Just starting the placeholder for all our thoughts on the wonderful, wonderful gig we will be attending tonight... can't wait and looking forward to seeing all the Frenz there.
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Have fun guys 
looking forward to your reviews as always too!
looking forward to your reviews as always too!
9 words...
Spirit if the stairs
Love is all that remains
More later!!!!!!!
Spirit if the stairs
Love is all that remains
More later!!!!!!!
F&$@ing brilliant. Loooovved try whistling this and faster than light. Could have done without DDIO (come on... you thought it too). Could have done with more songs, set less than 1.5 hrs. But adored it anyway.
Am I the only one who wants Neil to ditch the crowdies and go solo again?
Am I the only one who wants Neil to ditch the crowdies and go solo again?
For those interested:
Guitar:
Only Talking Sense
Spirit of the Stairs
One Step Ahead
Hello Sandy Allen
Piano:
Try Whistling This
Wherever You Are
Last Day of June
Gentle Hum
Faster Than Light
Message To My Girl
Into The Sunset
Guitar again:
Love is All That Remains
Something So Strong (demo version)
She Will Have Her Way
Encore:
Fall At Your Feet
Don't Dream It's Over
No requests and no second encore.
Guitar:
Only Talking Sense
Spirit of the Stairs
One Step Ahead
Hello Sandy Allen
Piano:
Try Whistling This
Wherever You Are
Last Day of June
Gentle Hum
Faster Than Light
Message To My Girl
Into The Sunset
Guitar again:
Love is All That Remains
Something So Strong (demo version)
She Will Have Her Way
Encore:
Fall At Your Feet
Don't Dream It's Over
No requests and no second encore.
WOW!
So many of what would've been my requests in there..
Would've loved to have been there for Spirit of the Stairs...
I take it you all had a good night then
So many of what would've been my requests in there..
Would've loved to have been there for Spirit of the Stairs...
I take it you all had a good night then
quote:Originally posted by Wise Enough:
Am I the only one who wants Neil to ditch the crowdies and go solo again?
Probably
However the idea of the odd solo show DURING a Crowdies tour is like having your cake and eating it too
And I am all for it (the solo shows plus the tour, not necessarily the Chocolate cake
) Was hoping we might get a solo show here in Melbourne though what with the Meredith Festival coming up and all....fingers still crossed...
What time did he come on stage? I'm hoping for an early one. Looks like a fun show, excited for tonight!
WOW - WOW -WOW! what a fantastic show! Unlike any show I have been to before. I have only seen Neil play solo once - I went to Auckland for a black tie - charity fundraiser 18 months or so ago. At that concert there was lots of chatter and interaction with the crowd.
Last nights show was very tightly controlled - no photos allowed. As soon as a flash went off, the usher's would "pounce" and say "no photo's".
It was a smallish venue with seats going up from the centre, so everyone had a great view (no matter how tall the person in front was). It was a bit like being in church - everyone was speaking in hushed tones. Once Neil came out of course, there was lots of cheering and clapping. Right through every song there was absolute silence.....right to the very last guitar strum! You could have heard a pin drop!
Neil was in fine voice - just beautiful! He sang a great set - there was a couple I had not heard before...but the hard-core fans seemed to know them.
The lighting was very minimal...and often there was just one spotlight on Neil. You could not see the faces of anyone in the crowd - 90% of the time. I was in the middle of the front row....and because the thing I could hear or see (most of the time) was Neil.....it kind of felt like a private gig in my lounge room! His voice was so wonderful, it was really nice to close my eyes and listen to every word he sang and sometimes I could hear the breaths in between!
I feel so lucky to have been in the audience and can't wait for tonights show.
Last nights show was very tightly controlled - no photos allowed. As soon as a flash went off, the usher's would "pounce" and say "no photo's".
It was a smallish venue with seats going up from the centre, so everyone had a great view (no matter how tall the person in front was). It was a bit like being in church - everyone was speaking in hushed tones. Once Neil came out of course, there was lots of cheering and clapping. Right through every song there was absolute silence.....right to the very last guitar strum! You could have heard a pin drop!
Neil was in fine voice - just beautiful! He sang a great set - there was a couple I had not heard before...but the hard-core fans seemed to know them.
The lighting was very minimal...and often there was just one spotlight on Neil. You could not see the faces of anyone in the crowd - 90% of the time. I was in the middle of the front row....and because the thing I could hear or see (most of the time) was Neil.....it kind of felt like a private gig in my lounge room! His voice was so wonderful, it was really nice to close my eyes and listen to every word he sang and sometimes I could hear the breaths in between!
