A good two days

Brooke Fraser - The Vanguard, 27th April

Had a fantastic time! Roz and I got a meal + show deal and apparently were randomly assigned a table right at the very very front (as well as parking spots right out the front of the venue- a lovely little cosy place). The opening act (The McMenanins or something like that!) was pretty good- an acoustic duo of guitar + violin/mandolin- the violin dude was so cool, playing riffs that I could have only imagined on lead electric guitar on the violin...he was very very cool!

Anyway, Brooke Fraser herself took to the stage shortly after with guitarist Nigel Hendroff in tow. What an amazingly talented chick! Wow! I really was blown away....I only decided to go having heard Lifeline and Arithmetic on the radio, and I'm so glad to say that the (kinda short) live set was just as strong, if not stronger that the studio recorded stuff. She has a truly beautiful voice- a bit Sarah McLachlan-ish, with shades of R&B vocal acrobatics which were well placed and spot on. The show was punctuated with her fairly random observations, (e.g. speculation on what would happen if potatoes had wings and flew) but by now you should know that I whole-heartedly embrace the random, and thought it was hilarious and very charming! There were also observations about Britney's I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman and Macguyver, two of bf's favourites- you missed out!

My favourite numbers were Arithmetic- the only song she played piano for, and The Way You Look Tonight/Without You. Special mentions also to the truly random cover of Let's Give Them Something to Talk About and the encore of How sweet it is (to be loved by you), complete with shaker solo! hehehehe. Although I wasn't really that familiar with the songs, somehow it didn't matter as much as when it did at Sarah McLachlan. Maybe it's because Brooke as a performer was able to forge a better connection with me? Probably!

At the end of the night she was ushered away to talk to the media, but still found time after that to sign autographs and chat at the bar with a long queue of well-wishers. She didn't say much (I get the feeling that she's perhaps more shy in person than she comes across on stage) but was still lovely and signed my album and the one I got for my friend who is getting married and is playing one of her songs at her wedding.

All in all, a great night! I'm a fan! =)

I can't remember the exact order....so this is my stab:

Better
Saving the World
Waste Another Day
Reverie
The Way You Look Tonight/Without You
Let's Give Them Something to Talk About
Arithmetic
[A new song]
Lifeline
How Sweet it is

****

And today I started work at CB@!
Although my feet and legs are killing from running around the city, and dragging around the incredibly cumbersome mail trolley, I felt that I was doing work that was heaps more meaningful than just stnading around the store all day. and that was very satisfying!

But man...full day's work really took it's toll on me...I am absolutely buggered, and so am trotting off to sleep!

G'nite y'all!