Live Review: Neil Finn, Joshua James

Gazing around the expansive auditorium, Joshua James admits, “We have never played for a three-tiered theatre.” James pulls an unflattering, ratface to achieve certain sounds and moves around the stage like a marionette operated by a puppet master who's nodding out. Two guitarists plus stomp box is a fitting set-up for busking and when my companions opines, “It's good when you close your eyes,” that just about says it all.

Neil Finn is the polar opposite. When the audience applauds after his opening song, Finn instructs: “Stop! Hamer time!” (referring to this venue) and then blames his band for “feeding him” this dad joke. The inclusion of Crowded House songs such as Fall At Your Feet and Distant Sun makes us reflect and feel melancholy that the band's drummer/shining light Paul Hester is no longer with us. “Sounding awesome, Neil!” a punter yells. “Thanks, Graham,” Finn jests. He's a character, alright, and introduces his wife Sharon, who plays bass in this band, as “a relative newcomer”. Finn thanks us all for coming, acknowledging there's “some really good telly on” tonight, but then points out it's easy to tape your favourite shows these days. This banter perfectly segues into new track Better Than TV and the material from Finn's latest Dizzy Heights set is amazing, slotting comfortably within that astonishing back catalogue. “I recorded this one back in the 20th century, thinking I was pretty modern,” is how Finn introduces Sinner.

A dude hustles into the front row and announces to Finn that he's been locked out. Finn immediately asks whether that's a request then launches into an ad-libbed version of Crowded House's Locked Out that echoes the latecomer's plight (and then later dedicates the actual song to said “gentleman”). Finn is a piano virtuoso, accompanied only by the voices of Lisa Tomlinson and guitarist Jesse Sheehan singing extended drone notes during the exquisite Message To My Girl (Split Enz). Remaining on his piano stool, Finn demonstrates how he originally intended Strait Old Line – quite jazzy before his Split Enz band members got hold of it. Finn's backing band return to the stage for Don't Dream It's Over, which we learn was “written in Caulfield”. Lyrics such as, “And I'm counting the steps to the door of your heart” remind us why the Finns are such peerless songwriters. 

The main set closer is She Will Have Her Way; however, we will have our way – “En-core!” 

Finn runs out, flops atop the piano and slides on his back with one leg up – total dag! Split Enz's One Step Ahead is so wonderfully creepy, like mysterious shadows lurking on a child's bedroom walls in the half-darkness. And those spooky descending keys! Finn bows down to former Enz buddy Noel Crombie and partner Sally Mill for creating his “next level shit” backdrop. Continuing that he merely requested “something trippy with clouds”, we observe the results: swirling, giant pipe cleaners that resemble a jumble of oversized Muppet limbs. Finn also thanks Crombie for the line, “Love is a race run by two” from the previously performed song. A few enthusiastic dancing bodies invade the aisles for I Got You and the keys play an intrinsic role in Split Enz compositions. 

For encore number two, Finn jumps up on and walks over the piano lid. Solo on acoustic guitar, he performs Rocky Racoon (The Beatles song that features in some live versions of Crowded House's Chocolate Cake) then Private Universe before closing with the title track from his current album. Finn thanks most of his crew by name. What we've digested this evening is soul food. Reunion call of the century: Split Enz!