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Gig review: Split Enz in Wellington
The Dominion Post | Wednesday, 26 March 2008
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ANDREW GORRIE/Dominion Post

HE SEES RED: Tim Finn performs with Split Enz at TSB Arena in Wellington.
ANDREW GORRIE/Dominion Post

LONG WAIT: Neil Finn performs with Split Enz at TSB Arena in Wellington.
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A Split Enz reunion is a big deal, and Wellington's TSB Arena sold out months ago. Simon Sweetman takes in one of New Zealand's best-known bands.

Split Enz
Where: TSB Arena, Wellington
When: Tuesday, March 25

The chance to see the brothers Finn with Eddie Rayner (keyboards), Noel Crombie (percussion) and Nigel Griggs (bass) is always cause for celebration for a Kiwi crowd, particularly as there is a generation raised on the band's songs now experiencing the first opportunity to see the group live.

This nationwide tour comes on the back of the Enz playing successful reunion gigs in Australia last year.

We thought we had missed out but Split Enz would never forget the home crowd.

Kicking off with Shark Attack and Poor Boy, it was clear that Tim Finn is in better voice than he has been for the past decade.

Neil Finn fired back with One Step Ahead and Give It A Whirl, and so it continued, the sibling songwriters issuing a back-and-forth challenge, with the winner being the audience.

Never did it feel like a cynical, cop-out reunion; cool new suits, a great light show and impressive backdrops all made for a great show.

And this version of the band pumped out memorable pop songs, from the quirky (Dirty Creature) to the classic straight-ahead rock (I Got You).

Certainly Tim's solo performances have come to feel increasingly reliant on the energy of the Enz material to get him through - he clings to the material, but serves it so well. It is his musical lifeblood.

For Neil it was a springboard to bigger things, but he respectfully acknowledges his roots.

Further highlights included Neil, Tim and Rayner revisiting the early Enz gem Matinee Idyll; Crombie's delicious spoon solo; the swirling keys of Pioneer, leading directly in to Six Months In A Leaky Boat; and of course the set-closing I See Red.

An amazing show from a world-class group of homegrown heroes, this is the sort of nostalgia act that manages to remain relevant and hip while revisiting former glories.

And nice for The Phoenix Foundation to get the chance to play to a larger audience - it is disingenuous to bless/curse the band as the new Split Enz but certainly Phoenix is one of the best and more original contemporary Kiwi groups.

Here's hoping a few old Enz fans will build on this Foundation.

The article also has 2 colur pics. Tim & Neil

Here's the URL for the above article: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4452639a4500.html

It took a lot to get into the forum, guess a lots of hits around the world at the mo, error 500.
Any how...
Wellington TSB 25th March 2008.
GR8 to meet some fellow fans...although very briefly.
Hey M.K. and fellow fan from the 'mainland' (sorry forgot your name).
Shout out to Scott (nice to meet international fans from the other side of the world).
We meet Neil, Tim, Nigel (what a fab conversation we had), and Michael.
All i can say is Split Enz 'Enz Home'.
Good-bye Split Enz you are a world class act,(no plastic pop stars here).
Makes ya proud to be a Kiwi. :-)
Wish i could follow the tour on to Auckland.
Some screen grabs.
















A short clip 'outro'.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4ulh4_enz-home_music

Awesome photos, visitor, especially those close-ups of the boys...love 'em!

Wow! Thanks for the photos. They are fantastic.
Feels like I'm there again.

Wgtn Setlist.

Great photos on this site. I am so silly got the days mixes up and missed the Wellington gig feel very silly about it. Well I have to 2 Auckland gigs to go to and I went to the 2 gigs in Christchirch so not the end of the world. It is a great shame to think that this NZ tour is the first and last time I will every get to see the Enz live. I bet they will never come and play any gigs in the UK. I am now all sorted for the 2 Auckland gigs I will not miss them.

Thanks for sharing your photos thevisitor. Loved the candid camera one of Timbo there. The phrase "what the..." springs to mind as a caption for that pic.

http://www.scoop.co.nz:80/stories/HL0803/S00424.htm

One Step Ahead Wellington.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4v0to_enz-home_music

http://www.tv3.co.nz/VideoBrowseAll/EntertainmentVideo/...5/Default.aspx#video

http://frenzforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7501061171/m/4...721049494#2721049494
Yeah right MP3 crap.
Oh can i say crap ?.

Weird and unexpected in Split Enz style
http://www.stuff.co.nz:80/stuff/4455890a1860.html

NZTV The entrance then into Shark Attack
This link is hidden in the blue column on the left, hit EXTENDED video.
Just tried the link and its direct, but remember it for future stuff.

Make sure you pick dial up or broadband too.

quote:

Originally posted by Kelly Timtam:
NZTV The entrance then into Shark Attack
This link is hidden in the blue column on the left, hit EXTENDED video.
Just tried the link and its direct, but remember it for future stuff.

Make sure you pick dial up or broadband too.

Wow!!
Some groups do let TV channels capture say the first 3 songs of a gig for news reports etc.
That's classic, looks like a 2 camera shot, too bad they weren't patched into the soundboard.
Good old TV3, now you wouldn't get that on TVNZ...although you might now days.
Hope they put more up.
Thank You for the link Kelly.

http://nzbluesnews.blogspot.com:80/2008/03/review.html

thanks Kelly - I never tire of Shark Attack!

The boys look sharp as usual. Nice to see some shots of Michael Barker too, he is a talented individual.

Keep those reviews coming, please

quote:

Originally posted by thevisitor:

Hey M.K. and fellow fan from the 'mainland' (sorry forgot your name).

Hey mate, thanks for the shout out. No probs about the name, I prefer not to use it publically anyway but am happy for my Frenz to know it. Was great to catch up again and listen to the soundcheck together, what a blast!

Thanks for sharing your photos too, some great ones in there. I especially love the one of Michael on his bike, I've many memories of watching him ride off but alas never captured the image.

quote:

Originally posted by mummakook:

quote:

Originally posted by thevisitor:

Hey M.K. and fellow fan from the 'mainland' (sorry forgot your name).

Hey mate, thanks for the shout out. No probs about the name, I prefer not to use it publically anyway but am happy for my Frenz to know it. Was great to catch up again and listen to the soundcheck together, what a blast!

Thanks for sharing your photos too, some great ones in there. I especially love the one of Michael on his bike, I've many memories of watching him ride off but alas never captured the image.

Hey no worries.
BTW: Notice in this stage door intro, Tim arriving, if you listen carefully you can hear "Double Happy" faintly.
Don't know where that came from, cause i didn't put it there....mmmmmm I wonder.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4v0to_enz-home_music

Were they rehearsing at the time ?, i don't recall.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4ulh4_enz-home_music

Any how lovely to see you again, until next time.
'See Ya 'Round'.

quote:

Originally posted by thevisitor:

BTW: Notice in this stage door intro, Tim arriving, if you listen carefully you can hear "Double Happy" faintly.
Don't know where that came from, cause i didn't put it there....mmmmmm I wonder.

Were they rehearsing at the time ?, i don't recall.

Yeah, given that we didn't see Eddie or Michael go in I think they were in there playing around for some time before the others started arriving.

Split Enz 'Give It A Whirl' 'Enz Home' Wellington.
Not happy with the audio capture, but for everyone that was there, and fans world-wide.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4xkat_split-enz-give-...whirl-enz-home_music

Remembering Split Enz 'Enz Home' ie: In N.Z. ;-)
:-)

http://www.dailymotion.com/playlist/xiipf_thevisitortjn_split-enz-enz-home