![\"\"](\"http:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/INXS-201012-7.jpg\" "\\"INXS")
<\/a>Fulfilling both photographer and reviewer duties tonight (it\u2019s no easy task carting around a couple of cameras and a typewriter at a concert!) I had the enviable position of catching the first three songs up close and personal from front of stage, whilst also then retiring to my seat in the stadium to soak up the atmosphere.\u00a0 I think the question on everyone\u2019s lips regarding INXS was \u2013 who is going to be singing for them tonight?\u00a0 Well if you had done your research, you would know that since September 2011, those shoes have been filled by Irishman, Ciaran Gribbin.\u00a0 A Grammy nominated songwriter who has worked with artists such as Snow Patrol, Madonna, Paul Oakenfold and Paul McCartney.\u00a0 If you didn\u2019t know this, well strike a light, upon first glimpse, you could have sworn it was the Rockstar INXS winner J D Fortune creeping out from behind the drum kit to assume vocal duties once again.\u00a0 Speaking of drums, the opening few minutes of the INXS set featured a cacophony of drums courtesy of the brothers Farris, they being Tim, Jon, Andrew, before the band kicked into opening song Suicide Blonde<\/em>.\u00a0 Hit the ground running with one of your biggest hits, now that\u2019s the way to kick off a stadium gig, but then follow that up with What You Need <\/em>and Original Sin, <\/em>perfect!\u00a0 Filling the shoes of the irreplaceable Michael Hutchence can\u2019t be easy, but the performance of Gribbin throughout tonight\u2019s set covered the most important bases, at least for me \u2013 oodles of energy, a confident and commanding stage presence and lot\u2019s of intimate crowd interaction where I\u2019m sure the lucky girl(s) having lyrics such as \u201cI need you tonight\u201d sung to them, thought for that brief moment they were the only ones in the room\u2026albeit with around 13,000 others.<\/p>\n The majority of tonight\u2019s 70 odd minute set was made up of songs from the Kick <\/em>album which this year celebrates it\u2019s 25th<\/sup> anniversary.\u00a0 An album in which I\u2019m super familiar, it was great to hear these songs performed live and performed super well \u2013 I mean the Farris brothers, Gary Beers and Kirk Pengilly have been playing together for well over 30 years now, so these guys are tight, super tight.\u00a0 However a head scratching moment in tonight\u2019s set came when the couple of backing singers\/dancers took the lead vocals on a couple of songs, Calling All Nations <\/em>and Kick.\u00a0 <\/em>It didn\u2019t work for me having these girls take over on lead vocals, but maybe it worked for you?\u00a0 Above all, seeing INXS tonight, the important thing to remember is just how timeless these songs are still to this day. \u00a0The likes of Kiss The Dirt, Don\u2019t Change, Never Tear Us Apart, New Sensation, <\/em>these songs are so engrained in our Aussie music heritage that I\u2019m sure INXS fans Australia wide are just appreciative for the opportunity to be hearing them performed live in 2012, but preferably minus a couple of the cabaret\/Glee type moments.<\/p>\n Hot on the heels of their fourth studio album North, <\/em>in the days leading up this show, I had to keep reminding myself that this band of over 15 years, has only released four studio albums, with the gap between North <\/em>and More Than You Think You Are <\/em>being a considerable 10 years.\u00a0 Sitting in the photo pit waiting for the lights, camera, action moment to kick in, I was able to sneak a peek under the curtains of what was a considerably massive sized stage.\u00a0 Well, it was an arena show, but maybe it was the use of platforms and runways and huge video screens and lighting rigs that gave it an aura of enormity.\u00a0 During these moments of waiting, I made a bet with myself that they would open with a song off the new album, and sure enough, when the curtain dropped to reveal the band, they kicked into Parade, <\/em>the opening track off North.\u00a0 <\/em>Immediately, even whilst concentrating on photos, I couldn\u2019t help but notice the amped up \u201crock\u201d sound of Matchbox Twenty.\u00a0 Parade <\/em>saw Rob Thomas with a guitar slung over his shoulder, which planted him front and centre for most of the opening song.\u00a0 Bent <\/em>and Disease <\/em>followed, with the latter using the lighting rigs to great effect, with the stage drenched in a sea of red\u2026or is the cynical side of me thinking it was a farewell gift for us photographers\u2026\u201dsee how many photos you can get out of this red light!