The Cruel Sea
The Metro, Sydney, 27 October 1999
by Shell

WOW, That was the best I could do after seeing these guys live for the first time. They were just so awesome that it was all I could manage.

I have never seen a better live band before. I have to admit that I do not own a single Cruel Sea album, but I knew quite a few of the songs from the radio and my brother having the albums.

I unfortunately did not see the support acts, as I had to eat dinner! Nevertheless, I did arrive in time to see Tex Perkins dancing alone on the dance floor to the last song in the Preshrunk's set. I found that highly amusing as tex is not the most fluid dancer or normal dancer that I have ever seen.

The instrumental tracks that the Cruel Sea played was quite spectacular and that is how they opened the set, without the man himself on stage.

The tracks that I love that they played were: Honey Moon is Over, Get a Lawyer, Black Stick, It Won't Last, plus heaps that I know the words to but can't remember the title, not to mention the fact that it was last week and I have slept since then.

If you have seen the film clip to the new single then you will understand the sense of humour that is employed in the music and the stage antics that Tex and the others carry on with.

The stage was the barest that I have ever seen and I think that there were only about 6 lights all together. The mixing desk on the other hand was one of the biggest that I have ever seen, which points the fact that it isn't about glitz for them but the sound I guess.

I really enjoyed this gig and it is the best live show that I have been to see in a very long time. I hope that some others can get to see them on the current tour as it is well worth the effort.

They have been together for ten years now and it really shines through.