Having missed out on Monty Python tickets completely there was no way that I was going to suffer a similar disappointment securing tickets to see Neil Finn. Turns out that not only did I get tickets I got front row and centre! Last night we took up our places at the feet of the great man.
While there was plenty from the new release (Dizzy Heights) it also had plenty of crowd pleasers from Finn’s back catalogue including tracks from Split Enz, Crowded House, Neil Finn, Finn Brothers, Pyjama Club and, of course, The Smiths (sadly without Johnny Marr this date). We heard the first line to “I See Red” four times having been shouted in request early on and then became a running joke as Finn teased it. If you are interested in the set list you can find it here.
I’ve always loved the energy and enthusiasm Finn has brought to his gigs and some quirky elements that you don’t often see elsewhere. Last night we were treated to his mother and father-in-law at home in New Zealand via Skype. It is not the first time that I have seen him do this so I do wonder if he is missing home these days!
One downer was that the acoustics in the Royal Festival Hall were shocking. Despite Finn only being three feet away from us all the sound seemed to be coming from the back of the hall which meant my brain had difficulty reconciling what I was hearing with what it was seeing. Not quite as bad as the bucket that is Wembley Arena but pretty close.
All in all through a great night out.