Crowded House

It took 24 years to finally see and meet them but I got the ultimate birthday present from my friend Chip of Waterloo Records (I owe him mondo cheesecake for this)!

This concert was really just going to be the closing bookend of my vacation (ending in mere hours). As soon as I heard the rumors about them coming to Austin, I made sure I made all possible arrangements to make sure I would be there. I had a big chunk of luck on my side too, may explain why I didn’t win anything big in Las Vegas.

I want to give a little backstory to give you an idea of why this show was uber-important, bordering on the cliche’d bucket list. I became a huge Split Enz fan in 1985 (a tale for the conclusion Summer 1985) and when Crowded House made its debut in 1986, I was hooked. I think my brother bought me the album (vinyl those days) for my 18th birthday to take to college. However, I never, never, ever got to see them live. It bordered on a curse and became a mean joke the universe played on me.

First, them coming to Milwaukee was unlikely due to that city’s tastes. Besides, they only had one record so CH would be delegated to the opening-act status despite Neil’s catalog and past associations. I was correct. They passed through Chicago with Bruce Hornsby, no thanks and I didn’t have the means being a student.

In 1987, I went to visit my parents for Spring Break in Philly. A rather boring time sitting around their condo, enduring miserable weather. The week after I was back at Marquette, CH played a show at a small club. How did I know? It was in the paper and a radio station had the live recording of them doing “Something So Strong,” I was taunted with the following Summer. I wasn’t 21 anyway and my parents would’ve done more to keep me from attending than helping.

That same Summer, I lived with Mom and Dad for about 14 weeks. It took an act of Congress to get them to allow me to see the two concerts I did see: Psychedelic Furs with Mission UK at the Spectrum (recently torn down for an overpriced shopping complex 90 percent of Philly can’t afford) and Los Lobos with the Smithereens at the Tower Theater (very historic Rock venue). Meanwhile, I figured CH was done touring America. “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” was played to death weeks ago and “Something So Strong” had run its course near the end of the Summer. I figured their label (Capitol) gave up on a third single since “Don’t” was probably the third attempt: originally I remembered MTV led off with “World Where You Live” and Brian spotted “Mean To Me” during my first semester. In short, CH was probably covering Europe or elsewhere with plans for the second album.

HA!

About a week before I was slated to return to Milwaukee, there was the big notice in the Philly paper: Crowded House at the Tower Theater with Paul Kelly & the Messengers in September/October 1987. Flying out to see this wasn’t going to happen because my parents were also in the process of moving to San Diego.

I never gave up though. The day Temple of Low Men hit Radio Doctors in the Summer of 1988, I had the money for the CD. Who needed food?! No memorable tour of the US or it was very scaled back since CH didn’t have another breakout single at the scale of “Don’t” or “Something” to make Capitol risk the exposure/money.

Fast-forward three years with Woodface, my personal all-time favorite CH album (the most killer, no filler) and the Best of Album of 1991 in the Picayune‘s past musical archives. Played it to death all Summer long on my stereo, CD boombox and at my job with kinko’s. Concert? Not a chance was my summation. The record is good yet more Milwaukeans were into INXS, Depeche Mode and Extreme (Nirvana didn’t make the scene until the Fall).

The Summer of 1991 was in its final month, I took the job with GDW and started making my arrangements to move to Bloomington-Normal, IL. After I was completely committed…there in the Shepherd Express (Milwaukee’s version of the Austin Chronicle): Crowded House coming to town in the Fall. To add insult to injury, they were playing at my alma mater, Marquette University’s theater, a great, more intimate place which seated less than a thousand. Overall, I thought it was going to be the usual type of Marquette concert: the venue would be packed predominantly with high school students, UWMers and other locals with tastes not trapped in the Seventies. In my experience, the average Marquettian preferred Dinosaur Rock and the Violent Femmes (the most famous from the area then). Carrie, my ex-girlfriend within weeks of relocation, rubbed salt in the wound when she told me about her opportunity to see them with the Smithereens during what was our last pleasant phone call apart.

By now I was resigned to never see Crowded House. Central IL was a lame scene unless Arena Rock or Heavy Metal became my thing (I did see the Smithereens, Webb Wilder and Concrete Blonde against all odds). Chicago wasn’t too far way but it was expensive to do on a regular basis; the Lyle Lovett concert in 1992 was a major undertaking. Getting laid off at the end of 1992 also put seeing them from the backburner to the deep freeze in my life.

