As it seemed most of Melbourne were dressing as cats and making their way to the Katy Perry concert (#katycats), an nonetheless impressive contingent of the city’s less under-16 female crowd filled up the Corner Hotel for the second of two just-about-sold-out performances from Manchester Orchestra, supported by Ballarat’s Apes and Brooklyn based Kevin Devine.
Kevin hit the stage in solo mode, opening with the titular “Bubblegum”, just a man and his guitar and an impeccable – though in no way contrived or produced – voice. “She Can See Me” followed – his latest single which appears in two versions on both Bubblegum and Bulldozer. Next, we moved back to his acclaimed record Brother’s Blood and the phenomenal “Carnival”. As he strummed with that stunning voice, he moved on and off the mic, emphasising the song’s lyrical splendour – he’s a storyteller by any definition – as well as the control and emotion of his live vocals. Look no further than “Now Navigate!” for more examples of the same.
To them, she is lunar, impossible, alien life
So, as a comet might relate to a traffic-stopped taxicab
Or a Bahamas vacation to a stint in Guantanamo Bay
So, as access & privilege relate to their absolute opposites
That’s the way that these kids and this woman will always relate
Having been requested the night before, Kevin jumped into “Yr Damned Ol’ Dad”, while promising he’d keep banter to a limit to get through as many tracks as possible in the brief 30 minute set – as I came to a realisation that whoever did request that song the night before probably would be quite upset if they read this review. But I’m sure they also got “Cotton Crush” the night before, which had a good singalong here as did the incredible “Brother’s Blood”, which closed out the set, following a tease of “Stairway to Heaven”. An excellent set from one of America’s most underrated songwriters and performers.
Kevin Devine Setlist:
Bubblegum
She Can See Me
Carnival
Now Navigate!
Yr Damned Ol’ Dad
Cotton Crush
Bloodhound
Stairway to Heaven (Tease) >
Brother’s Blood
Ballarat four piece Apes showed off their rockin, catchy tuneage next, as they turned things up a notch ahead of the main attraction – a perfect sequeway if there ever was one, making sense of the group playing in between the two internationals. Though they certainly showed that they were deserving of the spot, with a phenomenal set that showed off the band’s growth in the last year.
They’ve got the songs, they’re tighter than ever and they’re here to stay. From the opening track “Seven” to closer “Helluva Time”, the set was fun and just short of flawless. Plenty of the rough-around-the-edges sound that a band like this needs. Newer track “Black Lung” was its highlight, as was “Got Some”, with some Hives-like undertones. Never anything wrong with that! And though it was a rock set through and through, the band took a deep breath for “Goin On”, their set appointed ‘slowburner’ of the night. A must see Australian rock band, and in the years to come may just become a force to be reckoned with.
Apes Setlist
Seven
Bones
Black Lung
Got Some
Strange Tastes
Goin On
Pull the Trigger
Helluva Time
But it was Manchester Orchestra who the crowd was here to see, who have interupted their Northern Hemishphere tour of the stripped back Hope to give us a dose the rockin’ Cope. From the minute they hit the stage though, with the epic “Pride” from 2009’s Mean Everything to Nothing, it was clear they were here to not only rock the packed out room, but also give us a set that would vary from their previous night, which didn’t include “Pride”, and surprisingly included six tracks from the debut I’m Like a Virgin Losing a Child. Tonight though, the emphasis was equally on their 2009 stunner – which, let’s face it, always goes down a treat – and Cope.
But with a band like this – and when you’re a big a fan as I am – it’s hard to say one song was better than another. Their discography is incredibly consistent as are their performances – but I have to say that tonight was one of particular intensity. They rocked it harder and cranked it closer to 11 than I’ve ever seen them do before. And taking on board all the requests from the crowd, the affable Andy Hull ensured there would be no requests, “We’ll play whatever the fuck we want!” he remarked.
If I had to pick highlights, “Pale Black Eye” would be an early one, which amped the crowd up to a point that its follow up, “Every Stone”, had people crowd surfing. The emotionally brilliant “Simple Math” – now a must in a Manchester set – was stunning, though no track has a more powerful moment than “I Can Feel A Hot One”:
To pray for what I thought were angels
Ended up being ambulances
And the Lord showed me dreams of my daughter
She was crying inside your stomach
And I felt love again
With a new baby girl in Hull’s life – both a few months ago – this track no doubt takes on new meaning to its songwriter. It also takes things down a notch in time for a cover of Bad Books‘ “42” with Hull’s collaborator Kevin Devine joining for the track, and then closing the set with the beautiful “Sleeper 1972”, with just Hull on stage with Chris Freeman. A single track closed out the night, “Top Notch”, and we were on our way – physically and emotionally drained from an incredible night of music.
It’s hard to know what to with yourself after a gig with music that good. Some no doubt would have gone to the pub. I, myself, made tracks to a couch to ponder life, the universe and everything – and contemplate if I could make the show in Sydney the next night and experience it all over again (I couldn’t, as it turned out).
Manchester Orchestra Setlist
Pride
Shake It Out
Pensacola
Pale Black Eye
Every Stone
The Mansion
I Can Barely Breathe
I’ve Got Friends
Everything To Nothing
Cope
Simple Math
I Can Feel a Hot One
42 (Bad Books Cover) – With Kevin Devine
Sleeper 1972
—
Top Notch
