You Am I @ The GovernorHindmarsh, Adelaide (03/12/10)

Mon 6th Dec, 2010 in Gig Reviews

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Can somebody please explain to me why certain bands (*coughpowderfinger) are able to do two massive laps of honour around the country playing massive stadiums to tens of thousands of adulating people? These numbers are clearly far out of any reasonable proportion to the un-named bands (*coughpowderfinger) talent. And yeah these type of bands (*coughpowderfinger) dress in denim jackets and the singer occasionally wears a ‘rock and roll scarf’ and everything but, let’s face, they (*coughpowderfinger) are not fooling anybody. I only ask because, tonight I find myself in the presence of You Am I, who are without question one of the greatest, literally GREATEST, bands in not only Australia, on the entire planet. And I don’t just mean at the moment, the way people talk about bands who really aren’t (*coughkingsofleon), I mean in the history of great bands ANYWHERE, ANYTIME. It astounds me that they have to keep playing the same sized venues to largely the same enthusiastic die-hard fans, and consistently knocking out under-rated albums that go largely ignored by the critics and public alike. Because, good people, let me tell you this with no reservations whatsoever, You Am I are the real deal. 100% bona fide, pulse quickening, solid gold, turbo boosted, ass-kicking brilliance. Simple as that.

From all reports tonight’s opener Jackson Firebird were being impressive as I was navigating through the millions of lycra uni-tard clad cricket fans clogging the streets of Adelaide. I arrived to catch most of The City Riots, who were knocking out an impressive set. They were being filmed by several camera persons I assume for a DVD or some such. They have certainly evolved into an extremely solid combo.

Leader Cheetah came as a welcome surprise, as I had no idea they were on the bill tonight. They have spent most of this year working on the follow up to their staggeringly good debut Sunspot Letters and there were no cobwebs to blow out at their first gig in six months. The new albums material is tantalizingly as good as the first and with the four new songs that made their debut tonight, you can mark my appetite officially whetted.

When other bands take the stage (*coughpowderfinger) it can look like a bunch of bank clerks doing karaoke at an end of year function. When You Am I take the stage, there is no question that they are here to take no prisoners. They are telling you it’s time to lock up your daughters and batten down the hatches, there are coming through town like a hurricane and the best you can do is hold on and enjoy the ride.

The set gets off to a slow paced start with Crime and We Hardly Knew You from the latest (and self-titled) album. Both have an unusual feel for You Am I songs, but it’s a gorgeous start to proceedings. Crime is all jangle guitars and a dreamy vocal. We Hardly Knew You begins in ballad territory but builds and builds to a fevered crescendo. Shuck crashes us into more familiar feeling territory, although a new song, its classic You Am I, delivered in a much more rockin’ tempo tonight than on the album. When they start to dip their collective toe into the back catalogue they pretty much side step the greatest hits tonight. They leave some of their most well known numbers unplayed. There’s no Berlin Chair, Adams Rib, Mr Milk, Soldiers, or Heavy Heart this evening. But they do visit Hi-Fi Way heavily pulling out She Digs Her and Somebody Else’s House early in the piece. It’s possible that knowing the audience is mostly YAI frequent flyers, they can mix it up and it will be appreciated by the die-hards. Some of the devoted had paid for a ‘meet’n’greet’ package which included a pre-show meet with the guys backstage, drinks and nibbles, the new album on vinyl and cd, a stubby holder, carry bag and a set of YAI guitar picks.

Surprisingly there are only a couple of tracks from 2008’s Dilettantes. Frightfully Moderne leads into Friends Like You from Convicts which raises the temperature. Meanwhile in the audience YAI different audiences attempt to find accord. This has been an issue at YAI gigs for a while. They have ‘new’ or ‘young’ fans who want to jump up and down and try to start a mosh. Generally they are jumping on much older fans that have been fixtures down the front of YAI gigs for 20 years and don’t want to be jumped on. This juxtaposition usually works itself out pretty quickly, but one chap was bailed up by Tim telling him to cool down, before security bounced him and his enthusiasm out the door.

“I wanna kiss her, wanna kiss her
Cos she smiles like David Johannsen”

Is a killer first line of Pinpricks also from the new album, its punchy two minutes long but catchy as fuck. Things heat up up with Coprolalia ( Sound As Ever ) which sends people into a bit of a frenzy. Couple of songs from #4 Record, again side stepping ‘hits’ like Rumble and What I Know About You they opt for album tracks Plans and The Cream & The Crock.

Rusty Hopkinson is still the best drummer in the country. Thumping four shades of shit out of that poor defenceless kit. In Tim Rogers you have a quintessential front man. He swaggers and shimmies, he walks the walk, he talks the talk, he rocks the rock. He gives it some fire and brimstone. He’s Jagger AND Richards, with a scoop of James Brown, dipped in Townsend sprinkles and served with a shot of whiskey in a dirty glass.

As if to prove this they stomp through a mighty take of The Stones Brown Sugar before smashing out Damage with equal ferocity. They take things down a notch with Trigger Finger off the new record with the added bonus of Lanie Lane appearing out of the wings to sing her part with Timmy. She has a pretty awesome record of her own out right now so you should investigate it further. Get Up ( Dress Me Slowly ) is followed by the rapturously received Purple Sneakers.

Eventually coaxed back they head straight back to Hi-Fi Way for Minor Byrd which is sweaty and perfect. They take it down a notch for Give Up Get Fat before the fifth Hi-Fi cut How Much Is Enough brings things to a euphoric conclusion.

I may have been a little harsh on certain bands earlier (*coughpowderfinger), and I am sure they were quite good and their legions of followers are heartbroken about them splitting up. But I see it as an opportunity, a chance to realise that one of the mightiest of all bands has been under your radar (and noses) all along. Follow the light people…

Setlist

Crime (You Am I, 2011)
We Hardly knew You (You Am I, 2011)
Shuck (You Am I, 2011)
She Digs Her (Hi Fi Way 1995)
Somebody Else’s Home (Hi-Fi Way 1995)
Frightfully Moderne (Dilettantes 2008)
Pinpricks (You Am I, 2011)
Coprolalia (Sound As Ever 1993)
The Ocean (You Am I, 2011)
Plans (#4 record 1998)
Cream & The Crock (#4 Record 1998)
Brown Sugar (Rolling Stones cover)
Damage (Dress Me Slowly 2001)
Trigger Finger – with Lanie Lane (You Am I, 2011)
Get Up (Dress Me Slowly 2001)
Purple Sneakers (Hi-Fi Way 1995)

Encore
Minor Byrd (Hi-Fi Way 1995)
Give Up & Get Fat (Dilettantes 2008)
How Much Is Enough (Hi-Fi Way 1995)