ninja crayon
click.beep.whirr.slash

I'm a Crowded House Groupie!

Crowded House is a band I have always wanted to see, but they broke up years ago and I thought I'd never have a chance. They regrouped and just put out a new album and I've got tickets to two shows!

Tonight was the Crowded House show at Frederick Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, which happens to be my hometown. I got there early and planted myself squarely in the front row center. Let me just skip to the end and tell you that I met the band after the show and it was freakin' phenomenal.

At 6:30 Liam Finn came on stage. Liam is Neil Finn's son... Neil Finn being the singer of Crowded House. My sister and I saw Neil Finn in 2000 in Chicago and Liam played and he was all of 16 then. He's grown up and man, is he talented. He rocked the house. He had some contraption on the floor where he could record for a bit and loop it so, playing alone, he could sound like a full band. He only did 3 songs, but it was great. He's putting out an album in January he said. Yeah, we talked to him after the show, too.  He's really a talent. His voice sounds a lot like Neil's and his sound is different from anything that I've heard out there laterly. Liam's MySpace


Next up, 16 Frames played. They're a rock/pop outfit from L.A. and they were really good. I'll have to pick up their album when it's available. Yeah, no album. Unbelievable! They haven't even released an album yet they're opening for Crowded House. How does that happen?  They are really good though, so they did deserve to play with CH. I hear some CH influence in there. 16 Frames MySpace


Finally, Crowded House came on stage.  Since you probably don't know any of their songs except for Don't Dream it's Over and Something So Strong, I'll just tell you that they played phenomenally and you should pick up their full catalog. They are by no means one hit wonders, as some people around here seem to think, just because they didn't have as much commercial success in America.. They've had dozens of big hits elsewhere in the world and everyone of their albums are completely awesome. Seriously, I can listen to them over and over and it never gets stale like my old Thompson Twins CD tends to.

The set had a backdrop of newspaper clippings torn and put together. It's all from a New Zealand (or was it Australian?) newspaper and the story about an Australian guy at Guantanamo. We talked to Nick Seymour, the bass player and designer of the cover of the CD after the show and he explained the significance of the art. More on that later.


They started the show with World Where you Live, which is an oldie from their first album. Neil's voice sounded amazing and all of the members are such strong musicians that they just rocked the house from the beginning. One weird thing was that the show was outdoors in a botanical/sculpture garden (as seen in the photo above) and the crowd was super mellow. Everyone sat and no one got up and danced until the first encore.

Anyway, next up, Recurring Dream, then English Trees from their newest album - very appropriate since we were in a garden. Neil mentioned that the song was not about trees at all, so I wonder what it's about? Hmmmm....


Heaven That I'm Making, from the new album was next. The band harmonizes so well and Mark Hart (guitar) and Liam did some great backup vocals for the band.


There Goes God was next. This song has very funny lyrics "Hey don't look now, but there goes God, in his sexy pants and his sausage dog, and he can't stand Beelzebub, because he looks so good in black." Brilliant.

Say That Again from their new album was next on their set list. The song has a great bassline and a smooth chorus.


One thing that was interesting about the show was that right behind me was a walkway and people kept walking by. Neil and Nick joked about how they should do a little dance when they walk by and several people did. Some little girl really got into it. It was quite amusing.

Don't Stop Now is the first single from the band and the video is awesome. All you video people out there - check it out. Click the link. Just do it! This song has hit written all over it.  Neil's voice is just so smooth and the writing is just so good.

Neil switched guitars during pretty much every song. They had quite a bit of banter between songs which I think really made the show a lot of fun. Nick commented on how people brought in picnics and were drinking chardonnay... or pinot grigio... or a fume blanc.... very funny guy.


Fingers of Love - Neil said this song was about wide open spaces. I never knew that. This song just gets rockin so hard after the first verse and especially at Neil's guitar solo. The lyrics are just amazing. Neil Finn can craft a pop tune.

