Concert Review: Showcase Live Foxboro MA

http://www.patriotledger.com/entertainment/x449518218/The-Church-fills-the-pews-at-Foxboro-theater#axzz1FRcslJea the church Fills The Pews at Foxboro Theatre – 18th Feb 2011 “The concept for this limited winter tour–just 11 dates across the US–is that the band performs three of its most notable albums in their entirety. They start off with last year’s “Untitled #23,” album, and then dip backwards to 1992’s “Priest=Aura” album, and finally finish up with their biggest selling album, 1988’s “Starfish.” Nobody’s going to ever fault the Australian rock band the church in terms of “bang for your musical buck,” after their ‘Future Past Perfect’ tour, part of their 30th Anniversary Celebration, touched down at Showcase Live in Foxboro Friday night with a three-hour marathon of their best work. Each album is performed start-to-finish, and Friday night each one took roughly an hour, with a 20 minute break between sets. The end result is 34 songs, and better than three hours of music, spread over a four-hour span that might test fans’ endurance if the quartet’s soaring guitar pop wasn’t so enticingly melodic. And with Friday’s tickets priced at $33.50, it ranks as one of the season’s best bargains. You might wonder how much of a draw this would be, given that the band’s biggest hit song “Under the Milky Way,” came from that ’88 album, and the intervening years have seen core members Steve Kilbey and Marty Willson-Piper release numerous solo works, while the band has languished, broken up and reformed. But Showcase Live was packed with about 500 fans, most of them in the thirty-and-forty-something range, and nearly all of them engaged and intent upon the music all the way through. In general, the church‘s music has such a finely woven tapestry of guitar (and occasional keyboards) lines that it might remind some fans of U2’s sweeping musical vistas. But the emphasis on the lyrics […]

http://www.patriotledger.com/entertainment/x449518218/The-Church-fills-the-pews-at-Foxboro-theater#axzz1FRcslJea

the church Fills The Pews at Foxboro Theatre – 18th Feb 2011

“The concept for this limited winter tour–just 11 dates across the US–is that the band performs three of its most notable albums in their entirety. They start off with last year’s “Untitled #23,” album, and then dip backwards to 1992’s “Priest=Aura” album, and finally finish up with their biggest selling album, 1988’s “Starfish.”

Nobody’s going to ever fault the Australian rock band the church in terms of “bang for your musical buck,” after their ‘Future Past Perfect’ tour, part of their 30th Anniversary Celebration, touched down at Showcase Live in Foxboro Friday night with a three-hour marathon of their best work.

Each album is performed start-to-finish, and Friday night each one took roughly an hour, with a 20 minute break between sets. The end result is 34 songs, and better than three hours of music, spread over a four-hour span that might test fans’ endurance if the quartet’s soaring guitar pop wasn’t so enticingly melodic. And with Friday’s tickets priced at $33.50, it ranks as one of the season’s best bargains.

You might wonder how much of a draw this would be, given that the band’s biggest hit song “Under the Milky Way,” came from that ’88 album, and the intervening years have seen core members Steve Kilbey and Marty Willson-Piper release numerous solo works, while the band has languished, broken up and reformed. But Showcase Live was packed with about 500 fans, most of them in the thirty-and-forty-something range, and nearly all of them engaged and intent upon the music all the way through.

In general, the church‘s music has such a finely woven tapestry of guitar (and occasional keyboards) lines that it might remind some fans of U2’s sweeping musical vistas. But the emphasis on the lyrics from Kilbey and Willson-Piper, usually poetic, often bemusing, and just as often bewildering, cast the group more in a folk-rock tradition, perhaps like The Waterboys.

At other times, the arrangements are so intricate and cover so much dynamic territory,the church could hold its own with any of the so-called progressive rock outfits. In short, it’s heady, challenging music and if at times the church approach can be a bit too impressionistic, their unrelenting knack for appealing melodies is almost always the redeeming feature. In that respect, Friday’s show left little doubt that “Starfish” is still their best album, perhaps because it is the most dynamic. As intriguing as the newer music may be, sometimes it just creates a mood and doesn’t move enough.

“Untitled #23” is the band’s 20th full-length album, although the title refers to the sum total of all their Australian releases, including EPs. It emphasizes their layered, dreamy guitar sound along with Kilbey’s typically entrancing yet perplexing lyrics. Those midtempo guitar textures were delectable on “Pangaea,” while “Happenstance” took the whole aura to dreamy pop, with Kilbey on 12-string guitar and Willson-Piper playing some evocative slide. Perhaps the best song from that album’s set was the pounding primal rocker, “Space Saviour,” with both Kilbey and Willson-Piper sharing vocals.

A throbbing organ figure from tour keyboardist Craig Wilson helped give “On Angel Street” an especially spooky mood, and Willson-Piper’s bent-note guitar solo made “Sunken Sun” an otherworldly gem. “Anchorage” was the type of panoramic folk-rock epic that the latter-day Waterboys have specialized in, and its subtle heat was transporting. The last two tunes from the album were kind of static mood pieces, but overall the church‘s live version of “Untitled #23” was more vibrant than the CD itself–simply because it rocked more throughout the 60 minutes.

“Priest=Aura,” from 1992, has 14 songs and many of them are lengthy, impressionistic, ethereal ruminations. Delving into their more mysterious, even psychedelic side, it was hailed by fans of the band even as it sold poorly amid the heyday of grunge. Friday night’s rendition of the album took about 67 minutes, and the live versions seemed to kick the tempos a bit, which was a smart move. Willson-Piper’s keening guitar drove the slow-burning “Aura,” while Petetr Koppes and Willson-Piper crafted fiery guitar lines on “Ripple,” with Koppes’ phase-shifter solo a real delight.

“Paradox” glided along with exotic flavors, while “Lustre” displayed some of the band’s power-pop roots. The shimmering ballad “Swan Lake” had some terrific melodic flow, and the main criticism would be that it was too brief. “Mistress” was a superbly modulated potboiler of a song, as Kilbey sang of obsession and second thoughts.

