Gig reviews!

So, I’ve been privileged enough to enjoy a few music gigs recently, with some big acts. So I thought I’d share my thoughts and experiences with you. Ready? Here we go…

Iggy and the Stooges

What do you think when you hear the name Iggy Pop? ‘Oh god, he’s still alive’? ‘Surely he’s not still touring’? ‘I bet his gig would be a trainwreck’?

I wasn’t quite sure what my expectations were for this gig. I was familiar with the Stooges’ music, of course, and Iggy is rightly (in)famous. I mean, the guy is a punk legend in his 60’s, who barely made it out alive.

I’m glad to report that he’s just as lithe, snake-hipped, and maniacal as ever. He still exudes charisma, as well as raw, brutal, sexual, energy. Age shall not weary him, nor the years condemn. Although his days of rolling in glass are long over, he still did whatever the fuck he wanted, much to the chagrin of both his handlers, and venue security. He barely made it through the first song before taking his first stage dive, of which he completed about five or six through the evening. In the third song he implored the audience to come up on stage with him, which they gleefully accepted. A seething mass of about 100 people stormed the stage, helping their friends up out of the pit like they were climbing out of the trenches. People swarming, moshing, sweaty, all wanting to touch him, be with him. It was hilarious and yet oddly powerful. And Iggy just didn’t care. He never missed a beat, he never blinked, he never hesitated. He would occasionally stick his microphone down his pants and strut across the stage, with beautiful blonde hair, owning his domain. I can honestly say it was the craziest gig I’ve ever been to.

Even more remarkable in their longevity were the rest of the Stooges. Completely separate to Iggy, who was in his own topless, leather-trousered world, the rest of the band were respectable-looking older men. They looked like accountants, teachers, grandfathers – people you wouldn’t look twice at. But they could still rock, and rock hard they did. They were happy to let Iggy do all the posturing, the strutting, the screaming, the full punk outfit – they just played, and they loved it. It was sad that we couldn’t experience the late, great, Ron Asheton, but no matter. It was still raw, visceral, and we still screamed.

My favourite part is that the drummer and the bassist were the last to leave. They jammed for about ten minutes after everyone had gone, until, at last, the bass player threw his guitar to a waiting roadie, nearly caving his head in. Then he bowed, waved, picked up his glasses, put them on, and went into the night, looking like an accountant working late, catching the bus home. It was brilliant.

They Might Be Giants

They Might Be Giants hadn’t played in Australia for 12 years, and we were very ready to have them back. My husband is a huge fan and I know a lot of their songs through pure osmosis. This gig was also on the eve of my birthday, and it seemed like a fun way to spend it.

It was an incredibly long, joyous, and fun gig, playing all their greatest songs, including very old favourites and some off their new album. I could list them for you, or…

Yeah, I managed to get the last set list! But as I said, it was wonderful. I learned a lot. I’ve never seen a bass clarinet in real life before! We also had an appearance from The Avatars of They, with their own song, He’s Loco.

We managed to get a standing spot right up the front, amongst all the action. I had meaningful eye contact with John L. There was piano accordion. It was everything Giants is all about – funny, light, happy, silly, sweary, and smart. Songs were sung, games were played, and fun was had by all. I didn’t get too squashed, and the venue was nice and intimate. It was the happiest gig I’ve ever been at. I knew a lot more songs than I thought, and found myself eagerly anticipating what was being played next.

The energy in the room was reflected on stage. John F was literally leaping all over the stage throughout the whole show. There were lots of jokes (‘What’s the difference between ignorance and apathy? I don’t know and I don’t care’) and audience interaction (‘Hey you, dude at the front recording the whole show? Yeah, we heard backstage that everyone behind you? They all hate you’). You’d think that flying such a long way to tour, and the fact that they’ve been doing this for years, that they wouldn’t be so up and peppy, but they were. The two Johns put on a hell of a show, complete with two encores.

I also have to give a shoutout to the opening act – Australian electronic artist Pluto Jonze. He set the mood perfectly, complete with retro TVs and a theremin. His stuff is happy and whimsical in a Giants-like way, although not quite outright comedic. Look for his stuff on iTunes, highly recommended.

By the end of the night, my feet were completely dead, my voice hoarse from singing, and it was a lovely kick-off to my birthday celebration, dancing with my husband and having a good time. There was another gig the next night and I seriously considered going along to that, but finances prevented it. I had that good a time. It was lots of fun. The only thing that could have made it more fun would be having a bouncy castle. Maybe next time?

