was quite interesting, as during the moments between songs, I couldn't understand a thing he said. Thanks to a distinct slur and mumble of a talking voice, even when announcing the songs, I didn't expect what I heard, it was so difficult to discern. This was the only issue regarding the sound, as The Tivoli wins again for clear and excellent audio projection. THANKS TIV, ILU.

Song highlights continued with the summerhappy "She Moves in Her Own Way", the seductive "Runaway", with an uncharacteristically funky bassline, and the rock explosion "If Only", a welcome favourite of mine. Then Luke got down to the bizness by taking up a solo spot on our left of the stage with his acoustic guitar, playing us the simplistic opener of their debut "Seaside", and "Tick of Time", then leading the rest of the band into "See the Sun".

It was at this point, where a few more from 'Junk of the Heart' were presented, that their songs kind of blended into each other, and I got a little bit bored. The thing with a band like the Kooks is that, while they are catchy, fun, and pleasing to the ears in their guitar and drum combinations, they don't really stray from their very obvious style. As a result, it felt a little long and repetitive and I couldn't help wondering when it would be encore time. After a few more from 'Konk', ending on the sexual invitation of 'Do You Wanna', they left the stage shortly for said anticipated encore. It's interesting, I don't see the band much as 'hot young things' brimming with sex appeal but more 'young fun things'; perhaps it's their look or Luke's voice, but their sexual invitations don't really work for me? (Whereas Jarvis Cocker... Yeah I can't explain it really).

Anyway their encore was very predictable, finishing up on non-album track "The Saboteur", their radio friendly "Junk of the Heart (Happy)", and then said singalong "Naive", rather an excellent way to end things really.

It was all very good, and as gig-buddy put it, a pure full bodied rockshow, but as far as memorable gigs go, this wouldn't be one of them. I don't think it had anything much to do with their talent as musicians or showmanship, you couldn't fault them on that, but really just the fact that their music is as samey as samey gets. And, as a result, I really haven't listened to their music since. Granted, that is probably half due to the dying down of my Watch the Throne phase, and focus on the plethora of gigs that are coming up for me in the next two weeks (Fleet Foxes, Arctic Monkeys, tune-yards, the Damned, and Asa, not to mention the festivals!).

So I give the show 7.5 but minus a point for being a little uninventive as a band. Not that I could do any better. 6.5 David Bowie references out of 10.