Colin Hay
On occasion, I enjoy giving my own review of a play/concert/movie/what-have-you--it sort of fulfills one of my alter-egos whose job is that of a journalist, and specifically an entertainment critic. But I just have to tell you about the latest concert I went to because it was a-MAZ-ing.
When I saw that Colin Hay would be touring in Australia, I scoured the internet to try to find out when he would be closest to us so we could go. Now, if you're wondering who Colin Hay is, you would be in the same boat as most of the Australians I've talked to about Colin Hay. Which is surprising because he's Australian. "I come from a land down under. Where beer does flow and men chunder. Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder? You better run you better take cover." Well, my friends, that voice you just had in your heads was that of Colin Hay. He sort of dropped off the radar for a while (though if you peruse through a few of his CDs, he was only part-way off the radar) until Garden State. Zach Braff is the best mixed CD-maker I've ever encountered and such is the way I was re-introduced to Colin Hay. Me and a bunch of other indie hipsters.
Marcus and I strolled on up to the Oxford Art Factory and found a line snaking out on the sidewalk. It was quite a diverse crowd, as far as concerts go--people ranging from their late teens (the couple in front of us got carded) to their 50's. I wouldn't be surprised if someone had gone with their parents. It was actually a comfortable mix and everyone was happy to be seeing Mr. Hay.
Anyway, he came out on stage underneath a roiling cloud of fog with rainbow-colored lights flashing down (as if recalling his current home town in California--at least I think it's SF, but he is definitely in California). And his time in the states showed through in his wardrobe--a white suit with old running shoes. :) Standing just to his side was more amusement. As in crazy amusement. In the form of (who at the time I had a hunch it was but now I have successfully confirmed is) his wife. She served as back-up singer/pole dancer sans pole. If you could call it pole dancing, because it was a combination of so, so many things--line dancing, salsa dancing, merengue, karate, kick boxing, disco dancing, jazzercise, interpretive dancing, new-age flowing, rock star posing, and so many other forms of movement that they cannot be confined by label. As she launched into her shimmy, Marcus and I looked at each other with eyebrows up and guffawed. (I know, we're snobs, but it was so funny I can't explain!) Colin hardly looked at her through the entire performance and let her have her corner of the stage throughout the entire show. As if saying, "Yes, honey, I relinquish that corner of the stage to you since you've come on tour with me."
All dancing and kicking aside, the show was fantastic. Colin Hay was funny, engaging, and humble--some of the characteristics I most enjoy in a live performer. And we got to see "Down Under" live. In Australia. Classic. There were a few other Men at Work classics, which got the 40+ crowd really excited. One couple, you could tell they had been waiting for decades to see this show. When the 80's songs came up, they jumped out of their seats, went right up to the stage and boogied down. The lady got her husband to take a picture of her with Colin in the background, which was just endearing. Then there were the indie hipsters who got into the sing-alongs with full-on head bobbing and fist pumping. We sat on the stairs over in the corner, we oldies, but tapped our feet, slapped our hands, and singing along when it was absolutely called for. "Beautiful World" and "I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You" made the entire show, completely of their own accord. Goosebumps were had and heart strings were pulled. We were a happy couple of kids.
When I saw that Colin Hay would be touring in Australia, I scoured the internet to try to find out when he would be closest to us so we could go. Now, if you're wondering who Colin Hay is, you would be in the same boat as most of the Australians I've talked to about Colin Hay. Which is surprising because he's Australian. "I come from a land down under. Where beer does flow and men chunder. Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder? You better run you better take cover." Well, my friends, that voice you just had in your heads was that of Colin Hay. He sort of dropped off the radar for a while (though if you peruse through a few of his CDs, he was only part-way off the radar) until Garden State. Zach Braff is the best mixed CD-maker I've ever encountered and such is the way I was re-introduced to Colin Hay. Me and a bunch of other indie hipsters.
Marcus and I strolled on up to the Oxford Art Factory and found a line snaking out on the sidewalk. It was quite a diverse crowd, as far as concerts go--people ranging from their late teens (the couple in front of us got carded) to their 50's. I wouldn't be surprised if someone had gone with their parents. It was actually a comfortable mix and everyone was happy to be seeing Mr. Hay.
Anyway, he came out on stage underneath a roiling cloud of fog with rainbow-colored lights flashing down (as if recalling his current home town in California--at least I think it's SF, but he is definitely in California). And his time in the states showed through in his wardrobe--a white suit with old running shoes. :) Standing just to his side was more amusement. As in crazy amusement. In the form of (who at the time I had a hunch it was but now I have successfully confirmed is) his wife. She served as back-up singer/pole dancer sans pole. If you could call it pole dancing, because it was a combination of so, so many things--line dancing, salsa dancing, merengue, karate, kick boxing, disco dancing, jazzercise, interpretive dancing, new-age flowing, rock star posing, and so many other forms of movement that they cannot be confined by label. As she launched into her shimmy, Marcus and I looked at each other with eyebrows up and guffawed. (I know, we're snobs, but it was so funny I can't explain!) Colin hardly looked at her through the entire performance and let her have her corner of the stage throughout the entire show. As if saying, "Yes, honey, I relinquish that corner of the stage to you since you've come on tour with me."
All dancing and kicking aside, the show was fantastic. Colin Hay was funny, engaging, and humble--some of the characteristics I most enjoy in a live performer. And we got to see "Down Under" live. In Australia. Classic. There were a few other Men at Work classics, which got the 40+ crowd really excited. One couple, you could tell they had been waiting for decades to see this show. When the 80's songs came up, they jumped out of their seats, went right up to the stage and boogied down. The lady got her husband to take a picture of her with Colin in the background, which was just endearing. Then there were the indie hipsters who got into the sing-alongs with full-on head bobbing and fist pumping. We sat on the stairs over in the corner, we oldies, but tapped our feet, slapped our hands, and singing along when it was absolutely called for. "Beautiful World" and "I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You" made the entire show, completely of their own accord. Goosebumps were had and heart strings were pulled. We were a happy couple of kids.
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