Paul Sings

I have enjoyed the vocal stylings of Paul McDermott for many a year – I was obsessed with the Doug Anthony Allstars as a teenager and an avid watcher of Good News Week (the first time). So, when my husband surprised me with tickets to his gig, I was very surprised. As a bonus, I knew that an old school friend of mine, who introduced me to DAAS, would be there so it would be extra awesome.

The format of the show is that Paul would, well, sing with a full backing band, and in between tell stories. This seemed fair enough, but I had no idea what songs he would end up singing. And truth be told, I was slightly disappointed.

Paul explained that the songs he would be singing were ones that came from shows like Good News Week and The Sideshow, 3-minute long ‘filler’ (his word) songs. The songs did showcase his lovely voice well, and the band were very good, but I felt the songs themselves were a little bland. I didn’t engage with them, except maybe one, and I don’t remember it well enough to tell you what it was. Maybe it was because he wanted to sing something else; maybe there were too many copyright hurdles. Who knows.

His little stand-up bits in between were very good, and it was nice to see him carry a comedic show completely on his own, which is rare. He was warm and personable, but hasn’t lost his edge and bite. He berated hecklers and latecomers, and I’m sure that there were some people who felt very privileged to have him scream at them to shut the fuck up. The stories he told were new and unheard, and very funny, although it was frustrating when he spoke about creating and performing famous songs (and public reactions to them) and then he didn’t actually sing them. Most of the songs were nice ballads, so they felt incongruous with the comedic bits, which were more typical of Paul’s past work. It was perfectly enjoyable, but something about it wasn’t quite right.

At the theatre on the night there was another performance scheduled afterwards, so there was no dilly-dallying. After he was done onstage, Paul told us all to come to the lobby if we wanted more. Intrigued, we headed straight there. Paul proceeded to jump into the audience and shoo everyone out of the theatre to the lobby. We arrived in the lobby, where we were urged to sit, and Paul and his band proceeded to perform an acoustic encore. This was definitely the highlight of the night.

I knelt on the floor, sitting on my legs, within centimetres of Paul as he sang. He was singing without any amplification, and it was easy to see how accomplished a stage performer he was – he projected his beautiful voice like a pro, making sure to face different sections of the audience so we could all hear him. It was like watching busking – it was lovely and intimate, and everyone was enjoying the serenade. It was special and unique, and I felt very chuffed to experience it.

All too soon, it was over. Unfortunately my legs had gone numb so I couldn’t stand. Paul was swarmed by an overwhelming majority of middle-aged women wanting autographs, photos, hugs and kisses. I’ve never seen a huge crowd of people focused on one person before, but he handled it like a champ. He never showed any sign of impatience or annoyance, and he was incredibly gracious and accommodating. Me and my friend got our photo taken with him – the culmination of over a decade of singing his songs. The gig was very, very good fun, made all the sweeter by being shared with one of my oldest friends.

Tenacious D

Tenacious D were one of the names on my list of must-see bands, and have been for a very long time. Their music has played a surprisingly influential part of my life – their first album was released as I was finishing high school, and helped me laugh with friends through tough times. Their much-maligned second album/movie The Pick of Destiny is incredibly precious to me – not only is it a fucking hilarious movie (I don’t care what anyone says), but my husband and I saw it on our first date. Aww.

When I heard they were coming, I couldn’t resist. I was a little surprised to see that they’d chosen to play the Sydney Opera House – hardly the first place you’d think of when you thought of the D! This juxtaposition was brought into light by a merch van outside on the forecourt, by the water, under those mighty white sails, which was selling the official Tenacious D cumrags. Classy as fuck.

The gig started late, and I was worried that I would be too sleepy to enjoy it, but enjoy it I did. Jack and Kyle burst onto the stage, full of energy. They started off with a few songs from their third album, Rise of the Fenix, which I’m not as familiar with, but it sounded great on the stage. This tour is acoustic, which means that it’s just them and their guitars, and maybe a couple of extra vocalists (one of which was the amazing opening act Sasquatch – a guy in a Bigfoot suit who played great guitar, had a great voice, and managed to accompany himself on the bass drum at the same time. I’m a yeti for love). It sounds like something that could go wrong easily, especially on such a formidable stage as this – the Opera House, with the huge organ embedded in the ceiling high above us. But the D can still rock, and rock hard.