No doubt, “The Disillusionment” was the centerpiece of the second set, an epic song where folk-rock becomes prog-rock, and Koppes’ guitar solos incorporated reverb and feedback to transporting effect. Even the hard-rocking, deliberately messy “Chaos” was fun, and the whole “Priest=Aura” segment ended with the delectably melodic instrumental “Film.”

If that second set didn’t exhaust the fans Friday night, the final set was superb, proving that “Starfish” is a fine piece of work. The spacey rocker “Destination” opened the set, with Kilbey intoning a line that could be the band’s motif: “it’s not a religion, it’s just a technique..” To no one’s surprise the live performance of “Under the Mikly Way” was a highlight, with Willson-Piper on acoustic 12-string, and Koppes using wah-wah and a synthesizer to enhance his guitar solo.

But if you left after that, you missed still more Church gems, like the sweeping dynamics of the rocker “Blood Money,” or a driving rendition of “North South East West” that had some of the best interwoven guitar lines we’ve ever heard. There was the punky energy of “Spark,” and the playfully hypnotic “Reptile.” In between those two, “Antenna” was built expertly from an acoustic ballad to a full-bore rocker, reminiscent of the kind of dynamic development Jethro Tull excelled at. A rowdy, rocking look at life on the road, “Hotel Womb” closed the night on yet another high note.

The “Future Past Perfect” tour ends in April in the band’s hometown of Sydney, and there was but one more date slated in the United States after Friday. Meanwhile, Second Motion Records re-released all of the church‘s back catalog of album in October, so old and new fans can catch up on the band’s three decades of rock.” – Jay N Miller

Wolfgang’s Vault live session

Three members of the church visited Wolfgang’s Vault in San Franciso CA to perform 3 songs (Pangaea/Already Yesterday/Swan Lake) on the 4th of February, just prior to the recent USA Winter Tour. Click on the link here to watch this footage – http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/the-church/concerts/wolfgangs-vault-february-04-2011.html

Three members of the church visited Wolfgang’s Vault in San Franciso CA to perform 3 songs (Pangaea/Already Yesterday/Swan Lake) on the 4th of February, just prior to the recent USA Winter Tour.

Click on the link here to watch this footage – http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/the-church/concerts/wolfgangs-vault-february-04-2011.html

Concert Photos Magazine – live photos from The Trocadero concert

http://www.concertphotosmagazine.com/2011/02/church-at-trocadero-2011.html

Concert Review: The Triple Door, Seattle

http://blurt-online.com/features/view/816/ BY ROBERT DEAN LURIE “It has become fashionable in recent years for bands to hit the road performing “classic” albums in their entirety. Whether it’s Concrete Blonde doing some Bloodletting, the Flaming Lips delivering The Soft Bulletin, Roger Waters re-erecting The Wall or Rush putting up Moving Pictures, artists of all calibers and stripes are joining in the stampede to exhume their past glories for fun and profit, not necessarily in that order. It makes sense on a number of levels. In our current stagnant economy, a run-of-the mill tour may not be viable. Cash-strapped fans are apt to take a pass, rationalizing that they’ll catch ‘em next time when there’s more money in the pocket. To combat this quite understandable frugality, a tour in 2011 must be an event, a “this one can’t be missed!” spectacle. Next, there’s the nostalgia factor. You may not have listened to the band for two decades, but the fact that they’re trotting out your favorite album might be incentive enough to find a babysitter and get out of the house for a rare night on the town. Lastly there’s curiosity: Do the old boys (or girls) still have it? Can they recapture that elusive spark that made you take notice in the first place? Australian rock band the church is the latest to climb aboard the bandwagon, but typical of these left-of-center underdogs, there is an intriguing twist: they have opted to perform not one, but three albums in their entirety, one for each decade of the band’s existence. Each performance begins with 2009’s Untitled #23 and progresses backward through 1992’s Priest=Aura to conclude with 1988’s Starfish, the album that gave the band a brief taste of international success via the hit single “Under the Milky Way.” (Tour dates can be found here.) Three full albums in one night. We’re talking a Springsteen-length […]

http://blurt-online.com/features/view/816/

BY ROBERT DEAN LURIE

“It has become fashionable in recent years for bands to hit the road performing “classic” albums in their entirety. Whether it’s Concrete Blonde doing some Bloodletting, the Flaming Lips delivering The Soft Bulletin, Roger Waters re-erecting The Wall or Rush putting up Moving Pictures, artists of all calibers and stripes are joining in the stampede to exhume their past glories for fun and profit, not necessarily in that order. It makes sense on a number of levels. In our current stagnant economy, a run-of-the mill tour may not be viable. Cash-strapped fans are apt to take a pass, rationalizing that they’ll catch ‘em next time when there’s more money in the pocket. To combat this quite understandable frugality, a tour in 2011 must be an event, a “this one can’t be missed!” spectacle. Next, there’s the nostalgia factor. You may not have listened to the band for two decades, but the fact that they’re trotting out your favorite album might be incentive enough to find a babysitter and get out of the house for a rare night on the town. Lastly there’s curiosity: Do the old boys (or girls) still have it? Can they recapture that elusive spark that made you take notice in the first place?

Australian rock band the church is the latest to climb aboard the bandwagon, but typical of these left-of-center underdogs, there is an intriguing twist: they have opted to perform not one, but three albums in their entirety, one for each decade of the band’s existence. Each performance begins with 2009’s Untitled #23 and progresses backward through 1992’s Priest=Aura to conclude with 1988’s Starfish, the album that gave the band a brief taste of international success via the hit single “Under the Milky Way.” (Tour dates can be found here.)

Three full albums in one night. We’re talking a Springsteen-length concert here. To my knowledge the only other band to have attempted something like this was the Cure, who did a series of Trilogy concerts comprising the albums Pornography,Disintegration, and Bloodflowers back in 2002. The key difference is that the Cure is a spectacularly dull live band. The Church, on the other hand, is known for expanding and improving upon its album work, often using the songs as launchpads for inspired flights of improvisation.

