Eels - No Strings Attached at Tivoli, Thursday 20 July 2006

When the Eels came to Brisbane in 2005 on their With Strings tour, they promised they would rock again. This time, with No Strings Attached, rock is certainly what they did indeed. The show opened in darkness with a rumble of sound effects that augmented anticipation within the audience, many of whom having high expectations from their previous performance at the Tivoli. Lights brightened to reveal Mark Everett and each of his Eels barbate and sporting sunglasses, dressed in various uniforms. The band delivered a selection of songs from their latest album, Blinking Lights And Other Revelations, as well as older favourites, most with high-paced boisterousness, only slowing down occasionally for a more poignant ballad.

The appeal of the Eels’ sound is unique yet somewhat explicable – a balance between genius and simplicity of heartfelt lyrics, coupled with mellow chords, delivered in performance of self-condescending and wistful yet honest and optimistic fervour. While some fans may have preferred Mr E’s softer songs, most appreciated the intensity achieved by sped-up renditions, and all were undeniably entertained by the energetic stage antics in any case. Big Al, dressed in a security guard costume, danced kung-fu fighting style, distributed whipped cream to the audience, made witty banter between songs and occasionally even played tambourine or provided backing vocals.

The set ended with the catchy classics “I Like Birds” and “Mr E’s Beautiful Blues”, leaving Eels fans rocked out but in anticipation of a new album and tour in the future.

Setlist:

• Old Shit/New Shit
• The Other Shoe
• Rock Show (Iggy Pop/Peaches)
• Crazy Love (Willie Dixon)
• Eyes Down
• Dirty Girl
• After The Operation
• Jesus Gonna Be Here (Tom Waits)
• Mother Mary
• A Magic World
• Rags To Rags
• I'm Going To Stop Pretending That I Didn't Break Your Heart
• Last Stop: This Town
• Not Ready Yet
• Railroad Man
• Dog Faced Boy
• Souljacker Pt.1
• I Put A Spell On You (Screamin' Jay Hawkins)
• That's Life (Frank Sinatra)

ENCORE
• Cancer For The Cure
• I Like Birds
• Mr. E's Beautiful Blues

SECOND ENCORE
• Saturday Morning

Quickie

Well, I haven't been out to a gig or bought a CD in a while, nor have I been using this blog as a time-wasting device, hence the lack of posting. I am indeed wishing I were seeing Mates Of State at the moment, but am limited by funds... and perhaps like-minded friends? However do stay tuned for recaps of the Eels gig and Splendour In The Grass! Am considering purchasing tickets to the Gomez gig in September too.

In the meantime I shall be bitchy and provide a list of artists whose previous stuff I may have liked at some stage but whose new stuff I think sucks:

• Primal Scream
• Muse
• Eskimo Joe

Also, here are some comics I have found that, while not being entirely hilarious, are somewhat witty in reference to indie/emo/goth nerdery:

He covers Ashlee Simpson

Was at the very cool cruisey Alley Bar (if only they had a website I would link it) last night, and this "band" called Harvey Britain was playing. The "band" consists of one guy named Dan singing and strumming an acoustic guitar. Strange. Even stranger, he did a cover of an Ashlee Simpson song (I didn't recognise it myself, as if you would Mad!).

Anyway he seemed rather nice, so I thought I'd give his myspace a plug, though in a less spectacular fashion than he did, because he spelled out the address in song. And he's playing at the Alley Bar again in two weeks, on Wednesday July 5.

Everyone thought it was a shame for Belle and the boy Sebastian...

... to have to end the show!

One of the funnest gigs I've ever been to! 2 hours of jumping around and grinning our heads off at the band of guitar, bass, trumpet, percussion, keyboard, violin, cello, flute, toy instruments... and oh so deliciously sweet harmonies. They were full of character and having a ball on stage.

My highlights:

• A funky version "If She Wants Me" (possibly my fave song)
• "I'm A Cuckoo", the only song about breaking up that's fun to dance to
• A lovely cover of the Go-Betweens' "Bye Bye Pride"
• The panda chick! So jealous! There were a bunch of cool crazies who all wore animal masks, and threw their masks on stage, which the band used as props from time to time, and Stuart pulled this girl in a panda mask on stage for a dance and she was supercool, I wanted to be her!

Setlist:

• The Stars Of Track And Field
• Another Sunny Day
• Funny Little Frog
• Like Dylan In The Movies
• Sukie In The Graveyard
• Electronic Renaissance
• If She Wants Me
• To Be Myself Completely
• Dress Up In You
• Bye Bye Pride (The Go-Betweens)
• Piazza, New York Catcher
• Act Of The Apostle Part 1
• If You're Feeling Sinister
• The Blues Are Still Blue
• Le Pastie De La Bourgeoisie
• I'm A Cuckoo
• Jonathan David
• White Collar Boy
• The State I Am In

ENCORE
• Your Covers Blown
• The Boy With The Arab Strap

Ahh so sad it's over, I want to see them again!!!

Where will all the cool kids be tonight?

At the Tivoli to see Belle & Sebastian! Stay tuned for a review.

Outclassed

Now THIS is pretentious, opinionated and wanky! Thanks Sal.

Today I wish I was cool like...

She's so cool. I just love blues, it just hits the spot somehow. And Mia rocks out so good, she expresses herself through both vocals and guitar with so much power, so effortlessly. There's something authentic about her - despite that she's not an oppressed black American male from the south in the early 1900s, she somehow appropriates the blues to her own unique style and identity.

I'm so cut that I didn't realise she played at The Zoo just last week. I knew it was coming up, and heard her on the radio this morning so I looked it up today... grr. And I missed her last time too. Vow to see her next time. And must buy one of her CDs at the next affordable moment (along with many other CDs - they're addictive but at least they don't cause gangrene). In the meantime I'm listening to the few tracks on her official site and her myspace, and so should you.

Ohh that deliciously sick feeling of guilt distraction gives...

I gave this album a third listen today, while doing some work. Until I stopped doing work and just sat and listened for an hour. I'm so glad I'm getting into them right before Splendour (and no, I'm not just jumping on the bandwagon because they're touring, I started listening to them before I heard the line-up), sooooooo looking forward to seeing them live. I just can't get enough of the angsty vocals... together with the lush melodic riffs... coming over dissonant distortion... above a once again melodic bass... accompanied by an impelling drum beat... ahhh I love it. I can't say whether I prefer it to Sonic Nurse or not though, or any of their older stuff, because I've only recently become acquainted with their sound altogether.

Anyway it's late so I won't go getting too analytical here, but you can listen to the ENTIRE album for yourself, streaming online on their official site. For free, fools, for FREE. Go! Go on! Do it now! Do it! Do it! Or you can go buy it from a shop, like I did, even though you can't afford it, like I can't, just because you love it, like I do.

Indulge Me

Since I sort of enjoyed making a blog called Trance Mission for MSTU2000, I thought I'd start this blog just as a place I can crap on to whoever will listen about music that I like (because most of my friends are quite sick of it). And because I should be doing some actual work right now. I'm also thinking of allowing other people to join this blog and post as well, but I haven't figured out how to do that yet.