LIVE: LIVE & THE TEA PARTY, Perth – 6 Mar, 2018

Shane | 9 March 2018 | Reply

LIVE: LIVE & THE TEA PARTY, Perth – 6 Mar, 2018
HBF Stadium, Perth; Tuesday, 6 March, 2018
Reviewed by Kevin Curran

HBF Stadium was the venue of choice for tonight’s mammoth double header, with Live and The Tea Party joining forces for one hell of a rock show. Live over the last couple of years have been split with frontman Ed Kowalczyk going down the solo avenue, while the rest of the members continued on as Live with another singer. It makes sense that that avenue didn’t work as Ed is the most recognisable member with a voice that is irreplaceable, and tonight they were reunited and ready to continue on the Live legacy.

The Tea Party were up first, smashing out Writings On The Wall, off the Seven Circles record, to a half empty room which slowly filled up as the set went on.
The rhythm section of Stuart Chatwood and Jeff Burrows are as tight as you can get, which allows frontman Jeff Martin so much freedom on the guitar.

Jeff’s rich Baritone vocals were on point tonight, especially with The Bazaar and Psychopomp, but I’m not sure if he was having some vocals issues as he avoided reaching for his high range, instead getting the crowd to sing or changing the melody to a lower register. Some may say that’s a cop out, but as a vocalist myself, the man is a pro and knows what his voice can do. For me, I enjoyed the set regardless, even finding myself with goosebumps on my arms, so much was I feeling what the band were putting out.

The power house trio jammed their way in and out of songs like Sister Awake, blending in The Rolling Stones’ Paint It Black, as well as segueing Heaven Coming Down with U2’s With Or Without You, and finishing strong with Save Me and Temptation, as well as hinting that a new record is on its way.

The reunited Live graced the stage with an evolved line-up – more normally known as a 4-piece, they had now grown to include a second drummer and second guitarist in Zak Loy.

Opening with All Over You from breakthrough album Throwing Copper, you knew this album was going to well represented in this set tonight as it has so many hits – not to mention being the soundtrack to so many people’s lives.

Frontman Kowalczyk was all infectious smiles tonight, and that rubbed off on the audience as well as his band mates, as they looked like they were having a blast up there with guitarist Chad Taylor pulling out all the rock moves.

Debut record Mental Jewellery was represented early in proceedings with Operation Spirit and Pain Lies On The River, followed by one of the later hits in the catalogue in Dolphins Cry, which woke everybody up.

Everybody likes a bit of Johnny Cash in their life, so a cover of Walk The Line was up next, which the band someone managed to make sound like their own.

Anything from Throwing Copper went over like a treat with Shit Towne and megahit I Alone getting the Perth crowd in full voice. The dark Lakini’s Juice off the Secret Samahdi record blew the roof off the place, a truly well-written, dark and broody rhythmic banger if I’ve ever heard one.

With two drummers and at times three guitarists when Ed strapped on his guitar on different songs, Ed’s vocals were always competing with the sheer loudness of the mix, so if was great when everything was stripped back to just one acoustic, allowing us to really hear how truly an amazing singer Ed Kowalczyk is. His soothing voice on the beautiful hits Heaven and Turn My Head got a great reaction with the Perth crowd.

A Chris Cornell tribute in I Am Highway from the debut Audioslave record was played before closing with Live’s biggest hit, Lightning Crashes, wrapping up a very enjoyable gig tonight from two of the great rock bands of the ‘90s.