[Live Review] PAUL DEMPSEY (Brisbane)

Paul Dempsey - Triffid 23

The Triffid, Brisbane
Friday August 12, 2016 :

We arrived at the Triffid to a sold out crowd and even though the support act had not graced the stage as yet, the front of the hangar was shoulder to shoulder.

The Triffid is one of my favourite venues in Brisbane and I love watching/shooting bands there, but for some inexplicable reason they never put a crash barrier up when the band playing is not of the heavy, mosh pit inducing variety, and the girls up the front fiercely hold their ground, making it incredibly difficult for photographers to squeeze through the crowd to get a half decent shot in.

But onto the why we were all here, the music.

Olympia opened the night with her beautiful voice and styled in a purple ’80s power suit, oversized jewellery and high, high heels. Songs such as ‘Tourists’ and ‘Blue Light Disco’ warmed the crowd up and their tracks ‘Smoke Signals’ and ‘This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things’ were definite highlights of their set.

After a short break, the unmistakable silhouette of Paul Dempsey took to the stage with his band, including familiar faces Pat and Olivia from Olympia. As the opening bars of ‘Strange Loop’ filled the hangar the crowd surged forward, as if magnetised toward the man onstage.

The band then played a few new tracks including ‘Blindspot’ and the fantastic ‘Idiot Oracle’, with Paul whipping his hair around, bounding around the stage and jamming face to face with Olivia. The energy was high from the outset and the band appeared to really be enjoying taking these new tracks out on the road.

The night was peppered with the usual signature Paul Dempsey banter which is 20% awkward and 80% endearing. He addresses the sold out crowd as if he is speaking to only one or two people, asking them how their day was and getting somewhat questionable responses in return, as to be expected.

The band then launched into ‘Have You Fallen Out Of Love?’ and ‘The Great Optimist’ from Everything Is True, much to the crowd’s delight. By this stage the crowd is most definitely putty in Paul’s hands as he takes them on a journey through his past two solo albums, including ‘Volunteers’,’ Lifetime Supply’, ‘Be Somebody’, ‘Morningless’ and ‘Her History’ from his most recent offering, Strange Loop, as well winding back the clock to 2009 with ‘Fast Friends’, ‘We’ll Never Work in the Town Again’, ‘Out Of The Airlock’ and ‘Theme From Nice Guy’.

The epic 2 hour, 22 song set was broken up with a couple of amazing covers, including Television’s ‘Elevation’, and The Pixies’ ‘Dig For Fire’. Highlights of the set included ‘The True Sea’, and the everyone in the crowd singing along word for word to ‘Ramona Was A Waitress’. The night wrapped up with an encore performance of ‘Take Us To Your Leader’, ‘Nobody’s Trying To Tell Me Something’ and ‘Bird In A Basement’.

Whether playing solo or with Something For Kate, I will never tire of seeing Paul Dempsey perform live. He is one of Australia’s greatest songwriters and his music transcends generations (one look around the crowd can confirm this, from 18 year olds to well, people who could well be their parents all singing along and really feeling the music) showing why, when other artists have come and gone, he has always had such a great presence within the industry, and our music collections.

Reviewer and Photographer : Chrissy Kavalieros

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