Silverchair and Powderfinger - Across the Great Divide (Perth, 22 Sept 2007)

Watching the news in the lounge rooms of white middle-class Australia, it’s not hard to forget about our traditional ancestors. In fact, too often we pass judgement on the plight of our Aboriginal brethren with apathetic flippancy. “We’ve got much bigger problems to worry about than those binge drinking abusive layabouts, sponging off the government and wasting our taxes. What about rising interest rates and petrol prices? Or climate change? If they wanted a better life, they’d do something about it themselves.” And so continues the great divide. The great divide between the reality of living in the 21st century as an indigenous Australian, and the destructive myths that perpetrate our knowledge of their culture. The great divide between the attitudes of partisan followers, and the egalitarian leadership desperately required to improve the circumstances of a misrepresented and often neglected ethnic minority. It is precisely this issue that two of Australia’s most celebrated bands, Silverchair and Powderfinger, have chosen to draw attention to on their latest double-headed national tour. Across the great divide.

Sporting two massive banners encouraging attendees to visit reconcile.org.au to join the conversation on reconciliation, the outdoor stage in the travelling big top was first host to Sydney-siders Expatriate. Appreciative of the warm western welcome, the four-piece did their best to entertain the filling venue. Songs like Crazy, The Spaces Between, and Gotta Get Home managed to spark a light of recognition with the post-punk youth, the sound very reminiscent of genre staples Interpol. Other punters were seemingly indifferent, content with a few beers and some good company. Before long, Expatriate were done and the stage was cleared with militant efficiency.

After a brief pre-recorded acknowledgment of the traditional land owners by Silverchair’s Daniel Johns and Powderfinger’s Bernard Fanning, the stage exploded into a scene from a big budget action film. Chasing bright flashes, smoke filled corners, rotating red lights. From the midst of the mayhem Silverchair appeared, bursting straight into Young Modern Station. With two extra musicians in tow (including long time collaborator Paul Mac), they replicated the well-produced nature of their latest record. Behind them, the stage backdrop cleared to reveal three large rectangular screens. For this particular track they were brightly lit, bold fluorescent colours imitating the cover-art of the ‘Young Modern’ LP.

Before the applause had even peaked, the familiar sounds of Chris Joannou’s bass introduction for Israel’s Son brought the tent into an uproar. In fact, the complete set was sprinkled with back catalogue favourites covering the last five majors. Following Without You, an impromptu sing-a-long to celebrate Joannou’s birthday was something special, and Johns was able to demonstrate just how acrobatic his voice has become. The striking stage production continued to provide an entertaining backdrop for the show. Accompanying The Greatest View, spinning images of a map of Australia (eventually arriving in Perth) received a particularly rapturous welcome.

After Johns had expressed his thanks to the punters for securing the Claremont showground venue on his behalf (some local councillors had wanted to cancel the show, the concert goers had arranged a petition), it was into Straight Lines and then The Door. At times it seemed as if Johns were performing on the edge, teetering between restrained control and an all out frenzy. “If there are ten thousand of you here, I want to see twenty thousand hands! If you’re missing a hand, put your f.. legs up!” And so the rock continued. Closing the show with Freak, the crowd showed their enthusiasm for a sing along. “Body and soul, I’m a freak, I’m freak.” Ben Gillies showed his excitement by continually attempting to bounce his drum sticks into the air off his cymbals, the occasional success bringing the appropriate response from the front-rowers.

Not much time passed before the big red stage curtains were again opened, this time revealing a single giant screen. To the delight of the crowd, a sixty second countdown timer appeared. This was unsurprisingly immediately willed on by the sold-out arena. On cue, Powderfinger appeared, Fanning guitar-less and collected, giving us Head up in the Clouds from their latest offering ‘Dream days at the hotel existence’. Moving through Waiting for the Sun into Lost and Running it was easy to become entranced by the music. The six-piece (featuring studio collaborator Lachlan Doley on keys) sounded simply sensational.

In keeping with theme of the evening, Powderfinger too switched through hits from past and present records, Already Gone (opened with Fanning on the blues harp) fitting effortlessly between I don’t remember and Who really cares. Leaving Doley on the main stage to jam with drummer Jon Coghill, Fanning then disappeared into the darkness, re-emerging sometime later on a small platform to the extreme right of stage. There he gave a moving solo rendition of Black Tears, the song partly inspired by an aboriginal death in custody on Palm Island that earlier this year sparked a legal controversy. The set finished with These Days and My Happiness, Fanning (like Johns before him) appreciative of the very vocal Western Australian crowd.

After a brief exit (leaving behind a backdrop of ‘Powderfinger, Hotel Perth’), Fanning, along with guitarists Ian Haug and Darren Middleton, re-emerged, this time on a small platform on stage left. All bearing acoustic guitars, they gave a beautiful rendition of Sunsets complete with three part vocal harmonies. It was exquisite. “You know this song is really only relevant in Western Australia.” A little more imaginative than the traditional shouts of the city name to get the crowd going. Closing the show with On My Mind, spliced midway with a cover of The Rolling Stones’ Midnight Rambler, the band left the punters with that warm concert after-glow that has to be experienced to be understood.

The screens rolled out some concluding video footage of Australian’s talking about reconciliation, no collaboration between the artists on this particular evening. And the reconciliation message? Well it was there, but you had to look to find it. And so it continues. Of course we can be hopeful that initiatives like this start to bridge the gap. Across the very great divide.

Silverchair Setlist

1. Young modern station
2. Israel’s son
3. Emotion sickness
4. Without you
5. Reflections of a sound
6. Insomnia
7. Ana’s song (Open fire)
8. The greatest view
9. Luv your life
10. Straight lines
11. The Door
12. Mind reader
13. If you keep losing sleep
14. Freak

Powderfinger Setlist

1. Head up in the clouds
2. Waiting for the sun
3. Lost and running
4. Love your way
5. Thrilloilogy
6. I don’t remember
7. Already gone
8. Who really cares
9. Black tears (Bernard Fanning solo)
10. These days
11. My happiness
12. Sunsets
13. (Baby I’ve got you) On my mind -> Midnight rambler (The Rolling Stones)

Photo Gallery

Photography by Frances Dooney.