Grant Lee Phillips-The Brass Monkey-Cronulla

15 May 2018

Grant Lee Phillips

Supported by Matt Joe Gow

The Brass Monkey- Cronulla-15 May 2018

The last time I was in the shadow of Grant Lee Phillips it was days before my 23-year-old son was born in 1995. The Annandale was a sweaty summer mess, filled to the rafters and   Grant Lee Buffalo were here to do a  sideshow from their tour supporting R.E.M. Phillips songwriting on those first two records, Fuzzy and Mighty Joe Moon, was shining brightly. After honing his band’s talents under the moniker Shiva Burlesque, it was easy work to put out two such thrilling records.

Of course, the set list tonight included quite a few songs from those records with a good smattering of other rarities and new tunes. One early cover, “Under The Milky Way” by The Church, was a good lesson in distinguishing Phillip’s composition style. As Phillips said, “After hearing this song, I then went on to write 18 songs that sounded just like it.”  The comparison is so obvious and Phillip’s has been covering this tune for some time now.

With a small audience of close to 50, Phillips still put on a show that made him sweat. His banter and jokes about the stage and lights and sound (at least I think they were light-hearted) and his ‘joy’ of being in Cronulla were quite funny. As he had never been in this suburb in the Shire, he joked about the pronunciation. He also thanked us for coming out so late on a Tuesday night. It being only around 9PM, tongue was firmly planted in cheek.

Tracks off his new release Widdershins we well received. The beauty and the range of his voice can be dreamy or rough and the tones he creates blend well with his better-than-average guitar work. Grant Lee Buffalo tunes played were a dreamy “Mighty Joe Moon”, a stunning “Happiness”, “Jupiter and Teardrop” and “Lone Star Song”. Besides those tunes, he played the ones you knew for sure he would offer up, “Honey Don’t Think”, “Happiness” and “Fuzzy.”  I must say I have a soft spot for “Mockingbirds” from his 1994 release and I was not disappointed with the setlist.

One person in attendance offered up to me that his best work was behind him. I had to disagree because he has put out consistently inventive and literate songs ever since he went solo. I also believe that any artist who can deliver such a soulful performance and hold the audience rapt with a guitar and a voice is still at the top of his game.

Matt Joe Gow, from Dunedin, warmed up the crowd with a similar vocal style to Phillips and he may be one to keep an eye on around the local music scene.