CROWDED HOUSE – Brighton Centre, October 12, 2024

The evolving satellite that is Crowded House beamed down into Brighton on Saturday night, parking two luxury coaches and a pair of giant trucks at the rear of the town’s big seafront venue and entertaining a packed, mostly standing, audience to two hours and, by my count, 26 songs, two of which seemed like impromptu jams. The bulk of the setlist, however, was a deftly chosen selection of five tracks from their new album Gravity Stairs, the remainder a delightful excursion through their past, a deep well of wonder wherein lie heaps of crowd favourites going all the way back to Split Enz. 

        There is something gorgeously uplifting about a Crowded House show: how their songs of yearning are delivered with the utmost sincerity yet, at the same time, how they banter amongst themselves, occasionally bickering or taking the mickey; how they encourage crowd participation of a higher standard that at most gigs, at least last night; and, perhaps most of all, how they react with one another, looking like they’re having so much fun while playing and singing flawlessly. It’s infectious. They’re a great pop band, always have been, and no mistake.

        This latest edition of CH numbers eight, with Neil Finn front and centre, the principal singer and writer, without whom CH would not exist. He’s looking a tad older these days, his head of bushy hair now grey, his sports jacket an antidote to fashion, and he’s content nowadays to leave the lion’s share of the tricky guitar work, the solos and fills, to his son Liam who stands on his right and rises reliably to the role. For most of the set Neil plays acoustic, 6- and 12-strings, and permits himself only the odd solo on electric, and his singing voice, that yearning tenor, shows no signs of deterioration through age. 

        On the other side of the stage there’s bass player Nick Seymour, white Fender Precision worn low, lurking around in baggy check trousers and playing deft lines high and low of his four strings. Nick is also showing signs of age but, as bass players go, he has a higher profile than most, as befitting his long service alongside Neil, and he likes to go walkabout on stage, striding purposefully behind Neil to the other side of Liam and back, letting us all know that he enjoys his job and is as crucial to the CH ambience as all the Finns, now numbering three with Neil’s younger son, Elroy, on drums behind his dad. 

        On keyboards at the back is Mitchell Froom, distinguished producer of records by CH and many others. Determinedly anti-fashion, with a receding hairline and wearing what looks like discount-store spectacles, his appearance suggests a harried state-school geography teacher, and he maintains the lowest profile of anyone while offering the organ wash and piano flourishes that underpin so many of CH’s best songs. To his left, after Elroy, we have another percussionist, Paul Taylor, who takes over the main kit when Elroy plays occasional guitar, and, perhaps surprisingly, two Greek musicians, Tryfon Baitsis on acoustic guitar and Elias Dendias playing a frequently prominent bouzouki which sounds a bit like a mandolin. Most, if not all, of these musicians sing, offering up a choir of unusual depth and scope. 

        Crowded House, all eight of them, arrived in the dark carrying lanterns, puzzling everyone, and when the lights came up we beheld a stage decorated with frond-like tentacles, some arcing over the musicians, all of which made the stage look a bit like an undersea painting. They hit the right note immediately: ‘Weather With You’, one of their best-known songs and one most bands might choose to save for their encore. It set the tone for the evening. They were here to please and for the first half hour there were no introductions, no messing about, as they slid through ‘Teenage Summer’, from the new album, ‘World Where You Live’, ‘Something So Strong, ‘Fall At Your Feet’ and another new one, ‘Oh Hi’. The old favourites were greeted like friends arriving at a house party. 

        There was characteristic CH banter before ‘To The Island’, from their 2021 album Dreamers Are Waiting, with Nick claiming for no particular reason that his bass lines were what most fans came to CH shows to hear, with Neil disagreeing, and it continued after ‘Black And White Boys’ when a roadie brought on a small piano for Neil to play and sing another new song, ‘Black Water, White Circle’. This involved a warm-hearted appreciation for his crew, which, if I remember rightly, contrasted sharply with the last CH show I saw when he and a roadie got into a furious – but probably staged – argument about his guitar being out of tune. Neil continued to play the small piano for ‘Whispers And Moans’, ‘Either Side Of The World, from Intriguer, and a lovely, warm-hearted ‘Message To My Girl’, the starry-eyed late-period Split Enz song. 

