Ty wrote:
Last night I saw Shihad. Those who recognise the word would know that I tend to harp on about them a lot - you guys ignore me which is probably for the best - but last night I saw them for the third time as part of their late 21st birthday celebrations, (they've been playing together for 22 years now.) The original plan was to have seven nights and play a different album a night, (a pretty big ask making approximately eighty songs live gig worthy,) and in the end they decided against it. However they did decide to play two of their albums in full over two nights, the first, Killjoy released in 1995, the second, The General Electic, released in 2000. They did a tour of Australia before coming to NZ. Due to funds I could only pick one and through both Killjoy and TGE are among my favourite albums, TGE is my favourite album.
So I had the very real privelage of seeing my favourite band play my favourite album, (which includes my favourite song,) track by track. It's pretty rare the person who can say that.
The opening act was good, a group called Cairo Knife Fight. From what I know of the genre, (fuck all,) I'd label it 'shoegaze' which is my least favourite genre name, (nothing against the genre, just think the name is dumb,) - but it was good music, it was a bit experimental and quite clever. Bought their EP after the gig anyway. One of their members if a former member of a band called Weta, a damn good but shortlived Kiwi band.
I tell you, I've seen some damn good acts including the Foo Fighters and The Who but even being as objectionable as I can I can say that I haven't seen a live act better than Shihad. I mean we were in this place called San Francisco Bath House, a pretty small venue - sold out but there wouldn't have been more than 250 people as the band wanted to keep it small to add to the 'exclusivity', (this is a band that can fill stadiums - at least in NZ and in some parts of Oz which shouldn't take away from the achievement given the population factor,) It's probably a combination of factors; they're all damn good musicians, they've been playing together long enough now to be incredibly tight, Jon Toogood is like a hummingbird on speed with the amount of energy he has performance wise, plus they're all local boys which adds a bit to the pride factor - but I think it's just because it's so clear that they're enjoying the crap out of what they're doing and that energy just fills whatever place they're playing. It's just an unbelievable sense of fun that they have in everything they do and enjoying a gig like that you can't help but feel it too. From "My Mind's Sedate" through "Pacifier" to "Brightest Star" and their encores from their first self titled album, (they were forced to change their name to appease a US record label betwean 2001 and 2004 so are part of the rare group of bands to have two differently self-titled albums,) and their very first EP, (from when I was only three years old,) the place was fucking wild and everyone left on such a high of positive energy that I doubt anyone slept at all - I know I didn't which kind of sucked because I had a thirteen hour workday today - but fuck me it was worth it.
I saw Shihad at a festival about 4 years ago. They were fucking awesome, and bass tone was to die for.
Grinspoon was on as the headline act afterwards. Me and a group of mates left after about 5 songs, they were nowhere as good.