Thanks for the comments back on The Weight. I completely agree about what you said re: Crowded House and it was a thrill to see them on their psuedo home turf. The trip TO Australia was surprisingly easy…probably due to adrenaline and the excitement of being away for two weeks. The flight home is a different matter and I haven’t fallen asleep before 4 am in the last couple days.

The first thing I said to my brother at the Crowded House show was that it was not “cookie cutter” at all. It seemed completely spontaneous, the band was bantering with the crowd and each other, and the music was (hell, I’ll say it) joyous. The music soars and cascades, the band is obviously extremely talented, the “pop” sound is pretty deceiving as there is a complexity to every song, and it certainly felt like a jamming show.

It was interesting to have the Aussie crowd seated pretty much the entire time. And oddly, “Don’t Dream It’s Over” was hardly the most applauded or cheered song of the night . That was reserved for “Something So Strong”. Maybe Don’t Dream was just their biggest song in “The States”.

Definitely go to Australia if you get the chance. I would move to Sydney tomorrow if it wasn’t so damn far away. Think New York City: only cleaner, less dense, more friendly, and add pristine beaches and harbors as far as you can see. And palm trees. You could call your music site Hidden Koala Tracks….or Outback Track. You get the idea…