        By now CH’s professionalism, fluency and easy-on-the-ears songs had won over an already sympathetic crowd and they followed up with two more gilt-edged winners: ‘Fingers Of Love’ and ‘Private Universe’, the latter offering Elroy a chance to excel on his kit and the whole band to stretch out on an extended coda. In concert, CH are a meatier proposition than on record, and though no one grandstands in the manner of instrumentalists who solo endlessly, the depth of their individual skills was as evident as it was understated. 

        When the ovation died down, Neil introduced the two Greek musicians who entertained us with some traditional dance music, the kind of thing that often accompanies the smashing of plates in restaurants that serve taramasalata and souvlaki, washed down with Retsina. This served as a prelude to ‘When You Come’ which, pardon the pun, reached a shattering climax, and brought to mind CH’s fondness for songs with loosely erotic undertones, three of which – ‘Whispers And Moans’, ‘Fingers Of Love’ and this one – they chose to play tonight. I wouldn’t have minded hearing the fourth in this sub-genre, ‘Into Temptation’, which is suggestive of adultery, but it was not to be.

Finn brothers Liam (left) and Elroy, with Mitchell Froom in the background. 

        ‘Thirsty’, another new one, featured the three Finns, father and sons, in a line on guitars at the front, Neil and Elroy on acoustic and Liam on Telecaster, whereupon Elroy reassumed the kit and CH delighted everyone with ‘Four Seasons In One Day’, a mass singalong, then moved into the closing stretch with ‘Pineapple Head’, ‘The Howl’, from Gravity Stairs, a fast and furious ‘Locked Out’, the superb ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’, their first hit, which I mistakenly assumed was the show closer, and the equally splendid ‘Distant Sun’. 

        There was a break before the encores: ‘It’s Only Natural’ – preceded by an impromptu groove, ‘Saturday Night In Brighton’, made up on the spot by Liam – followed by ‘Some Greater Plan (For Claire)’, the loveliest song on the new album, and a concluding ‘Better Be Home Soon’, inspiring yet more singing from the appreciative audience. Neil was the last to leave the stage, gracefully acknowledging the applause and had the lights not come up I’m pretty sure the crowd would have welcomed plenty more from his private musical universe. 

CROWDED HOUSE – GRAVITY STAIRS

Not content with sounding a bit like The Beatles, the cover of the new Crowded House album, Gravity Stairs, looks a bit like the cover of Revolver and, what’s more, it opens with a bit of studio weirdness, a bit like ‘Taxman’, before settling down into familiar Crowded House territory that is sustained throughout the entire record; a change, then, from many of the tracks on the last two CH albums that sounded to me as if Neil Finn was groping around looking for something beyond the perfect pop style he’d perfected for the group he’s led since 1986. I’m glad he’s back where he belongs and looking forward to seeing him and the latest edition of CH in Brighton next month, a review of which will appear on Just Backdated in due course.

In the meantime, we have Gravity Stairs, recorded by Finn with long serving bass player Nick Seymour, also responsible for graphics, ergo the Revolver look, Finn’s sons Liam, on guitar and vocals, and Elroy, on drums, along with Mitchell Froom, producer of four CH albums, who now plays keyboards with the group. Tim Finn, Neil’s brother, adds occasional backing vocals, and the blend of the brother’s voices here and there is probably responsible for the new record sounding as pleasing to these ears as 2007’s Time On Earth, the last CH album I really liked, and that bit more enjoyable than the two that followed it, Intriguer (2010) and Dreamers Are Waiting (2021).