One of the great pleasures of being a Tenacious D fan is watching both Jack and Kyle evolve as musicians over the years. Their first album was awesome, but you could tell how much better Jack’s voice was on Pick of Destiny (no one does vocal noodling quite like Jack). Jack’s voice was a finely tuned instrument on the night – I was truly surprised by how strong and smooth it was, and he can still hit those high notes. Kyle’s playing is constantly getting better, and it was a real privilege to see him work it up close. They are wonderful to watch on stage – they engage with the crowd, and Jack is surprisingly graceful in his movements, high kicks and all.

The Concert Hall is full, and is actually pretty intimate for something that seats a few hundred people. The perfect acoustics meant that we could all hear each other singing along, and the D heard us as well. The songs were still skilfully crafted and wonderfully obscene and fun as hell to sing along to. They indulged us with a couple of songs from Pick of Destiny, even though they are still tied to the context of the film. As the night wore on, they played more songs from their first album, which went down nicely with the crowd. I’m not afraid to admit that I squealed rather loudly when I heard the opening notes of Double Team. The house was united as one when we heard the opening riff of Tribute and we all screamed along.

I can say that one of the more surreal but happy moments of my life was hearing (and participating in) the crowd crooning the words of Fuck Her Gently to each other, and then shouting, in this revered place of hallowed performance, the perfectly resonating cry of ‘THAT’S FUCKIN’ TEAMWORK!’

I have been waiting for over 10 years to finally see the D, and it was everything I hoped for and more. I laughed, sang, laughed more, screamed and applauded, and felt uplifted all over again. I know that some people are of the opinion that obscenity is neither big nor clever, but when it sounds as good as this, and performed by exceptional musicians, it totally is.

Summer Playlist 2013

Ah, thought I’d forgotten, hadn’t you?

Seeing as for some reason my Summer Playlist 2012 was my most popular post ever, it would be silly of me not to continue. Even though it’s late. And summer is almost over. But here we go.

Now: these songs aren’t terribly recent, and I must admit that there’s some really obvious choices in here. But, all of these songs I genuinely like, and some of them have really good memories for me. I’ve narrowed it down to only 10 songs this year, because everyone hates hour-long playlists, am I right?

Because there’s only 10 songs, and most of them have really awesome clips, I’m going to embed their videos here for your benefit.

Ready, set, go!

1. Tame Impala – Feels Like We Only Go Backwards

2. La Gusana Ciega – Talismán

3. Queens of the Stone Age – First It Giveth

4. Flight of the Conchords – Foux Du Fafa

5. Black Keys – Lonely Boy

6. Gotye feat. Kimbra – Somebody That I Used To Know

7. Lady Gaga – Highway Unicorn (Road to Love)

8. PSY – Gangnam Style

9. George Harrison – My Sweet Lord

10. Lana Del Ray – Video Games

 

So, there you go! Hope you enjoy :)

 

The Problem With Boybands

A couple of weeks ago, I went to the NKOTBSB concert with my elder sister. I didn’t pay for my ticket so my conscience is clear. It was enjoyable, but I couldn’t help thinking that somehow, somewhere, in whatever little slice of paradise he’s currently making better, Bill Hicks is very disappointed in me.

I listened to boybands growing up, because that was just what was in the house at the time, but as I got older and discovered bands who could play instruments (with chords and everything!), I grew out of it. I didn’t know what to expect from the gig. The production was very nice, slick. The best bits came from the unscripted, genuine moments. The bands worked well in the one or two songs they had together, but when they were separate, the differences were very plain to see. I liked the Backstreet Boys. They were funny, flirty, ran into the crowd several times to kiss girls, touched hands, waved, played with fans’ signs, were very sincere and loving towards their fans and what they were doing. There was a marked contrast between them and New Kids On The Block.

