Photo: Michelle Ho
The two words almost no nostalgia-seeking fans of any legendary band on a comeback ever want to hear are "new songs"; unfortunately, quite early in the night, these words were uttered by Crowded House singer Neil Finn as he introduced a song from their most recent album Time on Earth, much to the chagrin of more than a few who had packed out the Enmore Theatre for this rare intimate appearance by the Kiwi-cum-Aussie band.
Most of the first hour of Crowded House's two-hour-plus set plodded through the band's newer and less familiar tracks. Despite being a less-than-inspiring hour of live music (at one point, a particularly bored audience member even shouted out, "Play some Split Enz!"), the band's warm banter and enthusiasm still managed to keep most punters rooted to their spots. Those who stuck it out were rewarded toward the end of their main set; the signature opening chords of 'Don't Dream it's Over' paved the way for a solid slew of old hits and audience favourites. The energy in the room was instant transformed; songs such as 'Distant Sun', 'Locked Out' and 'When You Come' got an airing, as did the energetic 'Mean to Me' and a beautiful acoustic rendition, performed solo by Finn before the second encore break, of the Temple of Low Men classic, 'Love this Life'.
Watching Finn and co standing before their many loyal fans, it is clear that what keeps these concerts selling out is not just the strength of the band's tracks, but the warm way they connect with their audience. Finn frequently bantered with bandmates and fans and conducted the sold-out Enmore Theatre through their well-known songs, including the sonorous 'Weather with You', which concluded with Finn, bassist Nick Seymour and guitarist Mark Hart leading the dance floor in what was surely one of live music's most co-ordinated moshpits.
Despite the lulling first half, Crowded House's longevity, experience and maturity really shone through in their live performance. This is a band that constantly delivers, and very few people would have left theatre feeling disappointed on Thursday night - I know I didn't.
Michelle Ho
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