Crowded House still sound a bit like The Beatles, which is no bad thing of course. This stems not just from the vocal harmonies which can, at times, appear inspired by the second side of Abbey Road, but how Nick Seymour’s lyrical bass lines underpin many of the songs on Gravity Stairs in ways that echo Paul McCartney’s sense of melodicism and occasional flights of unexpected fancy. The overall emphasis on song writing is a CH trait that goes back to their first hit ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’, still their best known-song, which may or may not be infuriating for Neil Finn.

After the studio trickery, the new record opens with ‘Magic Piano’, a wistful song brimming with optimism, its inscrutable lyrics giving the album its title and setting the scene for songs that for the most part seem to float on the breeze, tranquil, unhurried, considered, this latest alignment of CH comfortable in its own skin but not afraid to add a touch of weirdness here and there to spice the pie. 

        ‘Life’s Imitation’, which follows, is a tad quicker, driven by a rhythmic acoustic guitar, its lyrics similarly enigmatic, its title appearing on my computer as ‘Teenage Summer’, a repeated phrase among words that seem like an apology for absence. ‘The Howl’, the first single from the album, written by Liam Finn, takes its cue from past CH endeavours, underlined by one of those sparkling guitar figures that inhabit so many CH songs, before it slips further into familiar territory on a soaraway chorus featuring high harmonies. ‘All That I Can Ever Own’ sees Neil musing on his past on an anthemic ballad in the same vein as ‘How Will You Go’ from Woodface, while ‘Oh Hi’, not a million miles away from Bowie’s ‘Everyone Says Hi’ on Heathen, boasts another catchy chorus. The midpoint is reached by trilling mandolins that lead into ‘Some Greater Plan (For Claire)’, a gorgeous, luscious ballad, a love song, the slowest song on the album, quite lovely, and to these ears the album’s key track. It’s certainly superior to the three that follow, neither of which reach the standard set thus far. Indeed, ‘Blurry Grass’ by Elroy and his dad, sounds like an outtake. Happily, Gravity Stairs is redeemed by the two closing songs, ‘Thirsty’ and ‘Night Song’. The former features female voices quite prominently – there are hints of them elsewhere on the record, some belonging to Finn’s wife Sharon – which I believe is first for Crowded House. After a bit of weirdness ‘Night Song’ opens dreamily but gathers pace to bring the album to an eccentric conclusion. 

        Anyone seeking more CH gems like ‘Weather With You’, ‘Distant Sun’ or ‘It’s Only Natural’ might not find it amongst these songs but I’m not bothered. Gravity Stairs is beautifully produced pop record by a group led by a craftsman. 

NEIL FINN & CROWDED HOUSE

The promising review of Neil Finn’s new solo album Dizzy Heights in today’s Guardian means I’ll be dipping my hand in my pocket next week to get a copy but the truth is I’d still be dipping my hand in my pocket even if it was a dodgy review as I’ve long admired Finn’s songs, from Split Enz through Crowded House to his albums both solo and with brother Tim.

         One of the things that sets Crowded House apart from most is their quirky sense of humour. At one show I saw Neil got into a heated debate with bassist Nick Seymour about the artwork on their most recent album which, as ever, Nick had designed. Neil suggested that he and drummer Paul Hester looked like nerds but Nick looked cool and handsome. “Was this deliberate?” he asked. Another time he got into an argument with a roadie because his guitar was out of tune. “It’s your own fault,” replied the roadie within range of a mike. “You hit the strings too hard.”

         Tony Fletcher once told me that at a CH show he attended Neil played the same song twice in succession just because he enjoyed it so much, as did the audience. I last saw Crowded House at the Brighton Centre on December 7, 2007, and sent the following review to Tony’s ijamming website a day or two later. It opens with another example of Neil’s dry wit.