A year later, they passed through the vicinity as a part of Peter Gabriel’s WOMAD festival. A couple people from DG got to go. My inquiries about them were met with disinterest yet I waited with anticipation for the fourth album.

The remainder of 1993 passed. No new record. Eventually, the gears for my move to Austin went into motion and Together Alone appeared on AppleTree Records’ shelves a couple weeks before I left with the track “Locked Out” on the Reality Bites soundtrack.

Austin held more promise. Residents told me CH had come through in the past. My new home featured multiple, reasonably-priced venues and the population couldn’t overwhelm availability like Chicago does. Winning free tickets to Sarah McLachlan at the Backyard really raised my hopes. Too bad I didn’t own a car a couple years sooner. Sometime in the Spring of 1994 they came to the Backyard with some unknown opener named Sheryl Crow (actually her hit “Leaving Las Vegas” was being played to death then). I wasn’t completely crushed. I remained optimistic about them returning either for another swing or the next record.

The possibility of a fifth album was dashed in 1996 when Neil announced he was dissolving Crowded House. I recall he made a statement saying the band was creatively exhausted. Original drummer Paul Hester going AWOL during the last American tour didn’t help. There was a goodbye show in Australia but I chalked up this band to being another one I’d never see in my lifetime, right there with Split Enz, XTC, Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Tears for Fears, Jellyfish and the Foo Fighters (off the top of my head, I have seen many things so it’s not all sour grapes).

Luck was on my side in 1998 as I returned to Austin after a year in exile (the awful days in North Carolina, the Indiana of the South). Neil Finn released his first solo album which included a tour. Not only was Austin a stop to support it. He returned several months later for an additional exclusive acoustic-only show. The latter set encompassed just 12 cities on the premise of it being the residence of a performer he enjoys working with: Austin is home to his friend Shawn Colvin. These shows were fantastic. I made a couple new friends. Reunited with Chip (we had been buds since his Technophilia days). Learned to recognize key people who you will always see at these concerts (Finnatics or Frenz?). Lastly, I did meet Neil briefly and got his autograph (safely tucked away in my Rock Box). It wasn’t quite Crowded House despite mixing those songs into his solo sets (plus Split Enz, namely the rarity “Spellbound.“)

Neil returned for SXSW in 2002. I didn’t go yet I regretted missing the Waterloo Records in-store performance which included Wendy Melvoin (a big contributor to One Nil). Couldn’t get the time off from work and his SXSW appearance was a late-night showcase for Nettwerk Records. Again, I foolishly figured he’d come back. The past was on my side there. His friendship with Shawn, the successful shows at LZR in 1998, etc. Nope.

The universe made it up to me two years later with sold-out Finn Brothers show at Stubb’s. Other than it being my first time seeing older brother Tim, they blew me away by performing numerous songs I hadn’t had the opportunity to hear before; the fantastic record Everyone is Here wouldn’t appear in America for another three weeks, all you get officially was a three-song EP via iTunes (I’m sure illegal torrents were available).

Crowded House reformed in 2007 much to my surprise due to Neil’s 1996 statement. I didn’t care though. I was too excited to see him working with Nick and Mark again while curious about who would take Paul’s place. The first single “Don’t Stop Now,” was on target and the Dixie Chicks got to release “Silent House” too (check it out, despite Natalie’s vocals, the lyrics and cadence has Neil’s DNA all over it). Alas, their American tour passed through Austin via ACL Fest. I refused to go for reasons I’ve bitched about in length many times already yet I held out for a second pass.

This year proved to be my vindication and full of coincidence! My birthday was last week and according to my horoscope my birthday month carries on until August 22 so I’ll stretch this to be within it the “date.” It’s also the 25th anniversary of when I bought a copy of Corroboree (because AppleTree didn’t have True Colours) and became completely hooked on the songwriting of Neil Finn through “History Never Repeats,” “Iris” and “One Step Ahead.” The whole Split Enz-Crowded House-Finn Brothers body of work became my all-time favorite stuff (the number one) and remains to this day; when I was high school it had shifted over several acts such as the Police, Berlin, Cars and Queen.

