You Am I
Metro Theatre, Sydney
Friday November 16, 2007 with 0 Mess+Noise champion in attendance.
“We may not be around forever, but at least we were fucking here!”
And so were we, in our Sunday best on this Friday night. Within the boozy confines of the Metro, the excitement of the Sydney crowd at seeing You Am I once again (like tea with a dear old friend, but louder) was truly palpable. Evident from the second they – these kings of swagger and ponce and noise – took to the stage, this excitement was genuinely reflected in their reciprocal enthusiasm and sheer joy. Actually, reciprocal enthusiasm is a too delicate description – the crowd was a drunken mob, and they, like the band, couldn’t have been happier to be there.
With such animation, as well as a Keef-like headband and a pornographic ‘stache, You Am I presented an interesting setlist. The recent focus on #4 Record was shifted to an unpredictable lucky dip, and rarities such as ‘Ain’t Gone and Open’ and ‘Mr Kermode and the Million Matches’ were played along with ‘hits’ like ‘Good Morning’ and, of course, ‘Berlin Chair’. ‘Purple Sneakers’ – a beautiful highlight to a night that essentially played only the rock card – saw Rogers down in the crowd: shirt off, charm on. The inclusion of X’s Steve Lucas on vocals for ‘Degenerate Boy’ was certainly a surprise, especially for one nearby audience member, naïvely referring to him as “a really ugly woman”.
Interestingly, Rogers’ customary acoustic interlude didn’t happen, and its absence was disappointing. The usual intimacy provided by this was lacking, and this distance could be felt for a lot of the gig. Band and crowd alike were certainly enjoying themselves – there were kisses and held hands all around - but the softer, balladic moments that have often defined You Am I’s genius were missed. For what it was, it was a great gig. An incredibly ‘rock’ gig. It was exciting, energetic, and a wonderful excuse to dance like a motherfucker. The moves were pulled correctly, the hair was just right. The sound could have been better, but even so, they still hit the right nerve. They even played ‘Punkarella’. Awesome.
by A.H. Cayley
