Indie feel-good funky pop-rock in Freo
Firstly, the venue. Metropolis - ugh! Speakers blocking the view for about 10% of punters*, bar at the side of the room, not the back, and don't get me started on stupid bar policies - we've got nothing on tap, and any drinks we open we pour half in your cup and chuck half in the bin. The half drink costs more than the full stubby in most pubs. The Astor could have done the job better, but I would have loved to see this gig @ Port Beach Brewery.
*Bloody things messed up the focus of the only video I tried to take. Bah!
Didn't see the support Joan & the Giants. I had a listen on JJJ unearthed and they're good, but this was a concert, so skipping the first act is de rigeur (not mcT), but getting there without enough time to scope the place properly had more to do with cup city Freo than anything.
It's an album tour, so as expected, they played most of the new-ish album Good Together. Kicking off with the title track, the first ten song chunk of the set included six album tracks, plus the delightful 'Hypotheticals' from the last album - including Rachel ruminating on hypothetically living in Oz (her birth country) - and a couple staples, Making Do, Baby Don't Leave Me Alone With My Thoughts and Better Than. I hadn't noticed it on the studio version but live, Better Than needs a saxophone (my notes say) like a toasted egg sandwich needs bacon). The high notes on Far Gone were perfect.
Next was the 'acoustic' bit. Drummer downed tools and picked up a tambourine and everybody crowded 'round the mic to deliver the next three songs: a cover of the Jackson's I want you back, (the unkillable) Side Pony, and Help Is On the Way. I know it needs the piano, but I would've liked to see Twenty-Five (my favourite album song) added to this set to finish it off. It's great to see friends together and these guys are definitely good friends. So much so that for a couple of songs on either side of the acoustic bit, the band had to stop - Rachel picked up her cup of tea - while Akie and Mike made dedications of admiration to each other. If I was a cynic I'd've been saying 'get a room', but I'm not, so i didn't. :-D
The last main set chunk dove a bit more into the 'golden oldies'. Bad Self Portraits, Same Old News and Seventeen with a couple newies sifted in: the aforementioned Twenty-Five and Dance With a Stranger. Perennial: You Go Down Smooth closed it off. Again, that voice.
Sorry for blurry video - just close your eyes while playing.
The encore followed a very brief departure. The crowd went a bit nuts for the cover of Darryl Hall & John Oates' Rich Girl (which they DID NOT sing properly :-D) and Good Kisser from Free Yourself Up.
A really, really good set, but ... I came away at the end a bit disappointed. I've worked out two main reasons (not including the venue) for this.
- (This one is just me.) I don't like covers from an original band. I actually treat it like it's one of the differentiators(?) in music; you're an originals band OR you're a cover band. Part of a band's coming of age is moving from doing covers, to having a couple original songs in your set, to mainly originals and a couple crowd fave covers, to fully original. You're not supposed to bounce back and forth. </rant> Judging by my sudden deafness at the screams following the first notes of Rich Girl being played, I'm in the minority (by myself). At the same time, how on earth could they not play Set Sail (Prometheus & Eros) from the new album. Walking Uphill deserves love too (it did get an 'on the road' vid after all). They also didn't play my song (Musta Been Something).
- At the end of the gig, it seemed to me like they just wanted to be done. It was very professional, but little things showed. The gap between leaving stage and returning for the encore was that brief I thought they had just done a lap of the green room and came back out again. The encore set was wrapped up and they were in position for the final bows with the sustain still audible. And it was bow twice, turn, walk, we gone. Very polished, very professional, but rushed. Maybe it's just the unrequited cynic from earlier, but I got the feeling they had done their obligatory tour of the faraway boondocks and they just wanted to get home and put their feet up. POETS day, if you will.
I don't want to finish a review of Lake Street Dive with a negative. These guys' music helped when I needed it, and I honestly cannot think of any other band that I would have at any gig at all, ever as the opening set. They have awesome stage presence, the vocal talent of both Rachel and Akie is breathtaking (I actually wouldn't mind hearing more duet stuff from 'em) and the full crowd absolutely loved everything they did - singing and dancing along to every song. Rachel can sashay in a leather skirt like nobody's business, Bridget's bass and double-bass fretwork (just on the wrong angle for good videoing) blew me away, Akie's rework of Still the One (not a fan, but I recognise the talent) makes it a new song and the new guitarist James is a perfect match for where they are. Sticks (Mike) bringing up the rear is sooo underrated. That is one talented drummer.
Would see again.
