Flume @ Riverstage, Brisbane 16/11/2022
It’s always easy to get excited about a gig at Brisbane’s Riverstage. The grassed, natural amphitheatre means even shorties like me don’t have to worry too much about staking out a good vantage spot, and let’s face it, it’s basically hallowed ground. The stage has previously played host to everyone from Midnight Oils to Florence + the Machine, from Beastie Boys and The Chemical Brothers to The Prodigy. Such company should not intimidate Harley Streten, aka Flume, though. The insanely popular Australian artist has previously toured festivals the world-over including Coachella and Lollapalooza, and has amassed countless awards both here and abroad. For the all-ages Brisbane leg of his Palaces tour, Flume brings with him Channel Tres, Toro y Moi and MAY-A. Such a great line-up sees Brisbanites flock to the city as the sun goes down in what feels like a return to post COVID attendance figures.
When we arrive the roadies are busy moving an ‘arc-de-Triomphe’ frame of sorts, part of Flume’s otherwise minimalist stage set from the far left to the centre, then back again. Is it broken we wonder? Why is it not staying centre stage behind Flume’s two stations? Later we learn it is indeed working and even pulls apart and lights up, all with a little help from the roadies (don’t forget our all-important roadies btw. See SupportAct). Suddenly the crowd goes insane with a sound that would make any think Flume himself had come on early, but nope. It’s Channel Tres looking extra, complete with sequined tank, elbow length gloves, sneakers and shades. The artist clearly has a very healthy following here in Brisbane, perhaps a testament not only to his talent but to Triple J’s major radio play starting in 2018. If the crowd needed any other reason to boogie – they didn’t – Channel Tres is accompanied by three energetic street dancers. Their choreographed moves complement the deep vocals and otherwise understated fat beats well. We’re treated to tracks including Top Down, Sexy Black Timberlake, 6am and Jet Black while something about the beats in Controller take me back to Beverly Hill Cop soundtrack days and Axel-F – ha ha weird! There is standing room only at the base of the Riverstage now and people are clearly ready to party. Further up the hill you can see that Flume maintains a varied fanbase with punters aged everywhere from their teens (well 6 months really- there was a baby with BIG earphones next to us) to their 50s.
Perhaps Flume was as excited as his fans. He comes on a little early wearing full Motocross gear, the jacket of which comes off just one song in. If any of his decade-long fans were worried about Flume only playing new works, their fears were abased immediately by first choice Holdin on. It’s hard to believe this track IS ten years old now; it stands the test of time very well. Other historical tracks we’re treated to include Never be like you, Insane, Hyperreal and Smoke & Retribution among others. Special guest, Kučka, joins Flume for the last two in this list plus some more. Her pig tails and all black attire are understated but fortunately, her voice is anything but. Despite an enviable back catalogue, Flume continues to respectfully sample others too on the night including Disclosure and WILDKATS! Meanwhile, his backing visuals continue to titillate the audience. Displays include everything from his (now infamous) fox-glove flowers from the Skin album cover to a psychedelic morphing motorcycle tire and down-right scary, if not hypnotic, satanic looking dog. During Insane, the ‘arc-de-Triomphe’ frame lights up and divides, making me wonder how on earth they travel with that thing. Flume’s equipment is divided between two benches on either side of him, making for some terrific scenes and demanding that he switch frequently between the two.
While Sydney is once again home to the DJ / record-producer having returned from a stint in Los Angeles, he makes the Brisbane crowd feel special explaining that all his family are locals, many of them joining us here tonight. Flume is indeed multi-talented, as are his sound crew who have to navigate the journey with him between crisp soprano piano notes (think Sleepless) and gritty distortion (think Get U off the latest album). Indeed, his set is quite the contradiction in some ways. Whilst no one could ever accuse the Grammy Award winning musician of failing to evolve, the moods embodied by some of his new experimental tracks are a bit confronting and a far cry from up-beat bangers like his remix of Hermitude’s HyperParadise. Just try not to dance during that one team! The crowd don’t disperse though, irrespective of the pace clearly shifting here and then there. Flume doesn’t talk much during the set but takes the time to share a moment that triggered him only earlier backstage. He pays tribute to friend, Sophie, who Flume explains was transitioning during the last Brisbane show and is now no longer with us.
