Oils Gig Reviews
The Forum, London - 29 October 1996
�The raising of children\The rearing of young\Used to be simple\Look whats it become�. Peter Garrett�s considerable frame emerges from the darkness as the Oils launch into �No time for Games�. The boys are in town to �see some friends� and from the opening chords its obvious that they are here to enjoy themselves, the opening track being the first of many surprises in a set that also showcased 8 songs from their latest offering Breathe.
Next into �My Country�, and the Forum erupts as it does for other recent favourites, �Dreamworld� and the singalong �Forgotten Years�. But its the choice of songs and Garretts humorous dialogue with the crowd that is the lasting impression of this gig. A chap from the front row guests on guitar for �Sell my soul�, Jim Moginie leads a charge through some back catalogue with �Pictures� (when was the last time they played this ?) and �Hercules�, both tracks from the excellent 1985 EP Species Deceases, and then indulges an audience request in the form of �US Forces� which formed part of the encore.
A low key rendition of �The Dead Heart� sees Garrett handing over to the audience (a moving kareoke if ever there was one) and yet still proved he was human by making a complete mess of �One too many times� (on guitar).
With the exception of the excellent �Bring on the change� there was a hesitancy in the delivery of the new material, although probably due in part to the audiences� own unfamiliarity with the material. No doubt �Sins of Ommission�, �Star of Hope� and the single �Underwater� will become live stables in the future.
Over the years Midnight Oil have never had a particularly easy relationship with (or any sort of regard for) politics or the press and again there weren�t many that escaped the Garrett treatment. This time though it was less rant and more humerous insult, John Major (the �boring old fart�) and Bill Clinton (the �Gutless Wonder�) being the undisputed highlights. Somewhere in there was a feverish �Tell me the truth� taking a less than subtle dig at Rupert Murdoch and co.
As previously mentioned it was a night of surprises and the highlight of the show was quite simply a delight. With Garrett leaning on a keyboard stage right the consistently brillient (yet undeniably enigmatic) Jim Moginie took control on �Outside World�� creating the haunting, pulsing chords that set the swirling synthesizer tones of 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1. It was a magnificent performance.
A couple of rip roaring encores later (�Sometimes� the standout track) and the Oils depart with as little fuss as they appeared, leaving a sweat soaked audience gaping (as usual) in awe of what they have just witnessed. Its often quoted that you �don�t just like the Oils you Live them�. With gigs like this it isn�t hard to see why.
| Track listing (not in strict order) | |
| No time for games My Country Dreamworld Blue Sky Mine Forgotten Years Truganini Tell me the truth Underwater Surfs up tonight Warakurna Star of Hope |
US Forces Pictures Hercules The Dead Heart Sell my soul Time to heal Outside World Sins of Ommission Bring on the change One too many times Sometimes |
Phil Laurie - Powderworker, February �97