The decision as to when to call time on a band must be a truly wretched one. Delay it and a once beloved outfit risks becoming a cash-grabbing karaoke machine, enlivened only by merch sales and the umpteenth greatest hits compilation. Equally, a band’s promise can be cut short all too soon by an acrimonious falling out or something more tragic.
On Thursday Crowded House returned to the place where they called time. Exactly 20 years ago, on 24 November 1996 under a full moon, the band played their final Farewell to the World show to 100,000 adoring fans on the forecourt of Sydney’s Opera House. This time, 6,000 equally adoring fans took their places on a much more safely cordoned off forecourt to see the band return to that stage for the first of four sold-out shows entitled Crowded House: Encore.
They haven’t exactly disappeared since 1996. The band reformed in 2006, released two top-selling albums Time on Earth (2007) and Intriguer (2010), and played together on smaller occasions.
Still, tonight has special significance as it also marks 30 years since Neil Finn, Nick Seymour and the late Paul Hester came together to form a band named after their cramped living quarters. And it comes just one night after the band was inducted into the Arias Hall of Fame.
So, as the Sydney night falls on the forecourt and arcs of blue light sweep across the stage, a clutch of hooded figures stagger on, only to throw off the cloaks and reveal a purple-suited Finn and Seymour along with multi-instrumentalist Mark Hart and drummer Matthew Sherrod.
After taking their positions in front of a swirling multi-coloured backdrop, they open with the same song they started with in 1996: the rousing Mean to Me. But the set list soon departs from the 1996 version, moving quickly to Something So Strong, Don’t Stop Now, and a stellar version of Fall at Your Feet.
Finn dedicates Italian Plastic to Hester, who died in 2005, describing it as a song which, like his friend, is filled with joy.
Next up is Private Universe, Finn’s ode to lovers, which is steamy, intimate and compelling despite the throng and a few feedback problems.
The crowd relishes every second. It’s made up mostly of those of a certain age with a certain amount of disposable income. Finn quips that it’s nice to see everyone, even those who have travelled over the waters, including the nearby leafy North Shore suburbs.
Finn also embraces the crowd’s ever present backing track, frequently throwing to them to fill in chorus lines and chants, even gently chiding when they collectively miss a cue.
In fact, he encourages the crowd to sing as loudly as possible. Usually, there’s a noise limit imposed on Sydney Opera House during the week, and although Crowded House is the first band to receive an exemption, Finn is keen to wake up the neighbourhood fuddy duddys. He also doesn’t miss the opportunity to call out Sydney’s lockout laws.
Interspersed with the hits, there are stretches of unabashed jamming between the four musicians as they bend, stretch and flex their talents. This is where the band escapes what could be the pitfalls of jukebox poppiness and instead demonstrate their astonishing musical craftsmanship.
Midway through, the four are joined by one-time band member Tim Finn who plays It’s Only Natural and Chocolate Cake alongside his brother. The younger Finn credits Tim with inspiring him to play music from an early age and their camaraderie and fraternal banter is undented by years of playing side by side in various line-ups.
After a bemusing riff about Australian children’s TV character Humphrey B Bear, Finn surprises the crowd with Don’t Dream It’s Over, the song that closed out the 1996 concert. This time, though, it’s clear there’s still much more to come, and it’s followed by their 1993 hit Distant Sun.
They round out the first section with the madcap helter-skelter fun of Locked Out before running off for a break. It’s not long until they run back on again, bursting into Weather with You. There’s a special delight when all else falls away for a short, almost a cappella chorus: just Neil Finn, an acoustic guitar and those lines.
Next up is the deliciously giddy Sister Madly, as Hart gets to “show off” – as Finn puts it – his dexterity on the keyboard.
Fittingly, the band closes the two-hour show with Better Be Home Soon, sweeping everyone along on a wave of swelling emotion. Earlier Finn thanked the crowd for attending, saying: “What a glorious night to be alive on the planet.” And it’s clear that this is what tonight – and their return – is all about. These are musicians at the top of their game; playful, joyful and thrilled to be back doing what they love best. It seems it wasn’t their time to go after all.
Published on Guardian Australia on 25 November 2016 as Crowded House review: ‘What a glorious night to be alive on the planet’
