LIVE REVIEW: ICEHOUSE, Rottnest Island, 23 March 2014

LIVE REVIEW: ICEHOUSE, Rottnest Island, 23 March 2014
ICEHOUSE with Morgan Bain, Rottnest Island, Western Australia
Sunday, 23 March 2014
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
Photography by Maree King

Icehouse made their name with an incredible run of hit singles which transcended genres as seemingly disparate as art-rock, pub rock and pop, always retaining the thread of their individuality and intelligence throughout. After some years away from live performance, they’ve been playing more and more over the past couple, and were last seen in Perth playing the ornate Astor Theatre. The question then, was going to be, how will their songs go over on a sunny beach with a crowd having a boozed-up party?

First, Morgan Bain entertains the crowd with a solo set of relaxed rootsy blues, perfectly suited to the beautifully sunny day.

I don’t need to remind anyone who has visited Rotto that the island is just beautiful, and a gig on a gorgeous late summer day here is never going to be anything less than wonderful. The Hotel have moved the stage from last year’s events though – and literally placing it on the beach in a licenced venue (footwear thus being compulsory) means there is sand kicked up into drinks, over-imbibers tumbling through the soft sand, an even more than usual amount of people who don’t get out much demanding those in front sit down for their personal viewing pleasure, and about 35% of the venue and crowd being left with absolutely no chance of being in sight line of the stage anyway.

With all these quibbles, the afternoon might have been a wash had it not been for the music, and any concerns about Icehouse’s ability to comport themselves as a party band is quickly shot down in flames as Iva Davies, looking tanned and fit wielding his guitar centre stage, and company rock through Icehouse, Love In Motion, Hey Little Girl, Crazy and Great Southern Land – an early highlight after a slightly slow start.

No Promises is delivered with a Caribbean flavour – a legacy of their January album Dubhouse Live, which saw the band rework their set in various reggae styles. Electric Blue sees Icehouse show off their purest pop side, and it still sounds perfect to this day.

Touch The Fire, Cross The Border and Can’t Help Myself are positively euphoric, the whole crowd pretty much jumping, dancing and singing as one. We Can Get Together is next, another early track as beloved by the crowd as much as their latter, bigger hits.

By encore time no-one cares about the sand or the rapidly sinking sun, and a shot at Walk On The Wild Side, in tribute to the recently departed Lou Reed, segues into Heartbreak Kid before Nothing Too Serious takes the show out on a high note.

Icehouse proved today not only what a wonderful repertoire they have, but also that they can cut it not only in a theatre setting, but soundtracking a beach party and, by extension, just about any occasion. After a long time away, it’s great to have them back and perhaps the logical next step is some new music?

Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries