Thursday 28 February 2013

School Nights

Best. Lunch-break. Ever.  I work 6pm til 3am and my lunch break usually consists of sitting around at my desk bludging (with no descriptive difference to normal hours); walking around the city for 20 mins before getting bored; or working through the hour and calling it even...  Tonight was different and something that, realistically, could be done each night with a bit of spare cash.  I saw a gig at The Forum.

Before I explain the gig I have to explain The Forum.  I don't remember the first time I went to The Forum but I do remember the best.  Faithless, 2002-ish.  Dead sober and I wanted to start a riot.  No doubt Faithless had a huge part in that but the venue suits particular bands very well.    I think it's the best venue I've ever been to.  I've been to bigger and more historical venues but this is the best. Best for band/ audience interaction, best for ambiance, best for sound and proximity.  It's great. 


Tonight's gig, however, could have gone either way.  Carla bought tickets to Garbage and only after that did she ask if I wanted to go.  I have never bought a Garbage record and never been to a gig, but I cannot say I've never liked a song.  Plus, they inadvertently had a major part in the soundtrack of my youth.  If I could treat myself as a cheerleader or high school quarterback, my finest years were in the late '90's.  To display my naivety of Garbage's back catalog I'd suggest theirs was too.  I was wrong.


The gig was incredible.  There are records from 2005 and 2012 which I was introduced to tonight and they sound fantastic.  I'd like to leave the 90's where they lay but I could see myself buying the most recent record.  I wouldn't suggest Garbage have taken a different direction; they still have the grungy power they always had, but the last two records just seem different- a good different.

I haven't seen many 90's bands play recent gigs without looking like they are here for the cash.  In fact if Garbage were trying to re-live their (relative) youth then I'd pay a lot to see them in 1996.  Tonight would have given so many bands in their prime a run for their money.  I have never seen them previously but I would be surprised if they haven't improved.  There was a great connection between the band- the type that is formed from years of playing together for the fun of it, rather than anything else.  This was particularly evidenced by Shirley Manson screwing up the words to one of their biggest, yet my least favourite songs: 'When I Grow Up'.  The fact that they made this playful was a breath of fresh air for me as I'd pay $100 to see a $20 band jam rather than play a structured gig.  Kinda helps that anything Butch Vig does, musically, I'll listen to!


It may have taken me 19 years to come to this conclusion but I'm now a fan of Garbage.

Lunch is now over but it makes my 'afternoon' a lot easier...

1 comment:

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