h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Saw Crowded House on Friday night at Brighton Centre. Still can't quite believe it. The whole family went, and when I booked tickets I had no idea we would be 2 rows from the front at the side! so great view!
The audience were taking a while to get into it so me and my sister followed a couple of people people down the front by about four songs in during Whispers and Moans, then loads of people seemed to come to the front. Lots of banter, as there was when I saw Neil and Tim two years ago (doesn't seem that long ago). Especially Neil joking about the very orange sickly-looking juice Nick was drinking "We'll have medical bills for years to come..." (it did look quite disgusting). Personal highlight was hearing Fingers of Love after they spotted a lady who had been holding a sign up all night with a request on it for the song. Also the opening with Private universe, which was amazing. Set list went a bit like this:

Private universe, It's Only Natural, Don't stop Now, Fall at Your feet, Heaven that I'm making, English trees, Whispers and Moans, A sigh, Silent House, Don't dream it's over, Chocolate cake, She walked her way down, When you Come, Distant Sun.

ENCORES:
Pinapple head, Love this life-(I think-an old song but I hadn't heard it before-lovely )
Lester (By audience request)
Weather with you- Neil had fun conducting us towards the end, getting us to do some woo's from each side of the audience "that's stereo ladies and gentlemen!"
Fingers of Love
Four Seasons in one day
Better be home soon-we all sang along with the lights turned off, Neil commenting that people used to have lighters, but now it's mobiles-at which point everyone got theirs out. I looked round and there were all these little lights round the auditorium, like stars, from the phones.

My sister ended up right at the front standing up. At the end she came back only to tell me that as Neil left the stage she got to shake his hand
Couldn't take pics from where I was as my camera phone is pants, but am totally gutted as if I had given my phone to my sister she could've taken the pics for me!

That should read 7 December 2007-whoops!

Wow. Right at the front!! Very jammy.

Don't like the sound of that orange juice though.......

No, the orange juice did look pretty foul! Yeah, I was really surprised we got that close, and totally gutted that my sister got to shake Neil's hand.
They also did a little version of the Beatles 'I'm only sleeping', which I forgot to mention.

We decided to go down the front because to be honest, the crowd were taking ages to get going, and I thought 'if we don't get everyone on their feet soon, the guys will think 'what a load of stuffed shirts they are in Brighton' and never come back again, so when a few people started to move forward, me and my sister decided to go too, and then soon there were like loads of people. I think Neil was quite bemused by it really cos after the song he was like "You was like..oooh it's whispers and moans, lets all go down the front..."
Here's a link to some pics someone took:

http://frenzforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7601061171/m/5121088464/p/2

and here. some of these are a bit wibbly
http://frenzforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7601061171/m/1801005664


I like the first one on that second link. we were kind of the other side, so got the opposite view. Great tho

I'm impressed. The pics came out really well too. Usually concert photos are all fuzzy and the light's all wrong.

yeah. I owe you an apology actually. CH were due to play Belfast on the UK tour, but by the time I found out it was sold out, so I didn't mention anything, but if I'd looked out sooner you could've checked it out.
But, they're planning on touring next year as well apparently (I've heard, anyway, I dunno if it's true). I'd definetly recommend them as a live band, even if you're not a raving CH fan, ( as I get the feeling you're not-not offence) because I've seen Neil play twice now, once with his brother, and once with CH and they were great. They also make you feel like you're really part of it, like a big family. It's a hard thing to explain, unless you've actually been to one of their gigs, but it's like they'd be happy playing in your front room, you know. Like you'd known them for ages and going to some big family do.

Also, the support band were really good-Duke Special-he's irish. Was very groovy. Unfortunately he got heckled by a rude git who wanted CH to come out, but he played really well and got us singing along.

I'll admit I don't know much of Crowded House's stuff, but I'd be willing to aquaint myself with more. Have seen them about on itunes and have to decide which to download. Any recommendations?

Have to say you have a point that a band doing a good live show. Some artists are *terrible* live.

Meant to tell you, I downloaded a Crowded House EP a couple of days ago. Not bad. Has Distant Sun, Don't Dream It's Over (love that one), Heaven That I'm Making, Locked Out, Silent House and Something So Strong. Not bad songs there.

Got a few Brian Houston too after you were talking bout him. Not too many people can pull off singing with a Northern Irish accent.

