I just came back from watching John Cale, supported by Jack Ladder. I walked in just before the latter started, and the first thing I thought of was that someone had been listening to a lot of The Triffids. Actually, there’s also some Lloyd Cole in there as well, but it’s not really as derivative as that might sound, or as dire 🙂 There’s a fair bit of high octave ringing chords with guitar melodic hooks interspersed, and that confessional story telling thing happening. Certainly Jack fits the part of any of the McComb brothers, with stovepipe black jeans and a buttoned-up longsleeve shirt. Someone shouted out “what’s your name?” towards the end of the set and he asked “isn’t our name on the billboard?” It wasn’t, and it wasn’t on the ticket. He said something about them having an album out, but there was no sign of it – no merchandise stall at all. I think someone screwed up in the publicity and marketing department for this event.
John Cale was wonderful. He played both a keyboard and guitar; there was solid bass player who also played keys for Femme Fatale. The drummer was this massive black guy hunched over this small kit and beating the shit out of it and keeping perfect time. Whoever it was on guitar was amazing. He was all over the fretboard and getting some amazing sounds from it. Unfortunately we were never introduced to the band.
Highlights included Helen of Troy, Femme Fatale, Dirty Ass Rock and Roll, and Ready For War. Waiting For The Man was also good, and Amsterdam was fine. He left us with Pablo Picasso after an hour and a half, but didn’t do Heartbreak Hotel, Venus In Furs or Magritte. The audience clapped and stamped for about 10 minutes – the house lights were up immediately Cale was offstage – and it wasn’t until the roadies had half-torn down the stage that people decided he wouldn’t be back and this massive boo went up.
Since there was no merchandise stand, I didn’t get a t-shirt or a copy of the support CD. I feel cheated 😉 Still, I did spend 8 dollars on a beer and 4 on a bottle of water, so the evening wasn’t a waste from the consumer point of view.
Am I the only one that thought Cale played awfully? He had no high notes, coughed through a couple of songs, had no energy, missed the start of one of the songs, and his voice strained throughout. He looked ill. I was standing about two metres away in front of his piano. He said at the end – ‘Sorry Sydney, I owe you one’, and left the stage quickly. He did no encore. I thought he was really sick, as in had bad flu or something. Bruce Elder in the SMH also gave him a glowing review… I’ve seen a lot of superannuated stars over the last year – Eno, Hassell, Lee Scratch Perry, Leonard Cohen and David Byrne – but Cale was by far in the worst shape. What gives?
Yeah – there was the one stuffed start, but I missed the comment in the applause, I guess. He didn’t seem sick to me, but what was with that hair? From some angles it looked like a bad toupee 🙂
I wouldn’t expect a 60-something musician to run around the stage or hit all the high notes he could when he was younger, so maybe I had different expectations than you. Still, if he was poorly, that would explain the abrupt finish. As it was, I think a lot of people were severely miffed at not getting at least one encore (not that any artist is ever obligated to provide them).
I’m with Filth – it was an awful concert. The sound and the mix were bad bad BAD! I thought that there was probably a good concert underneath the excessive volume and distortion – I wondered what the person at the big mixing desk was doing, exactly. I was seated in the upstairs lounge – more than a few people got up and walked out! And, yes, I thought that his “Sydney, I owe you one” comment was spot on. As for Bruce Elder’s review, I have to ask that old cliche – was he at the same concert as I was? Anyway, the verdict is definitely “could try harder”. Maybe Leonard Cohen has spoiled us forever – THAT was a good concert. And the final insult: Lou Reed was much better when he was here.
did anyone tape this?
one comment i have to make (and i wasnt there) Cale concerts are loud affairs these days, if the bassist was distorted that was the way it was meant to be.
its been like that i europe for a while, maybe cale wants any tapers to get distorted copies of the recording, maybe its just the kinda music he’s listening to these days.
I’d suggest that, if anyone wants to hear better quality versions of most of what he played, they pick up a copy of Circus.
enmore always has bad sound, bring ear plugs if you’re ever there. Ithought it was ok, but what’s with the no encore?