I feel so lucky to have been in the audience and can't wait for tonights show.
That show was amazing. It was a billion times better than I expected.
I still can't believe Neil played Hello Sandy Allen & One Step Ahead.
<3
I still can't believe Neil played Hello Sandy Allen & One Step Ahead.
<3
quote:Originally posted by esquared:
What time did he come on stage? I'm hoping for an early one. Looks like a fun show, excited for tonight!
Neil came on a little after 8pm so you'll have your early night
Just beautiful!! Like the others said not a bad seat in the house as he played in the middle of the room. Thank you Neil !!!!! for playing the second show so that many who were in Wollongong on Tuesday night from Melbourne could attend . Also for playing the request Love is All That Remains. So gorgeous and a priviledge to hear. Try Whistling This, Spirit of The Stairs, and Faster than Light as well as She Will Have Her Way were honoured requests here and highlights. Oh and did I say he played Love is All That Remains !!!!!!(still floating on air 
) .
. Also for playing the request Love is All That Remains. So gorgeous and a priviledge to hear. Try Whistling This, Spirit of The Stairs, and Faster than Light as well as She Will Have Her Way were honoured requests here and highlights. Oh and did I say he played Love is All That Remains !!!!!!(still floating on air ) .quote:Originally posted by R_curring Dream:
Was hoping we might get a solo show here in Melbourne though what with the Meredith Festival coming up and all....fingers still crossed...
God I'd love for him to do a solo show down here. So jealous of the setlist - would love to hear some of the songs there.
(Though if he did announce a show down here now, I'd be paranoid that it'd clash with gigs I'm already going to. Bit of a busy gig schedule to end the year!)
Wonderful, wonderful show last night. I have tried to start this review a few times now as wonderful, fantastic, brilliant, and a thousand other adjectives just don't seem to convey the experience we had last night. I will start anyway.
The venue helped set the mood. As reported by CK and usaoz there was not a bad seat in the house. The space is a purpose built theatre and seating was tiered all the way. The front row seats were almost level with the "stage space" so anyone there had a real treat (hello usaoz ). The rest of our group was in the fourth row and couldn't believe how close and intimate the view of the stage was. There were "pockets" of Frenz covering a few row levels (the three rows in front of us in particular) and all through the theatre space which felt really nice.
Being a dedicated performance space the acoustics were superb. When the first chords of Only Talking Sense came out and swirled through the room and back to the stage again there was almost absolute silence from the audience - the only punctuation was the odd gasp, sigh, and intake of breath. It was a gathering of the faithful but we could tell this was going to be really special and Neil had us all in the palm of his hand. I will borrow some words here from Skinny Cafe Latte - goosebumps on goosebumps on goosebumps. Honestly.
After a few songs I looked right up to the back row it looked like all the theatre staff not working and anyone else in the know had lined the back walkway and stood there taking it all in.
Neil was on fire but for me it was not the same fire we see at a Crowded House show. The material was different, the feel of the space was different. There was passion, humility and grace and every person in the room was completely drawn in.
In the piano set Neil acknowledged that many in the room would have been hearing him play for the last 30 odd years and some present were newer than that. He thanked us for being there and coming to hear him play songs he loved but didn't have the chance to play very often. He said he would take us on a journey through the decades, and he did. Neil - This expression of modesty and appreciation for your fans is just one of the many reasons we love to come and share your music with you. And you expressed it with impeccable style and class.
To the songs now....Anytime isn't on timmothytims setlist in the posts above but it did indeed get a run. Neil said the first person up on stage could play "a piano bit" in the next song and one guy leaped off the front row and onto the stage in a millisecond. It was wonderful. Sorry I have forgotten your name and if you are here - excellent work .
I can't remember at this point if anything else has been left off the list - I'll leave that to others. I have been through my 2nd, 3rd, 4th...10th winds over the last few days and sleep has not been a high priority.
I loved everything. The piano set was superb. TWT and Wherever you Are were glorious. MTMG two night in a row and very different versions (we got it at the Wollongong CH gig the night before).
I was almost a puddle on the floor when the main set closer was She Will Have Her Way - thankyou for that one Neil. Luckily Skinny Cafe Latte didn't have to scoop me off the floor before the encore.
As usaoz says in the "Sydney Requests" thread for Neil's show there were tears in eyes and on cheeks through various points in the evening for quite a few (including me). And I don't regret a single one.
