Forty years, Happy Birthday, Icehouse! Normally we’d throw you a party but tonight on night two of their Sydney shows they’re giving us a party, a show that will cover their career and give us all the songs we know and more. I know I can’t wait!
A video package sets up the scene as the band make their way to the stage. Collective ‘woos’ as Iva Davies takes centre stage and the band open with ‘Icehouse’ drenched in blue lighting, a perfect opener to what is bound to be an amazing show as always with a band of this calibre. The light show is great as ‘Mr Big’ kicks in and the sound is great tonight, killer mix! ‘Hey Little Girl’ a song now thirty four years old still sounds as good today as it did back in the day as Iva wanders the stage. Hold the phone, saxophone solo! Yes!
It’s time for ‘Crazy’ and of course everyone here knows this one and it’s still as good as always, I mean you’ve gotta be crazy, baby (ooh ooh) to not like this song, must give a special mention to Michael Paynter though for his solo. Nice work and even more so let’s talk about the rockin’ outro here, Iva is now ripping it up. ‘No Promises’ slows things down a little but then of course ‘Electric Blue’ gets a run and it’s my favourite Icehouse song by far and it didn’t disappoint tonight. What a tune. I guess when you’re eleven when the Man of Colours album was released it helped shaped my love of music and it has stuck after all this time. It was a great sing along song tonight.
‘Touch The Fire’ allows Michael Paynter to take some of the vocals and I love the way his voice suits these songs, this one sounds great tonight. Then we slow it way done with acoustics and ‘Kingdom’ from Man of Colours and with Michael taking the shared vocals again he nails it. This version of the song is something a bit different and I’m digging it. Now Michael has been singing the track ‘Man of Colours’ for a while now and tonight was probably the best I’ve heard him sing it but when Iva takes the clarinet solo it always sends chills then sharing vocals again works. Such a magical song.
The acoustics stay out for a changed up version of ‘Miss Devine’ got the crowd singing along but I’m not too sure on that one especially after following the beauty of Man of Colours, hey the crowd seemed to dig it though, then a sax intro to the always haunting ‘Don’t Believe Anymore’ was much better but it’s when it rocks up that this song gives me goose bumps, just the power in the chords and the emotion of the song. Damn, Iva you sure can write a song. Oh speaking of that, here’s one that’s OK I guess ha ha ‘Great Southern Land’ is arguably their best known song and I’m more worried at the moment that the balcony is going to collapse up here as everyone has decided to stand and dance. It’s shaking. If I don’t finish this review you’ll know why. Back to the song though while I’m still here, it sounds huge in here tonight and rightfully so, with great visuals on the back drop and lighting to match has just made this a moment.
Time for a cover which was unexpected but throwing in ‘Get It On’ by T-Rex was kinda cool. The crowd seemed to dig it which is fun. Some photos from the Flowers days are great to see as they play on the screens and they rock the hell out of the song. The volume stays turned up with ‘Cross The Border’ and I have to say I’m ashamed I don’t know this one but damn it’s pretty good. Throwing it way, way back to the Flowers album with ‘Fatman’ and some excellent use of the ride cymbal makes this one a highlight, but from what could be called a lesser known song to one that everyone here knows ‘We Can Get Together’ and it’s great watching them play the video behind them and just seeing how different they look now. This is still a killer tune!! As the band leave the stage only to return hopefully for a couple more.
‘I Can’t Help Myself’ is one of those and the old school fans here are digging the hell out of this one especially as they get to help sing it. Closing the set tonight with ‘Nothing Too Serious’ and rockin’ this short, sharp track was a great way to say goodbye after a set spanning the band’s career. Ooh an extra song and it’s gotta be the one, gotta be the two, gotta be the three, gotta be the four with ‘Sister’ all the way back from their debut album, and that rocked! What a cool one to throw in and an extra bonus for us all.
