Hamer Hall Jan 29 2009

[jimjamtwo]

Well Gazza, from my recollection the process was still coming together in Sydney, as there were about 30 songs to learn. When we did Melbourne the songs were almost entirely the same so everything came together very naturally, despite the passage of just over a year. Amazingly, the show in Melbourne was at least as tight as on the final Sydney show, if not even tighter. The obvious exception was Bury Me Deep, for which the arrangement was different (same as the album version) and for which Mark Halstead was thrown in the 'deep' end. Perth shows probably had the best 'feel' of all the shows, although there were inevitably a few mistakes.

I'm not aware of anyone who saw both the Sydney and Melbourne shows, though.

[mark t]

I did, so did Weasel. Good question.
Sydney was more exciting, being the first time, and probably cause I was sitting down the front at Sydney (and next to MarkfP ). The Melbourne crowd was less responsive, but not necessarily less appreciative. The big surprise at melbourne was Beautiful Waste - which was the song not done at Sydney I most wanted to hear. The cello worked beautifully in Melbourne (on Red Pony in particular I didn't think it could get better than Sydney) -  as did Bruce Haymes on piano. it was a bit tighter than sydney, I guess. I only saw the last two sydney shows, so it was also great to hear Kilbey.

I've just spent an age trying to write something about the intensity of seeing the Triffids a few days after Cohen. Feelings. But I'll spare you my cack-handedness (and spare myself the embarrassment ).

[Urpal]

I've just spent an age trying to write something about the intensity of seeing the Triffids a few days after Cohen. Feelings. But I'll spare you my cack-handedness (and spare myself the embarrassment ).

It's never held me back. Go on, markt. Share the load

In another bizarre twist to my Cohen/McComb parallel internet universes theory, both LC's and The Triffids shows from the last fortnight are apparently to be the subject of free webcasts over the next day or two. Here are the links for those wishing to share Mark's intense experiences from a safe distance:

Cohen at The Beacon Theatre New York 19.02.2009 should be available here some time today:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=101034642

The Triffids performance at PIAF is threatened to appear here some time very soon (the recent updates to the Triffids page of the iinet freezone indicate it will be available to all comers not just their subscribers when it arrives):

http://www.iinet.net.au/freezone/#

On the second link, you need to select Music - Perth Festival - The Triffids to get to the required destination after landing.

[Kieren]

I'm not aware of anyone who saw both the Sydney and Melbourne shows

Apart from performers - did anybody get to all three (or five including the Europe gigs)??

[Urpal]

Some of the performers didn't make all 5 venues - Hasselt, Amsterdam, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. I expect only HSM and Julian Wu can make that claim outside of the original band members, although Mark Snarski must have covered most (he missed Melbourne didn't he?).

Hats off to anyone that did. Or even made all three Australian events.