Saturday, February 6, 2010

Them Crooked Vultures, Wellington 29 January 2010




This show was about timing. I was in time to miss the support and entered the TSB arena after queuing for a little while. On the way home I found out that the support band was Cairo Knife Fight, who I hate on the basis that there is a worthwhile Wellington band called Knife Fight, they aren't even Egyptian and any band with a place name in any part of their chosen label truly isn't worth anybody's time.

I'd wondered how this concert would fare sandwiched between two AC/DC concerts. However I needn't have worried as the crowd was close to the TSB arena's capacity and the famed threesome walked onstage and Josh Homme announced, "We're AC/DC". Later in the piece he stated, AC/DC the night before us and AC/DC the night after us. That's fucking perfect in my book".

Them Crooked Vultures ran through most of the songs from their debut with Homme sometimes changing guitars and John Paul Jones often changing instruments as the crowd moved like a monolithic writhing sweating beast on heat. This really only changed for the laidback lounge psychedelia of "Interlude with Ludes" and Josh Homme proved his right to the Ginger Elvis tag as John Paul Jones stole the show with the keytar. In his rightful place behind the drums, Dave Grohl was the beating pulse and kept in perfect time except for making an error when a count-in was needed. Guitarist Alain Johannes held his own with the group's better known members and even heartily cheered when he soloed. It was clear that this was a group who are very comfortable playing together. Watching the interplay between the members made "Mind Eraser, No Chaser", "Dead End Friends" and "Reptiles" highlights.

Homme stated that, "Wellington was their best audience and before that it was Melbourne". He acknowledged most performers are dicks because they say that all the time and admitted to being a dick. I enjoyed being in the audience and compared to AC/DC the previous night, it was clear that this show was more about the music than the stageshow. In contarst to most bar shows it was all over before 11:00 p.m which was great for me but probably bad for anyone used to the late stars and finishes of most bar shows.

Them Crooked Vultures

Thursday, February 4, 2010

AC/DC Wellington 28 January 2010





Below pic :
Shihad



Despite or maybe because of this show selling out in only three hours after it was announced I was able to get halfprice tickets. I tend to avoid stadium shows because it's not really possible to see the band and there are way too many people.
Missed the first support band, The Checks. Arrived in time for local band Shihad, who supported AC/DC back in 1991 when they were mainly a thrash metal covers band.
Shihad played roughly seven songs and ignored their first two industrial albums preferring material from "The General Electric" and other newer material. The highlight was the poppy rock of "Home Again" being played in front of their hometown audience. Shihad were loud and difficult to see.

AC/DC
were louder and big screens made them easier to see. They were great, running through their better known tunes with a few from "Black Ice" that weren't recognized by many. There's still no hiding the fact AC/DC is really a male strip show. Angus Young's striptease to "The Jack" made it obvious to those who never realized before. The band utilize their large stage and props better than most bands due to years of experience. It was a great show although Brian Johnson's gravelly voice was a little off at times and Angus Young's guitar solo seemed to go on forever.

AC/DC Setlist

Rock n Roll Train
Hell Ain't a Bad Place To Be
Back In Black
Big Jack
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Shot Down in Flames
Thunderstruck
Black Ice
The Jack
Hells Bells
Shoot to Thrill
War Machine
High Voltage
You Shook Me All Night Long
TNT
Whole Lotta Rosie
Let There Be Rock

ACDC set list encore:

Highway To Hell
For Those About To Rock

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

Sunday, January 31, 2010

How Bizzare



RIP Pauly(40 is too young) also claimed by the grim reaper in January 2010 Howard Zinn, J.D Salinger and Jay Reatard(29 is way too young).

Beastwars - IV

After over a year off for various reasons, we have returned solely because we wanted to review the new Beastwars album. I really w...