check out the photos of the gig

THE GREEN LIGHT:

the first night i thought these guys weren't bad. the second night i thought they rocked. i was going to buy their CD (it was only $5) and get them to sign it but it was only the single, and i got in too late deciding, so the queue was too long and the band got away. they were really good, though. someone said they were like icecream hands - haven't seen them, wouldn't know.

THE WHITLAMS: show one

Whitlams came on at or just after 9. Started off kind of slow - didn't seem in the mood for a really good night, but weren't bad to start with. it got increasingly better, and they definitely were in the mood.

Started with LTC, complete with "and his girlfriend had a girlfriend". Possibly for the whole Tilley's thing.

Drunk people down the front were there last night - requesting songs I think. Tim bantered with them for a bit after safe, Tim winning of course. At one point Tim told him to mind what he said because it's an all ages show. He said that was why there would be no adult concepts. The bloke said "not like last night" Tim looked sheepish and said "someone can tell me after what happened last night".

Warwick was sitting down, because he had stomach cramps. He offered to share them with Tim by rubbing up against him. Tim reckoned it was the chicken he ate last night. (details, details...)

Was taking photos at the beginning, but the Tilley's lady told me not to. I went and talked to Darryl, took a photo of him, he said to take photos of the band. I said they weren't letting us. I took a few more with no flash, but one the flash went off - during Melbourne, because I'd just turned the camera on and forgotten to unflash it. I only realised because I fucked Tim's eyes. He was looking right at it. Oops!! I took some with what may have been flash off, then Darryl told me that mgt had said any more photos and we'd be kicked out.

After BUTP Tim said something about the number of pokie machines in Canberra, then about there being something like 80 games of bingo a week in Canberra. He said he wants to move here :)

They played coming up for air - yay! He said "this is one of our better b-sides. [at which point we all knew what it was] It's on the thankyou single. [at which point we're all hanging out to cheer] It's called coming up for air." At which point we did cheer. I don't know how many others knew it though! He also said the story about sex being the only contact sport he can play without buggering his knees.

During laugh Gubby's solo was once again interrupted for him to do a better one. He did. I could hear both keyboards tonight - Gubby goes off!!

During Charlie #2 Tim said "you can't sing, so don't" to the bloke down the front. He told the guy to shut up cos he was pissing off the people around him, and said to a guy at the next table "get that bottle and smash it over his head. He won't feel a thing..."

Before time Tim said "this song was written when I was going out with a girl from Sydney. She had a sister in Canberra. Her youngest, Jessica, is here tonight. Jessica, this song is about me and your aunt having sex." That was followed by "another song about Aunt Alannah. [When Alannah was in America...] It's called where the fuck is she."

They had a five-minute intermission for everyone to go to the bar or the bathroom, and for Warwick to go to the bathroom. "Not because of the chicken, because of too much wine" Tim said. Gubby played a great intermission with Terepai, then Ben joined in at the end. Tim was the only one who left the stage. After intermission he commented on the long line for the girl's toilets but continued anyway, luckily.

Tim started you'll find a way with the piano bit, then leaned over to the mic and we all started singing, except tim who played the intro a second time and then started. It was kind of funny. After find a way Tim commented about Alannah's voice at the beginning of the recording, saying that he didn't realise how much she featured until he stopped to think about it.

They did the Latin version of match again - I like it. I could hear it this time :)

Tim intro'd made me hard as "a song written by a Canberra boy, he's Stevie plunder's brother, he's from Narrabunduh. His name is Bernie Hayes, and this is my personal favourite of his songs. It's called made me hard."

A bit later Tim noticed the guy down the front had fallen asleep so Tim and Ben started paying him out. They wondered whether to wake him but decided not to. They played unreliable, nice quiet slow song, and when it finished the crowd was dead silent, then they went raucously into 'thankyou'.

In band on every corner (which was good to hear live) Tim sang the "as the glare turned to twilight" verse, then an instrumental verse, then "as the glare turns to twilight, my thoughts turn to food and of what the he..." Tim laughed, the band kept playing, then Ben lost it too. Tim said "the wheels are falling off", and counted in a re-start, which turned out to be halfway through the verse because they were the only lines Tim could remember.

The guy down the front woke up during hamburgers and everyone laughed at him, then he staggered out and everyone cheered. At the end of that song Tim told his girlfriend to go out and look after him. It took a while to convince her he was serious. They came back then, for Louis. We ran down the front and danced at the front of the stage, they were next to us.

Tim came out for the encore alone, which I didn't notice really (that he was alone) and waited for the crowd to be quiet (with a bit of prompting from Darryl) then he started curse. It wasn't sad there, unlike listening at home. Not sure why. Then they came on and played end. He started with "the light from your street" and one of our more raucous members sang, rather loudly, from front of stage, before Tim could, "it comes filtering through your room". The room went quiet, except for us groaning and calling out her name or "oh no". For a second it looked like Tim was going to get the shits like he had at the UC gig (not one of ours that time), but he paid her out about it instead, and started singing from the middle of the first verse, then stopped, paid her out some more, and sang the first verse all garbled and quick before she could interrupt.

I got a set list at the end, and waited next to the merch stand until the very long queue had gone through and got Tim to sign it.