Originally, my plans only encompassed going to the Waterloo Records in-store for the opening act (he and his band deserve their own entry) Lawrence Arabia followed by getting a good spot in the queue at Stubb’s (I thought I was first, I was only second due to this really dedicated dude who had been there since 130 PM in the heat). While Lawrence Arabia was impressing me, Chip walked over and asked if I wanted his spot for CH’s meet-n-greet (a music industry thing done with radio stations and record stores, one tradition downloads isn’t killing thankfully). I just about plotzed! It wasn’t in stone though. There were some e-mails involved and a quick briefing on CH was expecting to meet industry people, not fans, therefore don’t ask intelligent, well-informed questions which would reveal my fandom. Thankfully, Liam was there and since he’s tight with Chip, it was a 99-percent certainty.

How was it to finally meet them? A dream come true. I only wish I wasn’t covered in sweat thanks to Summer in Central TX. Neil and Matt were very friendly. Nick is very reserve but approachable. I spoke mostly to Mark. Mostly small talk over how the tour was going? (pretty good.) Were they enjoying their time here? (Yeah, they arrived yesterday afternoon from Nashville.) Do anything fun like Alamo Drafthouse? (Ate sushi at some place up north and walked along Sixth Street.) Anybody recognize you guys? (N0.) Is that good or bad? (Oh, it’s great!) Not one of my better questions. Crowded House was a genuine treat in light of something obligatory and probably annoying with most bands. The record-label representative Ingrid was also my hero. She brought posters and sharpies for the event, as below demonstrates!

It was just spectacular for a fan-boy of 25 years like me. Being an Apple employee doesn’t hurt neither. Fielding Neil’s question about getting an iPad or waiting for the next revision required quick thinking. (I said they’re great, I wish I had one myself. However, my wife wants to wait like you. Neil’s reply, your wife is very wise then!) Mark wants to upgrade his copy of Logic, Liam is looking for a new system and Matt is going through the conversion too. It would be awesome to hear from them again, maybe develop a small portion of the rapport Chip has. Nice to see how Apple’s equipment has fans around the world and it breaks the ice.

The concert you ask…if you’ve made it through the first 2300 words…how was it? Definitely the best one I’ve seen this year because I have such a personal attachment to this act. No luck finding the setlist for it yet. What I do remember clearly was them opening with “I Feel Possessed.” They mixed it up with stuff from the current record Intriguer: “Saturday Sun,” “Archer’s Arrow,” “Falling Dove” and “Inside Out.” Neil dedicated “Whispers and Moans” to the dedicated guy in line (finally got to hear that live!). There were the hits, “World Where You Live,” “Chocolate Cake,” “Don’t Stop Now,” “Silent House,” “When You Come,” “Distant Sun,” “Four Seasons In One Day,” “Private Universe,” and “Weather With You” accompanied by Liam and Lawrence Arabia.

I’m curious about the reaction Neil receives from other cities. The Austin crowd is nuts about him and he returns the favor by leading everybody into encores of the choruses which is fun. Maybe it’s Austin Pride/Ego but I don’t feel previous places have our level of enthusiasm. Hopefully they’ll over a thumbdrive of this as NYC and the EU received. What I would give to get Neil doing an impromptu version of Ray Charles’ “Hit the Road Jack,” and what they may sound like if they go Techno on their seventh album.

The showed closed with “Don’t Dream It’s Over.” Afterwards, Neil announced how Crowded House would keep playing now and skip the encore element because of the hard curfew (10:30 PM). It’s a blur except for the finale of “Better Be Home Soon” with Liam singing the last verse.

Should Crowded House pass through your city in the near future, obviously I endorse them without a moment of hesitation. Should you get to meet them like I did, enjoy it. Neil is witty and a personable.

As for me, I need to amend my FAQ due to Neil Finn being on my celebrity list.

If you made it through this. Thanks very much! I know it was long but I wanted to put this experience into its proper context and share it. Crowded House has always been a big part of my life since I was 17. I know it’s just music (Neil would be the first to say that) yet much of their work has connected with me. Everybody has an equivalent. This was mine.

Update Aug. 7, 2010: Here’s the setlist from the show. I definitely plan to make a permanent iTunes set up of this.