Timeless Aussie rockers Crowded House bring their global tour to Glasgow.
OVO Hydro was the host of all-time rockers Crowded House on Friday night. The Aussie band ticked off Scotland on the European leg of their global tour for their new album Dreamers are waiting. 2 years after the show was scheduled, it was finally time for Crowded House to take the stage.
Crowded House were the “soundtrack of my childhood” – as my Dad rightly pointed out pre-gig – both my parents and grandparents are massive fans and had played me the CDs in the car for most of my childhood, so the opportunity to see them live was a full circle moment for myself.
In true appropriateness for the night, there was ‘Four seasons in One Day’ as the Glaswegian weather struck again, going from blue skies to torrential downpour in a matter of minutes. So, it was straight into the arena to avoid queuing too long in the rain. It was the first time I had been to a fully seated show, so the subtle change of atmosphere was nice. Regardless of the layout, the Hydro was packed. The crowd was mostly full by the time I arrived, eager for the evening’s entertainment after the 2 year wait.
Although no support had been scheduled, Liam Finn came on to the stage just after 8 pm to perform a small solo set. He showed his unique sound and his eccentric guitar playing. He was in good voice and got the crowd warmed up well. Coming on to the stage at 8.45, Crowded House came dressed and ready for the occasion – there were some stand-out suits, floral shirts and even a kilt worn by bassist, Nick. They erupted into their opener, Distant Sun, its catchy melody got the crowd singing, dancing, and clapping along straight away. Neil Finn straight away showcased his impressive vocals, and showed why he is considered a true music great!
After a quick welcome, they went straight into Nails in My Feet which featured some immense guitar solos. Neil then recalled some previous times playing Glasgow, giving shoutouts to King Tuts Wah Wah Hut, Barrowlands and even recalled a story about following on from American 70s rock band, Talking Heads, at T in the Park and wondering how they could possibly follow on from their set.
Renditions of To the Island and Fall at your Feet came next. All of which were met with great reactions from the crowd. Showing their unique chemistry as a band, we were taken behind the scenes to a Crowded House writing session as we watched them make up an impromptu song about one of the security guards high vis jackets, with each member joining in at different points until they had the whole arena singing along. Amazing to see!
They loved having a chat with the crowd and were even taking requests after one man called out for Lester to which Neil happily obliged – making it the first time Crowded House have played it live since 2010. He added that it was the perfect time for the song as it followed on nicely from the previous song, Black and White Boy, as both were written about family dogs.
As the gig progressed, I found myself realising why the band are still so popular. The talent they have was clear to see, there is no other sufficient way to describe it other than just pure music. A timeless talent. Much credit to their lights and visual effects team too, as the lights and visuals matched the atmosphere of the show perfectly all evening.
Soon came a run of their heavy-hitters. Starting with Four Seasons in One Day, Weather With You, Something So Strong, Don’t Dream It’s Over, Whatever You Want and It’s Only Natural. They played all of the classics, much to the enjoyment of the crowd who had now been on their feet for some time and had even formed a crowd closer to the front of the stage.
An encore of World Where You Live, Start of Something, I Got You (Split Enz cover) and Better Be Home Soon brought the evening to a close. A fantastic evening by a fantastic band.
Crowded House still have shows in Cardiff, Birmingham and Manchester before they leave the UK for their European shows, and I would urge anyone to go see them as you won’t be disappointed.