Ok, so the one downside about the Riverstage is the strict (and I mean strict) lock down at 10pm. On the plus side, this means I can predict Flume’s plan to play several encores having ‘pretended’ to leave at 9:45pm. He certainly wasn’t interested in short-changing anyone and perhaps that’s why he came on early. Indeed, the set is a really decent length with Flume managing to play close to 25 tracks. This also means he gets to share the stage with other vocalists too including Toro y Moi for The Difference and May-A for Say Nothing and Never be like you. In this last one I feared for May-A actually who clearly stacks it down some stairs, but, in true professional form doesn’t miss a beat and continues to energetically dance around, all the while getting the crowd to sing along too. For a ‘school night’, people are pumped and Flume expresses his gratitude, even mentioning that it’s Wednesday several times. It feels as though he is in part applauding us and in part enticing us to continue in that spirit of revelry. Two of his three encores are courtesy of Streten having recently discovered an old laptop housing several unreleased songs, but he ends the night with Aria-Award winning Rushing Back featuring Vera Blue. Having now collaborated with everyone from Lorde to Arcade Fire and even Gorillaz front-man Damon Albarn, it is safe to say Flume is not going anywhere anytime soon. Exactly where this journey will take him and his avid fans, however, feels far less certain.
Flume plays Melbourne 24th November, Adelaide 30th and Hobart 2nd December. Get tickets HERE
An Exclusive Evening with TLC @ Palais Theatre, Melbourne 8/11/2022
Melbourne had delivered a stunning day as I made my way around the bay and into my beloved Palais Theatre. The picturesque sunset was breath-taking and it made you feel good to be alive. It has been a long time and yet I felt like I was being welcomed back by an old friend as I entered the iconic theatre. There was a buzz back around live music, and it was so exciting to be part of it again.
The wait has been long, but TLC have made it back to our shores and we are absolutely ecstatic to get a dose of hip-hop and R & B with the one of the most influential female artists of all time. You could feel the crackle of electricity as the fans took their seats and hum across the venue was alive. It is such a testament to how badly we have missed this and how delighted everyone is to get back to life again. With over 65 million albums sold worldwide it is suffice to say that the diehards have flocked out for this standalone show after the Fridayz Live juggernaut has been rolling across the country.
Melbourne hip hop artist KYE opened the nights proceedings after a short DJ set from DJ TJ, KYE warmed up the crowd with vigour and had peeps bobbing in their seats within minutes. It was terrific to see the hometown support and KYE lapped it up, still quite stunned to be opening for her idols. Her last two songs saw the arrival of six dancers join her onstage, the crowd loved the new addition and it lifted her set to a new level. With only a 30 mins slot, time flew by but it was filled with some very cool tunes and killer moves which I really enjoyed, KYE was engaging and worked the stage like a professional, definitely one to check out.
After a brief interval the hum had doubled and the fans were champing at the bit to get their share of TLC. As the DJ worked the tables and the band took their place the screams were ear piercing, and the theatre erupted as T-Boz and Chilli appeared to hands in the air and exciting gasps from every corner. Not a person was left seated as TLC opening with Ain’t To Proud To Beg to whoops of joy, the girls strutted their stuff and boy can they still strut! The stage was a flurry of dancers and lights and a huge screen added to the atmosphere reeling pictures and dazzling displays throughout the show. While TLC are still going strong after 30 years the girls do not seem to have aged a day, still looking young and fresh and cutting the moves with the best of them. Baby-Baby-Baby was a fan favourite, the crowd raising their voices to sing along. There was no time for breaks as the songs flowed on swiftly with some mind-blowing dancing in between filling the gaps while the girls caught their breath.
Creep had everyone up and about and Unpretty was glorious with a stunning montage of butterflies and the like on the big screen. A song that resonates strongly with the judgement being weighed on people constantly. I think we all need to remember to love yourself for who you are and not what people expect you to look like! The stage glistened red as Red Light Special rang out. Then T-Boz took to the decks for a quick spin while Chilli wowed us with her dance moves, jumping in with the four sensational dancers who did not stop the whole night. Their energy was infectious, and their faces glowed with enjoyment, a true sign of a unified group.
