Tim Rogers

There’s a certain air of sophistication that engulfs the Opera House. A similar aura surrounds Tim Rogers, albeit slightly more musty and alcohol soaked. Even when playing at some of the most true rock gigs on Australian soil, you will find Tim in shirt and scarf, projecting his authority and arrogance on all. As he said, “I’m Tim fucking Rogers.” I guess sophistication doesn’t necessarily exclude profanities.

To be honest I expected him to go too far to the wanker side because of the venue, but the show was a gem. The tunes from the new album ‘Luxury of Hysteria’ are all what you’d expect, with some of the more honest song writing I’ve seen from the wiry one of late. Highlights include tracks about his brother’s room, the curse of writing a hit song about a heartbreak that makes you revisit her every time you sing it, and the prophetically cautionary tune ‘Things gonna get ugly”. The track with Amazing Grace as the outro is goosepimply, and the driving tune about the perfectly (in)appropriate radio jockey has left me with enough desire to buy the album and give more listening time than I’ve afforded Rogers since ‘Baby Clothes’.

The tracks were solid enough, and I’m sure will be faves in time, but the show was something else. The presence of the man, and his comfort with the opening night elite audience, was just fun. The façade of sophistication was there, but the band still rocked out, with Rogers quitting the jibes at Troy the guitar tech after requiring his services resulting from a particularly erratic string breakage. Of course there was the ever present drunken strange lady dancing by herself.

The mutual heckling with Jimmy Barnes in the audience, and the haiku battle featuring a German upstage attempt from Melanie Robinson were classic. Despite a gallant effort by the bassist to use the word Woolloomooloo, it was Tim’s closing line that won, with seven syllables and the inclusion of a season: “And my pants suggest winter.”

"Think about that and stay fashionable."

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