Neko Case, Dick Diver @ Melbourne Zoo Twilight Series, Melbourne (01/03/2014)
Outdoor stages are a dangerous beast. Show me anyone who’s gone to a festival and I’ll show you someone who’s experienced at least one disappointing set due to either technical difficulties, timetabling issues, bad preparation, or shit weather.
It was for these reasons I was slightly concerned going into my first experience with Melbourne Zoo’s Twilight Series show for Neko Case and Dick Diver, but thankfully, the performance proved to be simply a demonstration of everything that can go right with an outdoor show.
Simply put, the stage area in which the Twilight Series takes place is perfect. Can you think of a better evening than looking at exotic animals for hours and then watching the sun set while listening to great music? You begin to the see the benefits, and just how much the Twilight Series has to offer.
Of course, none of this would mean much if the bands performing put on a lacklustre show, or if somehow the show was hampered by sound restrictions due to taking place in a goddamn zoo, but fortunately, not so. I’d given Dick Diver a small amount of listening time preceding their performance, but now, after having watched their humble 30 minute set preceding Neko’s arrival, I can’t get enough.
Dick Diver’s sleepy rock and roll is complimented by a perfect delivery of sarcastic comments in between songs and shout-outs to their mums in the audience. Swapping instruments throughout the six or so songs they performed, Dick Diver stuck mostly to new material off their recent record Calendar Days, songs like Alice and Lime Green Shirt going down a treat along with the beautiful setting sun. One thing I do know after watching Dick Diver is that I’d certainly jump at the opportunity to watch them perform outdoors again; they’re a rare group, one that manages to flourish in an outdoor setting, rather than being betrayed by it.
Neko Case took to the stage just after the sun dipped below the tops of the trees. Dressed simply in a green hoodie and black pants, she’s a modest sight. Certainly not a visage of eclecticism that her music and reputation anticipates. However, nearly instantly Neko’s personality comes out to play, telling jokes and interacting with band-mates, poking fun at their “antique” multi-instrumentalist John Rauhouse, who made fantastic contributions on slide guitar and banjo.
Neko’s camaraderie with her touring band was wonderfully earnest, and she didn’t reserve this positivity just for those on stage; Neko simply exudes positivity, making great use of the beautiful atmosphere to create an intimate performance regardless of the large crowd.
Playing tracks from throughout her catalogue, I have to admit I only recognised songs off of her most recent record, The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You; a title Neko herself sarcastically justified with her logic that “the longer the title the more legit the album”.
Ever though Neko did a fantastic job performing her set; it was either due to my unfamiliarity or simply the nature of the songs, that I was left with a feeling that many songs blurred together nearing the end of the performance, and while the interactions between band-mates and audience between songs were always fun, the songs themselves could at times feel a bit lacking in personality, which, after the irrepressibly fun performance of Dick Diver, was a bit of a disappointment.
Regardless of trailing off to a degree near the end, Neko Case still managed to perform a strong set for die-hard fans, and even so, I honestly would’ve made the trek from St Kilda to Melbourne Zoo just to see Dick Diver play by themselves anyway.
Nick Kennedy
It was for these reasons I was slightly concerned going into my first experience with Melbourne Zoo’s Twilight Series show for Neko Case and Dick Diver, but thankfully, the performance proved to be simply a demonstration of everything that can go right with an outdoor show.
Simply put, the stage area in which the Twilight Series takes place is perfect. Can you think of a better evening than looking at exotic animals for hours and then watching the sun set while listening to great music? You begin to the see the benefits, and just how much the Twilight Series has to offer.
Of course, none of this would mean much if the bands performing put on a lacklustre show, or if somehow the show was hampered by sound restrictions due to taking place in a goddamn zoo, but fortunately, not so. I’d given Dick Diver a small amount of listening time preceding their performance, but now, after having watched their humble 30 minute set preceding Neko’s arrival, I can’t get enough.
Dick Diver’s sleepy rock and roll is complimented by a perfect delivery of sarcastic comments in between songs and shout-outs to their mums in the audience. Swapping instruments throughout the six or so songs they performed, Dick Diver stuck mostly to new material off their recent record Calendar Days, songs like Alice and Lime Green Shirt going down a treat along with the beautiful setting sun. One thing I do know after watching Dick Diver is that I’d certainly jump at the opportunity to watch them perform outdoors again; they’re a rare group, one that manages to flourish in an outdoor setting, rather than being betrayed by it.
Neko Case took to the stage just after the sun dipped below the tops of the trees. Dressed simply in a green hoodie and black pants, she’s a modest sight. Certainly not a visage of eclecticism that her music and reputation anticipates. However, nearly instantly Neko’s personality comes out to play, telling jokes and interacting with band-mates, poking fun at their “antique” multi-instrumentalist John Rauhouse, who made fantastic contributions on slide guitar and banjo.
Neko’s camaraderie with her touring band was wonderfully earnest, and she didn’t reserve this positivity just for those on stage; Neko simply exudes positivity, making great use of the beautiful atmosphere to create an intimate performance regardless of the large crowd.
Playing tracks from throughout her catalogue, I have to admit I only recognised songs off of her most recent record, The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You; a title Neko herself sarcastically justified with her logic that “the longer the title the more legit the album”.
Ever though Neko did a fantastic job performing her set; it was either due to my unfamiliarity or simply the nature of the songs, that I was left with a feeling that many songs blurred together nearing the end of the performance, and while the interactions between band-mates and audience between songs were always fun, the songs themselves could at times feel a bit lacking in personality, which, after the irrepressibly fun performance of Dick Diver, was a bit of a disappointment.
Regardless of trailing off to a degree near the end, Neko Case still managed to perform a strong set for die-hard fans, and even so, I honestly would’ve made the trek from St Kilda to Melbourne Zoo just to see Dick Diver play by themselves anyway.
Nick Kennedy