No Scrubs needed no introduction, but Chilli took the time to tell the younger members of the audience to by-pass the boys that are ‘hanging out the passenger side of their best friend’s ride’, and to dream big. It was refreshing words and hopefully ones that are taken under advisement. The crowd was electric and they enjoyed every word, hands in the air swaying from side to side as Waterfalls rang out, a beautiful song and the perfect closer for the night. The water washed from the on-stage screens and the theatre was alive with love singing every word from heart. Our DJ for the night roused the crowd for applause for each member which included the much loved and forever missed Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopez. A fitting way to end the night, and the smiles on the faces of the departing fans showed just how much they needed a little TLC in their life. It was a night filled with nostalgic brilliance and I urge anyone who can get along to the rest of the tour to not delay. You will relive your youth and forget your worries for just a few hours, and you will love every minute.
You're last chance to catch them is this Saturday in Sydney at Fridayz Live
[Gallery] Brad Paisley @ Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne 29/9/2022
Brad Paisley
Morgan Evans
Mackenzie Porter
Midnight Oil @ Palais Theatre, Melbourne 14/09/2022
Memories of a strapping young lad with an overabundance of excitement marching through the old brick gates of Friendly Societies Oval in Warrnambool come flooding to the fore as I sit in the august surrounds of the Palais, St Kilda, here is 2022.
Memories of my very first encounter with the Midnight Oil live are littered with audible echoes from that 80’s crowd chanting Oils, Oils, Oils as I order a beer at the bar, scarcely believing that all these years later, my own adult son serves the frothy to his crusty old dad. A dad who cannot process into reasonable thought where all those years went between then and now, but oh so privileged to share this moment with my son.
Then I scan the crowd here assembled, and realise so many are making similar skips down memory lane. Some fresh and youthful faces venture only so far as the offerings from Resist released in May of this year, while others recall with fondness a Redneck Wonderland, but tonight I share camaraderie with my brothers and sisters who put the black vinyl to the turntable with crackling ushering tracks like Powderworks and Surfing with a Spoon back in 1978, turning it up to eleven before that was a thing.
We smile knowingly at one another acknowledging that our Aussie staple, the mightily Midnight Oil has literally provided the soundtrack to our lives over thirteen studio albums. Some here were even at the very beginning when Rob Hirst, Jim Moginie, and Andrew James lured Peter Garrett to Farm in 1973. Evidently, after burning enough of it, 1976 saw the name change to Midnight Oil and the rest is history. A rich and rewarding history for band and fan alike, with so many twists and turns, triumphs, and tragedies made manifest in a magnificent and often politically charged plethora of magical musical moments in the unique style of Midnight Oil. The Hirst signature beat, fronted by the familiar spasm-like celebration from Garrett that will be remembered always as his signature move, the shredding of Rotsey, the 80’s rhythm of Peter “Giffo” Gilford, the years of bass brilliance from the late, great Bones Hillman and the unfaltering brilliance of the multitalented Jim Moginie. Then the young man full of excitement from that first gig in 1986 realises that there will not be one more day of eating and sleeping. No more will the Oils be there always and every day. As regular as clockwork with a musical hit to bring current affairs to the ears of the young and old alike. All at an end. Behold Melbourne and commit all the magic to the pages of history.
Tonight, it was advertised as a three-hour juggernaut of Oils tunes past and present, with no support band in place. How do they match the previous show just 2 nights ago? A show where they belted out a massive 27 song setlist with the energy of a band of 25-year-olds.
How do they do this? Well, in true Midnight Oil fashion, they mix it up a little, add a bit of Oils twist and keep us all on our toes. After all, there was plenty here for both nights at the Palais this week, so it was entirely appropriate.
What wasn’t appropriate was so many backs turned, yabbering loudly, and not giving the Welcome to Country the respect it deserved, I feel compelled to apologize because so many of the songs we were about to hear have helped in some way to bridge the gap that has existed between White Australia and our Indigenous brothers and sisters.
So, with a tear in the eye because sadly this is one for the road and it all ends for Melbourne tonight. The last Midnight Oil concert in Victoria and only a handful left for the band. Ever. This is the end.
