Future Past Perfect Winter Tour USA 2011

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

 

A Conversation with the church’s Steve Kilbey

MUSOSCRIBE: Bill Kopp’s music blog: features, reviews, interviews, essays and whatnot: Australian foursome The Church are something of an institution in their native country, and throughout their thirty-plus years together they have enjoyed worldwide success as well. Their commercial apex was undoubtedly the hit single “Under the Milky Way” from the 1988 album Starfish, but every one of their twenty-three albums has its high points. A perennial critics’ darling, the band has mounted tours both acoustic and electric. Their early 2011 US tour took them to the southeast, and I spoke with Steve Kilbey (bass, vocals, lyrics) about the current tour, the band’s longevity and much more. Part One Part Two

churchd

MUSOSCRIBE: Bill Kopp’s music blog: features, reviews, interviews, essays and whatnot:

Australian foursome The Church are something of an institution in their native country, and throughout their thirty-plus years together they have enjoyed worldwide success as well. Their commercial apex was undoubtedly the hit single “Under the Milky Way” from the 1988 album Starfish, but every one of their twenty-three albums has its high points. A perennial critics’ darling, the band has mounted tours both acoustic and electric. Their early 2011 US tour took them to the southeast, and I spoke with Steve Kilbey (bass, vocals, lyrics) about the current tour, the band’s longevity and much more.

Part One
Part Two

Live Video: the church on KEXP radio

Playing three full albums a night on their “Future Past Perfect” tour, the Australian psych-pop veterans The Church took time from their marathon performances to stop by KEXP for an abbreviated and stripped down sample from their three-decade long career. Bandmates Steven Kilbey, Marty Wilson-Piper, Peter Koppes and Tim Powles played a luscious set of songs including some rare renditions you’re unlikely to have heard before. Check out the videos from their acoustic session here: http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2011/02/23/live-video-the-church/

KEXP_Logo_Horiz

Playing three full albums a night on their “Future Past Perfect” tour, the Australian psych-pop veterans The Church took time from their marathon performances to stop by KEXP for an abbreviated and stripped down sample from their three-decade long career. Bandmates Steven Kilbey, Marty Wilson-Piper, Peter Koppes and Tim Powles played a luscious set of songs including some rare renditions you’re unlikely to have heard before. Check out the videos from their acoustic session here: http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2011/02/23/live-video-the-church/

the church featured on the ‘Stranded’ radioshow and podcast

the church are featured on ‘Stranded’, an Australian/Canadian music show and podcast hosted by Matt G. The February 14th show includes an interview with Steve Kilbey. Stranded 07 Feb 2011 Stranded 14 Feb 2011

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the church are featured on ‘Stranded’, an Australian/Canadian music show and podcast hosted by Matt G. The February 14th show includes an interview with Steve Kilbey.

Stranded 07 Feb 2011
Stranded 14 Feb 2011

church interview: 69 Faces of Rock

http://www.69facesofrock.com/the_church_interview.html by Mark Kadzielawa

http://www.69facesofrock.com/the_church_interview.html

by Mark Kadzielawa

Interview with Peter Koppes : The Quietus

http://thequietus.com/articles/05653-the-church-interview The Past, Present & Future Of The Church: An Interview With Peter Koppes Ned Raggett , February 7th, 2011 09:18

http://thequietus.com/articles/05653-the-church-interview

The Past, Present & Future Of The Church: An Interview With Peter Koppes
Ned Raggett , February 7th, 2011 09:18

the church Live on KEXP radio 90.3FM

KEXP presents an in-studio session with THE CHURCH! Live performance on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters on Tuesday, February 8th at 12:00 pm PST! http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=162360990480242 You can download a link from KEXP to your i-tunes and stream this in high quality.

KEXP presents an in-studio session with THE CHURCH!

Live performance on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters on Tuesday, February 8th at 12:00 pm PST!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=162360990480242

You can download a link from KEXP to your i-tunes and stream this in high quality.

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