Live Review: You Am I

You Am I's Forum appearances are heartfelt and, like their custom bass drum head, which reads “Toasting G.B.T.F.L.o.U. [translation: God Bless The Fucking Lot Of Us]/YAI/xx”, references a whole bunch of in(band)-jokes. The tour celebrates 20 years since the release of You Am I's debut Sound As Ever album with the band performing the two albums that followed – Hi-Fi Way and Hourly, Daily – in their entirety.

On both nights this reviewer was in attendance, frontman Tim Rogers takes the stage dressed like Willy Wonka without the top hat and with a whole bunch of banter as camp as the outfit. Rogers' and Davey Lane's guitar techs earn their pay throughout each set, scurrying at breakneck speed to hand the talent their next guitar. With about 12 seconds between each song, the shows have a strangely slick, business-like feel as You Am I churn 'em out. However, there are some solid standouts within the sets. With cello accompaniment, Rogers deftly manages to rekindle the crowd's 13-year-old angst with Please Don't Ask Me To Smile. Purple Sneakers steals the shows by making us remember every person-shaped hole that we've ever had in our hearts – but in a good way.

Awful Christmas carols with porn lyrics are played over the venue sound system during intermission on both nights. This inclusion must be to either satisfy some weird in(band)joke or send the multitudes scampering to the sanctuary of the side bar during the 20 minutes it takes for Rogers et al to change.

Deviating from his usual antagonistic persona, a visibly emotional Rogers delivers a multitude of “thank you”s throughout the Hi-Fi Way half, even remarking at one stage during the Sunday night show: “This band gave me a life: not a good life, not a bad life – it gave me a life.” The gratitude that he feels towards all You Am I fans is palpable. 

The set on Thursday is beset by technical issues, with obnoxious feedback squeals happening a little too often. It also seems that the rock'n'roll lifestyle may finally be affecting Rogers, whose voice strains to hit the high notes at times. By Sunday, however, all sound issues have been ironed out and Rogers doesn't miss a beat, proving that it's always better to go on the final night. Furthermore, the atmosphere is more relaxed during this scribe's second experience of the show and, given the less-than-capacity crowd, has a much more intimate feel.

In the Sunday encore the band nail Mose Allison's Young Man Blues and finish with the crowd-pleaser Berlin Chair. This tour, like all 'best-of's, acts as a thank you to all You Am I fans. The band play their tracks like a well-oiled machine and get a little bit mushy. And everyone loves them for it.