It was obvious that previous setlists were not to be followed for tonight’s performance as the welcome opening notes of Read About It blast forth from the stage to the obvious delight of the willing recipients. When Don’t Wanna Be The One followed up as a second offering the crowd again exploded into celebration.
Not knowing what to expect and what they were going to play next, Nobody’s Child, Stars of Warburton, and Under The Overpass were certainly lapped up in the appropriate fashion, but if decibels were any true unit of measure it seemed that the crowd was most ready to applaud loudest for hits of decades gone by.
We were all treated to a surprise addition of Common Ground which the band had dusted off from their ninth studio album Breathe. According to sources, this song has not been played live by the band since 2002.
The stage was amazing in its understated simplicity and certainly smacked of Diesel and Dust for me. Corrugated iron and Rob in the shadow of an old water tank. Perfect.
I feel it is superfluous to include each and every track from the gargantuan setlist. Suffice it to say that it was extensive in anyone’s language. I realise that some might be disappointed, as they may have expected something a little different, but for me, the tracks were certainly an appropriate celebration of the decades of the musical contribution that Midnight Oil has provided.
I guess it is a little like somebody who has loved the music over the course of their life but not necessarily identified with the politics behind some tunes or the political stance of some band members. Each to their own, and each entitled to their opinion especially as the words FUCK CAPITALISM emulated from the crowd in agreement with Pete’s proclamations.
Personally, I loved it and one of the big reasons was my feelings from right back at the start of the show. This genuinely felt to me, like an old-school, open-air regional show. Tracks that people felt were best celebrated with a trip to the bar or a cricket walk to the dunny along with those who realised the merchandise queue might be a little shorter now. It had the authentic feel of those shows of old. I must pause and reflect upon the splendid contribution of Adam Ventoura who I felt honored the contributions of past protagonists.
Much to the approval of the crowd, Pete donned an “I stand with Ukraine” t-shirt, while they brought the tone down a little to visit some tracks with a common theme. Tracks such as My Country, Wedding Cake Island, and Wind in my Head.
Kosciusko kicked things off again and had the crowd lifting the roof off the newly renovated Palais Theatre. But when we heard the familiar beats of the start of Power and the Passion ring out, those still sitting launched themselves off their butts to sing out loud, it was quite the spectacle.
All these years, all these hits, and a soundtrack that Midnight Oil has provided to so many lives will help ensure that no one’s years are Forgotten Years nor will the tremendous contribution of Midnight Oil ever be forgotten.
After taking a quick breather off stage, they returned one last time for a 3 song encore. Armistice Day, Beds Are Burning, and Hercules.
The crowd roared in applause for each member of tonight’s performance as everyone who shared the stage, lined up and took their final bows. Then the 5 band members were left to take their bow, and lastly, the original four took their final ever bow to their adoring Melbourne crowd. What a moment!
Unfortunately, most of the crowd appeared to believe that this was all just a fake encore and that surely there were more tracks on the setlist to follow. Those words of the ever familiar chant “Oils, Oils, Oils” rang out into the Melbourne night, however when the lights came on the parting words from the disappointed marred what was otherwise a phenomenally brilliant show. But that’s what this show is all about, the passion and the pain (or power and the passion, whatever you like 😊 ) the bitter-sweet meaning behind it all because … that’s it… no more. Never Again. And for me and so many, it was a thorough privilege to be present and to celebrate ONE FOR THE ROAD with the mighty Oils.
I would not normally make this superfluous addition but I feel compelled to make one humble suggestion. Look below at the MASSIVE setlist, and imagine the moments, pick your favorites and imagine hearing them for the last time ever live. Surrounded by like-minded peers in unbridled celebration and you have got it in one. Fell those goosebumps? Feel that lump in the throat? That was it right there. Thank you for the years, thank you for the tears, thank you for everything Midnight Oil.
Fri 23 Sep, 2022 Barnard Park Busselton, WA – 18+ [Resist]
Wed 28 Sep, 2022 Luna Park Big Top, Sydney – 18+ [One For The Planet]
Sat 01 Oct, 2022 Fellows Oval, ANU Campus, Canberra – 18+* [Resist]
Mon 03 Oct, 2022 Hordern Pavilion, Sydney – Lic. All Ages [One For The Road]
Tickets Available here