Powderfinger, Jet, PaulDempsey @ Albury Showgrounds(13/10/10)

Sat 16th Oct, 2010 in Gig Reviews

SEE THE GALLERY HERE!

Over the past couple of decades, Powderfinger has grown from small indie group to the Oz rock deities we know and love. And those years have been quite fruitful. Seven major studio albums, with Odyssey Number 5 alone going eight-times platinum. 21 Finger songs were represented in the Triple J’s Hottest 100 of the years, and These Days and My Happiness were both Number 1. Numerous awards, a ridiculous number of tours, millions of beloved and devoted fans. Yeah… fruitful is an understatement!

So on a barmy Wednesday evening, under a barrage of constant rain, concert-goers lined up around the block in anticipation for entry with umbrellas and plastic ponchos. A couple of girls were even offering pizza to the mob as they started to file in. Going through the gates and seeing the campers, venders and carnies made the night that little bit more exciting.

Under the safety of the big top, the show opened with the Aussie rock staple, Mr Paul Dempsey. The front man of Something for Kate and successful solo artist, Dempsey wove his dulcet tonal web around the crowd, enchanting them with his one man set. He treated the more than willing punters to his amazing version of MGMT’s Time to Pretend, and a brand newbie. Ramona Was a Waitress was also a massive crowd pleaser. The set was over way too soon.

However, the show must go on and to the pleasure of the crowd, Victoria’s own Jet was next on the bill. Sauntering onto the stage, the crowd erupted into a frenzy. Jet rocked it out with heaps of their oldies but goodies – Are you Gonna Be My Girl, Look What You’ve Done, Cold Hard Bitch, and Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is. Seventeen also made an appearance, while finishing off with Rip it Up. The punters were now salivating (or was is just the continuing rain?), for the main event.

The light dimmed, the crowd went ballistic, and the boys from Brisbane emerged. Opening with Sunsets (appropriate), Powderfinger and the crowd were one. Serenading the punters with all their old classics (only Burn Your Name made the cut from the new album), such as Pick You Up, Passenger, and Love Your Way. There was also a moving tribute to the Chilean Miners, aptly Up and Down and Back Again.

It was awesome to see that The Finger not only put on a stellar performance, but it was evident that they were enjoying themselves just as much as the crowd (why were they quitting again?). Half way through the set, the band disappeared from the stage and reappeared on a make-shift stage at the back of the crowd, performing Treat me Like a Dog and Belter for the appreciative punters that had no way of getting through to the front.

Powderfinger indulged the crowd with two encores, including My Happiness and concluding with These Days. A most fitting end, to a brilliant gig. A brilliant band!

The crowd was still amped for more, however the show had to close sometime. By the end the ground was more reminiscent of swamp land rather than showground, but the rain did little to dampen the mood of the crowd (pun intended!). As the crowd filed back out, smiles, exultation, and good vibes were taken away, as well as a whole lot of good memories!

So it’s hail and farewell to our favourite Brisvegas Sons, it’s been an amazing journey. The past 20 odd years have come and gone way too quickly, but the memories will always remain. We will never be the same…

SEE THE GALLERY HERE!