The actual three selections for this tour are interesting and quite shrewd. Anyone who was listening to “modern rock” in the late eighties remembers Starfish, so the inclusion of that record was a must. Yet there is nearly unanimous critical (if not commercial) consensus that the band is actually doing its best work right now, as borne out by the many 5-star reviews Untitled #23 received both at home and abroad. It stands to reason that the lapsed fans – the Starfish aficionados making their way back into the fold to rekindle their cherished memories for one night – might enjoy (and perhaps even want to purchase) the new material. Then there is the curious case of Priest=Aura, a space-rock epic that was ignored and/or drubbed at the time of its release but has since grown in stature, possibly due to subsequent albums by other artists (Radiohead’s OK Computer being the primary example) that seemed to tap into its vibe. To include Priest as the middle section – the very core – of the show is a daring move, one that turns what might be a satisfying but unambitious exercise into something really substantial. Nothing less, in fact, than a comprehensive dissertation on the church itself, for it’s impossible to walk away from the concert with anything other than a full picture of what the church is, was, and will be. At that point you can accept or reject based on comprehensive knowledge.

I was in attendance at the February 7 show at the Triple Door in Seattle, during which the band faced the added hurdle of having to perform to a dinner theater with waiters circling the seated audience like flies, cock-blocking the music. Or that was the danger, anyway. the church dispatched this threat by simply ignoring it and focusing all available energy on blowing the roof off the place. And in that endeavor, Priest=Aura proved to be the secret ingredient: a magnificent, dark, intoxicating trip with plenty of surprising twists and turns and lots of danger. Some of the more subtle songs such as “Swan Lake” and “Witch Hunt” had surprising heft and power in the live context, while “Chaos” gave The Velvet Underground’s “Sister Ray” a run for its money in terms of sustained atonal freakout. The other two sets were not quite at this level, but both still had enough moments of transcendence to validate the trilogy concept. Think about it: the battle scene at the center of Lawrence of Arabia would not be nearly so effective without the slow, careful buildup, or the equally crucial denouement.

Of the “men behind the curtain,” Marty Willson-Piper owned the performance. Apart from some equipment challenges during the first set, he was on point from start to finish: stabbing out his guitar lines and driving the rest of the band with constant eye contact and cues. He wore a happy grin that said: I love my job and I’m thrilled to be here. His “Spark” (from Starfish) was one of the highlights of the evening. Drummer Tim Powles, also, never flagged. He absolutely demolished his kit – not in the literal sense of kicking it down and throwing it into the crowd a la Keith Moon – but more in terms of a sustained, unrelenting siege. Think the bombing of Baghdad with eardrums the only casualties. Guitar magician Peter Koppes cycled through a bewildering array of both stringed and non-stringed instruments and delivered another high point with “A New Season.” And hired wunderkind Craig Wilson filled out the sound with additional keyboards, guitar, six-string bass, mandolin, percussion, and vocals. Wow. He looks all of fourteen. Hopefully we’ll hear more of him.

This brings me to the man on whom rested the heaviest burden, the man who had to memorize reams of his own stemwinding lyrics and regurgitate them on command: singer and bassist Steve Kilbey. What he brings to the table is a cracked piece of stained glass. Approach from one angle and you’ll see beauty, from ugliness. If you don’t look closely enough, you’ll miss it entirely, but if you focus too hard your eyes will bleed. If, however, you move the whole arrangement just so, Ahhh…you’ll catch a glimpse of that dreamworld he’s been sneaking off to for decades. And then you’ll be hooked. You’ll keep coming back no matter what.

I have written previously about Steve’s Jekyll and Hyde persona; how there is “New Steve,” the norm in recent years: warm, affable, generous and very funny; and “Old Steve”: dark, cynical, bitter – or as he describes it in his own words: “tired n emotional.”

At the Triple Door we got a little bit of Old Steve, which is to say, a little bit of an edge, a bit of the old caustic energy. But with a very important distinction: in the past, Old Steve gave the impression of being detached from the whole thing: a grumpy god annoyed by the inconvenience of having to descend from the clouds (or climb up from hell; you take your pick) and sing for his supper. But this Steve, the Triple Door Steve, fully appreciated his audience. He didn’t say much else but he continuously thanked the crowd. Detachment had given way to an almost frightening engagement with the “angry” songs in the set. He snarled his way through “Anchorage,” “Mistress,” and “The Disillusionist” with something approaching Kurt Cobain ferocity. “Anchorage” set the tone:

Darkness returning
My torch keeps on burning for you
In the life you keep on spurning
Everything is hurting me

And “Mistress” seconded the motion:

Everything is going wrong
All my songs are coming true.

During songs in which he was less engaged he would literally and figuratively recede, giving up the reins to Marty. At some points he even put his hand to his head as if the whole thing were causing him pain. Yet never once during the show did he stop playing the shit out of his bass.

As for where the anger was coming from, I imagine Steve would say that that’s irrelevant; the music is supposed to be a Rorschach test into which we’re supposed to read our own rage. Sometimes the church’s music is water, sometimes it’s fire. Tonight it was fire. He wanted us to burn with him.

There. Have I convinced you yet? You have the opportunity to see one of the best rock bands out there sweat blood for you. This ain’t the Craptacular Black Eyed Peas at Superbowl halftime, this is the genuine article. This is loud rock n roll in a small, enclosed space where the stakes are very high. Get on a plane if you have to. Just get your ass in one of those seats. Now.”

Robert Dean Lurie is author of No Certainty Attached: Steve Kilbey and the Church, published in 2009 by Verse Chorus Press.

