Crowded House

When Crowded House reformed in 2006, more than a few questioned the longevity of this anticipated adventure.

While Neil Finn’s creative output seemed as limitless as ever, the relevance of a band that exited on top of the world in 1996 seemed dubious.

However, after four years, one studio album and another one on the way, The Crowdies have more than refuted these views - they have completely blown them out of the water.

After a fleeting and ultimately forgettable set by Reg Mombassa and his Dog Trumpet, Crowded House waltzed onto the stage and declared it “spectacular to be back at the Enmore”.

A few whispers circulated around the auditorium as Finn proceeded to announce that this show would be comprised mainly of songs from their forthcoming LP, Intriguer. But wait, don’t shoot off to the bar just yet; these songs are actually quite good. Oh so silly of tonight’s punters to assume otherwise.

Whilst no trademark anthemic sing-a-longs were immediately apparent, a darker side to the band was showcased. Not-so-new boy Matt Sherrod showcased a raw power within ‘Isolation’, something that has perhaps been missing from Crowded House for a while.

While rollicking travelling song ‘Amsterdam’ showed us that Finn has supreme song writing skills still worn firmly on his sleeve.

With the I-hope-their-new-album-doesn’t-bust box ticked, it was time to give the crowd what the really came for. The delicate ‘Fall At Your Feet’ was the first classic to be received with rapturous applause.

The band plateaued at such great heights as crowd favourites ‘World Where You Live’ and ‘Into Temptation’ propelled the performance to a state where Finn would just stand back and let the audience sing for him.

We were brought back to the grass roots of where The Crowdies came with a special rendition of Split Enz’s ‘I Got You’, getting even the most stagnant of audience members jumping.

A great sense of generosity and spontaneity encapsulated Crowded House’s entire performance, with the band accepting the inevitability that they would have to play the classics, and instead of doing so begrudgingly, they accepted what their songs meant to people, facilitating the audience’s needs to perfection.

Closing the spectacular night with the even more spectacular ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’, Crowded House confirmed themselves as one of the greatest bands Australia (cough, New Zealand) have produced in the last 25 years, if not ever.

And to still be giving back to the audience with such generosity is truly a testament to their style, credibility and grace.

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