Powderfinger, Jet, You Am I @Riverstage, Brisbane(13/11/2010)

Mon 15th Nov, 2010 in Gig Reviews

It’s a little disappointing to see a hundred-odd statues leaning against the stage-front barrier and 5-or-so thousand patrons seated, talking or competing for the last soggy corn chip in their nachos as You Am I open the night. Oblivious to the lack of interest being shown, Tim Rogers and his men continue to pump out tracks with their usual insouciant aggression. As has become the norm when You Am I are playing before a band that is commercially in vogue, Rogers make a few tongue-in-cheek remarks about supporting Jet and how us punters ‘Wouldn’t be dead for quids’ – he was being sarcastic wasn’t he? Even the setting of the Brisbane sun soundtracked by the handsome ruckus of Rumble fails to visibly excite anybody but me, and one of Australia’s greatest bands to not be played on Nova this year leaves the stage.

Jet hit the stage running with Cold Hard Bitch and Genius and the bulging and boozy Riverstage crowd starts to bop. For a band that set themselves a high bar early and have continually failed to again clear it, Brisbane doesn’t seem to care. Look What You’ve Done is the best Beatles song written by a bunch of Aussies and manages to inspire a fairly comprehensive sing-along. The Melbourne lads seem to have found a sliver of humility and seem honestly humble when they thank tonight’s band of honour. Introduced as a track written last week Are You Gonna Be My Girl is still an undeniably quality rock’n’roll track, and is just what the atmosphere is begging for.

When Powderfinger finally takes the stage it’s to an emotionally stirring reception. I Love Your Way and Sunsets get things started all warm and fuzzy before DAF adds a touch of darkness. For a band’s apparent last show ever, fanfare is at a relative minimum, but then what else would you expect from bunch of knockabout local boys. They have however, splurged a little on tech. A giant arched LED screen makes the rear wall of the stage and displays gorgeously colourful accompanying imagery.

Powderfinger have never really been cool by definition, nor considered hip among scenesters, but then they never really tried to be. Since day one The ‘Finger have been too busy creating timeless rock music to worry about kissing the right people’s asses. Tonight plays like a best-of album with each of their seven releases except the debut throwing a few tracks into the mix.

An extended outro segues into an audio-visual montage of moon landings, shuttle launches and other appropriately historic moments and successfully distracts the crowd long enough for the five band members to slink off stage and make their way to a rather conspicuous mini-stage waiting halfway up the slope, behind the mixing tent. The smaller stage allows punters at the back half of the venue to get the ‘up-front’ experience and from here we’re treated to a rawer sound and a more relaxed looking Powderfinger. Bernard tells us that each night they’ve played up the back, it smells like they’re playing in Bob Marley’s house, before they bang out Like A Dog.

The show finishes back on the mainstage with gushingly received workings of My Kind Of Scene and My Happiness. Fanning very officially introduces each band member and reads a long and heartfelt list of thank-yous before an acoustic-flecked These Days signifies the end of more than just a gig. Since the first release in 1994, Powderfinger has been a staple of the national music scene and a virtually permanent resident of the Australian charts, but as of tonight, no more. One of our country’s greatest and most prolific rock bands has just strummed its last in wonderful style, and though it’s sad to see them go, they deserve to go out like this.

Check out the photos from Powderfinger’s last hurrah