I went to The Church at August Hall and walked out absolutely feeling more enlightened and my spirit happy. I’ve never been able to see them live and two of my most favorite songs belong to them. Of course, they played them but to a level that is even better than my memories from my younger self who was a far, far different person back then.
But we are all very different after 46 years. Gone are our limber, lithe and excited youthful selves looking towards an exciting future. But there is just no generation like Generation X. Alternative and new wave 80s kids are still there. We just now have grey hair, maybe a cane and need to sit instead of thrash in a mosh pit. But we are still in there. Perhaps that goes for every generation and their genre of music. But there is just still something different about those bands. You can’t keep touring 46 years after your debut if not.
The Church played the setlist you can find online with two sets and an encore. Leaving each set on a high for anyone who’s been following for 40 years. But in-between songs we also got stories. Really funny stories. Like Steve Kilbey‘s chat with Caspar his Persian cat while on LSD. Yes, as someone with cats this story stuck with me. But it was damn funny. I mean, a cat asking his LSD high cat-daddy why did you cut off my balls and getting a song out of it too? But he is a published author as well now and with decades of experience so of course they are more than the band who apparently weren’t very welcome touring Australia all those years ago. (Another very good story.)
There is a lot to be said for experience and getting older. Sure, I hate a lot of it. But seeing someone who has had a passion for what they are still doing 50 years later in life is just exceptional. The passion, the no fucks given, the talent, the desire to continue is just inspirational. The Church are now at 26 albums and still touring to people and crowds that looked like they will be there till they physically can’t. Me included.
But I also saw 20 and 30 somethings in the crowd. That’s the thing about what new wave/alternative 80s music has. It hits home to the heart of people who are looking towards the future with uncertainty and maybe feeling not understood. Those things and the times brought us punk, new wave and alternative music. Now, perhaps every decade of music does that for their youth. But the 80s are different and the people were different and Generation X is just different.
Now, I really have to find my 1991 Times Square purchased Sony Walkman and listen to some cassettes and reminisce about finally seeing live the songs of my youth that that still speak to me decades later. The Church at August Hall inspired me once again.
What do a snake and poet have in common?
They’re both long fellows.
Steve has talent with dad jokes too.