Concert Review: The Trocadero, Philadelphia PA

http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20110216_Aussie_band_gives_its_all.html Philly.Com – Arts & Entertainment Aussie band gives its all By Sam Adams FOR THE INQUIRER For casual listeners, the church began in 1988, with the release of their album, Starfish, and its inescapable single, “Under the Milky Way,” and ended soon after. But the Australian quartet, composed of original members Steve Kilbey, Martin Willson-Piper, Peter Koppes and longtime drummer Tim Powles, are in it for the long haul, as Tuesday’s Trocadero show demonstrated in spades. As if their 30 years as a band weren’t proof enough of their stamina, the church decided to mark the milestone by playing three of their albums live. That’s right: three of them. Let lesser bands pluck a single pearl from their back catalogue. the church will give you the whole thing. Well, not all of it. The band’s most recent album, Untitled #23, is so named for its rank among their releases (including singles and EPs). But even so, playing that album along with Starfish and 1992’s Priest = Aura took up the better part of four hours, including two intermissions. That’s more time that even a devoted fan might want to spend with a band they love, so perhaps it’s not too faint a tribute to say that at the end of the night, the audience ignored Kilbey’s heads-up that there would be no encore and clapped (unsuccessfully) for more. Working in reverse chronological order turned out to be a wise move, and not just because it left the band’s most popular album for last. As they moved backwards in time, the songs grew more lighter and more concise, less brooding and more energetic. The longer, more tempestuous Priest made an ideal centerpiece, building up to the long-form sturm und drang of its penultimate track, “Chaos.” Instrumentation shifted throughout the night, providing insight into each album’s distinctive […]

http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20110216_Aussie_band_gives_its_all.html

Philly.Com – Arts & Entertainment

Aussie band gives its all

By Sam Adams

FOR THE INQUIRER

For casual listeners, the church began in 1988, with the release of their album, Starfish, and its inescapable single, “Under the Milky Way,” and ended soon after.

But the Australian quartet, composed of original members Steve Kilbey, Martin Willson-Piper, Peter Koppes and longtime drummer Tim Powles, are in it for the long haul, as Tuesday’s Trocadero show demonstrated in spades.

As if their 30 years as a band weren’t proof enough of their stamina, the church decided to mark the milestone by playing three of their albums live. That’s right: three of them. Let lesser bands pluck a single pearl from their back catalogue. the church will give you the whole thing.

Well, not all of it. The band’s most recent album, Untitled #23, is so named for its rank among their releases (including singles and EPs). But even so, playing that album along with Starfish and 1992’s Priest = Aura took up the better part of four hours, including two intermissions.

That’s more time that even a devoted fan might want to spend with a band they love, so perhaps it’s not too faint a tribute to say that at the end of the night, the audience ignored Kilbey’s heads-up that there would be no encore and clapped (unsuccessfully) for more.

Working in reverse chronological order turned out to be a wise move, and not just because it left the band’s most popular album for last. As they moved backwards in time, the songs grew more lighter and more concise, less brooding and more energetic. The longer, more tempestuous Priest made an ideal centerpiece, building up to the long-form sturm und drang of its penultimate track, “Chaos.”

Instrumentation shifted throughout the night, providing insight into each album’s distinctive sound.

For Untitled #23, Kilbey and Willson-Piper traded bass and guitar duties with almost every song, inviting their roadie and a supporting vocalist on stage to augment the urgent sway of “Anchorage.”

For Priest, Kilbey switched to a six-string that allowed him to play bass and low-register guitar chords at the same time.

For Starfish, Willson-Piper relied on a duct-taped acoustic 12-string to provide the lush atmosphere of “Under the Milky Way,” switching back to electric for the terse, echoing riff of “Reptile.”

Each album stood on its own, a miniature world that performers and audience could inhabit for a while before moving on to the next.”

Gig date: 15th Feb 2011

Concert Review: The Trocadero, Philadelphia PA

http://www.facebook.com/notes/the-church-band/great-philadelphia-concert-review-by-randy-lemasters-probably-the-best-review-of/10150090934271156 Chaos Reigns In Philadelphia – 15th Feb 2011 I’m about a week late, but I wanted to share some of my thoughts on The Church live in Philly last Tuesday, February 15th. I’ve seen a lot of concerts in my day. Well over 500. A lot of times after a show I’ll think “that was incredible! That had to have been one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen”. Then, after a bit of time passes and excitement and buzz wears off, I’m able to put the show in to perspective and admit to myself that I’d seen a great concert, but probably not one of the best I’ve ever seen out of 500 plus concerts. However, last Tuesday night was not the case. The Church concert at the Trocodero indeed WAS one of the best shows I have ever seen! Easily in my all time top 10. Quite possibly in my top 5! Why, you may well wonder? EVERYTHING about the concert was SPOT ON. The venue was fantastic. A wonderful old fashioned theatre (I understand it was an old burlesque house). Great site lines no matter where you were (I was 5 rows back on the floor) and the sound was mixed SUPERBLY. I can’t remember how many times a concert I¹ve been to was spoiled by poor sound. Not at the Troc. And kudos to the theatre for putting chairs on the floor for us. Standing for over 3 and a half hours would have been an ordeal (especially for us older folks!. The venue and whomever was at the sound board both get an A+! The crowd was terrific. I know there were concerns about ticket sales several weeks ago, but the venue was pretty well jammed. The balcony was really rocking. It was definitely one of the best (the best?) attended Church concerts I’ve been to since 1998. I understand that […]

http://www.facebook.com/notes/the-church-band/great-philadelphia-concert-review-by-randy-lemasters-probably-the-best-review-of/10150090934271156

Chaos Reigns In Philadelphia – 15th Feb 2011

I’m about a week late, but I wanted to share some of my thoughts on The Church live in Philly last Tuesday, February 15th.

I’ve seen a lot of concerts in my day. Well over 500. A lot of times after a show I’ll think “that was incredible! That had to have been one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen”. Then, after a bit of time passes and excitement and buzz wears off, I’m able to put the show in to perspective and admit to myself that I’d seen a great concert, but probably not one of the best I’ve ever seen out of 500 plus concerts.

However, last Tuesday night was not the case. The Church concert at the Trocodero indeed WAS one of the best shows I have ever seen! Easily in my all time top 10. Quite possibly in my top 5!

Why, you may well wonder?

EVERYTHING about the concert was SPOT ON.

The venue was fantastic. A wonderful old fashioned theatre (I understand it was an old burlesque house). Great site lines no matter where you were (I was 5 rows back on the floor) and the sound was mixed SUPERBLY. I can’t remember how many times a concert I¹ve been to was spoiled by poor sound. Not at the Troc. And kudos to the theatre for putting chairs on the floor for us. Standing for over 3 and a half hours would have been an ordeal (especially for us older folks!. The venue and whomever was at the sound board both get an A+!

