| Author | Message | ||
     Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 315 Registered: 05-2005 |
The Triffids/David McComb gig last night was, as expected, excellent. The Moodists Steve Miller was the MC in a shiny tight suit talking about L.U.V. and sometimes lucidly introducing the acts, althought, weirdly, Youth Group suddenly appeared before him and played 3 songs unannounced. Rob Snarski sang Black eyed Susans songs written by McComb (and a song from Love of Will) with his incredibly smooth voice. Other guests included Mick Harvey, Melanie Oxley(excellent), the guy from Youth group and the non-singing oldest(?) brother who read some of his missing brothers poetry. You know I'm a Church fan but really, Steve Kilbey blasted the show apart with his empassioned versions of Wide Open Road and Stolen Property. At the end of the latter, a mate who I went with was so impressed he remarked that now he should tackle Lonely Stretch - which was the next song. I've been seeing the Church in concert since 1983 and I've NEVER seen Kilbey give himself over to songs as much as he did last night! He nearly owned them and he turned his smooth spiteful baritone into a roaring and rasping rage!!! Amazing!!!! He also sang the first encore, Field of Glass, where he barked out the invective of the song. Again, it was, at times, as though he was channelling David McComb directly. The band had Martin Casey (resplendant in a grass green suit and apparently playing Kilbey's bass), Mark Dawson was on second drums and percussion and Chris Abrahams on piano. Rikki from the Brian Jonestown Massacre(best mate of Kilbey and apparently ensconced in Sydney now)played guitar too. All in all, a great night, great songs and great singers. The Triffids were a bit wobbly towards the start but warmed up and played well, especially Rob McComb on a Gretch Country Gent(?) and violin. If you are in Sydney or nearby, do yourself a favour and start lining up for those last minute tickets...but make sure it's well before 8am! | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1508 Registered: 03-2005 |
Thanks for the report Geoff. It sounds great. | ||
| Catherine Vaughan Member Username: Catherine Post Number: 413 Registered: 05-2005 |
Thanks Geoff. I'd really love to have been there. I'm trying to imagine Kilbey's Wide Open Road and Stolen Property, my two favourites from my favourite album. They sound good in my head at least.. Hopefully some of those nice people who know how to put stuff up on YouTube were in attendance also. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1998 Registered: 05-2005 |
An Australian friend of mine, who has a very good taste in music, surprised me the other day by saying he can't understand how The Triffids are being praised so much now. He said he bought their early singles but nothing more. I offered him a good home for those singles, but he'd already sold them on ebay to someone in America some time ago. I have been a little uneasy about these concerts, which is why I have only bought a ticket to one night. For instance I've always thought that Thin Lizzy touring without Phil Lynnott who has been dead more than 20 years was ridiculous. But while that is obviously done so the surviving members can make a living, I know the Triffids shows are being done as a tribute to David McComb's wonderful songwriting. I'll let you know on Sunday or Monday how I feel about all of this after seeing the show. I met Pete Azzopardi and his partner Liz for lunch yesterday. Pete said the show the previous night was great. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 951 Registered: 10-2004 |
This reminds me of how the Sound did a show (or multiple shows?) not too long ago with Mark Burgess from the Chamelons standing in for the late Adrian Borland. The only surviving members of the Sound are the bassist and drummer, who were both playing. Two other people filled in on guitar and synths. I saw a clip of this on you tube and thought it was really well done, and Burgess did a very spirited and loving performance. If anything, from what little I saw, it seemed like a nice tribute to Borland. At the same time, I do tend to share Padraig's line of thinking as far as being a bit uneasy with these types of shows. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 2009 Registered: 05-2005 |
It has taken me a long time to post my review of the show here because I had a busy week but also because I wanted to digest what I had seen and heard before writing about it. Perhaps I should have done it sooner though, as I now realise that I can't remember a lot of the 'who did whats'! The Triffids forum is helping to remind me though! It was a three-and-a-half hour show, without an interval. I did not leave my seat at any point. My back ached from all the sitting, but my heart was full. Youth Group came on first and did two songs which I think are very old Triffids songs from their early tapes. It was a spirited performance, and they obviously genuinely love The Triffids. One song sounded very like either a Go-Betweens song or a Grant McLennan solo song, but I just can't remember which one. The next section, featuring Too Hot To Move, Too Hot To Think, A Place In The Sun, Tarrilup Bridge, In The Pines, Hell Of A Summer and The Seabirds made me realise just how much I love The Triffids and that my pre-conceived notions of what this night might be like were being washed away in a flood of emotions. Next came the first absolute highlight; Mark Snarski, who was in The Blackeyed Susans with David McComb, belting out a beautiful take on Bury Me Deep In Love. Snarski's brother Rob’s take on The Good Life Never Ends was also superb. Melanie Oxley and Chris Abrahams provided the next great moments with a stunning Embedded and I Want To Conquer You. What a voice she has. Jill Birt's terrific Raining Pleasure was next. By the way, Jill was resplendent in a red dress, only matched by Martyn Casey's Bad Seeds suit! Steve Kilbey of The Church's voice was shot from doing these four nights