The Birthday Party

Mainstreet Cabaret, Auckland, NZ
1983.05.03

source: mixing desk
generation: unknown


Quality: A-/B+
(A = Excellent, E = Abysmal)


Guitar - Rowland S. Howard (RIP)
Bass - Tracey Pew (RIP)
Vocals - Nick Cave
Drums - Des Hefner


Setlist

01 Deep In The Woods 6:30
02 Sonny's Burning 3:49
03 Jennifer's Veil 5:32
04 Wild World 4:39
05 Fears Of Gun 5:11
06 Hamlet 4:20
07 She's Hit 7:20

total 37:21


This recording is of the first show of the Birthday Party's infamous 1983 tour of New Zealand. These shows were among the last few the band ever did. The support acts were the late Kevin Hawkins from Fishschool and Shoes This High, and The Marching Girls, whose drummer, Des Hefner, filled in for Mick Harvey. Harvey had left the band before they reached New Zealand.

All 4 concerts were recorded with a view to apparently releasing a record a la the Flying Nun release 'Fall in a Hole' recorded during the Fall's August 1982 tour of NZ. Some notes circulating about this show state that it was broadcast on the radio, this is not the case, only the Wellington show on the 6th of May was broadcast on the local student radio station.

Legend has it that Hefner had learnt their set in one rehearsal before this show, however they had only prepared a set of 7 songs. They walked onstage, performed them and walked off with no encores. The audience were furious at the band's short set. "Sonny's Burning" from this concert was released on the "Cremation" bootleg LP, and "Fears Of Gun" was released on the "Devil In A Bottle" bootleg LP.

I have heard of reports from people who witnessed the shows on this tour and the feedback was that they were extremely intense. In Wellington a substantial proportion of the audience left the concert before the conclusion, such was the assault on the senses. Photos of this Auckland concert can be seen here... http://www.elsewhere.co.nz/othervoicesotherrooms/5634/guest-writer-and-photographer-jonathan-ganley-on-nick-cave-and-the-birthday-party-at-mainstreet-1983/

Enjoy!

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Upped to Dime by hT 2015.01.15