NKOTB seemed a little, well, strange. I don’t have much memory of them, to be sure, but there wasn’t that life, that playfulness that BSB had in their performance. One or two members of NKOTB had that life, and were playing around and kidding, but the whole wasn’t so cohesive. (I will exclude Donnie Wahlberg from all this, he’s pretty awesome.) Some band members looked uncomfortable. Some took it way too seriously, or maybe not seriously enough. There were two massive ballads and at the end of each of them both singers dropped to their knees, both looking like they wanted to burst into tears, moved by the sheer emotion of the insipid, syrupy mess they just belted out. I thought it was insincere, melodramatic trickery, them brutally utilising the stage techniques they learned over 25 years ago to best incite the hysteria of a teenage audience. Then, I realised it was something more sinister – they were believing their own bullshit.

BSB don’t believe their own bullshit. They are doing something they genuinely love, but they know that the songs they’re singing are silly, and they change them up, change the music, rock out and play. They play their hits, but also obscure songs from earlier albums. They still do their dance routines, but regularly stop to reach out for the hands of their fans or even surprise them with a quick kiss. They never stopped, because they love what they do, they know their fans do as well, and they love their fans.

NKOTB were rigid, not nearly so interactive. They played mostly ballads so sickly I thought I was going to go into a hyperglycaemic attack, mostly songs from their earlier teenage albums, and not the later, more adult ones. There was so much falsetto I thought their microphones were going to blow. The dry ice machine was working overtime. One or two of them rebelled and had a great time working out of the routine, but the others stuck to it. I have no doubt they also love what they do, but they believe in their own bullshit. They believe in every single song, most of which contains the words ‘baby’ or ‘girl’ or even ‘baby girl’. BSB know they’re a pop group. NKOTB think they’re serious artists, and that’s where the problem lies. Even while I was watching them, Bill Hicks’ description of NKOTB and various now-faded 80s pop stars sucking Satan’s multi-headed Hydra-like cock was running through my head.

Look, I know I had a point in here somewhere. It’s not to disparage NKOTB’s performance, which was perfectly adequate, but I guess it left me unsettled. As I said, I listened to boybands growing up, but even then I could see through the insincerity of pop music, the formulaic blandness designed to attract young girls like me, to give them a perfect idol to fall in love with. I grew up, explored on my own, found rock music and other music, music that comes from the hearts and brains of the musicians and not those of the popstar makers. BSB have thrown the deadly seriousness out the door, given a knowing wink to the fourth wall and do it for the fun and love of their fanbase. NKOTB still think it’s 1989, and that they have to seriously convince and win over those teenage girls again, make them like them. Those girls have grown up, gotten married, had children and moved on, NKOTB a loving memory from their younger days. NKOTB are still trying to make those days real again, and that’s what bothers me.

So, what do you think? Have you seen NKOTBSB perform? I’d be really interested in hearing your thoughts.

What role does music play in mental health?

So, yesterday, I had a thought: music seems to have a profound effect on my mental health. I’m not a medical professional, mind; this is all my anecdotal evidence. But when I stopped singing, is when my mental state was at its worst. Let me explain.

A few years ago, I was sharing a flat with someone overseas. I was almost alone, scared, ignorant, poor, and spent the whole time in a state of limbo. I developed quite bad anxiety and became very insular, which is still affecting me today. And I think a fair bit of it had to do with the fact that I was not allowed to sing.

I’m one of those people who would sing all the time. I sang in the shower, sang whilst cooking, washing up, anything. I surrounded myself with music because it helped ease the boredom and loneliness, and helped me get through things I hated, like cleaning. But then my flatmate told me to stop, because it was annoying. So I did. I stopped singing and playing my music aloud.

I had no way to express myself. Music reaches you on a level that’s hard to describe or quantify. It’s so intangible, but yet it hits you deep, in a way that’s almost primal. Even though I had my headphones, it wasn’t the same. It’s also the second biggest trigger of memory, after smell. If you’re a music fan, you don’t realise how important it is to you, how much a part of you it becomes and how much you want to belt it out. Although I’m a writer, my thoughts became too jumbled to sort out through words. Sometimes music is the only way for me to work through my feelings.

Music therapy, as I understand it, is becoming a major technique, especially in the elderly due to its power to unlock memory. I witnessed this first hand when I briefly worked in a high-care facility for the elderly. There’s also this beautiful video, of an old man literally coming to life after listening to the songs he loved when he was young. The power of music is not to be underestimated, I think.

Think about your adolescence. What got you through it? Whether it was sitting in your room listening for hours, or sharing a sneaky Discman with friends during class, or making a mix tape for the bus ride to school (yep, I’m old enough to have done that), or going to your first concerts without your parents with friends or your boy/girlfriend.

