He’s a strange cat, old Evan Dando. And tonight is no exception to the rule. Appearing on stage some 15 minutes after the scheduled start, he stands and delivers song-after-song-after-song for one hour flat. No banter. No bullshit. Just pure, unadulterated Dando magic. Witty lyricism, minimal chord changes and a back catalogue of pop wonders performed on his trusty acoustic guitar.

Ripping into the set with a cracking version of GG Allin’s Layin’ Up With Linda, Dando explains; ‘Laying up with Linda, never had responsibility/She was a dancer at night, where I was rock ‘n’ rolling ‘till 3/We drank, we never saw the daylight, that was the death of her and me/Then one day I just got bored and killed her, but she used to be fun.’

This was a pretty apt and quite random way to kick off the performance, and more or less dictated the mood the almost ageless Lemonhead was in. Straight down the line. Get in my way and I’ll put you away style. Confetti, It’s About Time and No Backbone quickly follow and it’s all bang-bang-bang material as if the dude has a hot date to get to. Knowing Dando’s reputation with the ladies, I’m sure there might have been a Liv Tyler, Kate Moss type of Melbourne gal waiting in the wings for some post gig love, but I digress.

The minimalist art rock of The Turnpike Down is offered as the tasty little entree of pop before the great man heads into more – śpopular’ song territory with My Drug Buddy, Hospital, If I Could Talk I’d Tell You and then It’s a Shame About Ray although no The Outdoor Type or Mrs Robinson, but no stress due to the nuggets that Dando had already spat out. Actually this isn’t a bad way of describing the flow of the show – although terrifically engaging and enthralling, and with Dando in fine voice, he literally didn’t breathe between each song, hence – śspitting out’ one tune then the next as the crowd were still applauding the last. Weird. Interesting though.

Why Do You Do This To Yourself, Ride With Me, Tenderfoot, Being Around – all wrapped up in under ten minutes. Sure, the songs seemed rushed but there was still much to take away. When Dando hit us with the classic Into Your Arms, Rudderless and the pot calling the kettle black sounds of Rick James Style, Dando delivers some wishful thinking ‘Don’t wanna get stoned/Don’t wanna get stoned/But I don’t wanna not get stoned/I don’t wanna not get stoned.’

Dando delivers Poughkeepsie, retunes and then performs Stove before he farewells the adoring audience with an abrupt – śbye’ then rips out the guitar chord and disappears from view. The gig as a whole felt like a one night stand, and to be honest I didn’t see too many folks complaining.

CHECK THE PHOTOS HERE