Informal review of Mark Seymour’s Monday November 22, 2004 gig at The Famous Spiegeltent, The Arts Center, Melbourne, Victoria.

Author: Alison Belot.

Date: 24 November 2004.

Article Text

I caught the gig at the Famous Spiegeltent on Monday night. Must say it was an unusual gig as it started at 7.00pm. It’s a bit strange seeing a concert when (1) it’s still light outside and (2) being inside a big top, even if it is very up market. It was only a short show (2 stubbies), 16 songs all up, but there were timing limitations that Mark acknowledged up front and as he said, “you have to play by the rules.. you have to be flexible to survive so long… but the ego does get in the way”.

The Monday night crowd was polite, quiet, paying 100% attention to the stage and wanting more, much more. The Mooloolaba gig must have been worse than in Stuart’s write up. Mark made reference to the Surf Club gig something along the lines of people not being able to watch the stage when there’s alcohol to be drunk. The gig really left a mark on Mark (no pun intended). His comments were very much along the lines of this is how a crowd should behave, he was right, you could’ve heard a pin drop at the Spiegeltent. Hate to say but I don’t like your chances of a Queensland gig, well not at Mooloolaba, any time soon.

Had a few people with me that either hadn’t seen Mark since Hunters and Collectors days or never ever. One in particular is still recovering! I think his reputation and being the “thinking woman’s sex symbol” is alive and kicking! Never thought of him as being “the sexiest man I’ve ever seen”, but apparently he is, well to someone anyway!

As always, I was surprised by the number of people lining up to buy CDs. Great, as a sale is a sale and if they are there, people will buy them whereas if they have to go to a shop, they may not. On the flip side, if they’re fans, why don’t they already have them. He needs more airplay!

Any way, it was his last gig in Melbourne this year so we just had to make do. A diverse set, some old, some new, two Hunters and Collectors songs in a row (which apparently he swore he’d never do) and a great reaction to everything. Mark seems to be enjoying singing some of the old Hunters and Collectors songs which is good (well for us anyway).

Songs as follows.

01. Good old boys stuff (loved it, first time I’ve heard it, push for it to be on the acoustic album)

02. Ghost of Vain Glory

03. Sad Songs

04. See You Around

05. Eye Of The Needle

06. True Tears Of Joy

07. When The River Runs Dry

08. Kitchen of a Perfect Home

09. Shoulder to Cry On

10. Waratah St

11. Last Ditch Cabaret

12. Ready To Go

13. Home Again

14. On My Way

Encore

15. Paradise Down Under

16. Throw Your Arms Around Me
There was actually a band. Cameron McKenzie on guitar, David Beck and God knows who the base player was!

All of the songs went down a treat, but as usual, the Hunters and Collectors songs were the best received. Quite a different crowd to a normal pub gig, very polite, but I guess that is to be expected, especially since it was in town on a Monday night at 7.00pm.

All I can say is bring on the acoustic album and some more shows around Melbourne to promote it.

Comments

Note that Mark dropped “Holy Grail” from the set list! 🙂