Drawing comparisons is just lazy journalism, but tonight at about 11:30 on the way to Town Hall Station, this one hit me like a brick in the love spuds, Josh Pyke is brilliant and reminds me of Neill Finn. The delicate lyrics, the beautiful arrangements, his voice, and the way he presents himself to his audience are all things that we love about Josh Pyke and are the hallmarks of the Crowded House front man.
I was tres excited to finally see Josh Pyke, but I was disrupted on the way to the Metro, being sidetracked by a bargain of early 90’s proportions. I had thought the Pizza Hut Works deals were a thing of my childhood, but I was taken in by its low low prices and on completing my pizza feast topped off with a bowl of Ice Cream and Jelly I had dutifully relived a childhood memory, but I had also missed the opening act of 17 year old Jackson McLaren, something which I am truly disappointed about.
The Firekites then took to the stage in a mix of nervousness and faux aloofness that didn’t really grab the crowd, and whilst everyone was genuinely trying to get into their music, it just seemed too distant and quiet for the audience, who were looking to have a good time, rather than listen to the Firekites complex music.
There is clearly a lot of talent in these guys, and they all know how to play their instruments very well, but it seemed a little contrived. With the lead singer trying to bash out as much distortion as he could from his brief foray with the electric guitar, I felt he should leave the distortion to Grinderman, and stay with what he knows best. The highlight of their set was the instrumental Paris, but the crowd seemed left wanting a bit more.
When Josh Pyke took to the stage it was as if it was a familiar face had entered the room and whilst he cracked jokes and spoke of how he was so worried his fly was undone, he had the audience right where he wanted them. Promoting his upcoming album Chimneys Afire, Pyke played a mix of his new work mixed in well with songs from his debut album that received so much praise only a few years ago.
The Lighthouse Song, the first single off the new album was just so beautiful and with a wry smile as he dropped the F bomb in the chorus, the audience was putty in Pyke’s hand, as the animated backdrop lit up the stage, and took the night away. Sew My Name was beautiful, Summer Time off the upcoming album was happy and Memories and Dust just sounds like hope. It was a set filled with so much from just a simple show of a band playing music and not needing fireworks and 10 minute solos to cover the frailties of the music. I was never bored, but always drawn to Pyke as he showed us why he is one of the best Australian Singer Songwriters going around at the moment. I can’t wait for the new album because if tonight is anything to go off, it will be big.
super-fantastich
said on the 16th Sep, 2008