For a band that have been doing this for forty years (well Iva has) they’ve sure as hell still got it and here’s to forty more… got it in you Mr Davies? We all hope so. What an awesome night listening to songs that have been with many here their whole lives and will continue to be a part of them, especially if we get to keep hearing them live.
Essential Information
Venue: The Enmore Theatre – Sydney
Date: January 14, 2017
Website: http://www.icehouse-ivadavies.com
Set List:
Icehouse
Mr Big
Hey Little Girl
Crazy
No Promises
Electric Blue
Touch The Fire
Kingdom
Man of Colours
Miss Devine
Don’t Believe Anymore
Great Southern Land
Get It On
Cross The Border
Fatman
We Can Get Together
I Can’t Help Myself
Nothing Too Serious
Sister
Catch Icehouse on the rest of their ‘40 Years Live’ tour at the following dates
Saturday, 21 January 2017
Summer Concert Tour – Gibbston Valley Winery, Queenstown, NZ
Tickets available from through www.ticketek.co.nz (0800 ticketek)
Saturday, 28 January 2017
Summer Concert Tour – Taupo Amphitheatre, Taupo, NZ
Tickets available from through www.ticketek.co.nz (0800 ticketek)
Sunday, 29 January 2017
Whitianga Open Air Venue, Whitianga, NZ
Tickets available from through www.ticketek.co.nz (0800 ticketek)
Wednesday, 1 February 2017
Crown Theatre, Perth, WA
Tickets available from Ticketmaster 136 100 | www.ticketmaster.com.au
Presented by 96FM
Thursday, 2 February 2017 – 2nd and Final Show
Crown Theatre, Perth, WA
Tickets available from Ticketmaster 136 100 | www.ticketmaster.com.au
Presented by 96FM
Thursday, 9 February 2017
Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide, SA
Tickets available from Ticketmaster 136 100 | www.ticketmaster.com.au
Presented by Cruise 1323
Saturday, 11 February 2017
Red Hot Summer Tour – Old Mount Gambier Gaol, Mt Gambier, SA
Tickets on sale from 9.00am, Monday 29 August from
Ticketmaster 136 100 | www.ticketmaster.com.au
Saturday, 18 February 2017
Red Hot Summer Tour – Country Club, Launceston, TAS
Tickets on sale from 9.00am, Monday 29 August from
Ticketmaster 136 100 | www.ticketmaster.com.au
Friday, 24 February 2017
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, Qld
Tickets available from Ticketek 132 849 | www.ticketek.com.au
Presented by 4KQ
Saturday, 11 March 2017
Red Hot Summer Tour – Mackay Park, Bateman’s Bay, NSW
Tickets on sale from 9.00am, Monday 29 August from
Ticketmaster 136 100 | www.ticketmaster.com.au
Friday, 17 March 2017
Wrest Point Entertainment Centre, Hobart, TAS
Tickets available from http://tixtas.com.au/Home.aspx?psid=iceh2017
Presented by 7HOFM and WinTV
Saturday, 18 March 2017
Wrest Point Entertainment Centre, Hobart, TAS
Tickets available from http://tixtas.com.au/Home.aspx?psid=iceh2017
Presented by 7HOFM and WinTV
Saturday, 25 March 2017
Red Hot Summer Tour – Roche Estate, Hunter Valley, NSW
Tickets on sale from 9.00am, Monday 29 August from
Ticketmaster 136 100 | www.ticketmaster.com.au
Saturday, 1 April 2017
Red Hot Summer Tour – Harrigan’s Drift Inn, Jacob’s Well, Qld
Tickets on sale from 9.00am, Monday 29 August from
Ticketmaster 136 100 | www.ticketmaster.com.au
Saturday, 22 April 2017
Red Hot Summer Tour – Bendigo Jockey Club, Bendigo, VIC
Tickets on sale from 9.00am, Monday 29 August from
Ticketmaster 136 100 | www.ticketmaster.com.au
