Brian Jonestown Massacre - Adelaide, 20th May 2012
Words: Jo Taylor
This great double billing was going to be an interesting gig from the beginning. Danish duo The Raveonettes took stage at 8.30pm to play songs mostly from their releases Into The Night, Lust Lust Lust and Pretty In Black. Two tall towering figures of black strode on stage silently and immediately began with the dark ballad The Heavens, then joined on stage by their drummer for heavier tunes Streets and Night Comes Out. Their guitar riffs have a sense of The Jesus & Mary Chain and The Cure to them as does lead singer guitarist Sune Rose Wagnerʼs black mane of hair. The lush song Lust with itʼs eerie guitar had the crowd mesmerized. Dead Sound with itʼs buzzing guitar picked up the pace again followed by Blush with itʼs heavy layers as did Attack Of The Ghost Riders. Highlight was definitely My Tornado with itʼs catchy drumbeat and infectious dark guitar groove that finally won the crowd over. Dark growling Bowels Of The Beast kept the momentum going before their set was concluded with the sexy Aly, Walk With Me. Female vocalist/ bassist Sharin Foo smiled at the crowd and only a few quiet words of thankyou were heard from Wagner but despite their lack of interaction with the crowd, they had everyone hooked by the end and were a well chosen opening act for the intriguing BJM.
There were some technical dramas setting up for the much anticipated Brian Jonestown Massacre but once all was done and the bottles of Jack Daniels and Red Bull were disbursed, they still managed to hit the stage on time. Lights dimmed and the seven members currently making up the ever changing line up of BJM took stage, including the one original, leader of the pack, Mr Anton Newcombe, who stood quietly to the far left of the stage, slightly obscured by amp stacks. The band haling from San Francisco, California has been around in some form or another since 1990 and return to Australia in support of their latest album Aufheben. What better way to start the set than with the transfixing new track Stairway to the Best Party. Followed by pop driven tunes Vacuum Boots, I Wanna Hold Your Other Hand and Got My Eye On You. The acoustically layered Anemone was sadly plagued by a few guitar feedback issues but it didnʼt deter them and they went on to play the rollicking tracks This is Why You Love me and Wisdom. Another new track Viholliseni Maalla with itʼs gorgeous echoes of guitar and melodic vocals was followed by the atmospheric tabla led psychedelic tune Super-sonic which hooks you in immediately. With the exception of a whispered thankyou here and there, there is not a huge connection with the crowd but they did endear us when guitarist/vocalist Matt Hollywood finally spoke up with “you lovely people” before launching into Jennifer and You Have Been Disconnected.
There were some technical dramas setting up for the much anticipated Brian Jonestown Massacre but once all was done and the bottles of Jack Daniels and Red Bull were disbursed, they still managed to hit the stage on time. Lights dimmed and the seven members currently making up the ever changing line up of BJM took stage, including the one original, leader of the pack, Mr Anton Newcombe, who stood quietly to the far left of the stage, slightly obscured by amp stacks. The band haling from San Francisco, California has been around in some form or another since 1990 and return to Australia in support of their latest album Aufheben. What better way to start the set than with the transfixing new track Stairway to the Best Party. Followed by pop driven tunes Vacuum Boots, I Wanna Hold Your Other Hand and Got My Eye On You. The acoustically layered Anemone was sadly plagued by a few guitar feedback issues but it didnʼt deter them and they went on to play the rollicking tracks This is Why You Love me and Wisdom. Another new track Viholliseni Maalla with itʼs gorgeous echoes of guitar and melodic vocals was followed by the atmospheric tabla led psychedelic tune Super-sonic which hooks you in immediately. With the exception of a whispered thankyou here and there, there is not a huge connection with the crowd but they did endear us when guitarist/vocalist Matt Hollywood finally spoke up with “you lovely people” before launching into Jennifer and You Have Been Disconnected.
With heavy crunching guitars and harmonica driven chaos of Thereʼs a War Going On the crowds energy gathered momentum. Apparently someone wasnʼt enjoying it though when Hollywood said to a crowd member rather amusingly “Donʼt look so sad, thereʼs only another 10 songs. She is hating it!”. You canʼt win to everyone. With that they continued with Not If You Were The Last Dandy On Earth which is a dig at their rivals/cohorts The Dandy Warhols. Trippy 60ʼs inspired tune Clouds Are Lies then lead us to the first words from Anton Newcombe and what words they were. He may not say much but when he does, be sure to listen. In reply to a crowd members comment he stepped up to the microphone and simply said “Pointing out the obvious is not genius my good woman”. Brilliant! And with that they continued their domination with infectious drums of new track Walking Up to Hand Grenades before slowing the pace with Open Heart Surgery and Prozac vs. Heroin. The reserved Newcombe is who each band member looks to in-between each song, and thus making the band dynamic interesting to watch live. That Girl Suicide, Sailor, Servo and the upbeat Oh Lord then started winding down the night.
Finally ending their epic 2 hour set was psychedelic Straight Up and Down inclusive of a feedback guitar pedal frenzy at the end as they started to leave the stage one by one, leaving the crowd wandering if this was indeed the end? It wasnʼt until the band were spotted leaving the venue while the lights were still dim and guitar still wavering around the room that it was apparent it was.
With that a rather dazed crowd went into the night.
Finally ending their epic 2 hour set was psychedelic Straight Up and Down inclusive of a feedback guitar pedal frenzy at the end as they started to leave the stage one by one, leaving the crowd wandering if this was indeed the end? It wasnʼt until the band were spotted leaving the venue while the lights were still dim and guitar still wavering around the room that it was apparent it was.
With that a rather dazed crowd went into the night.