Yeah I guess, although Snow Patrol wouldn't be as distinctive without Gary Lightbody-I really love his voice- its really compelling.

Glad you like the CH EP, sorry I didn't reply sooner, I wasn't being rude. See, you know more CH songs than you think-everyone knows don't dream it's over! I really want to learn how to play it-I've got the tab but I have trouble with the chords. I just love the words -how often do you hear stuff like "try to catch the deluge in a paper cup"?

Something so strong is great too, it always puts a smile on my face. Silent House makes me cry, but it is an amazing song. The dixie chicks did a version of it. If you want to find something a bit different, Private Universe is good-there's a demo version that's just acoustic on the afterglow album and its lovely. Or World Where You Live is a good rocky number (great drums-good old Paul). How Will You Go is a great song-lovely harmony...
Into Temptation...
Hmm. so many to choose from...

I bet you know Fall At Your Feet? James Blunt covered it as a B side to You're Beautiful. Yes, I did buy the single.

by the way, according to the first photo on the first link, here's a who's who
left to right:

Neil Finn, Mark Hart (keys/guitar), Matt Sherrod (drums), Nick Seymour (bass).

Aleways nice to put the face and the name together. Think they're younger than I'd thought. Definately had it in my head that Neil Finn was older. Dunno why.

Great songs though.

Glad you think so. Interesting you thought he was older-do you think he sounds older than he looks then?

Yeah, Matt is the one with the big hair !

Mean to me is a good song too, worth dowloading, I'd say.

Dunno if he sounds older or what it is....just maybe his style or something. I've an acoustic version of Don't Dream It's Over that's credited to just him, and he's a very soft but powerful kind of voice (if that makes sense) and he didn't sound like he was 22 or anything. I think it's maybe coz he doesn't sing like a pop person. Sounds like he really means it, comes from the soul or something.

Yeah. I do know what you mean. Neil's voice is different, it's not a poppy voice, but I guess soulful is a good way to describe it.
His voice is at its best on Into Temptation definetly, I love that song, its so atmospheric (also, if you turn it up loud, cos the way its mixed it sounds like he's actually in the room, or singing in your ear, depends if you're a headphones person or not ).

Have you really got an acoustic version of Don't Dream It's over? is that on the EP? I'll have to keep a eye out for that, sounds pretty special.
...and of course weather with you is good fun, but if you want a taste of what they're like live, back in the day with Paul Hester on drums, check out the DVD of Farewell to the World live at the Sydney Opera House November 1996 (should come up on an HMV search). That's what got me ito them more (a bit annoying that it was after they split). You could always borrow it from the library, you can order stuff online now. I've got a VHS version, eventualy when it wears out I might buy the DVD!

It's one we had on a Diana tribute CD that we've had in the house for years. The album doesn't seem to be on iTunes, but I came across a live version he does and it sounds similar. Seems to be an acoustic guitar and him singing. Sounds great.

oooh I didn't know about that one. Might do an HMV search on that CD (not reg on itunes yet due to lousy internet connection ) and see what pops up-sometimes you can download individual tracks from their site.

Yep fire away. It's a great track.

having trouble finding it. what's the title of the CD?

It's Diana Princess of Wales Tribute. or just Diana Tribute. Was released not long after she died to raise money for her memorial fund. Haven't seen it in the chops recently myself.

It's on Amazon, the whole CD:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Diana-Tribute-Album-Various-Artists/dp/B000024W6Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1199456508&sr=8-1

Hope you can get the track. It's so good.

off to the music shop tomorrow to consider replacing my acoustic guitar now I've got paid !

When I took my acoustic in before the guy there said it's been heavily played (6yrs old, yes) and cos of the way the company cut corners on the old models so they could sell them at a middle range price, eventually it's going to be totally busted!- He said the tension is going to get too much on the body and the whole bridge is going to come unstuck , making it a pretty costly and pointless repair job. So, I'm gonna trade it in and take some tips to try and get a reasonable price but good quality guitar.

I'm kind of sad about it though cos my old one was the one I learnt all my stuff on, and it's a lovely colour. I kept it in real good nick. I did get good mileage out of it though, so I guess it was worth it. If I get a new one it also gives me the opportunity to get a smaller model. I kind of found the full size guitars a bit cumbersome.