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August 6, 2007
Crowded House at Foxwoods
Crowded House has reunited for its first tour in more than a decade and while it was much less hyped than The Police’s reunion, it was no less welcome.
The group kicked off its tour Friday night at Foxwoods and gave the crowd of about 1,400 at the Fox Theatre everything it could have hoped for musically, with the group’s warmth and humor putting the concert over the top. It was practically impossible to walk out of the venue without a smile on your face.
My infatuation with Crowded House started years after the band broke up in 1996, when I picked up a copy of “Recurring Dream: The Very Best of Crowded House” at a used CD store. In addition to the handful of songs that made it to radio or MTV, I discovered that I loved every song on the album.
Soon, it wasn’t enough to just have the hits. I had to search out the group’s entire catalog and, I’m happy to report, there wasn’t a bad disc in the bunch. The group, and leader Neil Finn in particular, knows how to craft a pop song and, though Crowded House fizzled commercially after its hit debut album, it never stopped putting out catchy records.
I haven’t (yet) picked up a copy of the new album, “Time on Earth,” so I was unfamiliar with the seven new songs mixed into Friday night’s set. Still, each one was a gem and blended perfectly with the classics.
Naturally, those hits – “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” “Something So Strong,” “Weather With You,” etc. – were greeted with the most applause, but the new tunes were welcomed almost as warmly.
The group managed to bridge the gap between performer and audience with some interaction that started when bassist Nick Seymour noticed someone near the front of the stage dining on fish and chips. Finn took up the cause, pleading for an order, which soon appeared on stage. After a sampling, Finn took it upon himself to pass out the remains to whichever audience member came up to the stage.
Hokey? Sure, but the crowd loved it. After all, how many times do you see a pop star taking the time to make sure his fans are well-fed?
After attending The Police’s mega-tour Tuesday and all the hassles involved with a stadium show, it was so refreshing to be at a show that was all about the music. The good feeling I had after seeing Crowded House lasted well after the long ride home from the casino. The good feeling I had from The Police’s performance dissipated with the loooong walk to my car and the hour-long wait to get out of the Rentschler Field parking lot.
When it comes to concerts, bigger, very often, is not better.
The set list
Locked Out/World Where You Live/Heaven That I’m Making/Nobody Wants To/Recurring Dream/Fall at Your Feet/Don’t Stop Now/Pour Le Monde/Don’t Dream It’s Over/When You Come/Italian Plastic/You Are the One to Make Me Cry/Silent House/Distant Sun/Something So Strong
Encore: Pineapple Head/She Called Up/Weather With You
Posted by Sean on August 6, 2007 12:57 AM
