To start with: For all of you in the US who are sitting on the fence about going, GO! Sell your car, house, boyfriend for a ticket. Worth all the money, including the damn service charge. I'd have to say it was the best concert I've ever seen in my life (and I am a bit more than average amounting concert goer).
The opening act was Ron Sexsmith. I don't have much to say about him, because, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
What did surprise me was all the people that rushed to the stage. Although it was a quite civilized crowd, isn't that a bit teeny-bopperish? Especially when there are seats available. Oh well, for all of you that were there, I apologize. Hope you could see. I was on the balcony, dead center, had a great view.
Neil has lost some weight. Poor guy. Tim has cut his hair. Looks like he did in the dying days of Split Enz.
It was just the two of them, and they Neil played elec. guitar, acou.guitar, piano, and ukelale (sp?). Tim played bongos, drums, and maracas, as well as piano and acoustic guitar. Their harmonies converged upon each other the way only brothers can sing...it was uplifting, melodic, beautiful, well you get it.
Highlights included a wicked guitar solo by Neil on "Suffer Never"--my fave from the album, Tim doing a misty rendition of Enz's "Time for a Change", a heart wrenching "Four Seasons In one Day", and "Niwhai", which had everybody swaying. The musical highlight for me was Neil's incredible performance of "Last Day of June", just wonderful.
The personal highlight was meeting the brothers after the concert. Jeez, another weird encounter with Neil being very standoffish! Tim was shy ( I had to solicit for the autograph) but really really really nice. So now I have signed liner notes...ahhhhhhhhhhhh, what a perfect way to end an evening.
(Anyone ever notice how Neil gets this weird look on his face when he really rocks on his elec. guitar? My friend says it is orgasmic, but I say that's the reaction of the audience...ok, I know that was poor taste.)
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Concert Hall was a great place. Ron Sexsmith didn't do much for me. I was bummed at the white Finn concert T-shirt with the CD art work. Wish it were dark green, like the CD, or black.
This is a must see show for every one on this list. Even for you 20-times-saw-them folks. It was so nice to see both Neil and Tim together, nobody else. Since we all know the 2 of them can't be in the same band together for too long any more it was great to see them joking around, working together to do as near a perfect show as they could.
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Anyway, while watching those fabulous Finn men, I heard these words in my head, "See every show you can." This is my advice to all of you. To the point, chilling vocals, stunning harmonies, a very contented and happy Neil, and a Tim the like of which you may have never seen or will see. Tim had a powerful effect on me because, well Neil is of course amazing, but I've seen more of him. I could hardly take my eyes off Tim because he was so much more than impressive. He is so phenomonally multi-talented, not only on the guitar and a zillion percussion instruments, but his moments of improvisation were brilliant. Perfectly decribed by our dear "ZenRoxy11" as an "out of body experience."
Song wise, we got a good dose of "Finn", a few CH tunes (Woodface, natch) and some Enz stuff. Paper airplane notes include statements like "We want you both!" and "But Neil First!", to which Tim replied without missing a beat, "They want to finish on a high note!" We all roared at this. Then another note said, "And after you're finished with that, I'll have you as well!" To which Neil replied, "We're going to be exhausted." (I'm fairly sure this was not in fact what the notes said - more like song requests - but it was all too much fun anyway).
Worth noting, Ron Sexsmith is nothing short of an incredible talent. He started out by apologizing about his hair - Eliz says she thinks somebody told him about you guys. I agree. You gotta love that name though - I mean we have silversmiths and blacksmiths...why not... you know...
Just go. That's all I have to say. There'll be more, including one from E you won't want to miss.
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I also got a good view of Tim, who pranced about the stage barefoot in a tailored dark suit. That note that Neil read just after Dirty Creature (the one he responded to with "Sorry, we'd be too tired") was sent by me via paper airplane. If you're curious, I requested probably my favourite ever Enz song, "One Step Ahead," or "Shark Attack" for my friend. Oil well. Neil Finn last seen in Toronto with ukelele (my dog has fleas). Can't please everybody all the time, I guess.
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