Gig 20030117 Journal

Source: Shihad.com (circa 03)

Date Published: Unsure

Who: Shihad.

Where: Auckland (BDO)

When: 17 January 2003.

Reviewed by: Shihad.

Here we go again - I've got to just say that this years line up is fuckin' amazing - I really can't believe that this is what I get to do for a living. Thanks to everyone who has ever given this a band a shot at playing the BDO - I appreciate it so much.

We started in Wellington with rehearsals at the old OMW building that we used to to write Kiljoy / Fish and blue light disco. It is now called the factory and run by adrian who used to run indigo niteclub in Cuba Street downtown. We loaded in tested everything and like a pack of bloated rockstars went to dinner and then came back and played hard for the next 3 days. It was good to get back to Wellington so often in the past couple of months - I really love my hometown and I'm really excited about the bands that are coming out of there now - Two lane Blacktop / Paseload / Staple / Ejector / Crumb to name just a few!! Caught up with the Whanau (Means 'Family' for you not of NZ!) and just got focused on the next 3 weeks.

Arrived in Auckand on thurs 16th and we changed the unessessary cargo van that our management had booked to the Latest Falcon XR6 - Needless to say we all drove screaming the nuts off it! Jules (Our fine Guitar technition) and I took turns at pushing the thing to it's limits to and from the annual Waners/BDO Barbeque where we all get feed in fine style and fraternise with other bands helping Bugs Bunny dispose of his carrot supply.

Interesting barbeque Note - Dave Navaro is a lot smaller than he should be - Almost AC/DC size, and the Deftones are alot bigger.

the steak was best.

I spent the rest of the evening hooking up with old friends and Joyriding in the XR6 until I regained my senses after I came over the rise of a hill between mayrol drive and ponsonby road at the most furious speed only to be confronted by two sets of headlights side by side. some fuckin Taxi driver was overtaking on the rise of a hill!! anyways I bought the car to a screaming halt and we just missed each other. I had a reminder why I stopped driving like that years ago - Note to self - only fuckin dicks drive like an idiot in cities. I was a dick.

Next morning we had a pile of press to get through before we headed out - so we had to wake up too early and talk shit about ourselves before we'd had breakfast. Got out there pretty early and I caught some of Blindspott - nice guys and all credit to them just not my thing really. But the D4 certainly are, and it was an absolute pleasure to hang out and watch them play - If you get the chance go see them and if you have $$$ in your wallet buy that album!

Our set was good today - I got unusually nervous before we went on but just the chant of 'SHIHAD' before we went on was all I needed to set me straight. The first couple of songs were a little wobbly but by the time we did Bullitproof auckland was moving the way it always should.

Highlights for me.....

Bullitproof, Run, Sedate, Pacifier, jon fucking my front skin, Karl's debonair good looks, and of course all of you folks who came and supported us!! you all fucking rule!

So for the rest of the day I just spent it watching the rest of the bands.

Here's the run down.

QOTSA - So fuckin' sorry for them - Just an absolute nightmare - the band is amazing (As they proved later on the 3rd stage) but it was just so miserable to have them get going only to have them crashing to the ground.

PJ HARVEY - I can't have anymore respect and admiration for a musician - Polly simply rules and I have doted on everything she has done since 1994 - Amazing - Great drummer too - his playing on Rid of me is one of my favourite recordings of a drummer ever.

JANES ADDICTION - Surprise of the day - I saw them back in 1991 when they were all tortured and smaked out and they were really great then - to be honest I was expecting some thing really forgetable having seen them in their apparent finest hour and also really strongly disliking porno for pyros but they were better!! Perry Farrell was everywhere - great singing, Stephen Perkins was just mesmerising to watch and I just rate his drumming so highly, Navaro was cornball but he fuckin' nailed it and overall it left me on a high.

FOO FIGHTERS - I caught 4 songs and it was enormous - I thought they we're really energetic and I'll get more of a vibe over the next few shows. i had to leave early so i could catch the.........

DATSUNS - God I'm sounding like a sycophant by now but jeezus these guys are great at what they do - I really enjoyed it - watched with Karl from the Side of stage and went out front and watched with my friends - excellent - I didn't really like the album but live they actually remind me of Thin Lizzy in the Bryan Downey era - Definately not a bad thing.

So that was about it - Got to catch up lots of friends and associates - Particular mention of Jaz Coleman - we got to sit down and have a chat and bury the hatchet - Good to see him after all these years. Also I now a commited Living End groupie - they fuckin' rule!! And they're new drummer - Andy - is superb!

Stayed up all night and caught the plane early in the morning - Jules reamed the Falcon all the way to the Airport - mmmmmm rok!

Thats about it! Gold Coast next................