The crowd was terrific. I know there were concerns about ticket sales several weeks ago, but the venue was pretty well jammed. The balcony was really rocking. It was definitely one of the best (the best?) attended Church concerts I’ve been to since 1998. I understand that without the folding chairs on the floor that the venue hold about 800 people. There had to have been 400 to 500 (probably closer to 500) fans. What a great turn out!

And the fans were AWESOME! I was STUNNED by the amount of younger fans at the show. I’ve seen 27 Church concerts since the 1980’s, and this had to have been the first time since those heydays that I’ve been surrounded by younger fans. I saw a few kids that were under 12, and a lot of people in their 20’s & 30’s. I met a wonderful young couple that drove in from Columbus. If you’re reading this please drop me a line! I truly think I witnessed a new generation of fans that have come into the fold because of “Untitled #23” and all of the incredible press the album received. The band must be thrilled to see so many new, young faces in their audience!

Everyone in attendance had a great time and showed it with their applause, screams and yells. A good loud crowd that was respectful and attentive throughout. I don’t think I can count the number of standing ovations the band received that night! It was a privilege to share the experience with everyone in the room!

One of the very best moments/sensations was when the band came out and started playing “Priest =Aura”. The looks on everyone’s faces were simply PRICELESS! We were all positively beaming; radiating with incredible joy and excitement to finally hear this album played on our shores. I will treasure those faces and the glee we were all feeling for as long as I shall live!!!

Oh, and there’s the matter of this band we all love called the church …

Can there possibly be another band that plays and sings better NOW, 30 years in to their career (!!!), than when they were young pups?! I can’t believe there is, or ever will be.

Marty and Peter have always been incredible players. They seem to have a telepathic ability to know what to play, when to play, and when to hold back. But they’ve really honed their skills over the years to what is close to PERFECTION as any two players sharing a stage will ever achieve They are both a marvel to watch and listen to. Their talents are truly stunning, and their playing this night in Philly was some of the best guitar playing I’ve ever heard! I loved how the guys all switched between guitar and bass all night. What versatile players! I think Marty really enjoys playing bass (and he’s wonderful at it).

I know that there is a lot of love on this list for Richard and Jay Dee, but in my opinion Tim Powles is HANDS DOWN the best drummer The Church have ever had. What he brings with his talents in the studio are well documented on record, but the man and his many talents need to be seen and heard live on stage, most especially with the full on electric Church experience, to be fully appreciated. He has just the right touch on the drums. Nothing flashy; Tim doesn’t need to be that way. For this band his playing RIGHT on the mark. And his vocals have brought a whole new dimension to the band since their “comeback” on the “Hologram Of Baal” tour (on which I witnessed 6 concerts!). Tim is a perfect complement to Steve as a backing vocalist.

And young Craig Wilson is a great addition to the live line up. He really is a “jack of all trades”. He played keyboards, sang back up, and used a multitude of guitars (and mandolin) during the show. And A+ to both him and for the band for recognizing what he brings to the live experience.

Finally, Steve. He was always a “star” during the concerts back in the 80’s and 90’s. You always wanted to watch him. The guy is like a magnet! But nowadays Steve is a front man of epic proportions. It’s hard to takes your eyes off him. You want to hear and see every little nuance he brings with his vocals and his performance. Steve’s voice has gotten BETTER AND BETTER over the years. He sings better live now than he ever did way back when. Again, how often can you say that about a performer?! Steve has become one of the most theatrical front men in music. The man is simply CAPTIVATING!!!

Finally, the performance. It was SPINE TINGLING!

“Untitled #23” went down really well. Not everyone in attendance was familiar with it, but everyone was spellbound by the performance. The album is really meant to be listened to as a whole rather than as individual tracks, and to experience it live in it’s entirety was a treat I will always treasure. Steve sang unaccompanied by his bass for several numbers. These were some of the highlights of an evening full of highlights. ‘On Angel Street’ was my favorite moment of the first set. The band turned it in to one of their live epics. Steve’s performance was incredibly moving. You just couldn’t take your eyes off him. WOW! ‘Anchorage’, with it’s “cast of thousands”, was another awesome moment. I’m going to attach a link below so you can see and hear for yourself. Steve exudes rock and roll in this clip!

“Priest=Aura” not only lived up to every expectation I had coming in, but the performance EXCEEDED my wildest hopes! The band came out in different clothes (Steve with his skull shirt!) and the band was bathed in red light for much of the set; very apropos for the album. Behind the band psychedelic colors (again lots of red) pulsed and radiated. ‘Aura’ had everyone transfixed. It was a real thrill to hear ‘Feel’ live after waiting 18 years! The band played it so very well. I’ll never understand why it wasn’t a hit all those years ago. I hope the guys will add it to their live set in the future as it went down extremely well with the audience. It received one of the many standing ovations of the night. And yes, ‘The Disillusionist’ and ‘Chaos’ were everything you could possibly hope for in a live setting. They were my personal highlights of the night. Steve’s performance of ‘The Disllusionist’ was one of the greatest spectacles I’ve ever witnessed. The extended lyrical ending was awesome. Again, the words spell binding come to mind. ‘Chaos’ was the band at it’s best. The guys were working at the peak of their powers. Words cannot adequately describe these two songs, so again I’m going to attach links to the performances. Turn them up loud and enjoy!

The crowd was extremely pumped up by the time the guys came out for “Starfish”. A lot of fans came aboard the ride with The Church when this album came out in 1988, so there was an incredible amount of emotion during this set. The band really fed off it. Again, a change of clothes (Steve looked especially dapper in a dressy outfit). Wish I had a good picture I could share. Almost every song received a standing ovation. The crowd went wild for ‘Destination’, and the first standing “O” came after ‘Milky Way’. Lots of people got up and danced and swayed. ‘Blood Money’ was a real treat to hear after all these years. The place went bonkers for ‘NSEW’ and ‘Reptile’. Again, many of us danced along with ‘Reptile’. Marty received one of the loudest ovations of the night for a fantastic version of ‘Spark’. I’ve NEVER seen Peter smile as much as he did after singing ‘A New Season’. He was BEAMING from the crowd reaction! The whole band was beaming after a killer ‘Hotel Womb’. It’s obvious the band love playing this song. I was surprised at the thundererous reaction the crowd gave “Starfish”. I thought everyone went bonkers for “Priest=Aura”, but the third set really took things to a new level. The looks on everyone’s faces (band and audience) were priceless. Worth the price of admission, as they say (and worth every bit of my 12 hour round trip drive).