I’m slowly starting to learn to sing again. Thankfully I now live with someone who feels the same way I do, and sings loud and sings often and is encouraging me to start again. But what used to feel like a second habit now feels strange and forced. I stand in the shower and forget the lyrics to songs I may have listened to a couple of days before. My ability to remember things these days is pretty shocking. My voice is way out of practice, what little I had. Instead of being quiet for all this time, I have to learn to be unabashedly noisy again, and that’s hard.

Yeah, I’m one of those annoying people at concerts who sing along. But singing along, or aloud, makes the song that much more powerful – you have to learn it inside out, connect with it, and then let it out. Going to concerts of my favourite bands, and joining my voice with the singer, is the closest thing I’ll ever have to a religious experience. I reach a state of euphoria that is totally unique. When I sang, it made me happy. It was my own little performance, my own bit of creativity I could do anywhere, anytime, by myself. I didn’t give a shit how I sounded, what people thought of my voice or the song I was singing. I felt free. I felt connected. Some music triggers certain emotions in me, whether it’s by sound or memory, and by singing along, I feel entrenched in that experience. And I miss it.

So, I’m starting again. I’m discovering new singers who convey so much with their voices, and I can’t wait to learn the words so I can do it along with them. I may not sound like Florence and the Machine (who does?) but I want to ride along with her on her odd journeys through loneliness, revenge and the water.

Will it change my mental well-being for the better, in accordance with my theory? I’m not sure yet. But in a couple of months I’ll definitely let you know.

Summer Playlist 2012

I’m finally coming around to summer. A person of European descent living in a sub-tropical country, summer is my traditional enemy but I’m slowly learning to appreciate it. I do my swim training and have more daylight in which to party. In the afternoon, the heat eases and there’s a gorgeous pale yellow light. The sunsets are spectacular, and sadly enhanced by bushfire smoke.

I’m starting to enjoy wearing pretty sundresses, putting flowers in my hair, and feeling the sun on my sunscreened face. I have cute sunglasses. I even like barbecues now (with the realization that not everyone went to my dad’s school of charcoaling).

I love my family get-togethers on Boxing Day. I like planning New Year’s Eve parties. I have great memories of sultry, candle-lit nights. I even keep my toenails permanently painted, and have great fun choosing colours (the current selection is lilac). My favourite at the moment, though, is bright sunshine yellow.

I’m slowly learning to embrace summer as a friend and overlook its bad qualities, much as you do with real friends. That doesn’t mean that I don’t rejoice when I pull out the winter woolies, but we have come to an easy truce.

Part of my summer fun is to put together a playlist of songs. Most are summery, but I seem to go through different themes and moods. Last year’s was quite light, poppy and dancey, but this year’s seems to be a bit darker, weirder, and, dare I say it – a bit sleazy. I hope you enjoy.

Tenacious D – Double Team
Daft Punk – Around the World
Lady Gaga – Judas
Sonic Youth – Shaking Hell
QOTSA – Make it Wit Chu (Era Vulgaris version)
QOTSA – Skin on Skin
Florence and the Machine – Girl With One Eye
Sonic Youth – Massage the History
Pink Floyd – Interstellar Overdrive
Ramones – I wanna be your boyfriend
QOTSA – How to Handle a Rope
The Beatles – Helter Skelter
The Beatles – Within You Without You
Two Bears – Bearhug
Ramones – Blitzkrieg Bop
Run DMC vs Jason Nevins – It’s Like That
Violent Femmes – Blister in the Sun
Flock of Seagulls – I Ran
Them Crooked Vultures – Interlude With Ludes
The Beatles – Happiness is a Warm Gun
Bronski Beat – I Feel Love
Goldfrapp – Strict Machine
Tame Impala – Desire Be, Desire Go
Tame Impala – The Bold Arrow of Time
Pink Floyd – Set The Controls For The Heart of the Sun (Pompeii version)
Spinnerette – Ghetto Love
Warsaw – Warsaw
Blondie – Heart of Glass
The Prodigy – Breathe
Lady Gaga – Electric Chapel
Kate Bush – Hounds of Love
Pink Floyd – One Of These Days
Motorhead – Ace Of Spades
Jethro Tull – Aqualung
Machine Gun Fellatio – Pussy Town
Frank Zappa – Disco Boy