Crowded House frontman Neil Finn has an incredible head of hair. Always has. A fact criminally neglected by the music press of the 1980s and 90s. Whilst Morrissey, McCulloch et al gained high praise for their respective barnets, the unassuming Finn did not. And when it comes to critical plaudits, the same can be said about his band’s multi-million-selling, five-decade-spanning output.
Often a byword for middle-of-the-road dadrock, Crowded House are so much more. Despite topping charts the world over and penning some of modern rock’s most familiar tunes, it has never been cool to like Crowded House – which is baffling. Antipodean melancholy oozes from their back catalogue, laden with artful and polished arrangements, and all this is on glorious display in the Welsh capital.
Formed in 1985, initially based around the nucleus of brothers Neil and Tim Finn, they went on hiatus in 1996; returning in 2007, sans Tim, they’ve continued to global acclaim, evident on this Thursday night in Cardiff as a boozy, and multi-age crowd laps it all up. In front of a packed, sun-kissed Cardiff Castle, the silver-haired Kiwi, Finn is resplendent in an orange suit. Flanked by two of his sons, as well as original member Nick Seymour on bass, the band weave through a 22-song set of hits, covers and new offerings from their quite excellent latest album Gravity Staircase.
This is underlined by early highlight Teenage Summer, immediately followed with the soundtrack to a thousand boomer and Gen X courtships, Fall At Your Feet. Mid-90s single Pineapple Head keeps the momentum going, before a mix of old and new tracks leads into a heady flurry of fan favourite Sister Madly. Finn even finds time to throw in a snippet of Tom Jones’ It’s Not Unusual for good measure.
As the sun sets, the encore is preceded with a pair of stonewall classics. Few bands have a brace of bangers like Don’t Dream It’s Over and Weather With You up their sleeve. And after more well-placed anecdotes and charming chat from Finn, it’s on to a storming finale. Returning to the stage, the band knockout Message To My Girl – by Finn’s pre-Crowded House outfit Split Enz – before an unexpected and powerful version of David Bowie’s Heroes radiates through the night sky.
Closing the set with Better Be Home Soon from 1988 album Temple Of Low Men, Finn and his band of merry men pull off that rare feat: appealing to the masses whilst possessing a knack for minor chords and thoughtful lyrics. To paraphrase Alan Partridge, this gig undoubtedly made many in attendance feel 16 again, and leave the Castle grounds thinking, “I’m going to wear a T-shirt… with Crowded House written on the front of it.”
Crowded House, Cardiff Castle, Thurs 20 June
words JAMES W ROBERTS photos JON HERRON
