Cardiff

It was superb indeed! And some superb crowd singing too. Wonderful night, they all played a blinder, especially Matt.

Wow, sounds awesome !! thanks so much for the reviews guys

It was an awesome night.

Incase anyone was wondering, I stood up

However my husband got the downside with 2 rows in front of him, so his view was limited and 3 girls who kept backing into him although becuase of the seats there was nowhere to go! And then someone took his fleece instead of theirs!

But the gig was amazing and they looked like they were having a ball. Matt's drumming in PU was absolutely mesmorising.

Here is Elroy playing with his Dad:



and the set list:


Duke Special were amazing as well.

Hi to Dawn and another girl whose name escapes me sorry!!!!!! Too early.

Crowley

crowley - i am ABSOLUTELY GUTTED they did throw your arms! that is the one song wanted to request in manchester but was scared incase they'd just ignore me....am i allowed to request a copy of the live cd from someone who may have purchasd it or is this illegal ....???!!

quote:

Originally posted by Jeran:
crowley - i am ABSOLUTELY GUTTED they did throw your arms! that is the one song wanted to request in manchester but was scared incase they'd just ignore me....am i allowed to request a copy of the live cd from someone who may have purchasd it or is this illegal ....???!!

Unfortunately Cardiff wasn't one of the shows recorded.

sorry finner79 i thought it was crowley who had started this thread - my apologies!
o well, shall have to stick to the Roxy version i have on cd =(

quote:

Originally posted by Jeran:
sorry finner79 i thought it was crowley who had started this thread - my apologies!
o well, shall have to stick to the Roxy version i have on cd =(

They had a stand there advertising cds but unfortunately it was for the other dates. Would have loved a copy of the gig. Throw your arms around me was just about the highlight of the show for me - beautiful version. 3 people, including me, shouted out for it at the same time which may have helped in getting it played. The timing after Message To My Girl was also perfect!

This was the setlist as played (quite a few changes from the planned set looking at the photo above):

Recurring Dream
World where you live
Don't stop now
Pour le monde
Four seasons
Say that again
Silent house
Love you till the day I die
Hole in the river
Don't dream it's over
People are like suns
Message to my girl
Throw your arms around me
Distant sun
It's only natural

Encore 1
Locked out
Private Universe
Weather With You

Encore 2
Pineapple Head
She Called Up
Fall at your Feet
Better Be Home Soon

Throw Your Arms was the highlight for me, and Private Universe - Matt's drumming was absolutely superb. It worked well as an encore - preferred it there to the version they opened with in Nottingham. Thought Silent House was cracking last night too. Loved the way the low-tech stage effects fell apart as well. And Matt and Mark on the piano with Neil on drums at the end - just great! Only thing that spoiled it was a couple in row E who talked all the way through the early songs, particularly Pour Le Monde, much to the irritation of those around them, before disappearing.

Overall, Birmingham has been my favourite so far but I never fail to be so impressed that they can vary the set list so much every night, it just keeps it so fresh and really interesting. Looking forward to the London shows.

Hello all

My first crowded house show after a long long wait - I'm so pleased having previously missed the bristol thekla show and the hyde park gigs before the tour proper..

Anyway impressions -

recurring dream slow start but welcome addition. I was a bit gutted at the initial lack of enthusiasm shown around me - I got carried away s singing to four seasons at top of my voice word for word- When Neil prompted some audience participation I got some evil's from a 'librarian' in the row in front -

Even nick seymours 'bird' joke when a bit flat,

I was so glad when the crowd got to its feet when don't dream its over come about that the place finally ignited.

We got treated to some classic versions -

For me the highlights were

Elroy direct from atlantic college (jokes galore)
Happy birthday to nick
Four seasons
Silent house
Love you till the day I die
Message to my girl
Throw your arms around me (great slow and unplugged)

Distant sun
Weather With You (with the caravan - I thought they may of joked about not caving in to cheap prop's!)
Fall at your Feet - cut short but basically the crowd led right the way through

Better Be Home Soon - fantastic finale - What versitility again left with crowd singing out the last notes , but band returning with neil on drums matt and nick on keyboards for one last bash

Also the support band duke special were great as well - What unusual band and memorising vocals
Irish - I thought he was canadian until the end
Will be buying the album

Pity they didn't record procedings had to settle for NEC gig which was sold in foyer

Concert Review from South Wales Echo(icwales link)

Crowded House
Dec 5 2007 by Gavin Allen, South Wales Echo

Cardiff International Arena

HHHHH

THERE’S been something sadly missing in the music industry since their demise in 1996 but the recently reformed Crowded House showed a sell-out crowd exactly what they'd been missing with a quite exceptional performance last night.

