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Midnight Oil
A Concert Review |
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Going into the Midnight Oil show, I really only knew them for three
songs - "Blue Sky Mine," "Beds are Burning," and
some other songs I couldn't really remember. I had no idea what
other songs they might play (other than the new material off their
new CD - "Breathe" which I did get to listen to), and had
no idea what to expect. Radio ads said they put on a great show,
some of their internet sites said the same, so I eagerly awaited to
see just what this band was all about. What I found was just what
everyone said - a great show.
As the show starts and Peter Garrett and the rest of the Oils
take the stage, the first thing that strikes me is that this Peter
guy is huge. With a bald head and over six-foot frame this dude
could scare the crap out of nearly anyone he might run into on the
street. The next thing that strikes me is that this Peter dude is
craaazzzyyyy. It was like he had one too many cups of coffee before
the show because from the start he began pacing the stage,
microphone in one hand while the other flailed between grasping his
head, reaching out to seemingly try to grab someone, to pounding in
the air. The last
thing that strikes me as beads of sweat gather on Mr. Garrett's
forehead is that I've been looking for a good, hi-intensity
weight-training program and being the lead singer for the Oils
seemed like a good one. It's just too bad that to keep up with his
energy level, if I were the lead singer, the show would be about two
songs, no, make that one song long.
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Now, all I've had to gauge my experience about this band are
those three radio hits and a new CD. Cool music I've thought, the
new CD seems a little bit mellower but still with a driving beat,
and as I'm standing there I'm listening to classic Midnight Oil
songs that in today's arena blow away most of the moshing-style
music being thrown through the radio on a regular basis. The older
crowd gets to listen to music that can easily fit on radio today,
but doesn't have to deal with the insanity of a mosh-pit. The Oil's
crowd gets to bob their heads and sing along and doesn't have to be
worried about getting kicked in the head by some crowd-surfer.
Sometimes it's good to be old, or at least older. And, if the
youngin's would open their ears for a while, they might find a band
that fits them perfectly.
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The show was as much about fan classics as it was about the new
material with Midnight Oil hitting on some four or five new songs,
songs like "Star of Hope," "Underwater,"
"Surf's Up Tonight," and "One Too Many Times."
All were received well, but some of the songs, especially "One
Too Many Times," had the crowd kinda scratching their heads
because it has a definite country feel to it. Wait till they get the
CD and listen to "Home" with Emmylou Harris helping out.
But, even though some of the new material surprised the fans, it was
the classics that the crowd could sing along to - songs like
"My Country," "Warakurna" (I think that's what
it was?), "The Dead Heart," and the song I forgot about
"Forgotten Years."
All in all, I was duly impressed by a band I really didn't know
too much about. For about an hour and 45 minutes the Oils took their
fans on a ride from the old to the new, and they also gained a new
fan - me. If you're a youngin' looking for a great show, go see
Midnight Oil, if you're an older fan wondering if the band still has
what it did years ago - I guess they do because they still put on a
great show. It's a TWO THUMB UPPER for Midnight Oil.
That's if for this one, I'm The Dude on the Right. L8R!!! |
