22 August 2024 – The Triffid, Brisbane – words by Tarynne Ambrosi – pictures by Bec Harbour
Is Purple Zain an up tempo opening act or shill to make money to buy cocaine? As this is my second time seeing the Gold Coast’s Purple Zain live, I have to wonder.
Their support slot opening tonight at The Triffid for Electric Six is a ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ style into which they burst in to Peter Allen’s ‘I Go To Rio’ , as the band enters the stage in a conga line – Purple Zain declaring “I am Peter Allen and I didn’t die of AIDS”. The set was kicked off with ‘Fall in love’ with the introduction of some on-fire choreographing.
The most notable thing I got from the second track of the evening was the mysterious backstory of it being a song about a prostitute from the Phillipines. The singer ensured us he didn’t enjoy coitus with her and that she has most likely died from AIDS by now.
Onto an ode to puppy love in your 40’s about a white woman with a 100km circumference. Cocaine, Champagne and Cialis? ‘Triple C’ – brilliant track.
Lastly, we were treated to the new EP in all four parts (Faith, Steroids, Arrest and Prison) tells the story of Tim Lambesis – singer of As I Lie Dying (a Christian Metalcore band) and his subsequent 2013 arrest for attempting to hire a hitman to kill his wife. 12 and a half minutes of prog rock opera to rattle your nerves. (Note: The new EP – The Lamb and the Beast is now on Spotify.)
Another great show from Purple Zain – if you get a chance to check them out, do!
Purple Zain – The Triffid – photos by Bec Harbour
It’s been a few drinks between Electric Six shows for me. Last time I was able to catch Electric Six they had just released their second album and I was fortunate enough to catch their 1 November, 2005 show at The Zoo (RIP). With 20 studio albums released to date, tonight will be both nostalgic and a bloody good time. And, while I am not a full aficionado in the entire catalogue of Electric Six – I have splashed my toesies in the kiddy pool of a goodly amount of their albums, so I am excited to hear the band 19 years later (God, am I that old)?.
As they take to the stage, we go right in to ‘Turquoise’, with the band sounding great – however it became apparent at the end of the song there were some technical difficulties. Not to worry, singer Dick Valentine grabbed a guitar and improv’d the Back Street Boys ‘I want it that way’ which garnered some hearty laughs from the crowd.
Electric Six – The Triffid – photos by Bec Harbour
Back on schedule, we are now on to track 4 or 5 – ‘Down at McDonnelzzz’ the crowd were immediately back on board and loving the songs with arms in the air and dare I say it – waving them like they just didn’t care?
Dick Valentine entertained between songs with some banter about everything from how long the band had been in this dirty business (twenty-something years and how they had released 90 albums and please dear god, buy the albums and he was going to meet each of us individually to sell us an album and take the story of Brisbane to Sydney) I don’t think anyone had the heart to tell him about State of Origin, or explain what state of origin is, or in fact, care too much about State of Origin at all.
Just another minor glitch with the audio – Dick, shrugging his shoulders declaring ‘it’s ok, we’ve already been paid’. More laughs from the punters.
Electric Six – The Triffid – photos by Bec Harbour
The set blistered through more tracks – like ‘Gay Bar’, ‘She’s White’, ‘Dirty Ball’, ‘Improper Dancing’, each song sounding amazing as the previous technical difficulties seem to well and truely be resolved. Dick Valentine charmed the crowd with quips and funny one liners and Fossey style choreography like ‘standing motionless with a thousand yard stare’.
The gig came to a close and I have to say the crowd was all smiles leaving The Triffid, witnessing a band in full force and enjoying the show thoroughly. Electric Six are just bloody dynamite and even after releasing 112 (or so) studio albums, they are simply an amazing live band and well worth the brutal toll of going out on a school night.
