The Church performed at Northcote Theatre, Melbourne, on Saturday, 10th September. Dylan Hyde reviews.
Forty-two years after their formation, The Church played a mesmerising two-and-a-half-hour set at the Northcote Theatre to conclude their national tour. The lovely old theatre was packed to the gunwales with a surprising mix of ages.
The Church – ‘Tantalize’
After a somewhat troubled history, band leader Steve Kilbey parted ways with the band’s original virtuosi guitarists, Peter Koppes and Marty Wilson-Piper. They have been replaced by three guitarists: Ash Naylor, a staple in Paul Kelly’s band; Powderfinger’s Ian Haug; and the American Jeffrey Cain. The band also comprised two drummers and keyboards accompanying Kilbey’s pulsing bass.
There’s a near hypnotic effect created by the punchy drumming and soaring guitars in the band’s live shows. Several middle-eights were extended to create a kaleidoscopic, swirling wall of sound, including on a version of ‘The Blurred Crusade’ (from the 1982 album of the same name), which ran for about 15 minutes. The expanded version of ‘You Took’ (also from The Blurred Crusade) span a dreamy spiralling web; renditions of ‘Antenna’ and ‘Columbus’ were equally arresting.
Kilbey toyed a little with ‘Under the Milky Way’, displaying what seemed like diffidence. “All right here it is,” he told us before launching into the band’s popular hit. “It doesn’t need any introduction.”
Otherwise, Kilbey, a graduate of the Chris Bailey elocution school, was full of charming patter and frequent smiles through the performance, insisting on calling the place “North Coat”. He apologised for the songs from their yet to be released new album, but they were as enjoyable and full of rich musical spoils as the rest of the band’s repertoire.
‘Is This Where You Live’ was prefaced by a meandering spoken word narrative about a seaside siren tempting Kilbey to a watery end and then into the song’s slow build up to its symphony of glorious grinding guitars.
The band concluded the main set with three guitars punching out an exceptional, blistering staccato on ‘Tantalized’ before re-appearing for two encores.
It was an exhilarating performance that’s still echoing through my head.
Further Reading
Midnight Oil Review – Band Sound As Urgent As Ever For Melbourne ‘10-1’ Performance
The Best of Rock at BIGSOUND 2022
We Asked a Seven-Year-Old KISS Superfan to Review the Band’s Sydney Show
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