I am back home and wish I could be there tonight. I wish all the Frenz there right now and waiting for Neil to come onstage (yep, it's a few minutes from now)a night as wonderful as last night.
Would I do it all again, including the alarm before 5am this morning so I could fly out and go straight to work from the airport? You bet, just tell me when.
The venue helped set the mood. As reported by CK and usaoz there was not a bad seat in the house. The space is a purpose built theatre and seating was tiered all the way. The front row seats were almost level with the "stage space" so anyone there had a real treat (hello usaoz
). The rest of our group was in the fourth row and couldn't believe how close and intimate the view of the stage was. There were "pockets" of Frenz covering a few row levels (the three rows in front of us in particular) and all through the theatre space which felt really nice.Being a dedicated performance space the acoustics were superb. When the first chords of Only Talking Sense came out and swirled through the room and back to the stage again there was almost absolute silence from the audience - the only punctuation was the odd gasp, sigh, and intake of breath. It was a gathering of the faithful but we could tell this was going to be really special and Neil had us all in the palm of his hand. I will borrow some words here from Skinny Cafe Latte - goosebumps on goosebumps on goosebumps. Honestly.
After a few songs I looked right up to the back row it looked like all the theatre staff not working and anyone else in the know had lined the back walkway and stood there taking it all in.
Neil was on fire but for me it was not the same fire we see at a Crowded House show. The material was different, the feel of the space was different. There was passion, humility and grace and every person in the room was completely drawn in.
In the piano set Neil acknowledged that many in the room would have been hearing him play for the last 30 odd years and some present were newer than that. He thanked us for being there and coming to hear him play songs he loved but didn't have the chance to play very often. He said he would take us on a journey through the decades, and he did. Neil - This expression of modesty and appreciation for your fans is just one of the many reasons we love to come and share your music with you. And you expressed it with impeccable style and class.
To the songs now....Anytime isn't on timmothytims setlist in the posts above but it did indeed get a run. Neil said the first person up on stage could play "a piano bit" in the next song and one guy leaped off the front row and onto the stage in a millisecond. It was wonderful. Sorry I have forgotten your name and if you are here - excellent work
. I can't remember at this point if anything else has been left off the list - I'll leave that to others. I have been through my 2nd, 3rd, 4th...10th winds over the last few days and sleep has not been a high priority.
I loved everything. The piano set was superb. TWT and Wherever you Are were glorious. MTMG two night in a row and very different versions (we got it at the Wollongong CH gig the night before).
I was almost a puddle on the floor when the main set closer was She Will Have Her Way - thankyou for that one Neil. Luckily Skinny Cafe Latte didn't have to scoop me off the floor before the encore.
As usaoz says in the "Sydney Requests" thread for Neil's show there were tears in eyes and on cheeks through various points in the evening for quite a few (including me). And I don't regret a single one.
I am back home and wish I could be there tonight. I wish all the Frenz there right now and waiting for Neil to come onstage (yep, it's a few minutes from now)a night as wonderful as last night.
Would I do it all again, including the alarm before 5am this morning so I could fly out and go straight to work from the airport? You bet, just tell me when.
Wow!
Great post!
Great post!
Thankyou
I am neglectful for not mentioning the following(I don't know how I didn't put this in).
Neil quickly left the stage after the first encore and he got a standing ovation. Yes, everyone. He came back on stage to acknowledge us and then left again very quickly. I think he was as moved as we were.
I am neglectful for not mentioning the following(I don't know how I didn't put this in).
Neil quickly left the stage after the first encore and he got a standing ovation. Yes, everyone. He came back on stage to acknowledge us and then left again very quickly. I think he was as moved as we were.
Excellent review, SWHHW, sounds like an incredible couple of evenings!
Just curious, were the guitar sets acoustic or electric, or a mixture of both (as in London)
Just curious, were the guitar sets acoustic or electric, or a mixture of both (as in London)
These acoustic shows that he has been doing in London, LA and now Sydney need to be heard.
Do you think theres any chance of getting a release of this? An acoustic live best of or just a selected show.
Do you think theres any chance of getting a release of this? An acoustic live best of or just a selected show.
Don't know, N1ck, not sure whether those nice people at Kufala/Crowdedhouselive.com can shed any light?
What do you think the demand would be for it Bart? I would have thought that anyone who has seen Crowded House in the last year is likely to want a copy.
If you take the cumulative audiences for UK, US and Australasian tour, you must get a pretty sizeable number, even if you divide it in half!
