LF+EJ+GC=HHFT*

Liam Finn is a doer.  ‘Precocious’ springs to mind.  After three missed opportunities in the last year, I was lucky enough to hunker down amidst a sparkly crowd of bright young things with the odd douchebag thrown in for good measure (bless their dear ‘earts!), and catch him live at the Gaelic Club on Friday night.  He’s an energetic bloke – other apt adjectives include: ‘chipper’, ‘zesty’ and ‘more twitchy than a sack of snakes’ – a talented songwriter and, with his trusty cohort Eliza Jane, put on a highly entertaining show.  Which is unsurprising really, considering his pedigree.

Mr Finn is a man in the midst of a love affair.  The object of his affections: the humble loop pedal.  Having heard live recordings of the plucky lad in the past, I wasn’t hugely surprised by this, but was more than a little impressed by the skill and sophistication with which he and EJ manipulated the technology at their disposal.  Seamless textures were the order of the evening, overlaid with some beautifully executed harmonisation between the pair, Gather To The Chapel being a case in point.

An epic rendition of I’ll Be Lightning was another highlight, Finn’s drumming becoming so frenetic in the song’s tail that he ‘broke the fucking loop pedal!’ – he hadn’t, but in some ways it would’ve been nice if he had.  The songs are certainly strong enough to withstand the exposure of an acoustic treatment.

I understand the urge to approach things differently, especially in a scene that knows no shortage of talented male singer songwriters, and the whole ‘one-man-band’ aspect of his act is certainly an attractive one.  It must certainly help cut down on tour costs not to have three other blokes in tow.  On this occasion however it seemed as though the techno-gimmickry was a touch counterproductive beyond a certain point, serving to obscure the music rather than enhancing it.  This was underscored by those few instances when things went wrong, including a failed attempt at audience participation, as well as the fact that the drums sounded absolutely piss-weak when looped.

Not to worry.  Liam Finn is a consummate performer, his playing filled with irrepressible manic energy which is coupled a great sense of showmanship.  Aside from playing around with a Theremin as well as his ‘birthday present’, a toy megaphone artlessly decorated with flashy red lights, he did a great impersonation of the sort of angry rocker who utterly destroys his guitar on stage by completely destroying his guitar on stage.  Twas hilarious.  Meanwhile on stage right EJ proved a quiet but effective foil to his antics.  Give them another year or two and they’ll be a force to be reckoned with.


Smile raisers:  rediscovering Bughouse; the possibility of Bela Fleck hitting Australian shores in the new year; riding one’s bike along Botany Bay of a Sunday afternoon.  It was most splendid.

* Happy Happy Fun Times