The New Pornographers, LittleScout @ The Zoo, Brisbane(09/11/2010)

Wed 10th Nov, 2010 in Gig Reviews

As punters trickle into The Zoo on this quiet Tuesday evening, Brisbane’s Little Scout take to the stage. The four piece dream pop act are supporting The New Pornographers in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne, and it’s not hard to see why. The band (seen tonight as a five piece with the inclusion of Skinny Jean’s Shem Allen) play a style of whimsical indie pop which isn’t entirely disconnected from the main act, yet are considerably more subtle in their approach.

Playing a short set comprised of mostly new tracks for their upcoming album, Little Scout are a thoroughly enjoyably prelude to the main act. With the band mentioning that they have been recently recording said album, it will be very interesting to see where it takes them. Little Scout have been on the local Brisbane scene for a while, and it is clear they have a bright future ahead of them.

As The New Pornographers scramble to the stage right on cue, it is clear something isn’t quite right. The band, particularly vocalist Neko Case, looks frazzled and generally tired. She is quick to elaborate: jet lag (lead singer Carl Newman would later explain it takes almost 30 hours for the band to reach our fair shores).

Yet as they assemble their instruments, not one member seems deterred by this. As Case discusses the perils of jet lag, Newman interrupts her. “I’m here to rock it!” he exclaims as the band blasts into old favourite Sing Me Spanish Techno. From this point on, the Brisbane crowd are treated to a very special performance, one that could not be stifled by lingering fatigue. They may be here on the back of their acclaimed new album Together, but you wouldn’t know it from the start; the first half of the set is comprised of classic tracks from their previous four albums, only managing to squeeze in single Crash Years from their new repertoire.

Listening to Case’s contributions to each song, it becomes increasingly difficult to comprehend a New Pornographers performance without her (as was the case on the 2008 tour). Her commanding and enchanting vocals add an extra layer to already impressive songs, sending several into spectacular territory. Some tracks simply wouldn’t have the same effect without her, despite excellent backing vocals from Kathryn Calder, Case’s usual on-stage replacement.

Despite being relatively quiet when the set started, Newman in particular begins to warm up to the crowd, providing the classic banter he is known for. In the midst of tracks, he shouts out Australian bands to see if they were from Brisbane, and later discusses how he messed up a Go Betweens cover during the band’s 2008 show at the same venue. Newman is clearly a charming and elusive character, and is having no trouble proving it tonight.

The most disappointing aspect of the show is the second omission of regular Dan Bejar from the Australian tour line-up. Even more disappointing? Newman hinted that Bejar not showing up may be because he simply couldn’t be bothered. While there is no doubting Bejar is sorely missed, Newman proves an excellent substitute for many of Bejar’s lead vocals, such as Electric Version’s sombre Testament To Youth In Verse and crowd favourite Execution Day.

The entire set spans the group’s entire career, paying equal attention to tracks from all five albums. Whether it is the wistful Adventures In Solitude, thumping power-pop anthem It’s Only Devine Right or the downright gorgeous ballad The Bleeding Heart Show, The New Pornographers perform with unmatched precision and grace.

Halfway through the show, Newman is handed a beer from a insistent punter and hesitantly takes a swig, claiming this act signifies the coming together of two nations. But it seems it had already happened that night, on the very same stage; The New Pornographers and an adoring Brisbane crowd together in harmony for 90 short minutes.