Their latest album, Time On Earth, the first since 1993‘s Together Alone, whetted the appetite all summer for the UK tour which thankfully included Cardiff.

Bounding on stage to a rapturous welcome, the band resembled a modern-day Beatles, clad in smart suits with their dapper bass guitarist Nick Seymour, looking the part in a McCartney-like white suit circa Abbey Road.

The Beatle similarities didn't end there because in Neil Finn the band have an acclaimed songwriter whose style is often compared favourably to that of Liverpool's finest.

The band are no slouches live with Seymour's busy bass lines, Mark Hart’s melodic guitar and keyboard touches and new drummer Matt Sherrod all contributing to some quite subtle harmonies.

With Finn in fine voice, picking any stand out moments in such a stunning evening would prove difficult yet a bitter-sweet Four Seasons In One Day, a driving Distant Sun and a show-stopping Better Be Home Soon, played in complete darkness, would take some beating.

Fans are no doubt hoping for a quick return.

Wonderful, wonderful gig. Much better, I have to say, than the one at the Thekla. Whilst it was brilliant to see them in such a small venue on that occasion, they were somewhat under-rehearsed. Not this time...

The show was fantastic, my 3rd Crowded House gig, after Munich this year, and Manchester many, many years ago for the Together Alone tour.

For everyone like me who was disappointed that the show isn't one of the live CDs, I have put a couple of clips on YouTube. (I hope it is ok to put the links here - please let me know if it isn't)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1fRWSGo9B4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW5TRihV7FQ

I apologise for the camera shake, and the fact that I was singing whilst taking a video!

I'm trying to upload Better Be Home Soon, but my file is too large, and, being a complete novice when it comes to videos I can't edit it in Windows Movie Maker, all I get is the audio and a still picture

Morwenna

ps
Final apology for my YouTube name - I tried various combinations of my name, but it wasn't having any of it, and that's the first thing that popped into my head!!

Thanks for posting those videos-they look and sound fab to me! My wife and I were in the 3rd row, which was superb!
Unfortunately we arrived about 2/3rds through the Duke set and couldnt get to our seats straightaway because someone at the end of the row was in the wrong seat! So after about 2 minutes of being asked he finally realised that his ticket said Row CC rather than Row C. Easily done eh?
Still - on to the gig!
We hadn't seen them since the Thekla and were amazed at how well Matt has commanded that drumseat in quite a short time really. He does have a sound all his own and it fits well.
Highlights: Being with such a nice crowd of fans, a great spirit to it! Just like the old days.
Message To My Girl! Lump in the throat time.
Throw Your Arms Around Me. Wow.
Surreal moment-The crowd started to clap the intro to Hole In the River and Nick's shocked reaction turning to Matt and Mark with a 'bloody hell' or something like that. Maybe some were unaware of what it was about?
Everything felt great.
Something that my wife mentioned, there was a guy in the 2nd row, friendly fella who wqas smiling all then way through the gig. She mentioned to me after the gig, that during the caravan moment before BBHS, he had tears running down his face.
Now THAT is what this band (RIP Paul) are all about to me.

Have a great rest of year to everyone at Cardiff and if anyone's off to Wembley, please let me know what meet-up plans there are!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Finfan:

Unfortunately we arrived about 2/3rds through the Duke set and couldnt get to our seats straightaway because someone at the end of the row was in the wrong seat! So after about 2 minutes of being asked he finally realised that his ticket said Row CC rather than Row C. Easily done eh?
[\QUOTE]

Hey Finfan - I was the person having to ask the guy to move as he didn't realise he was in the wrong seat - he was sitting in my sons seat and even after I showed him the row number on his ticket he still was looking for a member of staff to help him - however I think the penny then dropped for him. Poor guy bit gutting to think you have such a good seat to (3rd row centre block) to find you are actually somewhere else!

Thanks Melinda. It must have been gutting for him. From our end though those two minutes felt like an eternity-especially when I was blocking other people's viwes, you know what I mean?
Maybe he came down to the front for the dancing bit later?
Wasn't it an amazing gig though??

Thanks Finfan. It's the Better Be Home Soon one which has the worst of my singing, which I still haven't managed to upload

I've put a few more vids on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAgqb7NItl4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhXQRYK5WiU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6u1COxVfZM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIxDw2vYneQ

I think that will be it, unless I manage to get the Better Be Home Soon one to upload - I'll keep trying because I think it's really amazing.

I've loved seeing the comments here about Matt's drumming in Private Universe. I spoke to someone after the show who said the same thing, but I have to admit I was oblivious to it, having been mesmerised myself by Mark playing whatever that instrument is!!

