YOU AM I
+ THE DRONES
+ THE VANDAS
The Forum, Melbourne
July 8 2006

Words & Pictures: RICHARD SHARMAN OF BLACKSHADOW PHOTOGRAPHY

It had been several years since I had ventured out to a gig in Melbourne and never before at The Forum; a gorgeous old theatre with Roman statues adorning spaces around the room and a night sky roof and two bars. I was mightily impressed by the venue and definitely looking forward to a great line up.

First to take the stage were The Vandas, an up and coming Melbourne four piece who play some fine sixties inspired rock. Their stage delivery was a little different to normal as their guitarist Mikey was playing in a chair due to an injured ankle. Pretty good stuff and a fine way to kick off proceedings.

Next up were The Drones and both the volume and performance were turned up several notches. The Drones have been gathering some big raps and they put on quite a show. Front man/guitarist Gareth Liddiard performs like a man possessed; lots of guitar and body abuse while his cohorts Rui Pereira on lead guitar, Fiona Kitschin on bass and Michael Moga on drums belt out a fine accompanying racket. It was a different experience witnessing The Drones in front of a home crowd and definitely a rewarding one; a great band worth seeing.

A pretty good crowd had built up by the time You Am I strode onto the stage.

They opened up with Thuggery and then By My Own Hand.

The set was heavily laden with tracks from the new album Convicts with a liberal sprinkling from the vast You Am I back catalogue. Things started to kick along with Who Put the Devil in You, Baby Clothes and Cathy's Clown and then really made it into the red zone with a scorching rendition of the Johnny Thunders classic, Born to Lose.

Tim Rogers was in a good humoured garrulous mood, providing some entertaining banter between songs; performance wise there were the trademark Rogers rock star moves and guitar windmills and his vocal delivery was right on the money. Resplendent in white, his guitar sidekick, Davey Lane, provided some great lead and riffs as well as his own rock star moves and there was some fine guitar interplay. Russell "Rusty" Hopkinson sat above and delivered some powerhouse drumming with a huge shit grin. Rusty and bass guitarist Andy Kent laid down a rock solid bottom end that rumbled along like a fine V8; ready to deliver when called upon.

Towards the end of the set the band left Tim Rogers alone on the stage with an acoustic guitar while he delivered a couple of songs in solo mode before the rest of the band rejoining him to finish their set with Berlin Chair and the wonderfully titled Thank God I've Hit the Bottom.

After a short break Messrs Rogers and co ambled back onto the stage. There were contented smiles from the band as they delivered a knock out encore of How Much is Enough, Jewels and Bullets and long time favourite Heavy Heart
(absent from You Am I shows for many years) that inspired every person in the place to sing along.

It was a great night of high class Australian rock and roll that left a sea of smiling faces behind once You Am I left the stage for the last time.

Click for slideshow

3/4

You Am I set list:
THUGGERY
BY MY OWN HAND
I'M A MESS
WHO PUT THE DEVIL IN YOU
BABY CLOTHES
GUNSLINGERS
FRIENDS LIKE YOU
GOOD MORNING
MR. MILK
CATHYS CLOWN
HANDWASHER
JAIMMES GOT A GUN
SECRETS
BORN TO LOSE
IT AINT FUNNY
CONSTANCE GEORGE
NERVOUS KID
TRIKE
COOL HAND LUKE
COPROLALIA
BERLIN CHAIR
THANK GOD I'VE HIT THE BOTTOM

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH
JEWELS AND BULLETS
HEAVY FUCKEN HEART

 

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