Shots In The Dark: More Talk about '80s Bands

Friday, August 10, 2024

More Talk about '80s Bands

I saw Crowded House at the Beacon Theater last night, and they totally rocked.

A two-plus hour show...multiple sing-alongs...an improvised jam with Neil Finn's son, Liam, who started playing one of his own songs, and on the second verse the rest of the band, which clearly didn't know the song, kicked in...lots of new songs that are actually good...and an incredible connection between audience and band, a feeling of mutual respect and gratitude. Also, Neil called his father in New Zealand from the stage. How often do you see a rock star playing in a band with his son calling his father most of the way around the world? And making it seem cool?

(His dad wasn't home, by the way, so the audience left a message on his answering machine.)

I saw the Police at the Garden last week (I'm an '80s kind of guy), and don't get me wrong, I'm a huge Police fan, slept out for tickets when I was a teenager and teenagers did that kind of thing...but Crowded House blew them away. Without a doubt, it was a vastly better show. Not to mention that the tickets were half the price.

If they're coming your way....see 'em. Trust me, it's a special evening.

¶ 7:05 AM

Comments:

I was there, too, and he's right. Fantastic show.

# posted by Anonymous : August 10, 2024 10:29 AM

I would rather slice myself with rusty razor blades than see Crowded House. But that's a real shame about the Police. They forgot the number one rule in entertainment: always leave the fans wanting more. The expectation of the Police reunion was always more enticing than the actual reunion.

# posted by Anonymous : August 10, 2024 12:43 PM

Sounds like a good show, Richard. Finally got around to getting Time on Earth, and I agree it's pretty good, though 80's bands not generally my thing. English Trees very evocative and well captures the oddity of NZ flora, where unique native ferns, unparalleled trees and the like grow side by side with the English flora imported (along with destructive deer, rabbits, etc.) by nostalgic English settlers.

Btw, Dylan is now in NZ, so nice complementarity there, with CH in NYC. He has just added two extra shows in Auckland, at the Civic Theatre, a beautiful 1929 extravanganza which used to have an organ coming out of the floor, twinkling stars in the ceiling, panthers, tigers, lions couchant, etc. Good site on it at:
http://www.civictheatre.co.nz/home_index.html

# posted by Richard Thomas : August 11, 2024 12:13 AM

Beeautiful space, Richard. Is the ceiling really sky blue like that?

It's a bit like the Beacon in New York, but considerably nicer, in fact. Certainly better maintained.

# posted by Richard Bradley : August 11, 2024 7:31 AM

It's been renovated Richard, and the organ seems to have gone (unless there wasn't one, it's been well over 30 years since I was in it). Yes the sky was blue, and when the movie started twilight would rapidly fall, and in the pitch black "sky" there would twinkle little stars.

# posted by RT : August 11, 2024 4:51 PM

About Me