If you take the cumulative audiences for UK, US and Australasian tour, you must get a pretty sizeable number, even if you divide it in half!
quote:Originally posted by BART:
Excellent review, SWHHW, sounds like an incredible couple of evenings!
Just curious, were the guitar sets acoustic or electric, or a mixture of both (as in London)
Thanks BART
The guitars were electric. Not sure about last night.
I only have a second or two right now(first time on a computer in a week)but wanted to say
Spirit Of The Stairs
Love Is All That Remains
for about an hour and a half on the 17th, life was beautiful
Thankyou Neil xx
more thoughts to come later on
Spirit Of The Stairs
Love Is All That Remains
for about an hour and a half on the 17th, life was beautiful
Thankyou Neil xx
more thoughts to come later on
Thanks for all the reviews guys.
Does anyone know if these shows were recorded?
(Sorry if this has already been asked or discussed...).
Does anyone know if these shows were recorded?
(Sorry if this has already been asked or discussed...).
quote:Originally posted by Texas Rose:
Thanks for all the reviews guys.
Does anyone know if these shows were recorded?
(Sorry if this has already been asked or discussed...).
I would love this show to be released. Still no offical CH live recordings for Aus or NZ since the TOE comeback or anything from Neil.
Well, I cried 5 times the first night (mostly happy tears)I also grabbed Liz when Spirit started (sorry Liz)and bit my finger (my tears were'nt because it hurt ) Cried again during Love Is All That Remains..............Holy heaven above, Neil played Love Is All That Remains!! seriously
PLUS a gorgeous version of Try Whistling This (cue more tears)
If one could harness the amount of emotion in the room, one could power the world for many years.
Something very very very special
Thankyou, Neil for inviting us to be part of two moments in time that I will never forget
) Cried again during Love Is All That Remains..............Holy heaven above, Neil played Love Is All That Remains!! seriouslyPLUS a gorgeous version of Try Whistling This (cue more tears)
If one could harness the amount of emotion in the room, one could power the world for many years.
Something very very very special
Thankyou, Neil for inviting us to be part of two moments in time that I will never forget
...and it was 7 days and one and a half hours ago this show ended.
Far from forgotten, and still being relived.
I hope we see another one of these very soon.. maybe closer to home.
Far from forgotten, and still being relived.
I hope we see another one of these very soon.. maybe closer to home
.
I'd be there with bells on too
I've seen the Crowdies twice now since they reformed. I have to say I miss hearing Neil's solo stuff and being a very selfish fan I actually preferred it when Neil was solo as you could see him in smaller venues.
So these solo gigs sound amazing. The best Finn gig (and my all time best gig ever) was a Finn brothers gig in the Union Chapel ( a church) in London. It was semi aucostic with just Neil and Tim - guitar and drums - magical.
So I'm far from surprised these solo gigs are magical. Also it must be great to hear more of a varied set list. To be honest with you I'm bored with hearing just a CH only set list. Neil has done so much in his 30+ yrs and I've been a fan since I was 12 (I'm 43 now) and I don't want to hear just one part of his career - so I think these solo gigs serve a purpose not just for us fans but for Neil too.
I wish Neil would do a solo show in Peterborough. Now there's a dream!
So these solo gigs sound amazing. The best Finn gig (and my all time best gig ever) was a Finn brothers gig in the Union Chapel ( a church) in London. It was semi aucostic with just Neil and Tim - guitar and drums - magical.
So I'm far from surprised these solo gigs are magical. Also it must be great to hear more of a varied set list. To be honest with you I'm bored with hearing just a CH only set list. Neil has done so much in his 30+ yrs and I've been a fan since I was 12 (I'm 43 now) and I don't want to hear just one part of his career - so I think these solo gigs serve a purpose not just for us fans but for Neil too.
I wish Neil would do a solo show in Peterborough. Now there's a dream!
Have a look at this web site http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/...tralia-63d546d7.html
What a beautiful list of songs! Just reading it makes my heart warm and feel better. Wouldn't it be great to have that recorded ! Spirit of the Stairs I've been waiting for, heard it a while back and it is forever burned in my brain in a good way and I've been hoping it would be released like I heard, raw and awesome.
So jealous of this show I was not a part of, but thankful of the times I am able to witness the magic of the wonderful music that still won't quit !
_-La La La
So jealous of this show I was not a part of, but thankful of the times I am able to witness the magic of the wonderful music that still won't quit !
_-La La La
@N1ck posted:Do you think theres any chance of getting a release of this?
Done.