It's a stunning summer evening at The Riverstage for ICEHOUSE's rescheduled Great Southern Land concert series.
Eskimo Joe come out all guns blazing with 'Sarah', and you realise how great it is that you're watching Eskimo Joe on a Saturday night (18 February).Keeping the hits coming, 'New York' follows. Frontman Kavyen Temperley expresses his excitement to be opening for ICEHOUSE, with a nice touch of humility.
Eskimo Joe - image © Clea-marie Thorne
'Older Than You' features a running guitar solo beneath purple and yellow lights, and life is good. 'Foreign Land' begins with its iconic bagpipe riff and you're wondering why you haven't already saved this song on your Spotify. A double kick sans any other instruments is an unexpected magical moment.
"You guys in the front in your very expensive plastic seats have a big f...ing responsibility tonight," Temperley jokes, before an anecdote about Miley Cyrus' 'Her Song' being the first movie Eskimo Joe had a song feature in leads into 'Setting Sun', a brooding tune under red and yellow streams of light.
Another story ensues about how the label refused to release their original album unless they wrote a single. "So what did we do?" Temperley asks guitarist Joel Quartermain rhetorically. "Probably smoked a few bongs and played some PlayStation," Quartermain answers nonchalantly, "and then pulled out a song we wrote four years before."
Eskimo Joe - image © Clea-marie Thorne
For 'How Does It Feel', Temperley has the crowd swing to the 3/4 beat while embracing the people around them. It's a beautiful moment.
'Black Fingernails, Red Wine' is everything you want and more. Just so iconic. 'From The Sea' closes the perfect set that went far too fast. The three axe players assemble around the drums for a remarkable musical interlude before the crowd is invited to clap with the whole band sans instruments. It's an interesting and fun way to close the set.
Finally ICEHOUSE emerge to Moog drones and moody synths. Blue '80s visuals grace the screen as they sing "there's no love inside the icehouse".
ICEHOUSE - image © Clea-marie Thorne
"Thank you and welcome," frontman Iva Davies exclaims excitedly. The lighting is stunning, shooting out dozens of starlike beams. "This is an old one," Davies declares to wry laughs.
'Electric Blue' makes an early appearance as the stage floods pink. A stunning sax solo lifts the mood even higher.
'Hey, Little Girl' has the difficult task of following, but it simmers passionately, as backing singer Michael Paynter showcases his stunning falsetto. The lights shoot into the night and it is truly beautiful.
'Mr Big' is pure fun beneath disco trumpets, before 'Crazy' hits in a way that's truly special. Davies' voice is strong and enchanting, the years have not taken anything from this star.
ICEHOUSE - image © Clea-marie Thorne
'No Promises' is alluring and purely singable. Another sax solo plays, while ocean visuals flood behind. Magical doesn't begin to describe it.
'Touch The Fire' bursts forth passionately, but 'Man Of Colours' cannot be described. Michael Paynter takes the main vocal and it is one of the most incredible concert moments I've ever experienced. Such control and beauty in a vocal delivery is rarely experienced.
The humility of Davies to allow Paynter to take the main vocal is commendable, and fits the song's story of an artist fading, although Davies is far from fading.
'Don't Believe Anymore' is slow and brooding, before drummer Paul Wheeler makes the most of his band introduction with a remarkable solo. 'Love In Motion' lulls the mood, and you feel like something big is coming, and indeed it is.
ICEHOUSE - image © Clea-marie Thorne
'Great Southern Land' is so Australian it beats in your veins. A stunning guitar solo by Paul Gildea highlights the moment perfectly. 'Can't Help Myself' inspires the crowd to really get moving, and Eskimo Joe's Temperley joins the band for 'We Can Get Together', which is pure, riotous fun.
The band exits and one patrons exclaims "get back here Iva". Sure enough, they return to play 'Marseilles' by The Angels, and the crowd is rocking now. 'Nothing Too Serious' crowns the set with a blaring sax solo, and what a truly wonderful night it was.
ICEHOUSE are one of the few '80s bands that still rock as hard as they ever did, and boy do they put on a show.
More photos from the show.
