Midnight Oil

[Powderworks] Review of first US show

Tim Clausz tclausz@home.com
Tue, 9 Oct 2001 22:25:33 -0400


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>From All Star News...


In times of world crisis, we can usually count on rock music's elder
statesmen (U2, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan) to succinctly sum up our hopes,
fears or anger at the situation. Often it happens through works inspired by
other subjects.
Same holds true for veteran Aussie rockers/activists Midnight Oil, who
opened its first American tour in more than four years Monday (Oct. 8) night
at the sold-out House of Blues in Anaheim, Calif. Both the band and fans
were completely energized during a stirring 90-minute set.

Before launching into a short unplugged segment, giant shaven-headed lead
singer Peter Garrett said, "We'd like to share some musical textures,
ambiences, and hummable melodies with you." But it was the group's
politically oriented lyrics that rang with newfound clarity -- especially on
a frenetic "Dreamworld" and "Hercules" ("My life is a valuable thing"), the
powerful "Read About It," and chilling "Short Memory" ("A smallish man,
Afghanistan/A watch dog in a nervous land").

Even the four new tunes expected on the Oils' next studio disc Capricornia
(due in February) were favorably received. Standouts included the haunting
"Say Your Prayers" -- propelled by fuzz tone guitars and "Golden Age," a
seething number with chiming guitar work reminiscent of 1993's Earth and Sun
and Moon disc.

Garrett was in fine vocal form and a riveting presence throughout the gig.
He continually prowled the stage, waved his gangly arms around and
spastically shook himself to the rhythms. Of course, Garrett also ruminated
on former president Clinton, how the current bombings will affect the poor
and innocent in the Middle East and in a subtle swipe at the Downtown Disney
entertainment complex, said "It's so satisfying to hear music come from
amplifiers rather than shrubbery."

And the band (no pun intended) ran like a well-oiled machine. Drummer Rob
Hirst's precision drumming and high backing harmony vocals on "Truganini,"
"Dead Heart" and "King of the Mountain" proved this band is in no danger of
slowing down.


-- George A. Paul


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN class=3D180162302-10102001>From =
All Star=20
News...</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D180162302-10102001></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In times of world crisis, we can =
usually count on=20
rock music's elder statesmen (U2, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan) to =
succinctly=20
sum up our hopes, fears or anger at the situation. Often it happens =
through=20
works inspired by other subjects. </FONT></DIV>
<P><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Same holds true for veteran Aussie =
rockers/activists=20
Midnight Oil, who opened its first American tour in more than four years =
Monday=20
(Oct. 8) night at the sold-out House of Blues in Anaheim, Calif. Both =
the band=20
and fans were completely energized during a stirring 90-minute set. =
</FONT>
<P><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Before launching into a short unplugged =
segment,=20
giant shaven-headed lead singer Peter Garrett said, "We'd like to share =
some=20
musical textures, ambiences, and hummable melodies with you." But it was =
the=20
group's politically oriented lyrics that rang with newfound clarity --=20
especially on a frenetic "Dreamworld" and "Hercules" ("My life is a =
valuable=20
thing"), the powerful "Read About It," and chilling "Short Memory" ("A =
smallish=20
man, Afghanistan/A watch dog in a nervous land"). </FONT>
<P><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Even the four new tunes expected on the =
Oils' next=20
studio disc <I>Capricornia</I> (due in February) were favorably =
received.=20
Standouts included the haunting "Say Your Prayers" -- propelled by fuzz =
tone=20
guitars and "Golden Age," a seething number with chiming guitar work =
reminiscent=20
of 1993's <I><A=20
href=3D"http://cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=3D1542729257/pagename=3D/RP/=
CDN/FIND/album.html/ddcn=3DSD-7464+53793+2">Earth=20
and Sun and Moon</A></I> disc. </FONT>
<P><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Garrett was in fine vocal form and a =
riveting=20
presence throughout the gig. He continually prowled the stage, waved his =
gangly=20
arms around and spastically shook himself to the rhythms. Of course, =
Garrett=20
also ruminated on former president Clinton, how the current bombings =
will affect=20
the poor and innocent in the Middle East and in a subtle swipe at the =
Downtown=20
Disney entertainment complex, said "It's so satisfying to hear music =
come from=20
amplifiers rather than shrubbery." </FONT>
<P><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>And the band (no pun intended) ran like a =
well-oiled=20
machine. Drummer Rob Hirst's precision drumming and high backing harmony =
vocals=20
on "Truganini," "Dead Heart" and "King of the Mountain" proved this band =
is in=20
no danger of slowing down. <BR></FONT>
<P align=3Dright><I><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>-- George A.=20
Paul</FONT></I></P></BODY></HTML>

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