Busy Abode

On Wednesday the Pieman and the Dragonslayer headed to the Echo Arena in Liverpool to see the mighty Crowded House. We left fairly late but arrived, parked and made our into this new venue ( for us anyway) fairly easily. The venue itself is internally almost the same as the MEN in Manchester except slightly smaller, newer and with excellent views along the Mersey estuary as it is literally on the waterfront.

Support was provided by former Mutton Birds frontman Don Mcglashan who was eventually joined on piano by Mr Finn before giving way to Liverpool Band Voo. They were quite good but not very communicative.

Mr Mcglashan was pretty good and would subsequently appear throughout the Crowdies set backing them with vocals and various instruments. Also filling out the stage, on principally Acoustic guitar, was Elroy Finn.

Crowded House came onstage and were their excellent selves. They played a different set to their show in Manchester last November including Everything is good for you/World Where you live/Love you til the day I die/Isolation/Fall at your feet/Only Natural/Locked Out/Heaven That I'm making/Whispers and Moans/Not The Girl you think you are/Pineapple Head/Other side of the world/Don't dream it's over/When you come/Distant Sun/Encore 1 (with Johnny Marr)There is a light/Don't stop now/Throw your arms around me/Weather with you/Encore 2Fingers of love/Into Temptation

Mr Finn after the third or fourth started a running battle with the health and safety stasi who were not happy with people standing, boogieing and enjoying themselves. The venue was good the crowdies were good and rounded it off by bringing Johnny Marr onstage for four songs.

Most excellent way to finish and not the first time we have seen Mr Marr onstage with Mr Finn. We have previously seen the Finn Brothers at the empire in Liverpool with the Dragonslayers and Viking tribe on the day that John Peel died. Mr Marr walked on at the end and together with Neil played a rousing version of Teenage Kicks in tribute to the great Mr Peel.

Getting away after the gig was not too bad cetainly a lot better than the MEN. The only bad things about the event was the Piemans Man Flu and Neil Finn outing himself as a Red fan of long standing. At least it led to him playing a Split Enz tune ( Great Joy) " I See Red" not good, cue much booing by blue half of audience Ha Ha !!!!