Opening the night at the Astor Theatre, was one man and a keyboard, by the name of Euros Childs. He is from the south of Wales, a Welsh lad who has come over to Perth to support Teenage Fanclub, playing his boppy songs and funny lyrical jokes to the audience as they filled the theatre. The Astor Theatre is an art deco masterpiece in Mount Lawley constructed in 1915, and the acoustics of the venue carried Euros Childs’ notes beautifully. He opened his set with Tet a Tet and continued with Bits of Me, an uplifting and cheery song about brackets falling off that don’t work with other brackets and a side note that it’s about bits falling off himself. His third song of the night was Cavendish Hall, a story song about living in Cavendish Hall and all the haunted things that occurred.
Euros Childs followed this up with a love song to Virgin and Richard Branson. He took the light upbeat music and flipped it on his head as his next few tracks became more rock-inspired, as much as one person with a keyboard can on stage. He apologised if the audience were unable to hear themselves, a nod to the many conversations that were occurring while he was playing on stage. His final few songs were absolute bangers as he howled at the moon (or where the moon would probably be if we weren’t inside) and serenaded a korma curry. His last song was a sweeter and more mellow number about watching the world pass by, and remembering your loved ones love you. If you like Bo Burnham, you will enjoy Euros Childs anecdotes and lyrical jokes.
The audience were sufficiently warmed up at the Astor as Teenage Fanclub made their way on stage to cheers and applause so loud it could bring the house down. The Scottish alternative rock five-piece from Glasgow last graced our shores in 2019, having joined us now after a run of shows in Japan. This is their first show in Australia in five years, following their eleventh studio album, Nothing Lasts Forever. The Astor, a venue with half seating and half standing room, was filled with everyone standing to see Teenage Fanclub and hear them play songs that have lasted throughout their career spanning over 30 years. The first strums of their guitars rang out through the crowd with clean riffs, heavy bass tones and keys scattered. The crowd were enjoying the music they have loved for decades and Teenage Fanclub didn’t stop smiling the entire time they were on stage, their close tight knit bond evident as they bounced off each other’s energy.
The band played new hits and old favourites, up-tempo and rockier heavy rhythms showing the crowd that even after thirty years, they have still got it. Some of their songs had a more psychedelic rock vibe and this just encouraged the audience to dance even harder, bopping along to the rhythm and the beats. Teenage Fanclub are talented and versatile, as the musicians swapped vocalists interchangeably with smooth ease. The Astor’s acoustics are phenomenal, curtains and panels both absorbed and guided the sound of the band beautifully. No matter where you were standing, the sound was clean, clear and loud. The lighting, stage set up, the bands’ stage presence, the quality of their sound, everything about Teenage Fanclubs set at the Astor is just good!
The crowd shot requests at the band who made little jokes and interacted with the audience like old friends who haven’t seen each other in a few years. It was a very comfortable and enjoyable exchange to witness and be a part of. There were a few false starts to songs as band members fell out of sync to each other’s laugher and the crowds, but they picked it up together beautifully, a testament to over 30 years of playing together. Playing with their timing and at times having a little solo shredding when they were trying to find the timing, I have never seen a band with better crowd banter.
Teenage Fanclub launched into their next song, Falling into The Sun, with much heavier lyrics and riffs over stronger drums and a psychedelic guitar solo that you might find in an Austin Powers / Foxy Cleopatra movie. Their next song, Everything Is Falling Apart showcased bendy notes and wah pedal effects, but everything was definitely not falling apart for this well put together set from Teenage Fanclub. Having formed in 1989, before many of us were alive, their music style was heavily reflected in the multi-generational crowd who have grown up with Teenage Fanclub while they grew as a band over the years.
Their next song was It’s a Bad World. It is definitely not a bad world though when Teenage Fanclub are playing on stage, it’s a very nice world indeed as the crowd grooved along, reflecting the happy upbeat energy of the band right back at them. The high energy of the room was consistent the whole night by both the audience and Teenage Fanclub as they played on stage, sharing anecdotes of playing together over the years and telling jokes, sharing laughs along the way. The use of a spotlight with just guitar and vocals as an intro helped create an intimate atmosphere that drew you in for the next song about feeling like you are on the outside, before the band roared into life again with the crowd singing along, those in seats standing too. The whole set was fantastic.
Their next song saw electric guitars charging into the beats of the drum, carried through by the basslines and keys overlaid on top of lyrics to come together like a delicious sandwich of incredible music for the ears. The crowd were singing along, dancing along, enjoying the band who were also enjoying themselves all along too. Teenage Fanclub have perfected the pregnant pause bringing the crowd to the edge of anticipation with minimal guitar changes and simple pedal board set ups. They really are a tight knit band, and they do what they do so right, which is evidenced in their decades long career that is still seeing them touring all over the world over 30 years later.
Set list: Home, Tired of Being Alone, About You, Foreign Land, Endless Arcade, Back to the Light, Alcoholiday, I Left a Light On, Falling Into the Sun, Only With You (Your Love Is the Place Where I Come From), Everything Is Falling Apart, What You Do To Me, It’s a Bad World, I Don’t Want Control of You, I’m In Love, My Uptight Life, The Concept, Back In The Day, See The Light, Middle Of My Mind, Everything Flows
Teenage Fanclub are playing six shows in Australia and New Zealand before embarking on a USA and Canada tour in March and April.
GALLERY
With thanks to Frontier for the Media Accreditation
Images Credit Shotweiler Photography