\u201d\u00a0 Leaving the photo pit, the immediately recognisable guitar intro of latest single She\u2019s So Mean <\/em>kicked in, just as I knew it would.\u00a0 I really wanted to see this song as I love it, but alas, the transition from photo pit to my seat put paid to that.\u00a0 Upon re-entering the stadium, I had enough time to sit down and get settled with beer in hand, in time for one of my favourite ever M20 songs, 3AM, <\/em>which they followed up with Real World.\u00a0 <\/em>With wall to wall of hits as they do, hearing a song like 3AM <\/em>early on was probably inevitable and didn\u2019t the crowd love this back to back pairing from their first album.\u00a0 A common theme during the whole night, it was the songs from Yourself Or Someone Like You<\/em>, which seemed to generate the most gusto with crowd sing along.<\/p>\n The stage presence of Rob Thomas is interesting to observe, he certainly uses all the stage to great effect and along with his distinct way of emphasising words and phrases whilst singing, in the live environment we also get the facial expressions and body language to express the emotion of songs, such as on new track Overjoyed<\/em> and If You\u2019re Gone. <\/em>\u00a0Thomas doesn\u2019t say a lot on stage in between songs, although he is a caring soul, asking many a time \u201chow are you all doing tonight\u2026\u201d Well Rob, for some of us it\u2019s been a Long Day <\/em>and we are feeling a little Unwell<\/em>\u2026.sometimes you\u2019ve gotta be careful what you ask, but the crowd sure let him know in full voice during these songs, haha!\u00a0 Speaking of stage presence, guitarist Paul Doucette\u2026he\u2019s a little maniac and I mean that in the kindest way possible.\u00a0 His stage presence is every bit that of a drummer who has been unshackled from the drum stool and now has a full stage to run around\u2026.actually make that stadium, which he did towards the end of the set. \u00a0Paul of course was the drummer in M20 once upon a time and on a number of occasions, he did revert back to his old position taking up the lead drum role, or even cameo drum banging at various intervals.\u00a0 By the way Paul, I hope that leg\/face of yours is OK from when you face planted running up the aisles.<\/p>\n Lead guitarist Kyle Cook is the cool dude of the band, donning sunglasses for the entire set and having a suave, composed aura about him.\u00a0 Add to that a mighty fine singing voice, for which he unveiled with North<\/em> track The Way, <\/em>one of the set highlights for me, just because his voice worked so damn well with that song.\u00a0 Favourite song of the set was Bright Lights <\/em>from the More Than You Think You Are <\/em>album which in the live setting, turns into a musically intense track, with the ending well and truly confirming my earlier thoughts about how much of a \u201crock\u201d sound Matchbox Twenty have live.\u00a0 Not that I doubted them to be a rock band, just probably wasn\u2019t anticipating the volume and distorted sounds levels.\u00a0 Or perhaps I\u2019m getting old?\u00a0 No never, but was I just commenting that Matchbox Twenty were almost to loud\u2026I do empahsise the word almost!<\/p>\n Closing song Push <\/em>was a fitting ending to what was a stellar performance from one of the biggest selling rock bands of the last 15 years.\u00a0 Over 30 million albums sold worldwide and a bevy of hit songs to unleash upon this highly appreciative crowd.\u00a0 Aside from finally getting to see them perform live, the highlight for me was hearing a bunch of new tracks off North <\/em>which has really engrained the new album into the memory banks.\u00a0 It may have taken me until their sixth tour to go see them, but Matchbox Twenty certainly delivered on my expectations, a band of truly talented musicians, songwriters and performers.<\/p>\n You can check out the photo gallery of Matchbox Twenty right here….<\/a><\/p>\n You can check out the photo gallery of INXS right here….<\/a><\/p>\n Venue:<\/strong> Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia<\/p>\n Date:<\/strong> 20 October 2012<\/p>\n Supports<\/strong>: Evermore, INXS<\/p>\n Promoter:<\/strong> Live Nation Australia<\/p>\n Website:<\/strong><\/p>\n www.livenation.com.au<\/a><\/p>\n www.matchboxtwenty.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/h2>\n
<\/h2>\n
<\/h2>\n
<\/h2>\n
<\/h2>\n
<\/h2>\n
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/h2>\n
<\/h2>\n
<\/h2>\n
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/h2>\n
<\/h2>\n
Essential Information<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n