“I really fancy a plate of fish and chips,” Neil Finn announced midway through this gig. “If there’s anyone out there who’s not a Crowded House fan, maybe someone’s partner who’s come along a bit reluctantly and isn’t enjoying the show, maybe they wouldn’t mind nipping out and buying some for us. It should be pretty good here at the seaside.”

         Crowded House may have lost their drummer but they haven’t lost their sense of humour and there were no takers for Neil’s unusual request. Not surprising really, for this was a cracker of a gig, a long (25+ songs, I lost count), supremely executed show crammed with all the stuff from CH’s fabulous back catalogue that you would expect to hear, a few surprises and plenty of songs from their new album Time On Earth.

         They opened up with ‘Private Universe’ and closed almost two hours and two four-song encores later with ‘Better Be Home Soon’, by which time everyone downstairs had left their seats and congregated stage-front. The rush forward occurred during ‘Whispers And Moans’ about half way through the set, and prompted Finn to lead his band into some rock’n’roll, ‘There Goes God’, I think, and thereafter feed off the crowd’s enthusiasm.

         In concert CH is a considerably more beefy proposition than on record. Many of the songs, both the better known ones and newer material, featured extended, high energy codas, and new drummer Matt Sherrod adds plenty of muscle at the back. I also got the impression that the band has rehearsed much more material than they actually need, and were thus willing to accede to audience requests for songs from the darker recesses of their catalogue, like ‘Lester’. Just for fun they also threw in ‘I’m Only Sleeping’, John Lennon’s song from Revolver, though Neil stumbled on the words to the second verse.

         Which brings me to the inevitable Beatles comparison. Yes, CH do sound a bit like a modern day Beatles; their melodies and harmonies a bit similar to the snatches of half-formed songs that make up the suite on what was the B-side of Abbey Road, they use the same Vox amplifiers, which makes Neil’s Gretsch guitar sounds a lot like George’s when he plays fills and solos, and when all four of them sing together there was a distinct Fabness about the overall sound (which, by the way was pristine clear and uniformly well mixed throughout). But this is no bad thing, and I’m sure Neil won’t mind the comparison one bit. Indeed, my mate Andy Neill, also a Kiwi, recalls swapping Beatles bootlegs with the Finn brothers 30 years ago.

         There are so many wonderful Crowded House songs that it was difficult to keep up with the flow – ‘Fall At Your Feet’, ‘When You Come’, ‘Fingers Of Love’ (very erotic those two, as is ‘Whispers And Moans’… think about it!), ‘Distant Sun’, ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’, ‘Pineapple Head’, ‘Weather With You’, It’s Only Natural’, ‘Four Seasons...’, ‘Chocolate Cake’, ‘World Where You Live’, the list is endless – but they played them all and played them well. American all-rounder Mark Hart seems to be the band’s secret weapon, slipping between keyboards, pedal steel and regular guitars, and even bassist Nick Seymour took a turn at the electric piano, though for most of the gig he was walking purposefully from one side of the stage to the other as he played. He was also the butt of Neil’s humour during the frequent exchanges of self-depreciative remarks, not least when he swigged from a large bottle of coke and prompted Neil to comment on his weight.

         Seymour, of course, designs CH’s artwork, and the constantly changing backdrop featured a slew of wonderful surreal imagery, all brightly-coloured and floating by in perfect syc with the music. At one point the letters that make up the band’s name – hundreds of them jumbled up like alphabet spaghetti and repeated endlessly – swam across the backdrop. It was all quite lovely, even the gaudy caravan that moved across the backstage during ‘Weather With You’ and the strange inflatable skyscrapers that popped up from time to time.

         There was much audience participation, encouraged by Neil, and CH fans seem to be pretty tuneful singers on the whole. I refrained from joining in, not wishing to spoil things, but I did yell for ‘Into Temptation’, another song with a hint of erotica about it and Mrs C’s favourite CH song, but they either didn’t hear me or ran out of time (though they have done it on this tour). And that, I think, was the only tiny disappointment from an otherwise five-star gig.