Morwenna

Just wanted to add my few pence on the Cardiff concert. Sorry it's taken me a few days.

Myself and two friends were lucky enough to get the front row centre three seats (as has been mentioned on my previous posts). It was an amazing place to be. Sat alongside us was Crowley from this Forum (nice to meet you and thanks for the mention above). I recall the other girl we spoke to was Kaz H - nice to meet you too Kaz. It's nice to meet other Frenz. There's a common bond between us.

Starting with Duke Special, they were brilliant. I had done a bit of searching before seeing them (or should that be him?) and was impressed so bought the album beforehand. The songs are so catchy that I found I was singing along to most of them. I got my CD signed by Duke himself, the guitarist and drummer. My friends were also impressed and, in fact, two of us have bought tickets to see Duke on his own in Bristol next Monday.

Now to Crowded House. Cardiff was my 6th time of seeing them since the nineties (having also been to 6 other Finn Brothers/Neil Finn/Tim Finn concerts). It was my third time this year (Hyde Park in June and Birmingham the night before). This was, by far, the best concert I have been to.

What an amazing concert and such a selection of songs. It's too difficult to choose a favourite from such a list but highlights were definitely Throw Your Arms Around Me, Love You 'Til the Day I Die (which I was wanting to shout out for just before they played it - spooky!), Pour Le Monde (my favourite from Time on Earth) and Locked Out. It's a real shame Cardiff wasn't one of the concerts recorded for CD.

My friend Morwenna (who posted the videos above) and I were itching to get up and stand right from the start but were concerned about blocking people's view. However, we went for it in Don't Dream It's Over, along with our other friend Sarah and Crowley, which then seemed to start a "surge" to the front and everyone seemed to stand. Neil commented that it was nice to see people on their feet.

I think other highlights of the concert have already been mentioned above so I won't repeat them but I totally agree. The band had so much energy throughout the concert. It was amazing and infectious. It just reaffirms why they've been my favourite band for so many years.

I must say thanks to John Walsh for letting me have the last copy of the set list after the concert.

If the concert wasn't enough, the highlight of the night for me came later.

My friends and I decided to see if there was any chance of getting our programmes/CDs signed by the band. Having never tried before we weren't sure where to go but we found the back of the arena. A small group of fans were also there but we were told by security that the band were at an aftershow party and wouldn't be out until at least 1am. Well we decided to hang around and wait in the hope that they came out. Although it took a long while it was worth the wait as, eventually Mark came out followed by Matt, Nick and then Neil (it was before 1am though).

They apologised for not coming out earlier as if they'd realised we'd been there, they would have come out. We all managed to get our stuff signed and also had photos taken with members of the band. They were all so polite, friendly and happy to chat to the fans. They also made sure that our photos were okay, even offering to have one taken again when half of Neil's head was chopped off in it. I can't remember all of what was said as I was in somewhat of a state of shock but I do remember Neil commenting that he had enjoyed playing Message To My Girl.



I took so many photos and have put a selection of the less blurry ones online:

Crowded House Cardiff 4 Dec 2007

Well, I gave up with trying to make the 'Better Be Home Soon' file smaller, and found a different way to upload it. So here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evPhBXYPDGI

It moves me every time I see it, which has been quite a few times, given the amount of times I was trying to get the file size reduced!

I would just like to point out that although I can hear my voice on it , the laughing isn't me - I think it came from behind us!

Morwenna

I love your photos Dawn S thanks so much for posting them

morwenna, hopefully I can watch your vids when I get back tonight, must dash now.

Tahnkyou too

A servely late post, but hey i've only just found this place.

What a concert! Having never seen them before wasn't sure what to expect, some bands sound great, but then when you see them live they are a disappointment..... thank god this was not the case, was really impressed with Neils vocals live, and the band were top notch on the night.

Lucky enough to have a balcony seat which to my surprise was only 3 seats deep. Not sure if this concert was recorded as from the vantage point there was a laptop which looked as if it was doing that very thing - maybe they only offerred selected recordings on CD because of the expense.

The first thing, was a bet we had as to which song would be played first..... off Time On Earth, or an old one. To my surprise it sounded as if it was completely new material (unless someone can correct me)

All in all a very good night, roll on a new album and another tour.

P.s. very envious to see that some of you met them after that night.

Glad you enjoyed that one, as did we! Welcome to the forum, it's a great place when you want to discuss all things Crowded House. They started with an oldie - 'Recurring Dream', they did a slightly shorter version of it. It's on Afterglow, and was one the earliest recorded Crowded House songs. The guys on this forum will know exactly when!

I first heard it on a CD single of 'Four Seasons In One Day'. Some band and so much to get into.

Enjoy!