Live Review: Neil Finn, Joshua James

The morose songs of Salt Lake City's Joshua James sound stunning in the big concert hall this evening, as he and musical compatriot Evan Coulombe run through a short set to introduce themselves on this, their second ever Australian show. While James' performance shtick feels a little affected, the songs are genuine, particularly the rumination on faith that is closing tune Beware!, a cover of George Jones' Choices and opener Doctor Oh Doctor.
Neil Finn and his brand new band creep onstage under umbrellas before launching into Pony Ride from the recently released Dizzy Heights. But, just as one might have suspected this would be a showcase of his new LP, he launches into the 1980 Split Enz classic One Step Ahead followed by the one-two-punch of Crowded House tunes Distant Sun and Fall At Your Feet. Finn relishes the chance to play songs from throughout his career and, when someone calls out for I See Red, he says, “Not my song! But I know how to play it…” and proceeds to play a completely impromptu country version of his brother's 1978 tune, complete with convulsive piano solo. This willingness for spontaneity is so endearing.
The fact he can delve back and play lesser known, but completely sublime, album tracks like Into The Sunset and Anytime from 2001's One Nil and Faster Than Light from 1998's Try Whistling This is exciting for die-hards, as is the noisy, underrated Pajama Club tune From A Friend To A Friend. But nothing's as special as the moment Finn sits at the piano to play an absolutely stunning Message To My Girl and then Don't Dream It's Over, the first time Finn has ever performed it on piano in the 28 years since its release.
Tonight Finn is accompanied by a ragtag bunch of musicians that add an incredible amount to the show; they're all vastly talented, and they have their own musical personalities and unique stage presence that is so much fun to watch. While Finn would no doubt run a tight ship musically, it looks like he's also very willing to let their individuality shine.
There is a great amount of Dizzy Heights material scattered throughout the set: the energetic and infectious Flying In The Face Of Love proving why it was chosen as the first single, the dark In My Blood, the complex Better Than TV, the almost proggy Impressions, the album's friendly sounding title track and Strangest Friends are all offered up and accepted warmly. But it's in playing more Crowded House tunes – the stripped back Walking On The Spot, Private Universe and Love This Life as well as the revved up Locked Out – and a devastatingly powerful rendition of History Never Repeats that Finn hammers home what a truly astonishing talent he has been for almost 40 years, and how lucky we are to have these songs in our lives.