The Dandy Warhols @ The PalaceTheatre, Melbourne (6/11/2008)

Mon 10th Nov, 2008 in Gig Reviews

So whatever happened to The Dandy Warhols I wonder? They shimmied their loose and sexy drone into out hearts and minds some 15 years ago. Seminal records like their self titled 1996 cracker and 1997’s The Dandy Warhols Come Down paved the way for a stoner pop revolution. They told us how – œheroin is so passe’ and that – œwe can drive and they’ll do the drugs’. 2000’s Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia made us wanna – œget off’ when we soaked up their sweet, velvet sound.

Maybe it’s like one of those relationships when one day after years together you wake up, glance your line of sight towards your loved one and say, – œOk that’s it, I think I’ll call it a day now’. Just like that the light has gone out, and it’s time to leave the past behind.

Sadly, this is exactly where I’m at right now with these Portland, Oregon stoners. Tonight, for their first Melbourne show they are in awful form (apparently the next night’s gig was on a par). The backdrop is glorious with the neon lights flickering and the big Warhols sign there to remind us who was on stage – perfect, needed that. Easing into the set with Mohammed taken from their 2000 record, Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia, I thought I was in for an enchanted trip down memory lane.

When they launched into We Used To Be Friends from 2003s Welcome to the Monkey House there was a glimmer of hope, but then everything went into fast forward mode, obliterating the purity and lazy, sexual rhythm the band has prided themselves on. Brent DeBoer was all of a sudden a man possessed; his drumming went to a level that was incomprehensible. If my drums tutor was side of stage he would have pulled him up for a chat – it was just way too fast, ruining the flow of classics such as Minnesoter, Godless, I Love You and Bohemian Like You.

Admittedly the band didn’t do a hell of a lot to help old speed freak up as Taylor-Taylor, Holmstrom and McCabe pushed through as if gagging to get off stage and drink beers. As always, large sections of the audience loved the performance, but that’s the nature of personal opinion. For mine, the Dandies just didn’t go anywhere near their full potential, but maybe they care little for it. I doubt that they’re a complacent band and love creating their art, but tonight they were a miserable bunch of gits up there in front of the bright strobe lights. Disappointing.

CHECK THE PIX FROM BOTH NIGHT HERE