This show was much more special than my mere words can convey. The band and audience were one, and the church really delivered. The guys fired on all cylinders. What a way to end the 30th anniversary celebration! I dearly HOPE AND PRAY the band will release a DVD so everyone who couldn’t attend one of these shows will get to share in the experience!” – Randy LeMasters, Pittsburgh PA

Concert Review: Highline Ballroom New York City

http://www.crestofthewave.com/blog/ Crest Of The Wave 22 February 2011 the church from Australia is playing some of the best music on planet Earth right now. They’re in Atlanta Tuesday night at 7 PM at the Variety Playhouse,1099 Euclid Avenue. If the music is anything like it was in NYC at the Highline Ballroom, I would not miss the opportunity to experience a concert of a lifetime. the church has been together for more than 25 years, playing exotic rock/alternative music with two of the finest most beautiful yet often pungent guitarists of the recorded music era. Peter Koppes and Marty Willson-Piper are just fantastic in person, playing and jamming off of each other. Then there’s the bass player in the middle, who sings most of the songs and leads the band, Steve Kilbey. He’s become very good looking in his older years, lean yet muscular, dancing through each song, conducting the music. And the drummer is solid, Tim Powles, backing up every innuendo and accent the up front guitar/bassists place amidst all the ever changing themes and leads. There’s also a young mop haired Craig Wilson on the keys and guitars filling in lots of holes, playing riffs and leads and background openings. This band is so professional now, they decided to do this brief American tour that ends in Atlanta, by playing three albums, all songs in order, in three separate sessions, with two intermissions, and no encores. They started off with their very unusual critically acclaimed ‘Untitled #23? that opens with ‘Cobalt Blue’- available for sampling on the church website. This has a Beatles-esque refrain that haunts and entrances. ‘Desert wind in a telephone box…’ is the first line. Don’t expect simple un-creative lyrics. Poetry abounds, and not just simple easy images of love. But it seems each and every tune, especially on Untitled #23, has some fine lovely guitar work somewhere in it, […]

http://www.crestofthewave.com/blog/

Crest Of The Wave

22 February 2011

the church from Australia is playing some of the best music on planet Earth right now. They’re in Atlanta Tuesday night at 7 PM at the Variety Playhouse,1099 Euclid Avenue. If the music is anything like it was in NYC at the Highline
Ballroom, I would not miss the opportunity to experience a concert of a lifetime.

the church has been together for more than 25 years, playing exotic rock/alternative music with two of the finest most beautiful yet often pungent guitarists of the recorded music era. Peter Koppes and Marty Willson-Piper are just fantastic in person, playing and jamming off of each other. Then there’s the bass player in the middle, who sings most of the songs and leads the band, Steve Kilbey. He’s become very good looking in his older years, lean yet muscular, dancing through each song, conducting the music. And the drummer is solid, Tim Powles, backing up every innuendo and accent the up front guitar/bassists place amidst all the ever changing themes and leads. There’s also a young mop haired Craig Wilson on the keys and guitars filling in lots of holes, playing riffs and leads and background openings.

This band is so professional now, they decided to do this brief American tour that ends in Atlanta, by playing three albums, all songs in order, in three separate sessions, with two intermissions, and no encores. They started off with their very unusual critically acclaimed ‘Untitled #23? that opens with ‘Cobalt Blue’- available for sampling on the church website. This has a Beatles-esque refrain that haunts and entrances. ‘Desert wind in a telephone box…’ is the first line.
Don’t expect simple un-creative lyrics. Poetry abounds, and not just simple easy images of love. But it seems each and every tune, especially on Untitled #23, has some fine lovely guitar work somewhere in it, often Koppes and Willson-Piper trading off, lifting each other to greater heights. And Steve Kilbey is great on the bass but then sometimes he plays guitar. Watching these guys play, there seemed to be something totally new and unpredictable making you glad you were alive to see this level of musicianship surprising you song after song during this benchmark concert. Anchorage will be song #8 on your list in the very first set. Lyrics…’Music of the snow the template of a flake/Nature you don’t know/A nice delicious ache/The conscience of a fox….

The second album showcased is the 1992 release ‘Priest=Aura’ which I apparently did not appreciate for its terrificness. The CD tho hasn’t all the guitar on it like the band gave us with voluptuous energy in NYC LIVE!! Especially the first song ‘Aura’ which started like a classical magical fugue almost – Craig Wilson doing the honors on the keyboard – and then Marty Willson-Piper performed his best guitarwork for the last half of this 7 minutes plus tune. I thought that was the highlight of the entire concert, so get back early after the first intermission and really enjoy yourself with ‘Aura’. This 1992 album is not all melody and lush beauty. There is a 9 minute tune called ‘Chaos’ that is rather dissonant but really jammy and together. Then there is the very disturbing ‘The Disillusionist’ that Kilbey really shakes you up with, the last 20 or 30 seconds of this piece sung a cappella. ‘Feel’ is great, the most melodic tune from the
album. ‘Kings’ is a staccato-guitared piece to throw you back in time, but with today’s instrumentation instead of lutes and flutes. ‘Mistress’ is the only tune I missed from my front table seat, but I still loved hearing it from the bathroom.

The evening finished with the very popular ‘Starfish’ album released in 1988, highlighted by ‘Destination’ the first song. The opening spacy stark single guitar notes slowly charm you into Steve Kilbey starting to sing the lyrics which include:
‘Our documents are useless or forged beyond believing/Page forty-seven is unsigned/ I need it by this evening/In the space between our cities a storm is slowly forming/ Something eating up our days/I feed it every morning/Destination destination’.