and also three nights of the Kev Carmody show, but his all-encompassing passion for David McComb's songs shone through on Stolen Property, Lonely Stretch and Wide Open Road. Toby Martin from Youth Group did a wonderful version of Trick Of The Light. Great to hear him do Spanish Blue too. Jill Birt brilliantly sang Goodbye Little Boy. Robert McComb played a Gretsch on this. I've always loved the look and sound of any Gretsch! Mick Harvey played Dave's guitar on Setting You Free from Love Of Will and it sounded magnificent, like the best garage band ever. The set closed with Jerdacuttup Man, Calenture and Save What You Can, and I was in rapture. After a standing ovation and raucous applause Youth Group came on to do Thanks For Everything from one of the early Triffids cassette albums. Tender Is The Night is one of the most wonderful love songs ever, and Jill Birt did it justice and sang it beautifully. Steve Kilbey came back to do Field Of Glass. It made me think it was good The Triffids outgrew that Doorsy period. I seemed to be pretty much alone in not thinking it's a great song though! Fairytale Love brought things to a magnificent close. It makes me want to revisit and re-evaluate The Black Swan. There were also several non-musical highlights: The Triffids' former tour manager Handsome Steve Miller was an off-kilter, but hilarious, MC throughout the night; the look of sheer wonderment on the faces of Evil Graham Lee, Robert McComb, Steve Kilbey and several others all night; John McComb reading his brother's precocious teenage poetry; the audience loving every one of the 210 minutes of the concert. This was a very special night. It was a three-and-a-half hour show, without an interval. I did not leave my seat at any point. My back ached from all the sitting, but my heart was full. Youth Group came on first and did two songs which I think are very old Triffids songs from their early tapes. It was a spirited performance, and they obviously genuinely love The Triffids. One song sounded very like either a Go-Betweens song or a Grant McLennan solo song, but I just can't remember which one. The next section, featuring Too Hot To Move, Too Hot To Think, A Place In The Sun, Tarrilup Bridge, In The Pines, Hell Of A Summer and The Seabirds made me realise just how much I love The Triffids and that my pre-conceived notions of what this night might be like were being washed away in a flood of emotions. Next came the first absolute highlight, Mark Snarski, who was in The Blackeyed Susans with David McComb, belting out a beautiful take on Bury Me Deep In Love. Rob Snarski's take on The Good Life Never Ends was also superb. Melanie Oxley and Chris Abrahams provided the next great moments with a stunning Embedded and I Want To Conquer You. What a voice she has. Jill Birt's terrific Raining Pleasure was next. By the way, Jill was resplendent in a red dress, only matched by Martyn Casey's Bad Seeds suit! Steve Kilbey of The Church's voice was shot from doing these four nights and also three nights of the Kev Carmody show, but his all-encompassing passion for David McComb's songs shone through on Stolen Property, Lonely Stretch and Wide Open Road. Toby Martin from Youth Group did a wonderful version of Trick Of The Light. Great to hear him do Spanish Blue too. Jill Birt brilliantly sang Goodbye Little Boy. Robert McComb played a Gretsch on this. I've always loved the look and sound of any Gretsch! Mick Harvey played Dave's guitar on Setting You Free from Love Of Will and it sounded magnificent, like the best garage band ever. The set closed with Jerdacuttup Man, Calenture and Save What You Can, and I was in rapture. After a standing ovation and raucous clapping Youth Group came on to do Thanks For Everything from one of the early Triffids cassette albums. Tender Is The Night is one of the most wonderful love songs ever, and Jill Birt did it justice and sang it beautifully. Steve Kilbey came back to do Field Of Glass. It made me think it was good The Triffids outgrew that Doorsy period. I seemed to be pretty much alone in not thinking it's a great song though! Fairytale Love brought things to a magnificent close. It makes me want to revisit and re-evaluate The Black Swan. There were also several non-musical hightlights: The Triffids' former tour manager Handsome Steve Miller was an off-kilter, but hilarious, MC throughout the night; the look of sheer wonderment on the faces of Evil Graham Lee, Robert McComb, Steve Kilbey and several others all night; John McComb reading his brother's precocious teenage poetry; the audience loving every one of the 210 minutes of the concert. This was a very special night. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 2012 Registered: 05-2005 |
Full set list: Youth Group 1 No Desire 2 Tuscan Street Retirement Village The Triffids 3 Too Hot To Move, Too Hot To Think 4 A Place In The Sun 5 Tarrilup Bridge 6 In The Pines 7 Hell Of A Summer 8 The Seabirds The Mark Snarski 9 Bury Me Deep In Love 10 Suntrapper 11 Life Of Crime The Blackeyed Susans 12 This One Eats Souls 13 Every Gentle Soul 14 Leaning 15 Oceans of You 16 The Good Life Never Ends The Triffids/ The Blackeyed Susans 17 Red Pony Melanie Oxley 18 Embedded 19 I Want To Conquer You The Triffids 20 Raining Pleasure Steve Kilbey 21 Stolen Property 22 Lonely Stretch 23 Wide Open Road Toby Martin 24 Trick Of The Light 25 Personal Things 26 Spanish Blue The Triffids 27 Goodbye Little Boy Mick Harvey 28 Unmade Love 29 Setting You Free The Triffids 30 Jerdacuttup Man 31 Calenture 32 Save What You Can Encores Youth Group 33 Thanks For Everything The Triffids 34 Tender Is The Night 35 Field of Glass 36 Fairytale Love | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 2017 Registered: 05-2005 |
I forgot to mention that the last two nights were filmed. Heavy duty cameras too, not just work experience kids with camcorders. A damn good DVD is on the way at some point. It will probably get a cinema run first though - that's the idea at least. Pete Azzopardi was interviewed in the foyer for it. |