Press
31-08-2007
Entertainment Centre - Brisbane, Australia
By JAMES
After a long wait, the lights of the Brisbane Entertainment Centre finally extinguished. There was an air of anticipation as the sound of a rampant train hurtling down a track built to a crescendo and the silhouettes of the boys from Silverchair strutted on stage.
The band launched immediately in to Young Modern Station - Daniel Johns darting back and forth about the stage in between verses and at one point jumping from Paul Mac's raised platform back on to the stage, landing, and playing the guitar on his knees. Even though there has been some difference of opinion regarding Silverchair's new musical direction, all Silverchair fans would agree that Daniel Johns' stage presence is truly spectacular. He owned the stage and the crowd was positively mesmerised. Watching him perform now, it is hard to believe that just a few years ago he was bed ridden with crippling arthritis.
All 80 minutes of the band's set were absolutely electrifying and the setlist of new and old songs was pure magic. Daniel Johns was an amazing showman - playing guitar with his teeth, jumping and lying down on Paul Mac's piano, singing and screaming into his guitars and even throwing his guitar in to the air at the end of the show. After having watched some of the band's recent performances in the USA, I was concerned that Daniel's vocals were not as strong as they used to be. However, my doubts were cast aside from the outset. His range, stamina and vocal strength are all better than ever and I had not heard a vocal performance as strong as last night's since the band toured for Diorama. A pitch perfect performance.
All in all, it was an amazing night. The crowd was absolutely euphoric after the show's closer, Freak. The only disappointment was that Silverchair played first and, although Powderfinger were very good, their stage presence and showmanship was just no match for the Chair's.
Spectacular.
Setlist:
1. Young Modern Station
2. The Man That Knew Too Much
3. Luv Your Life
4. Emotion Sickness
5. Without You
6. Reflections of a Sound
7. Insomnia
8. Tuna in the Brine
9. Ana’s Song
10. The Greatest View
11. Straight Lines
12. The Door
13. Mind Reader
14. If You Keep Losing Sleep
15. Freak