Why is this band not the number one band in America? Who is? Oh, sorry, Fergie has the top album. Now, there is some talent.


Silent House is my favorite tune from their new album. The lyrics to me, seem like they're about a parent that has alzheimers or dimentia. The song was written with Natalie Maines from the Dixie Chicks. Another great chorus. Such a well crafted song. The link for Silent House is a really good quality video from Cochella and highly recommended.

Transit Lounge is one of their quirkier songs and starts out with a sample of some German chick. This is my second favorite tune from the new album. The whole album is so good. Go buy it! There is an etherial voice in the backing vocals sang by a woman on the album, but Liam sang it perfectly live.

Italian Plastic was dedicated to Paul Hester, former drummer who took his life a couple of years ago. He wrote the song. It's such a happy tune. How could someone who wrote such a beautiful, light-hearted song like this... never mind. Paul, you're missed.

Mark Hart on some interesting instrument.

People are Like Suns, the final track from their latest album, sounded so rich and textured.

Distant Sun from their 1993 Together Alone album is one of my favorite CH tunes and it did not disappoint. The melody of the guitars is brilliant and it's yet again another pop song with superbly written lyrics. Verse 2 just helps me get through a day.


When You Come, from Temple of Low Men,  totally kicked in during the first chorus and rocked! Some awesome lyrics "She came out of the water and into my horizon, like a cumulonimbus coming in from a distance."

After that they left the stage for about 3 minutes and came back with Something So Strong. It ended with a sing along, as did Fall at Your Feet. I was really glad to hear that so many people knew the words considering Fall at Your Feet wasn't exactly a huge hit in America, even though it fully deserved to be. It's a gorgeous song and sounded just extraordinary.

Another "Thank you, Good Night!". Stage Left. Back 2 minutes later with Better Be Home Soon, from Temple of Low Men. They rocked a bit more than the original track and it was excellent, as you probably surmised.

Weather With You, another oldie from their Woodface album (my favorite CH album, by the way), was light-hearted and had full of nice harmonizing. Amazing guitar work by Neil and Mark, too.


The ended the show, aptly, with the song we all know and love, Don't Dream it's Over. A warm fuzzy feeling was flowing through the audience and everyone was singing along. Of course, I couldn't see them because I was in the front row... have I mentioned that? It's interesting how Neil shortens the "Us" in "Wall between us" at the end of the chorus. They sounded so great. I can't believe it's over.


So after the show we met this guy and started chatting. It turns out that he's my friend Alicia's neighbor and he said to me "Oh, you're the one going to see them in Milwaukee, right?" Is that weird or what. Anyway, this guy is a drummer and knows a lot of bands. We walked with him to where the tour busses were parked and met the band!

First we talked with Nick Seymour, one of the nicest people I've ever met in my life. Seriously. We had a nice conversation and he was really down to earth and so nice. He did the illustrations on the cover of the album and we chatted about the artwork on the stage and the album art. He signed my cd and we snapped a few photos.

Then we met Matt Sherrod, the newest band member. He is from L.A. and also very nice and personable. I'm so impressed with how personable these guys are. I mean, they have groupie fans like me bugging them and they were just entirely friendly.

Mark Hart used my camera to snap a pic, but unfortunately I didn't get to meet him. He seems a bit shy, but maybe he just wanted to get into the bus and relax.


Finally, we got to meet Neil Finn! He was pretty tired, it was obvious. They have a seriously grueling tour schedule. He also signed my cd and snapped a photo with us before getting back into the bus. (The picture's at the top of the page)

Lastly, we chatted with Liam Finn, Neil's son. He told us about his album coming out in January and that they were supposed to have them at the t-shirt sales stand but they didn't arrive. It's going to be seriously good.

Sadly, it's over and it does seem like a dream, but at least I'll get to see them again in less than 48 hours!

I am officially a groupie.








----------------------
Lollapalooza PART 1 here:

----------------------

Posted at 09:01AM Aug 16, 2007 by Michele Yamazaki in Music  |  Comments[6]