Then comes the great ‘Blood Money’ an all-time classic, and then ‘Lost’ all the way to ‘New Season’ and the final lovely wistful rocking ‘Hotel Womb.’

It was a wonder to be there, listening to what I think actually is the best music being made on Earth now – including electric guitars, if I might add that limitation. The music is almost classical. And the church played with vitality and joyous energy. If I don’t go to another concert for the rest of my life, this one could get me through…but I’d love to see them play again. Next big concert is supposed to be at the Sydney Opera House with a 70-piece orchestra, so sez Steve Kilbey. (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) Yes! This is what music is all about. the church love what they do, the music the make, the opportunity to jam, to make beautiful unexpected sounds and riffs and melodies, while loosening up your mind with their lyrics and singing. Do NOT miss the church on Tuesday in Atlanta! You’ll regret it when you
hear some of what was going on in the inevitable aftermath of internet exposure. See more at (and have a bitta listenin’)”

7:40 am – Conrad Miller

Concert review & photos: Showcase Live, Foxboro MA

http://www.prefixmag.com/photos/the-church-showcase-live-foxborough-ma-picsreview/ The Church at Showcase Live on Friday, February 19, 2011, Foxborough MA “A pretty convincing case could be made for The Church being the best Australian band, and that’s considering some stiff competition. Hard rock fans would cast votes for AC/DC, pop groups would be split between The Bee Gees and The Go-Betweens, and Nick Cave’s fronted enough interesting and varied projects to fall in any number of categories. Though the band would really only enjoy true widespread recognition via “Under The Milky Way,” they’ve been making consistently good to great music twenty-plus years on from the release of Starfish. For casual fans that lost track of the band after they left Arista in 1994, the amount of activity the band was responsible for could be surprising. For hardcore fans who never abandoned ship, it was more of a head-scratcher to try to figure out why the band’s profile had dropped so low, despite the proliferation of solid records. These fans were the ones who filled the venues during the Past, Present and Perfect tour, where the band would take on the unprecedented task of performing three entire LPs in a live setting. They chose wisely; the starting point would be their most record record, Untitled #23, the middle portion their under-appreciated epic Priest=Aura, and closing out they would duly acknowledge the record that brought them widespread recognition, Starfish. When a band plays newer material,especially one with a rich catalog from which to draw from, it can be construed as a desperate attempt to still appear relevant, whereas some audience members use the opportunity to hit the toilets or grab another beer. This was neither, and the record can safely sit among the stronger material of the past. “Deadman’s Hand” sounds like an insta-classic from the ’90s, with Kilbey’s bass lines sliding in and around […]

http://www.prefixmag.com/photos/the-church-showcase-live-foxborough-ma-picsreview/

The Church at Showcase Live on Friday, February 19, 2011, Foxborough MA

“A pretty convincing case could be made for The Church being the best Australian band, and that’s considering some stiff competition. Hard rock fans would cast votes for AC/DC, pop groups would be split between The Bee Gees and The Go-Betweens, and Nick Cave’s fronted enough interesting and varied projects to fall in any number of categories. Though the band would really only enjoy true widespread recognition via “Under The Milky Way,” they’ve been making consistently good to great music twenty-plus years on from the release of Starfish.

For casual fans that lost track of the band after they left Arista in 1994, the amount of activity the band was responsible for could be surprising. For hardcore fans who never abandoned ship, it was more of a head-scratcher to try to figure out why the band’s profile had dropped so low, despite the proliferation of solid records. These fans were the ones who filled the venues during the Past, Present and Perfect tour, where the band would take on the unprecedented task of performing three entire LPs in a live setting. They chose wisely; the starting point would be their most record record, Untitled #23, the middle portion their under-appreciated epic Priest=Aura, and closing out they would duly acknowledge the record that brought them widespread recognition, Starfish.

When a band plays newer material,especially one with a rich catalog from which to draw from, it can be construed as a desperate attempt to still appear relevant, whereas some audience members use the opportunity to hit the toilets or grab another beer. This was neither, and the record can safely sit among the stronger material of the past. “Deadman’s Hand” sounds like an insta-classic from the ’90s, with Kilbey’s bass lines sliding in and around the chiming guitars of Peter Koppes and Marty Willson-Piper. The lilting “Pangaea” and gently swaying “Happenstance” gave way to the adrenaline rush of “Space Saviour” and the all-hands-on-deck of “Anchorage,” featuring their tour manager on backing vocals and stage manager trading bass lines with Koppes, who picked up Kilbey’s bass after Steve decided to prowl the stage unhindered by an instrument cord. The opening set clearly underscored the “Present” part of the tour name in a convincing fashion.

After a quick break and clothing change (Kilbey now wearing a striking skull print shirt), the band set sail into the dark and swirling waters of Priest=Aura, a record that aside from a handful of shows in Australia after its initial release never had much play in the live setting. This was the record that would be a transition point for the band; the label couldn’t figure out the right marketing angle to capitalize on the success of the prior two records, there was no obvious single (and releasing techno and ragga mixes of “Feel” as a single probably wasn’t the best decision in retrospect), and Koppes would leave the band before the next record was started. In short, what seemed to be a juggernaut eventually turned into a shuddering ride right onto the gravel shoulder. That said, both the band and fans have rightly regarded this record in a far different light, and it was a revelation to see the entire piece unfold. Koppes and Willson-Piper in particular are a totally underrated duo that create a seamless interplay, with the gauzy “Paradox,” languid “Swan Lake” and stately waltz of “Witch Hunt” a marked contrast to the dramatic theatrics of “The Disillusionist” or the whipping maelstrom of “Chaos.” “The Disillusionist” in particular was a high point of this set, with Kilbey convincingly selling the part with wild gesticulations as he danced and stalked his way across the stage, microphone in hand and freed from bass duties.

