I've been on the fence since the late ‘90s when Courtney Love’s grungy tones filled the alternative charts with Hole. I’m not a fan of the drug use, nor her negative outlook on life, but I do like her unrelenting attitude. I mean she’s one hell of a self-confessed bitch. And that’s what I like about her.
I like people who have a bit of a "fuck your status quo” about them and who disagree with the mundane middle-class lifestyle. I’m not condoning anarchism, nor is she, but I do think we all need a bit of Courtney attitude within us in order to forge change, for the better, into this world of uncertainty. We can't keep pussy-footing around wondering what's right or wrong to say all the time. Let's get it out in the open and start confronting it. End of rant.
Courtney’s band on Saturday night (August 16) at Festival Hall in Melbourne were straight-cut session musicians, who were obviously handpicked for the purpose of keeping her in check while performing on stage and on tour.
Click here for more photos from the show.
They obviously know her well because her main support, a young man on the lead guitar, would gently balk at her frivolous manner with cleverly-timed interruptions — either by approaching her or counting in the next song. She made several statements during the course of the night in reference to being wasted before quickly throwing in a rebuttal. One comment she let loose was: “I wish I was a junky, but, I don’t do that anymore.”
It takes four clean-cut professional musicians and very determined management to to keep a rebellious hippy in line, and for that we have to thank them because she truly is a damn good performer. Maybe not vocally, but she knows how to rock the stage and entertain the adoring fans. “Topless?” she said to one fan’s request. “I’m 50! It’s over!”.
Courtney Love at Festival Hall, Melbourne © Carl NeumannAn incident involving a projectile and a man in the crowd caused this justified outburst: “In 20 years no one has thrown a beer can at me except for you. Your weenie must be this fucking big!" [Courtney indicates the size of a pea]
The sound and lighting were of the highest standard possible so it was audibly perceptible and visually crisp. No smoke, no strobes, no props, just ambient and alluring lighting. Courtney played all of Hole’s big hits, including: ‘Celebrity Skin’, ‘Nobodies Daughter’, ‘Violet’, ‘Doll Parts’ and ‘Northern Star’.
‘Letter To God’ sounded otherworldly — even the sound guy yelled out at the end of it: “My God that was fuckin’ amazing!" Her newer solo tunes, ‘You Know My Name’ and ‘Wedding Day’, blended into the set seamlessly. She stated in an interview recently that she won’t be touring again for many years and will end the tour soon to concentrate more on her acting.
I guess we will be seeing Ms Love on the big screen soon.
