The Shins & The Ruby Sons @Thebarton Theatre 4/8/07

Tue 14th Aug, 2007 in Gig Reviews

The Shins experience for me started at the Adelaide Airport where I was waiting for someone else to arrive. I saw Marty Crandall walk down the steps off the Virgin Blue flight from Perth and my first thought was – œHoly Shit – it’s The Shins’.

At the baggage claim I mustered up the courage to speak to Marty and ask for an autograph and then he introduced me to the rest of the band including the legendary James Mercer. They admitted that they were tired playing the night before in Perth but were up for a big show in Adelaide. There was no breaking this promise, as The Shins will go down and be remembered as one of the best live experiences for 2007.

A honourable mention has to go out to New Zealand opener The Ruby Suns (what happened to having an Australian support act?). Their unique brand of light-hearted jangly pop was a real delight to watch. I’ll be sure to head down to Big Star to pick up a copy.

It wasn’t a second past nine fifteen when The Shins walked out to a rapturous applause from the sold out Thebarton Theatre crowd. It was great to see this Splendour act actually play a side-show in Adelaide when no others could be arsed. Up until now I never thought of The Shins as being the sort of band that could pull off a big rock show (especially after two knock club shows at Fowlers Live) but they did. Those who opted for the lack lustre Showdown made the wrong choice in my humble opinion.

There were no real major surprises with the first half of set opening with Sleeping Lessons before rolling in to the crowd pleaser Australia. Kissing The Lipless wasn’t to far behind and it was great that the first two albums weren’t ignored in preference of the newer material striking a perfect balance between the two.

Hit after hit and by the end fans still wanted more. Highlights for me were Caring Is Creepy, _New Slang, Saint Simon_, the relatively new single Phantom Limb and So Says I which closed the set.

The encore was equally as memorable with the lads playing a Pink Floyd cover by way of Breathe, which drew a loud and appreciative response. To finish the night off A Comet Appears, Past & Pending were given a good airing before closing with Know Your Onion.

Simply brilliant!

The Shins Photo Gallery