Birds of Tokyo & Glenn Richards - QPAC, Brisbane
Birds of Tokyo & Glenn Richards, QPAC, Tuesday 10th November
In for a rare treat tonight, masses of punters from all walks of life are scurrying in the same direction as the final call for doors closing sounds throughout the majestic, stately building that is the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC). There is no possible way of knowing what’s in store for us tonight. Two performances, both from prominent Australian artists who have each taken a leap of faith and said “yeah, I’ll go you one better”: Augie March’s leading man ,Glenn Richards, in his first round of solo performances and WA’s Birds of Tokyo, midway through their Broken Strings Tour, and hence, newly refitted with a grand piano and string quartet in tow. Oh yes, tonight will be memorable, whether it soars or sinks.
This writer found herself once again having too little faith in the powers that be and the time stated to “rock up.” Tonight, 8:00pm actually meant 8:00pm, not 8:40pm. So while being herded towards the auditorium door, bubbling with enthusiasm at perhaps catching Glenn in good form tonight, it became immediately clear from the stage setup that, oh crap, the first of this evenings surprises had been there, done that, and buggered off. The two guys sitting beside me assured me however, that Mr Richards was indeed on the money, performing a couple of Augie March numbers and busting out some astonishing finger-plucking folklore madness.
QPAC is a gorgeous but seldom used venue; a beautifully etched high ceiling that dips to meet the stunning organ pipes that span the length of the stage and soar into the heavens. A young quartet and a grand pianist take the stage to the sound of screams, wails, and whistles. With little reverie, this talented group of guys and girls ease into the familiar sounds of “Armour For Liars, “ and the crowd erupts. Kenny, the two Adams, and Anthonny give a quick wave and settle on in. A few minor mix issues are a culprit soon dealt with, as Kenny’s vocals and Anthonny’s acoustic bass find their way into the thick instrumentation for a nice even spread. The crowd seems quite content to just look on in awe, and really, that’s all that one can do. The sound and the vibe is just so laid-back and beautiful. The staging is perfect; classy and understated, and yet the leading man still finds breaking into his trademark moves irresistable during “Like Rain”, busting out some top-notch falsetto
The reinterpretation of these songs is absolutely precious; hauntingly beautiful violins underpinning lyrics in all the right ways in “Russian”, but “Black Sheets” suffers just slightly at slower tempo and somehow lacks its usual ferocity. “I just want to bounce off my stool,” says Kenny, clearly enjoying the proceedings in between sipping on a glass of red. “Wild Eyed Boy” is given a country makeover with bassist Anthonny and drummer Adam Weston doing their bit to make it a “real knee-slapper.” The closure before the intermission is a moving version of “The Baker’s Son”, where the string arrangement, sublime falsetto, concerto-like arrangement, and momentous, galloping beat make it the unbeatable highlight of the first half. And with a quick suggestion from Kenny to grab ourselves a drink and rejoin them, the Birds and crew exit the stage after what has been an awe-inspiring evening so far.
Taking Mr Kenny’s advice, the crowd once again converge on the auditorium with a little more poison in the veins and unrealised expectations of what’s in store. Kenny and Adam S pace onto the stage and delve straight into the best cover of Marvin Gaye’s “Heard It Through The Grapevine” this reviewer has ever heard. Taking the stage one more time, Anthonny, Adam W, and their outstanding collaborators pick up where they left off, with Adam S busting out the ukelele for “Head In My Hands”, before moving onto “Train Wrecks”, where the vocals get a bit drowned out by the lush instrumentation. After a few more sips of red and a big fat “cheers” to all the boys and girls, “Violet” is delivered and dedicated to significant others, skillfully led by Adam W’s straight up beat. Anthonny makes a grab for the electric bass for a punchy redition of “Rest Here My Brother”, followed by the offkey staccato notes of the pivitol grand piano, creating an intense opening for “Off Kilter”. Kenny is clearly enjoying his adopted cohorts as he smiles and looks back, taking in the sweet melodies and textures like a fresh, deep breath, momentarily lost to everyone. The familiar guitar strums of “Wayside” start up to the delight of the crowd, reigniting a love for this top song in its new state. But the most moving and intelligent interpretation of the night is yet to come. After thanking the crowd for their support for what has been a tour a year in the making, the simple accompaniment as Kenny kicks off “Broken Bones” resonates deep in the chest, to the point where all this reviewer can do is stop singing and bopping, and simply listen. The power vested in this song is renewed and redoubled; the highlight of the night for me.
A quick departure from the stage and again, Kenny and Adam S rejoin us for “Medicine” before the rest of the guys jump back on stage to play a firm favourite for everyone. “Silhouettic” is damn powerful, not simply because the red house lights go up on the crowd, but also because the mounting tension generated by Kenny’s refusal to take his usual higher register creates an intense, if not unfulfilled, expectancy amidst the audience, to the point where a collective gasp was uttered by every soul in the room at its conclusion. And with that, the Birds give it up for their utterly flawless accompaniment, give the audience some sincere waves of appreciation, and exit the stage. Tremendous things happened here tonight; a thoroughly engaging and endearing performance made all the better for the realisation that this is not just a bunch of talented young guys in a band, this is a talented and damn clever bunch of musicians whose future as an incredible and diverse live act is assured.
- Carley Hall