We had a FOW photo at the end at my suggestion. (see photos page)

At one point during the show Tim asked all the underage girls to squeal. A few did, and he said "there aren't many of you. There were more last night. Try again." They did, and (someone who shall remain nameless) joined in and flashed her tits at him. Tim pointed at her and said "firstly, you're not 18. Secondly, I don't need to see your top bollocks. We've scratched the underbelly of Canberra and come up with top bollocks."

At one point the chic bassist from the Green Light said we want something to dance to. He said they'd be playing something we could dance to later on. Someone at our table called out 10CC I'm not in love, and the drunk people down the front did the same. Tim looked at them odd and said "you want me to play 10CC." Not a question, a statement. Ben started playing something, but stopped.

The constant refrain of 'happy days!!' didn't produce any results, unfortunately. Was pretty funny, though. Especially the looks Tim was giving...

THE WHITLAMS: show two

Tonights show was musically a lot better than last nights, but tim was in a really weird mood.

It was a very family atmosphere, with many FOWs in attendance on both sides of the room. Since it was an all ages gig we had underage FOWs and sisters of many FOWs also.

The main highlights of tonights show were definitely Gubby's solos. Gubby did several very long solos. In laugh, and a few others, he did his usual eight bars or however long they do, then Tim sat there drinking his wine, Gubby did another eight, and another, until Tim finally decided to continue the song.

In intermission he played again - only a little one this time, then he left the stage too. Later on before made me hard Tim couldn't see to change his keyboard sound so there was a long pause at which point someone (ok, so it was me) called out 'play something, Gubby!' so he did, again. Tim asked if they (Gubby and Terepai) knew something, didn't catch what it was. Terepai started playing it, Tim said 'shit, they do.' But Gubby didn't. damn.

There was a song later on that Tim made Gubby do extra length solo in, but Gubby did the usual length then decided his solo was over and just sat there until Tim started again (after paying Gubby out, of course.)

Ben also wrote a lovely little song... quite amusing that was. The rest of the band joined in, except Tim, who described it as a C-side...

Again tim referred to poor ol' warwick - jokes along the lines of - "why do you have a stool, warwick?", to which warwick promptly responded "the band's giving me the shits" (ok, so i could have left that bit out, but it was funny at the time...)

After (or before?) Melbourne (3rd song) Tim said they'd be playing no more love songs tonight. They got all three out of the way early :)

In louis before the 'stoned in a bookshop' verse they had an extended instrumental bit for about a week and a half while Tim (pretended to, I think) forgot the words, so Ben mimed it for him.

Tim told us the story about the curse before playing it tonight.

Apparently we had a demonstration of techno Terepai after a wonderful display of disco Ben, but personally I can't recall it (thanx to emily for mentioning it)

During the intro to hamburgers Tim broke into a wonderful organ rendition of fur elise. Quite stunning, it was.

Again Tim made reference to the fact that it was an underage gig, by informing us that there will be no adult themes, so instead they would sing about sex, masturbation, suicide, broken relationships and the steady downfall of Tim's career. And yes, Kelcey proved Tim's point that 16 year olds do indeed have the wonderful gift of being able to scream loud.

Kelcey was again the centre of attention during life's a beach, in particular the line 'you don't need any coffee if you take the day off school' (which kelcey did to drive down from newcastle to see them, if anyone's wondering.)

Speaking of Kelcey, her gift of wine to Tim (FOWs screaming, Tim pointing out to the rest of the crowd 'that would be Kelcey over there...') was accepted in typical Tim style - his exact words on trying it were 'oh well, it's the thought that counts...' Hey, if someone gives you free wine, Tim, don't knock it!!

Again the happy days refrain could be heard, but Tim silenced them by blaming it on Warwick not knowing it, and promising that they'd play it next time. This time we had an echo on our side of the room with Emily and Belinda requesting 1995 just as strongly. That was to no avail also.

I noticed Ben and Warwicks backing vocals more tonight. I like Warwicks!! Very impressive. Speaking of the band's addition to the songs, Terepai's drumming is incredible!! The songs are just so much improved by it, and they were always good songs.

I especially like the drumming in Charlie #2, the way he highlights the lead in to the chorus. They played it a little slow tonight, though, but it still sounded good.

The bench dancing display took a while to get started tonight, but soon the hundreds (ok, so there were 23) of FOWs were quite active indeed.

After the show I did an exquisite job of organising a FOW photo not only with Tim, but with all the boys (except Warwick, poor boy. not poor boy that he missed the photo, poor boy that he was ill.) It's on the photos page.

Belinda got a signed drumstick off Terepai, which if you're really lucky I might take a photo of and put here.

for more, see the photos page

set lists:

the green light	whitlams 1	whitlams 2
???		love this city
		make the world safe
		melbourne
		blow up the pokies
		coming up for air
		laugh in their faces
		her floor is my ceiling
		charlie #2
		charlie #3
		where is she?
		no aphrodisiac
		you'll find a way
		you made me hard
		gough
		thank you
		band on every corner
		met my match
		i make hamburgers
		you sound like louis burdett
		encore 1
		the curse stops here
		charlie #1
		end of your world
		there's no-one
		encore 2
		encore 2
		i get high
		life's a beach
		unreliable
		time
		* courtesy of kelcey