The Waiting Man

Saw one of my favourite bands last night... on apparently their first visit to Sydney in 30 years or so - but I don't remember them coming here 30 years ago - I'd have gone!!

Del Amitri, with 3 original members present (not bad for a band that's been going nearly 40 years!!) sounded every bit as good as their albums & belied their slightly more weathered & 'experienced' appearance with playing & vocals that were just spot-on. About 4 songs in, singer/bass/guitarist Justin Currie welcomed us to the gig, announced that they were going to do a slower song, so we could go to the bar if we wanted, but after that it would just be "hit, after hit, after hit". And while that may be an exaggeration in terms of the international music charts, for us, it was absolutely true. The only complaint I could have about the show was that, at 90 minutes, it was too darned short!!

Phone photos from the gig - not the greatest quality, but good enough...






Ian bloody Harvey... great guitarist but TURN AROUND, DAMMIT!!



Somebody posted a song from the gig!!



Just to prove they've still got it... here's the original from 1989



I'm a happy boy...

As mentioned a couple of entries ago, we went to see Tool at an EnormoDome on Monday night. My 4th time, L-SP's 4th... or 5th - but I retain the bragging rights to having seen them on their 1st Australian tour, at a much smaller venue (one of a few times I've nearly died at a gig, but that's another story)... Anyway, we're both big fans!

Though on Monday, you wouldn't have thought that of us, if you'd seen us in the vicinity of the rest of the audience... I have a fairly conservative, short-ish haircut at the moment - not a buzzcut, nor a shaved head, L-SP didn't have her hair dyed an unsubtle colour, neither of us were wearing band t-shirts for either Tool, or any other band, our jeans weren't strategically torn & neither of us were in army boots, or Doc Martens (I was in brown suede boots, L-SP in Converse sneakers). All that said, there was a friendly vibe amongst all of us, even when getting out of our seats repeatedly to let others into our row. Our seats were about 2/3s of the way back, on the right side - which was fine, really... Far enough back to see the lights, projections etc, but close enough that the band weren't anonymous stick figures in the distance & the PA setup made sure you could hear everything from whispers to screams

Which brings me to the support act - a one-man-band from San Diego calling himself Author & Punisher. My simple review was yelled in L-SP's ear halfway through his set "Now I know what the music in Hell will sound like!!". Industrial to the point of atonality, slow beats & distorted vocals all fed through various effects & treatments of his own design & played EXTREMELY LOUD with the subwoofer speakers giving my lower intestine a strength test - trying to vibrate everything loose. I ended up doing something I'm reluctant to do at gigs & put in earplugs... which served to protect my brain & made the sound a little clearer, but not much better...

Tool were probably just as loud overall, but with a greater sense of - & control of - dynamics, tension & release. A nearly 3 hour set seemed to fly by, filled with stunning visuals, superb musicianship & not a little humour, occasionally. To complain that they didn't play some of the songs I'd have liked to hear would be churlish - suffice to say it would have to be a 6 hour show to please everyone... but I'd be up for that!!

Despite their well-publicised & oft-announced ban on the use of mobile phones during most of the show (except for the last song of the night), which I kind of approve of... there's plenty of shaky & muffled stuff from their recent shows on Youtube, but I won't link to any... Just go & see them for yourself & thank me later

Maybe skip the support act though...