While waiting for the doors to open, a genuinely curious stranger in their mid-20s approached to ask me if the line-up to the venue was for a church. He'd inquired along the line and heard 'church' each time.
He was so impressed that a Friday night was this popular for a religion. As the confusion cleared after evidence was provided via a popular streaming app, he set off on his merry way. If only he knew this crowd were about to experience a night of purity, praise and deliverance.Brisbane's The Fortitude Music Hall was filled with chairs, offering comfort across the (almost) three-hour, two-set show (29 November). After all, much of the crowd consists of dedicated fans from way back.
Dubbed The Already Yesterday tour, tonight is a celebration of The Church's first four, full-length albums: 'Of Skins And Heart' (1981), 'The Blurred Crusade' (1982), 'Seance' (1983) and 'Heyday' (1985).
Image © Chris Searles
These are foundational albums that projected The Church onto the world stage, all before a Milky Way took them into the stratosphere. There's a lot to love about the first four albums, and the night quickly reminds us why.
Bathed in luxurious purple light, the stage couldn't be anything else but a Church stage: Persian rugs, 12-string Gibson ES-335s and SGs, an infamous Aussie 'Crockenbacker', classic Fender Strats, shiny Maton and Guild 12-string acoustics and a very heroic aging Fender bass.
The night has no space for a support act and the band quickly take to the stage, launching into 'When You Were Mine' from 'The Blurred Crusade'. Cheers holler and thighs are drummed throughout the seated crowd. While many of these fans may have sported paisley long sleeves and a puffy mullet at early Church gigs, they're channelling that energy through adoring eyes tonight.
Steve Kilbey's voice is spot-on and has never sounded better. In fact, the entire band is sublime. How could it not be when The Church is literally a super-group? Guitars by Ian Haug (Powderfinger), Ashley Naylor (Even, The Stems, Paul Kelly) and Jeffery Cain (Remy Zero, Iris Doe). Naylor is absolutely resplendent in translating the genius musings of original members, Marty Willson-Piper and Peter Koppes.
Due to an arm injury, drummer Tim Powles is on percussion duties and hands the official time keeping duties to Nicholas Meredith. All members are top shelf and work their role with ease.
Image © Chris Searles
Kilbey greets the audience and asks if they're ready for a night of "artery-clogging nostalgia". The crowd chortles while shifting uneasily in their seat. Nostalgia be damned, this is the sound of their heyday (sorry, I couldn't resist).
Steve shoves rolling basslines into the room during 'Tear It All Away', the tour namesake 'Already Yesterday' and 'Bel-Air'. Set one presents a cross-section of album singles and deep cuts. A line of four from 'Seance' – 'Disappear?', 'Fly', 'One Day' and 'Electric Lash' – remind us of an album that often sits in the shadows. Many will undoubtedly be revisiting it in days to come.
The cheers go up again when the familiar notes of 'Almost With You' spiral out of the speakers, before 'You Took' closes the set.
After a 15-minute interval, set two begins with the foreboding 'It Doesn't Change'. It easily could have been penned by Robert Smith and provides another reason to revisit 'Seance'. Kilbey announces "meh!" and the band bursts into the lushness of 'Myrrh'.
Throughout set two, Kilbey tells stories and indulges in cheeky banter with fans making requests. "Is that how you act at home? Walking around and calling out 'MILKY! MILKY! MILKY!'," he teases. The crowd knows what he thinks of their big hit and coax him into the next song.
Image © Chris Searles
Fans have had enough of sitting and gradually fill the front near the stage, immediately adding to the energy of the room. Haug and Naylor create a formidable duo as they share rhythm and soloing duties, echoing the past coupling of Willson-Piper and Koppes. It's a force to be reckoned with as 'music science' is harnessed once again.
Treats such as 'Tristesse' and 'For A Moment We're Strangers' lead into a long, psychedelic jam of 'An Interlude'. It's the much loved and certified classic 'The Unguarded Moment' that launches bums off seats.
The encore takes a break from the first four albums with the effervescent 'Metropolis', and of course, 'Under The Milky Way'.
As the lights come up and the halls cleared, many walked out into a sudden cloudburst. The streets were washed and air cleansed – a fitting metaphor for what they'd just experienced inside.
The Church are one of our national treasures, and for good reason – they never fail to deliver. This is great music performed by A-grade artists. Next time, bring your loved ones and friends because it's time to be converted.
More photos from the concert.
