encore:

sold out. support from the red paintings

the zoo

reviews/comments

from taz:

having just recently turned 18, this mogwai gig was my first ever real concert. and what a way to lose my concert-going virginity.. nothing could have prepared me for whatever the hell it was that i experienced. i could call it 'sheer force' or 'gigantic and majestic heavy noise' or use whatever shite adjectives the journos use to describe the music, but none of it could come close to what it really was. because it was absolutely nothing, and it was evertything. it was like slowly dying of sadness and it was like nothing else could ever make you feel more content with being alive (no i was not on drugs). i felt like this insignificant little commoner, but i was so fucking glad to be that pleb, to have something to worship devotedly and loyally for an hour and a half (and now probably for the rest of my life). i understood everything, and i knew nothing. i guess the whole time i was in this neutral position between two conflicting states. sort of like what iggy was describing in the excerpt in 'punk rock' but instead of feeling nothing i felt a lot.

my immediate thoughts after the gig was that it was indescribable. well, indescribable in its magnificence. i can reflect on my response to it perfectly, but i don't think i have the knowledge or experience to say why exactly it was so bloody good without completely overlooking what it actually was - if that makes any sense. but it was bloody good, and that's that i guess.

from http://www.theredpaintings.com:

last night we played a sold out show with mogwai. a band that i have loved for a few years now, so you can imagine how excited i was when i heard we had been invited to play main support. the venue had called us earlier in the day before the show to let us know they thought it was going to be a rough crowd and that it would be best not to have a painter for this show so i was expecting the worst and a few beer bottles thrown at my head. we arrived at the venue and mogwai’s tour manager was really nice letting us have an hour to sound check and giving us heaps of room for our equipment. were not exactly the smallest band in the world, so i was expecting that we would barely fit on the zoo’s stage so this was a pleasant surprise. mogwai had replaced all the venues gear with all new equipment and there was lots of it. the sound system, the desks even the fold back desk was just incredible what was even cooler is that they let us use it all and well it just sounded so so big and crystal clear too (of course this is mogwai so you would only expect the best) much thanks to mogwai. i was lucky enough to watch their sound check they looked really tired and later they told me they were feeling jet lagged and just needed to sleep. anyway show time kicks off and we put our heads down and tried to play as tight as we could without really saying anything to the crowd. it was a very different energy to our normal shows its been a long time since we were the support band playing to someone else’s crowd but lucky for us nobody through anything at us and people cheered after each song which was refreshing as i expected the worst but mogwai’s fan base are a real treat to play too. then mogwai came on and blew many kids away. i think their music captures the crossing of the next life. i see so much colour in them its so cool how they just exploded from the tiniest whisper shhhhhhh then kaboom. then pack up time and we were lucky enough to chat with mogwai and i gave them all gifts tin toys and bubble gum bubble blowers which put a smile on their faces, as you can see above. actually it was amazing to meet these guys, they were so friendly to us considering how tired they were, really really cool guys. it nice when you met people who make the music you admire so much and they turn out to be as beautiful as the music they make. i was so privileged to have played with them. a must see band really like nothing else you’ll ever hear on this planet with no vocals needed their instuments say it all.

photos

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photos by taz.