Augie March - Ormond Hall - 15th November 2008
Featuring: Augie March
Written by: Steve Scully
Photographer: Kate Griffin
Published: Nov 15th '08
Watch Me Disappear may seem to have signalled a ‘change’ in how Augie March write music, but they are the same old band. The same old band with the same old issues…
Augie March took the stage for what would be a very haphazard – beautifully haphazard perhaps – performance. Despite the solid opening few tracks, one should not get one’s hopes up that an Augie March show will run flawlessly. First, Glenn Richards forgets some words… he looked to Dave Williams for support and ploughed on. Nonetheless, you could sense something was amiss.
While the majority of the set was constructed form the shaky bricks of Watch Me Disappear tracks, some highlights were the enjoyable ‘Pennywhistle’ and the always-touching ‘There’s No Such Place’. It was upon taking the sporadic and unenthusiastic cries of “Encore!” seriously and returning to the stage that the ‘show’, for all intents and purposes, actually began…
“That’s it! No More!” Richards lamented as he stuffed up for the second time during an otherwise pretty rendition of ‘The Slant’. Dan Kelly (helping the band out for the whole set) may have prodded him with an inspirational “just keep playing, man”, but Richards’ only response was “I can’t, I’ve already stopped!” Jeers, cheers, laughs and groans the crowd let off. I wouldn’t have been surprised if Richards had just strung himself up there and then, in front of a shocked audience ending his apparent misery once and for all.
Nonetheless, Richards didn’t destroy himself, and chugged along, producing not only a good comeback, but maybe the finest end to an Augie March show to date. The band finally seemed comfortable within the dreamy confines of the wonderful Strange Bird track ‘Drowning Dream’, and further highlighted the genius that they possess(ed), belting out an ear-splitting, beautifully rendered version of ‘Brundisium’. Richards then had a smile on his face: a real smile.
Augie March will never be a great live band; their live shows lacking the polish of their records. Nonetheless, why do you go to see a band? Do you go for a flawless, note-perfect set of songs, or do you want some character, something that makes it more memorable than just a record listening party? Augie March provide a night of entertainment, whether you consider it ‘professional’ or not. They provide a night which contains snippets of pure genius: tortured, and torturing, genius.
