12 July 2024 – The Triffid, Brisbane – words by Cecilia Pattison-Levi – pictures by Nino Lo Giudice
I have loved the band Pseudo Echo since their first album Autumnal Park was released way back in 1984. My devotion to the band saw me win a copy of the vinyl record from a local coastal radio station 2WL and I still have it. It was with great excitement and a little bit of nostalgia that I headed off to The Triffid to see Pseudo Echo and enjoy the celebration of the 40th anniversary of that album being released and played in the Australian Machine 2024 Tour.
The Triffid was crowded with people of a certain age (Gen Xers) when I arrived at the venue and the crowd was steadily building up until the doors opened at 8pm. It was a race to get to the front of the stage once the doors opened and within 30 minutes the venue was full. The sound and lighting engineers knew the audience and had classic 1980s Australian music tracks spinning (thanks for all the Flowers/Icehouse tunes) as the dry ice machine was pumping out fog and making us all freeze.
The evening started with lots of gathered around the stage: people chatting about music, singing along to those classic 80s tunes and generally settling in for the evening – as people realised that Pseudo Echo weren’t going to be on stage until 9.45pm. There were shock statements unsettling the younger people in the crowd like: ‘I’ll be asleep by then’ and ‘Its past bedtime’. The time passed very quickly as Gen Xers gave rock ‘n’ roll lessons and information to the Gen Zs and Millennials about iconic synth-pop hits from the ’80s: ‘Underground. Flowers. And, yes. Transvision Vamp were a thing. And so was their lead singer Wendy James’. There was much spotifying and googling action going on.
Then, a local Brisbane group of three musicians Not Gonna Lie (comprising of Lucy, Georgie and Nicole) walked onto the stage. With their nerves on edge, as it was their first big gig, they performed a mix of their original songs ‘Comic Baby’, ‘Nothing To Learn’, ‘Gums’, ‘Maryanne’ and a fine cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rhiannon’. Their lovely harmonies and sparing use of instrumentation provided a very stripped back sound where their voices could shine. Their song ‘Hold On’ about the struggles of being a musician and the importance of supporting live music in Brisbane was well received by the crowd. Not Gonna Lie are a band in the beginning phases of their development and it will be interesting to chart their journey – check them out on Instagram.
Not Gonna Lie – The Triffid – photos by Nino Lo Giudice
After a short break as guitars and leads were removed and the crowd went back to singing along to Icehouse and Models tunes, a lone figure quickly ducked up into the drum kit and started a video lightshow that projected Pseudo Echo images out to the crowd. It took us back to those days in 1984 when the songs ‘Listening’, ‘A Beat For You’and ‘Dancing Until Midnight’ were racing up the Australian charts and around the world.
It is important to remind you just what Australia was like back then. The country was just starting to open up to the world with widespread changes in currency, sporting and cultural exchanges. It was a vibrant but unusual unsettling time. I was personally flying into and out of Australia as a young sportsperson and watching the country change from this sleepy backwater into a nation that wanted to be a player in its region. Pseudo Echo was the soundtrack to that time and place.
Pseudo Echo – The Triffid – photos by Nino Lo Giudice
Then, suddenly the band appeared on stage. Pseudo Echo’s line up comprises of six musicians that includes two insanely talented women, local Brisbane drummer Abigail Lula who was amazing. “How good was the drummer- so good!” And Valentina Taylor with an amazing set of pipes on backing vocals. Then, Brian Canham appeared guitar in hand and the performance was on. It was 1984 and Brian was singing ‘Stranger in Me’, ‘His Eyes’, and ‘Destination Unknown’.
The setlist was a sublime balance of tracks from Autumnal Park weaved into other hits and work from Pseudo Echo other classic albums like Teleporter, Love An Adventure and the underappreciated Race with the classic songs ‘Eye of the Storm’, ‘Over Tomorrow’ and ‘Living in a Dream’. They also delivered their classic radio and gig fan hits with the same passion that projected them to fame all those decades ago. Tracks like ‘Send Me An Angel’, ‘Nut Bush City Limits’, ‘Funky Town’ and ‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap’ performed loud and dirty. It was a perfect shift in style and the crowd loved it! What is great about these covers is that they have the signature Pseudo Echo sound and some sound better than the originals. The set ended with ‘Listening’ which is I think a perfect pop song – everything about that track is right – the Korg synth, the descending scale, the voice, four chords and the guitar riff underneath. Heaven!
Pseudo Echo – The Triffid – photos by Nino Lo Giudice
Brian Canham’s performance was charismatic and he was in top form all night. His vocals were clear and powerful. His rapport with the audience was great – even though his quips about “There’s a medication now for that” and “Let’s stay out of the walking frame” and “Yes. You can go to the gym but things just start to hurt – in the morning, at night and maybe in the afternoon” and his reminiscences about his cabinet-maker days and the whirlwind of fame and learning to appreciate Elton John was honest and revealing. He was every bit the rockstar – with his glasses, the black shirt with jewellery, leather pants and Barbie pink guitar. The rest of the band matched his energy, delivering a tight, polished performance that highlighted their musical prowess: Matty Ray on keytar, James Mudd on guitar and Paul Cecchinelli on bass and keyboard and the amazing drummer and backing singer (already mentioned above). The whole band was a tight unit.
Right until the encore: a reprise of ‘Funky Town’ and the really great track ‘Ultraviolet’ from 2014 -there was a tangible sense of joy in the air. Even the backstage crew, the supporting act and Triffid staff were having a great time as they watched a crowd of people not just reliving their memories of Pseudo Echo, but actively creating new ones. It was a celebration of the timelessness of great music and its performance. The night was a musical masterclass and an experience. Whether like me it was driven by a dose of nostalgia or for those younger audience members to discover something new. Pseudo Echo offered something for everyone.
Let’s hope we see Pseudo Echo back in Brisbane again – well before the fiftieth anniversary. You don’t want to miss seeing them live. It was an awesome night!