After the last intermission of the evening (and kudos to Tim Powles for playing drums and singing for three hours!), the most popular dish was served, piping hot. A side effect of playing complete records live is that the set list order dispenses of any surprises, but an unintended benefit was that “Under The Milky Way” was played early on, as I’m sure the band gets tired of that particular albatross, despite it being a top-notch song. Speaking of song orders, Koppes got a little ahead of himself by starting “Lost” with the killer riff of “North South East and West,” with Kilbey shooting him a WFT look and Powles joking that the New Zealand pressing of Starfish had that particular track order. When the track was played in its right spot. the blistering riff of Willson-Piper tore a hole in the air, and his solos during “Reptile” took that song to an entirely different level. Wrapping up with the plangent tone of “Hotel Womb,” it would be hard to think of this tour as anything other than a complete success across the board. The band’s tours of the last three years have seen them in great form (Kilbey shedding noticeable weight the last couple of years, and Willson-Piper taking his hirsute pirate look back a couple of levels), and they genuinely had a sense of enjoying the moment throughout the entire evening. Let’s hope that 2012 is as fruitful.” – Tim Bugbee

fine fracture

bondi oh the weather is warm night arrives the cars all leave the ghosts in the house whisper there they are but you missed em coincidences on top of serendipity things get wild outside i am out here naked in the dimming light morning straight into evening evening straight into morning my daughters : aurora : a brilliant mind and a somewhat guarded heart her blonde hair turning dark her olive skin her piercing brown eyes she sees she remembers she appraises eve : soft feminine intuitive forgiving her hair like a tangle of dryad roots her already voluptuous figure her trusting green eyes her gorgeous husky voice when she sings scarlet : the wild card beautiful angry difficult overflowing with love strong and sturdy her broad forehead bulging with brains her sky blue eyes which search souls….. the tour is over some say we are the best band in the world these days peter : the master musician thoroughly understanding music on every level wonderful melodious versatile original marty : the guitar hero passionate dedicated fiery intuitive the ying to peters yang tim : the deep foundation powerful incessant steady subtle drumming singing steering the show me : the joker the bass guitar the words the voice we have a made a great leap forward somehow miraculously after 30 years still blossoming and blooming fucking nailing it….eh?! we embrace so many contradictions we slay our audiences now we walk on and we let em have it 3 hours of poignant sound bound to make you smile and cry let me tell you we use only the very finest ingredients and we add boy wonder craig wilson into the blend imagine a geezer so precociously talented that he can just jump into any church song on any instrument and replicate […]

perry scope

bondi oh the weather is warm

night arrives

the cars all leave

the ghosts in the house whisper

there they are but you missed em

coincidences on top of serendipity

things get wild outside

i am out here naked in the dimming light

morning straight into evening

evening straight into morning

my daughters :

aurora : a brilliant mind and a somewhat guarded heart

her blonde hair turning dark

her olive skin

her piercing brown eyes

she sees she remembers she appraises

eve :

soft feminine intuitive forgiving

her hair like a tangle of dryad roots

her already voluptuous figure

her trusting green eyes

her gorgeous husky voice when she sings

scarlet :

the wild card

beautiful angry difficult overflowing with love

strong and sturdy

her broad forehead bulging with brains

her sky blue eyes which search souls…..

the tour is over

some say we are the best band in the world these days

peter : the master musician

thoroughly understanding music on every level

wonderful melodious versatile original

marty : the guitar hero

passionate dedicated fiery intuitive

the ying to peters yang

tim : the deep foundation

powerful incessant steady subtle

drumming singing steering the show

me : the joker

the bass guitar

the words

the voice

we have a made a great leap forward somehow

miraculously after 30 years still blossoming and blooming

fucking nailing it….eh?!

we embrace so many contradictions

we slay our audiences now

we walk on and we let em have it

3 hours of poignant sound bound to make you smile and cry

let me tell you we use only the very finest ingredients

and we add boy wonder craig wilson into the blend

imagine a geezer so precociously talented

that he can just jump into any church song on any instrument

and replicate it authentically

there is only one other i have seen do that

and that was ricky maymi

i myself would never be capable of this kind of musicianship

and instead of growing dull and safe and insipid

the church still yearning for the thrill

oh believe me its a thrill

to lock down like a machine

the church is a rolls royce

you cant feel how fast you are really going

you are enveloped in a lush cushioned ride

our machine is inexorable and precise

for various reasons we have arrived here

we had the raw talent to start with

we stuck to our guns

we learned to ride the popularity curve

becoming neither too despondent or too cocky

we went away from each other

we gathered many new abilties

we became minstrels teachers producers painters

we are harsh on ourselves

fuck yes we have high standards for what we will let pass

and while not yet quite in old age

we have a deep experience of playing

master craftsmen working in rock n roll

playing u23 i myself began to realise what a great record

priest = aura what can you say?

in some parallel universe where everyone has 50 extra IQ points

priest is considered a classic by all

sorry folks the church isnt all inchoate musical feeling

the lyrics on this album ….

for fucks sake who could write this stuff but me…..?

i stand there singing the disillusionist

marvelling at the venomous ferocity i hurl at myself

i take in all other lyricists and i spit out kilbey

look i got it all in there didnt i?

and then straight away changing into old flame

the tenderest shortest sweetest song in the language of love

my fucked up brilliant mind

wanted to incorporate it all

i had a good try

my lyrics are ambitious

i take inspiration from the greatest writers from all places n times

i love the book of genesis and chuck berry

i love all great artistic movements

i am of impressionism automatic writing surrealism

ambiguity collective unconscious drugs dreams drama

shakespeare strindberg marvel super heroes whatever it is

all of it

our complete history

every glorious or sordid moment

every weird wonderful cerebral sexual transcendent thing

puzzles dilemmas mazes phrases proverbs lies

big words because i write for MY audience

and they are mostly educated intelligent people

and they demand something worthwhile in their music

and the church provides something worthwhile

i guess

more to come…..

shatterday

this is still the place i tell the truth except when i am forced to lie to aggrandise myself my hoarse speeding shadow duplicates in summers dying days i think of the snow melting up in cape cod in some gothic town spring bursts outta the wings with all its things jealous sprouts of green eyed envy combusting in the seed the weather is strange but aint it always been strange kilbey wings ‘is way home its midnite in australia i keep rolling with the luck of the devil double six double six double six my gambling debts i use as envelopes for angelfruit my wickedness helps old ladies down from trees my evil cuddles kittens oh no here comes trouble goodnight