1927, Boom Crash Opera @ The Gov, Adelaide 2/3/2024
Boom Crash Opera and 1927 were all across the airwaves in the late 1980’s so it was inevitable that they would eventually team up for a tour around the country at some stage. And in Adelaide the people came out in droves to catch this dynamic duo.
Both bands epitomise just how great Australian music was thirty five years ago, but I must admit at being surprised with Boom Crash Opera being on first, but then I have never seen 1927 live, or perhaps they are taking it in turns on this tour.
Boom Crash Opera’s entrance bought the house down, with the band arriving all in black and Dale Ryder coming out in a “look at me” all white outfit. Straight into Great Wall, with the crowd putting fists in the air. Gimme followed immediately as did Her Charity before we got a “Hullo People” from Dale.
Bettadaze gave each member an extremely short solo, Peter Maslen’s drums pounding around the room and then John Favaro’s bass drubbing the punters. Peter Farnan on guitar played the “rock god” part, doing all sorts of guitar hero poses, smiling all the time to let us know he was just having fun.
Dancing in the Storm gave the people a chance to sing along and Piece of Pie from the 1989 album These Here Are Crazy Times giving the band a chance “to play a song we haven’t played for a while”. As Dale Ryder exited the stage, Peter Farnan stepped up to the microphone for vocals on one of his solo songs, Hello.
“We are doing songs for you, we now want do one me” said Dale, leading into Wake Up Fine. Just how many hits did Boom Crash Opera have? Hands Up in the Air, Get Out of the House and The Best Thing resounded around the room before Onion Skin closed the set and the audience went for a well-deserved drink and rest.
I actually thought the crush in front of the stage would ease a bit for 1927, but if anything, I think it got bigger. It didn’t deter people that unlike Boom Crash Opera, whose members are mostly original, Eric Weiderman is the sole remaining member of the original 1927.
Once again, the audience nearly bought the house down when the band kicked into To Love Me and You’ll Never Know, both from the 1988 …ish album. Two songs from the second album, The Other Side, in Don’t Forget Me and Tell Me a Story quickly followed, with no gap between the songs.
It was from here that the band really kicked in, Stop the World was simply stunning and It Ain’t Love with its INXS refrain of Need You Tonight followed by a band jam left me speechless. The band were tight and flawless and the sound perfect. Compulsory Hero had total crowd engagement and The Story Never Ends, “for people who have loved, lost, loved, lost” was magnificent.
The phones came out for That’s When I Think of You, The Gov a wash of screen light for the duration of the song.
“This is when we usually go off.” Eric told us “And then we come back on. We have been doing that for thirty years. It is total bullshit. Just pretend we have been off and come back” he laughed. The two-song encore naturally ended with If I Could, played to perfection, as screens once again lit up the room.
Two bands with two different styles of music, both intense. One band playing in pure party mode and one playing with a beautiful artistic style. I am not saying which one I liked better, (they were both good), you had to be there to make your own mind up.
Live Review By Geoff Jenke