The day after The New Pornographers I woke up in a hazy, hazy headspace. On face value one might have attributed my state to the copious amount of beer I’d slammed down my heavily mistreated throat courtesy of The Gov. Further investigation though, would confirm that it was a instead a strange and belligerent happiness that was compromising my mental abilities. A happiness that only comes about in the aftermath of a truly special gig and a broken drunken sleep. It is an understatement to say that the Pornographers were brilliant. They were special and I now feel a luckier, even better man for having seen them live.
It wasn’t until the arrival of Even on stage that all the usual worries like ‘there’s not enough people here’, ‘why don’t we support awesome bands more’ started to abate and an atmosphere of anticipation developed. Once Even had pedalled their mildly enjoyable brand of brit-pop it was time for a destruction of my expectations. The crowd squeezed in, not to closely or tightly, preparing for a time when the relatively small stage becomes crammed with power-pop legends in a cacophony of sunshiney bliss. And that’s pretty much what happened. From the opening lines of the first track off Challengers, My Rights Versus Yours and the careening and fateful refrain seemingly addressed to the crowd preparing us for ‘The truth in one free afternoon’ the whole crowd was there, captured and glued by the tightness, the harmonies, the introverted passion. It didn’t stop, and neither did the unbridled enthusiasm around. With such a great start the thought that they would only gradually get better did not even form a pang in the back of my pop-addled brain.
It just kept going. The interlocking lines of guitars, keyboards and voices made to send you into a state of melodic worship slowly built in power as the night progressed. The band’s image on stage is fascinating to say the least. Carl Newmann front and centre with his slightly speech-defect affected plaintive vocals, two keyboards flanking him on the right and left providing the textural elements that have always been there on their early records, but now that have come much more to the fore on Challengers and a back line of drums guitar and bass. Each member swapped instruments all night. The talent was obvious, but the sense of all-in contribution that came from this shared responsibility only added to the warmth the gig poured out through the mellow air of a classical Gov night.
Most of Challengers was played and superbly so too. Challengers showed their ability to nail a song completely dependent on vocal execution. A pivotal point too because throughout the night, especially on the harmonised masterpiece of Adventures in Solitude the well organised vocal exchanges and harmonising of Newmann and the beautiful Kathyrn Calder shook the very floor I stood upon. But not with volume or aggression, but instead through the collective shiver going down the backs of the crowd so conveniently poised only half a meter away from Newmann’s permanently closed eyes. And that’s part of the appeal. These guys (forgetting the often cryptic and complex lyrics) make music with the same effect as Nitrous Oxide: It uncontrollably brings a smile to your face, but they don’t necessarily live the happiness their sound intimates. Newmann managed to hit some high notes, that are present on record but never get the production attention they deserve. This man can sing. And I don’t have to tell you Calder can sing. Her voice is power through composure and control and more importantly the most unbelievably perfect fit for the Pornographers.
Each album was adequately represented, with classic pop-rocking out moments getting a Guernsey through awesome versions of Twin Cinema, Execution Day and Mass Romantic. But it was a couple of moments near the end that totally blew the collective minds of the crowd. Unguided possibly the best moment of the gig, kept going and going, rolling along on the strength of one of their best songs played louder and more fervently than the record made one think possible. The band intrinsically and utterly involved the whole time. Maybe even better though, was the second encore. A second encore that was decided upon n response to the loudest crowd response to amount of punters ratio I’d ever heard. A second encore apparently reserved for The Gov as the first Australian gig to receive the pleasure. A second encore that was introduced by the main roadie looking around the side of the stage for 5 minutes until he finally put his thumb up subtly to the crowd, which responded in turn with a scary roar. The song chosen was the minor power pop masterpiece of Letter From An Occupant which was taken from being a crazy little pop song with shouted vocals and strange guitar to a mind-blowing epic that capped the night off leaving everyone baying for more. In that single song they showed that they could do so much, BUT that their taste was so well grounded, their ambition so well controlled that what came out in the end was perfect. And what was even better was that the band came back for that final song and for the first time in the night they all smiled in unison. After all they’d given us, we’d suddenly given them something back. Testament to the band and the vibe they created was the post-gig ‘stay at The Gov’ factor. Truly one of the highest percentages of people staying after a gig at The Gov I’ve seen.
Its more than worth mentioning the final song they played before going for the encore break. (And to single out moments seems to downplay the consistency of the gig) A by rote, perfect rendition of ELO’s Don’t Bring Me Down. I was told during the song that they were huge ELO fans, that much was obvious, but they chose a song that everyone could sing and dance to, and one that seamlessly fit into the Pornographer vibe.
I was in a state of general shock after the gig. I couldn’t believe how good it was, how much pure pop music as a concept had grown in my mind that night. I had no idea how long they played for because I didn’t care. At the end I wanted more, but asking more from a perfect gig is not only obnoxious, it probably makes it a worse gig. In awe and humbled, these guys can make you a smile.
Pen01
said on the 14th Oct, 2008