You Am I & Shihad
St George Sailing Club, NSW, 13 October 1999
by Shell

The night was Wednesday, I would say a notoriously bad night to hold a gig in a small suburb, but much to my surprise there were about 1200 people there and they watched the whole show, not just the headline act.

Shihad were great. I sort of get into there music on the radio but I am not a huge fan of the style, but live they kick ass. I think that everyone will forget very soon that they come from NZ and start claiming them for our own when they go off on the charts. As Tim Rogers says it is "Filthy arse rock guitar music" and I think that everyone should just go and have a look if you get the chance at any of the summer festivals.

The last time that I saw U AM I was at the Tibetan Freedom concert, and to be kind to them they sucked arse! Not to blame them though because they had all been on holidays for a while and Tim had been doing the solo bit and I just don't think that they were into it. Well Wednesday night wiped that crap effort from my memory completely.

It would have been about the 4th time that I have seen them live, but it is usually at BDO, so to seem them at their own gig was very cool. I think that they were really enjoying it. They played a great set and a few favourites like Mr Milk( "off there much loved 3rd album"- tim rogers), plus a heap off all the other records with a ("hit off there much loved 2nd album"- tim rogers), but I didn't get to hear Purple Sneakers which is my fave, what I did get was the best ever I have heard of Cathy's Clown and How Much Is Enough, they just went off so hard.

Tim was without suit, and tattoos out! Apparently there was some problem with the amps and stuff, not that I could tell and not that I can ever tell when these things happen at gigs. Tim said "We are experiencing a few technical difficulties, and before Timmy was the King of Pop it would have bothered him, but now that he's the King of Pop all he worries about is the everlastin' love of his gorgeous wife and trying to fill the exceptional shoes of Johnny Diesel." I can assure that this got a great laugh from the crowd.

I can't help thinking that if it had of been any other night but a Wednesday there would have been even more people there, but I feel that it was a good size crow considering that the place is in the middle of no where and in the middle of renovations. They did this kick ass rockabilly thing in the middle of the set and I think that it had something to do with too much time spent in America, but it was kind of cool.

As Molly Meldrum would say "Do yourself a Favour" and catch U AM I and Shihad on the Shindignation tour! They go hard.

:0)